Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[passaloutre]

My new White's Semi-Dress (9D) showed up today. Before I even put the laces in, I slipped my foot in and feel pressure right on top (). I think they're simply too small, the left foot in particular. I think the right side would break in enough to be comfortable, but the left foot is getting the squeeze all around the middle of my foot. Length and width seem mostly fine (particularly in the toes), but the height is just not enough. I guess that's what they call "high volume"?

Is it likely these will stretch enough to accommodate?

I got them on pretty deep clearance from Baker's, and this was the size recommended by then based on my measurements.

"Painful" seems to be too strong a word (though I've only worn them for a couple minutes at a time, maybe they'd be painful after an hour), but they are definitely more than "snug". I'd say "tight" is the most accurate, and I don't feel like I could go conquer the world in them.

They remind me of a pair of Alden Indy 9B/D that I had for a couple of years. I thought they'd "break in", but they never did quite enough. They never inspired me to wear them much, so I sold them and replaced with 9.5B/D which were perfect out of the box. Neither my Alden 9.5 or my Red Wing 9D were this tight when new. The Red wings are snug in the middle, but not like this.

 

[chicagoan2016]

My new White's Semi-Dress (9D) showed up today. Before I even put the laces in, I slipped my foot in and feel pressure right on top (). I think they're simply too small, the left foot in particular. I think the right side would break in enough to be comfortable, but the left foot is getting the squeeze all around the middle of my foot. Length and width seem mostly fine (particularly in the toes), but the height is just not enough. I guess that's what they call "high volume"?

Is it likely these will stretch enough to accommodate?

I got them on pretty deep clearance from Baker's, and this was the size recommended by then based on my measurements.

"Painful" seems to be too strong a word (though I've only worn them for a couple minutes at a time, maybe they'd be painful after an hour), but they are definitely more than "snug". I'd say "tight" is the most accurate, and I don't feel like I could go conquer the world in them.

They remind me of a pair of Alden Indy 9B/D that I had for a couple of years. I thought they'd "break in", but they never did quite enough. They never inspired me to wear them much, so I sold them and replaced with 9.5B/D which were perfect out of the box. Neither my Alden 9.5 or my Red Wing 9D were this tight when new. The Red wings are snug in the middle, but not like this.

Did you send your feet measurements to Bakers or White's directly?

 

[passaloutre]

Yes

 

[chicagoan2016]

My new White's Semi-Dress (9D) showed up today. Before I even put the laces in, I slipped my foot in and feel pressure right on top (). I think they're simply too small, the left foot in particular. I think the right side would break in enough to be comfortable, but the left foot is getting the squeeze all around the middle of my foot. Length and width seem mostly fine (particularly in the toes), but the height is just not enough. I guess that's what they call "high volume"?

Is it likely these will stretch enough to accommodate?

I got them on pretty deep clearance from Baker's, and this was the size recommended by then based on my measurements.

"Painful" seems to be too strong a word (though I've only worn them for a couple minutes at a time, maybe they'd be painful after an hour), but they are definitely more than "snug". I'd say "tight" is the most accurate, and I don't feel like I could go conquer the world in them.

They remind me of a pair of Alden Indy 9B/D that I had for a couple of years. I thought they'd "break in", but they never did quite enough. They never inspired me to wear them much, so I sold them and replaced with 9.5B/D which were perfect out of the box. Neither my Alden 9.5 or my Red Wing 9D were this tight when new. The Red wings are snug in the middle, but not like this.

Did you send your feet measurements to Bakers or White's directly

Yes

To Bakers?
Edit: you answered it. It was Bakers, I need to get some sleep lol.
I wonder if you are experiencing the famous "White's bite" here. To be honest I am 100% newbie, I have only read about the "bite".

 

[passaloutre]

Yes to Kyle at Baker's. I emailed the tracings, as I didn't want to wait and miss out on the clearance item. I also gave him ball, instep, and heel measurements and size references for other brands.

 

[chicagoan2016]

Yes to Kyle at Baker's. I emailed the tracings, as I didn't want to wait and miss out on the clearance item. I also have him ball, instep, and heel measurements and size references for other brands.

Thank you , I also updated my reply with "White's bite"

 

[discomute]

Did you use a proper dressmaker tape measure?

If this is a silly question... I didn't at first

 

[redbaron1980]

Also, I've read emailing you measurements can cause problems, since they need to print out a scanned version of what you drew, which may cause distortions in your tracings

 

[chicagoan2016]

Also, I've read emailing you measurements can cause problems, since they need to print out a scanned version of what you drew, which may cause distortions in your tracings

That's good to know, so it's better to use snail mail?

 

[fushaw]

That's good to know, so it's better to use to snail mail?

I emailed my tracings in but I also measured the length and width and wrote them on the tracings so that they would have a reference to go by when they printed them out. YMMV but that seemed to help for me.

 

[chicagoan2016]

I emailed my tracings in but I also measured the length and width and wrote them on the tracings so that they would have a reference to go by when they printed them out. YMMV but that seemed to help for me.

Thank you. Did you ever experience the 'White's bite'? I have read about it.

 

[Rymanocerous]

Yes to Kyle at Baker's. I emailed the tracings, as I didn't want to wait and miss out on the clearance item. I also have him ball, instep, and heel measurements and size references for other brands.

Reach out to Kyle and talk about it with him. If he thinks it's normal, he will probably suggest wearing them around the house to see if they seem like they are going to loosen up. Also will probably recommend you use a little rubbing alcohol to promote some stretch. If none of those show indications of improvements, I'm sure they will make it right. Again, talk to Kyle first.

 

[wordfool]

Also, I've read emailing you measurements can cause problems, since they need to print out a scanned version of what you drew, which may cause distortions in your tracings

I emailed mine as PDFs (making sure the scanner did not scale them) and it was not a problem. Measurements were written down (including length) and the measuring lines on the tracing blanks no doubt help Baker’s gauge things regardless. Kyle did also ask me to measure the length of each foot when standing and sitting (with socks, of course)

Yes to Kyle at Baker's. I emailed the tracings, as I didn't want to wait and miss out on the clearance item. I also have him ball, instep, and heel measurements and size references for other brands.

sounds like what I did. It could be that one or both boots have some sort of manufacturing issue that manifests itself as a poor fit, or maybe even that your foot is particularly sensitive to pressure in that area, or that your arches are naturally lower so are not used to such support.

My first pair of SDs was snug, verging on tight, but not painfully so. The arch ease does have the effect of making the boots feel much more snug in the midfoot than other boots I have. In the case of the BH with a fully gusseted tongue it’s like your jamming your foot into an airlock. The “whites bite” people talk of is, I believe, felt mostly on the outside of the mid foot (opposite the arch). I felt it a bit but it quickly dissipates after a couple of wears, I presume because the leather stretches and my foot gets used to it (the arch bump itself takes much longer to mold to your foot)

 

[fushaw]

Thank you. Did you ever experience the 'White's bite'? I have read about it.

I did not. I only have 1 pair of Whites and I've been wearing them 4-5x per week for the past 2 months and they've broken in quite nicely. Idk if I have large volume feet but I do have an E/EE width toebox and a very high arch and I don't feel any painful pressure on the top of my feet.

The only uncomfort so far has been a little bit around the ankle where the leather is still breaking in but it's very minor and only after wearing them for a long time. They're snug around the heel and middle of my foot and roomy in the toebox otherwise.

 

[passaloutre]

Yes, I know the scanned copy of the measurement sheet is not ideal because there may be some distortion in the scanning process, but again this was a clearance item and I had to do things quickly. Kyle was aware of this and accepted my measurements anyways.

The problem with a clearance sale is there are no refunds or exchanges, as far as I'm aware, so Baker's is under no obligation to really help me. I have updated Kyle with the same story I told here and I'm waiting to hear back.

Nevertheless, I have these boots which are on the line between tight and painful. I understand White's boots to some degree are expected to be somewhat uncomfortable at first and undergo a famous break-in, but I'm having trouble reconciling the way these boots feel and the "somewhat uncomfortable" of my expectations. If they both felt like the right foot, I would believe they'd break in to an excellent fit, but the left foot has me worried. I wore the boots sitting at my desk for 30 minutes (I didn't want to walk around too much in case it may affect my opportunity for exchange or resale) to see if my foot might get used to it, but it was still too tight. I'm tempted to take them to the cobbler for a stretch, but again I don't want to affect my potential resale opportunity.