Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[imwalker]

I wonder if heel adjustment is better suited for severe pronation rather than mild to moderate over-pronation that can generally be alleviated by good arch support. Apparently the majority of people (up to 60% from what I've read) over-pronate to some degree but I suspect most don't even know it or get along fine with "normal" shoes/boots.

As a runner I've had my gait analyzed (it was alarming to see how much my ankles/feet bent and flexed in slow motion on a treadmill) and I now tend to wear only "motion control" running shoes, although apparently there's not much evidence that they make a difference compared to neutral shoes when it comes to preventing injuries in the long term. Motion control running shoes are designed to provide slightly more arch support and to prevent the inside of the heel/sole from compressing too much as your foot naturally rolls inwards, not about tilting your foot in the first place (most over-pronators' feet land more or less flat then roll inwards; only severe pronators/supinators AFAIK strike heavily with one edge of the foot/heel). I imagine the rock hard sole and heel of a pair of White's is going to be just as good, or better, at preventing foot roll as you walk that a pair of mushy-soled running shoes.

The ultimate test is whether you suffer from shin splints or knee problems when wearing White's -- both symptoms of excessive pronation, but both also potentially caused by any number of other fit-related issues, especially in a pair of hand-made (ie. potentially flawed, asymmetrical) boots with higher-than-average heels that weigh 4lb per foot!

I never had shin or knee problems, but my right foot just blasts right through sneakers. I end up with the tongue shoved way over to the right, and a hole where my big toe is, usually after a year or so. It's partially due to pronation and partially due to my right foot being too wide and very few sneakers being offered in multiple widths (especially in larger sizes). I didn't fully become conscious of these things until I decided to start wearing welted leather boots, which don't let my foot get away with that nonsense so the ones I was trying (Grant Stone and Red Wing options in D widths) were irksomely uncomfortable. I ended up gravitating towards White's and particularly the Bounty Hunter because of the arch support, gusseted tongue, and mismatch size options, all of which seemed they could alleviate these things, and then partway into break-in I discovered my right foot was still twisting around inside the boot and never feeling like it was touching down right in the front. Baker's recommended this adjustment and it has fixed the problem. I'm no longer walking around half-wondering whether my right boot actually fits right. Probably for the first time in my life.

 

[wordfool]

I never had shin or knee problems, but my right foot just blasts right through sneakers. I end up with the tongue shoved way over to the right, and a hole where my big toe is, usually after a year or so. It's partially due to pronation and partially due to my right foot being too wide and very few sneakers being offered in multiple widths (especially in larger sizes). I didn't fully become conscious of these things until I decided to start wearing welted leather boots, which don't let my foot get away with that nonsense so the ones I was trying (Grant Stone and Red Wing options in D widths) were irksomely uncomfortable. I ended up gravitating towards White's and particularly the Bounty Hunter because of the arch support, gusseted tongue, and mismatch size options, all of which seemed they could alleviate these things, and then partway into break-in I discovered my right foot was still twisting around inside the boot and never feeling like it was touching down right in the front. Baker's recommended this adjustment and it has fixed the problem. I'm no longer walking around half-wondering whether my right boot actually fits right. Probably for the first time in my life.

Sounds like that foot might fall into the "severe over-pronation" category, so I'm glad you finally found a solution. Over the years, have you noticed the soles (not just the heels) of your shoes/boots are much more worn on one side than the other?

As a moderate over-pronator my inclination is not to mess with heel adjustments since I know my heel strike is pretty neutral and I've not noticed any twisting of my feet inside boots. I think a heel adjustment in my case would introduce more problems than it would solve and I'd hazard a guess that's also true for most people.

 

[imwalker]

Over the years, have you noticed the soles (not just the heels) of your shoes/boots are much more worn on one side than the other?

Yes, especially at the ball of my right foot where it always wears faster on the left side. I think my gait tends to push off only from the left side of the ball of my foot when uncorrected, and especially in shoes with less arch support. In the Bounty Hunter it was like my foot was trying to do that and the boot wasn't letting it, or something. It was feeling like the ball of my foot was always suspended in the air, or something. Hard to describe, and a little unintuitive that a difference in the heel would fix it, but it did. I can feel while walking in the boots now that I push off much more evenly across the whole ball instead of mostly on the left.

As a moderate over-pronator my inclination is not to mess with heel adjustments since I know my heel strike is pretty neutral and I've not noticed any twisting of my feet inside boots. I think a heel adjustment in my case would introduce more problems than it would solve and I'd hazard a guess that's also true for most people.

I would not have bothered about this adjustment if it hadn't been driving me kind of crazy. It cost me $70, plus I had to pay to ship the boots in, and be without them for nearly 3 months while the work was being done. But for me it was worth it, and I can transfer the knowledge to future boots if I end up getting more.

 

[PACostag]

In case anyone is interested:

White's Boots Semi Dress Shell Cordovan Tan Cuoio Maryam Size 10 D | Styleforum

 

[PACostag]

Hey @adrs1157 how are those Red Dogs (and your Brown Dress, which I keep looking at)?

 

[chicagoan2016]

My Bounty Hunters and 55-last MP are not only mismated (10.5E left, 10.5EE right) but I also have a heel adjustment on the right boots because I tend to heavily pronate on that side. All on Kyle's recommendation. I've found that despite my right foot being wider in the ball, it seems to be the same or even narrower everywhere else so I actually end up lacing the right boot a little tighter. It's a little less obvious with false tongues in (which I usually use), so this photo shows it at its most pronounced. This said, I don't think a second party looking at my feet would ever notice that there is a difference between them, either in width or in the shape of the heel. I practically have to get out measuring tape to tell the difference between the two boots when they're not on my feet.

Personally, now that I have dialed in this sizing and adjustments, I am finding it difficult to ever want to wear anything other than my White's on my annoyingly asymmetrical feet.

View attachment 1676010

Is this brown dress leather? Love how it's aging!

 

[imwalker]

Is this brown dress leather? Love how it's aging!

Sure is! Seems to look better the more scuffed it gets

 

[jnik]

Just curious, has anyone started to see their father's day orders roll in yet?

 

[montanamike]

Just curious, has anyone started to see their father's day orders roll in yet?

Not yet... I was thinking October so I imagine before long

 

[Alaskaking]

Just curious, has anyone started to see their father's day orders roll in yet?

I was just quoted another 4-5 weeks. I think that puts them on the far side of 16 weeks if they were ordered the Monday after I bought them online.


Baker’s also reported White’s has recently tacked on another 4-6 weeks to the basic build time for new boots (I didn’t ask how recent that bump was. )

 

[RockyMountain22]

Just curious, has anyone started to see their father's day orders roll in yet?

Yes, as a matter of fact, just received notice from Baker's for our Father's Day Packer order, shipping out today!

Will update with photos after receipt.

Cheers,

 

[chicagoan2016]

I was just quoted another 4-5 weeks. I think that puts them on the far side of 16 weeks if they were ordered the Monday after I bought them online.


Baker’s also reported White’s has recently tacked on another 4-6 weeks to the basic build time for new boots (I didn’t ask how recent that bump was. )

That sounds like close to black Friday's sale time frame.
I guess it will be time to order more White's by then.

 

[chicagoan2016]

Yes, as a matter of fact, just received notice from Baker's for our Father's Day Packer order, shipping out today!

Will update with photos after receipt.

Cheers,

Awesome! I waited on finalizing my FD orders so hopefully my boots will be shipping soon! ?
Two of my orders are packers too; can't wait to try the 690 and 695 lasts.

 

[wordfool]

I was just quoted another 4-5 weeks. I think that puts them on the far side of 16 weeks if they were ordered the Monday after I bought them online.

Baker’s also reported White’s has recently tacked on another 4-6 weeks to the basic build time for new boots (I didn’t ask how recent that bump was. )

Four months wait time for boots is a bit absurd. Makes me wonder if something else is going on at White's beyond pandemic-related business challenges. Luckily I have no need to order any more from White's in the forseeable future once my father's day order arrives sometime this month.

 

[Jimk4003]

Four months wait time for boots is a bit absurd. Makes me wonder if something else is going on at White's beyond pandemic-related business challenges. Luckily I have no need to order any more from White's in the forseeable future once my father's day order arrives sometime this month.

To be fair, Nick's are quoting 8 weeks for a stock boot, and 16-20 weeks for an MTO. Wesco are around 6 months at present.

It's just a crazy time, unfortunately, and it's affecting everyone.