Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[chicagoan2016]

For what it's worth, I'll share my experience with my current/first/only pair of White's.

I didn't wear them much after receiving them, but then took them with me on a monthlong trip this Dec-Jan.

About two days into the trip, both boots developed a terrible, mortifying squeak. My family (who already had a sort of snarky disregard for my "big, expensive boots") made note of the squeak constantly. And it echoed off all the cobbled streets and alleys everywhere we walked. I started trying to change my gait to minimize it when passing locals. I spent hours imagining how I was going to send them back and ask for a rebuild once I returned to North America.

And then, in the last week of the trip, after miles and miles and miles of squeaking...they just stopped. Now they're silent and supple. I love them.

All to say, I would try to just wear the absolute crap out of them to see if it resolves organically before actually sending them back.

I am glad your boots are “silent” and you are enjoying them.
BTW where are those cobbled streets?

 

[iamntbatman]

I wonder if air pressure changes on airplanes have some major effect on squeaks? I had a really similar experience - sometimes I have squeaks in my White's. Just last month I went to Budapest and my left boot had this bonkers squeak with each step. Then I fly back to Ireland...squeak gone.

 

[Widening Gyre]

Natty Maryam Stevens on the beach

 

[ABMTL]

I am glad your boots are “silent” and you are enjoying them.
BTW where are those cobbled streets?

The echoing squeaks were in the Barcelona Gothic quarter.

Random question: Is it true that they cut the leather at White's the moment the order arrives?

I had a very strange experience where I called yesterday morning to ask Kyle about a potential tweak to my second order of boots. (Basically I was thinking that I actually might need to come down a half-size.) I placed the order back in June 2022. They are brown horsehide semi-dress.

Someone else answered the phone and told me that the fit couldn't be tweaked because the leather is cut on the day that White's receives the order.

Fair enough on not being able to change the fit once the order is submitted, but is that true...that they cut it right away?

It doesn't feel like it makes intuitive sense. If they cut the leather as soon as each order is placed, wouldn't they have a terrible mountainlike inventory of backlogged cut-up leather to store? Like, they've just been holding on to all this cut leather for six months?

And then, even stranger, I got an email update last night that my boots were in the mail.

Maybe it's just coincidence (I happened to call to ask about tweaking the fit on the exact day that the boots were shipping). But I just wanted to understand. Is that really White's workflow--to cut right away and then to build like six months later? If so, what's the logic?

 

[Luscombe]

Natty Maryam Stevens on the beach View attachment 1888539

Those look just like mine. Break in was a bear but they are pretty comfy now and I get lots of compliments.

 

[chicagoan2016]

The echoing squeaks were in the Barcelona Gothic quarter.

Random question: Is it true that they cut the leather at White's the moment the order arrives?

I had a very strange experience where I called yesterday morning to ask Kyle about a potential tweak to my second order of boots. (Basically I was thinking that I actually might need to come down a half-size.) I placed the order back in June 2022. They are brown horsehide semi-dress.

Someone else answered the phone and told me that the fit couldn't be tweaked because the leather is cut on the day that White's receives the order.

Fair enough on not being able to change the fit once the order is submitted, but is that true...that they cut it right away?

It doesn't feel like it makes intuitive sense. If they cut the leather as soon as each order is placed, wouldn't they have a terrible mountainlike inventory of backlogged cut-up leather to store? Like, they've just been holding on to all this cut leather for six months?

And then, even stranger, I got an email update last night that my boots were in the mail.

Maybe it's just coincidence (I happened to call to ask about tweaking the fit on the exact day that the boots were shipping). But I just wanted to understand. Is that really White's workflow--to cut right away and then to build like six months later? If so, what's the logic?

My guess would be since your boots were ready to ship, any changes weren't possible and the rest is a misunderstanding (miscommunication) between White's customer service and Baker's customer service.

 

[chicagoan2016]

My turn to ask a random question lol
Do some of the fellow members here not follow Baker's sizing recommendations?

 

[WestLinn]

I grew up wearing cowboy boots with riding heels. I got used to the high arch. In HS, cowboys boots and shrink to fit 501’s ($10 a pair on sale in August at the local KMart and which took until late September to become bearable to wear) and a t shirt was the day to day attire. These are like a HS reunion to my feet. Didnt wear the 501s however, next time. To me, they are the best looking jeans with a cowboy boot, still.

 

[chicagoan2016]

I grew up wearing cowboy boots with riding heels. I got used to the high arch. In HS, cowboys boots and shrink to fit 501’s ($10 a pair on sale in August at the local KMart and which took until late September to become bearable to wear) and a t shirt was the day to day attire. These are like a HS reunion to my feet. Didnt wear the 501s however, next time. To me, they are the best looking jeans with a cowboy boot, still.

Pointed toe packers in brown oil tan?

 

[WestLinn]

Pointed toe packers in brown oil tan?

Mule Packers in pointed toe. I wanted to see how I liked the 695 last before I spent the extra $350 on the handmade version. The comfort is amazing but the pointed toe might not be for everyone, the look and the narrow toe box.

 

[andy b.]

Mule Packers in pointed toe. I wanted to see how I liked the 695 last before I spent the extra $350 on the handmade version. The comfort is amazing but the pointed toe might not be for everyone, the look and the narrow toe box.

My first Thoroughbred toe Packers were Whites. It was an adventure getting the sizing correct. For me, 1/2 length longer and one width narrower versus the standard Smokejumper works great. But each individual is different.

 

[chicagoan2016]

My first Thoroughbred toe Packers were Whites. It was an adventure getting the sizing correct. For me, 1/2 length longer and one width narrower versus the standard Smokejumper works great. But each individual is different.

Did you buy the packers from Baker’s?
Thanks

 

[WestLinn]

My first Thoroughbred toe Packers were Whites. It was an adventure getting the sizing correct. For me, 1/2 length longer and one width narrower versus the standard Smokejumper works great. But each individual is different.

Whites packer sizing is a bit of an adventure for me. In the standard packer a 10.5 D is right but in the pointed toe I went with 11 E. They are a bit roomy but not at the expense of slipping and most boots I wear get snug after I’ve had them on for about four hours. In 55 Last 11 D is perfect.

 

[andy b.]

Did you buy the packers from Baker’s?
Thanks

The Packers were my first pair of Whites, and I ordered directly from Whites by sending in the foot tracings and going with their recommendation. The size was off, and I actually had them for a year of off and on wearing to see if maybe I just needed to get used to the fit. In the mean time I acquired a few other pairs of PNW boots (they didn't have 10 month wait times back then, LOL), and determined my correct size for "normal toe" boots.
I eventually gave my sob story to Whites, had a few discussions with one of the boot builders, and we went with the 1/2 size longer, 1 width narrower option. I offered to pay the $100 rebuild fee, and Whites replaced a lot more than $100 worth of labor and materials. I appreciated their customer service (as well as Bakers) and that's how I ended up with several pairs of Whites.

Every pair after that initial pair of Packers was through Bakers.

I can only relay my personal fit preference, but for me, in pointed toe boots, I just go 1/2 size longer and 1 width narrower than a standard toe version, and it always seems to work.

 

[andy b.]

Whites packer sizing is a bit of an adventure for me. In the standard packer a 10.5 D is right but in the pointed toe I went with 11 E. They are a bit roomy but not at the expense of slipping and most boots I wear get snug after I’ve had them on for about four hours. In 55 Last 11 D is perfect.

And this is an example where it would probably be beneficial if all of us pointy toe boot freaks also posted a photo of our feet. LOL
I bet you either have a long big toe, or pinky toe. For me, my big toe is what rubs more in the pointed toe style.