RM Williams Boots - Everything You Wanted to Know

[TokenMao]

Do you put shoe trees in your RM Williams? They neither sell them nor recommend them but it feels strange not to use them even on the rubber sole boots.

I put shoe trees in mine. The only shoes where I don't use trees are canvas sneakers.

 

[ssmart3]

Hi, I have a pair of Comfort Macquaries that I really enjoy, but find a bit narrow at the toe box. I prefer round toe lasts, and noticed the below image (#1) on a Die Workwear post of a pair of brown RM Williams boots with what appears to be a fairly sleek, but not overly so, round toe last (almost certainly not the Macquaries and seemingly too sleek for them to be Turnouts (also pictured (#2) in Chestnut in the same post)). What style/last are these boots? Could they perhaps be B529 à la Styleforum special (I think that one was even sleeker, however…)? Or they could be some variation on B530 (but I know that's the Turnout last...). Any help would be appreciated! And for good order, I did check with Derek from Die Workwear first and am currently checking with RM Williams directly.

#1

#2

 

[alexSF]

Today I received my first pair of Comfort Craftsman, they are above my expectations, great quality and lovely last, they are both sturdy and sleek.

The only problem is that one of the boots makes a strange "airy" noise when walking, like there's air expelled when the ground is touched.

Has anyone ever experienced this?

EDIT:
Just found this:
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...man-boots-making-funny-sqeaking-sound.366498/

Is it something that will disappear with use?

Thanks in advance

 

[Snorpley]

Hi, I have a pair of Comfort Macquaries that I really enjoy, but find a bit narrow at the toe box. I prefer round toe lasts, and noticed the below image (#1) on a Die Workwear post of a pair of brown RM Williams boots with what appears to be a fairly sleek, but not overly so, round toe last (almost certainly not the Macquaries and seemingly too sleek for them to be Turnouts (also pictured (#2) in Chestnut in the same post)). What style/last are these boots? Could they perhaps be B529 à la Styleforum special (I think that one was even sleeker, however…)? Or they could be some variation on B530 (but I know that's the Turnout last...). Any help would be appreciated! And for good order, I did check with Derek from Die Workwear first and am currently checking with RM Williams directly.

#1
View attachment 929860

#2
View attachment 929861

Hi ssmart3,
I too prefer the round toed lasts and have several pairs of Turnouts. I also have a very narrow foot and get them MTO. The result is a boot that looks very little like #2. In fact, I wore an older pair into the store once and the sales assistants couldn't even identify them as a Turnout. At some point I guess they become less about their names and more about the lasts and fit (as you suggested re: B530).
I'm less familiar with the Forum special than many gentlemen on here, but I do know that it has a brass screwed sole. I picked up a screw-soled pair at an outlet many years ago and can confirm that the sole sits quite flush with the upper, and doesn't stick out at all (hence the sleek-ness). #1 still seems to look like a welt sole to me.
I feel like the angle the photo has been taken is adding to the slender feel of #1, but wouldn't be surprised if it was also a narrower fitting boot.
FWIW I've attached an image of a Turnout in a D fitting (the second-narrowest available), where you might (just) be able to make out the toe shape. Apologies for the lack of overall clarity in the photo.
Let us know how you go with your enquiries and all the best,
S.

 

[Snorpley]

Today I received my first pair of Comfort Craftsman, they are above my expectations, great quality and lovely last, they are both sturdy and sleek.

The only problem is that one of the boots makes a strange "airy" noise when walking, like there's air expelled when the ground is touched.

Has anyone ever experienced this?

EDIT:
Just found this:
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...man-boots-making-funny-sqeaking-sound.366498/

Is it something that will disappear with use?

Thanks in advance

Hi alexSF,

I recently purchased my first 'comfort' RMW boot. I certainly find them spongey in the 'walking on clouds' sort of way. I'll report back if I feel like I'm experiencing the same thing in the way of an airy sound.
With a bit of luck, some continued wear might change the way 'trapped' air from inside your (most likely) snug boots moves out of the boot. I have noticed this with new leather loafers of mine in the past.
I have a Craftsman boot than squeaks like a frog (another issue talked about in forum pages of old) which is likely an internal failure of the boot (the shank). I'm yet to investigate this further as I rarely wear them anymore.

I wouldn't sweat your issue too much unless it was a clear and consistent 'squeak'.

Congrats on the purchase!
All the best,
S.

 

[ssmart3]

Hi Snorpley,

Thank you for the thorough reply and the photo. They do indeed look sleeker in your photo! I was probably unclear in that I do not myself have particularly narrow feet, so the Macquarie last is in fact a bit tight in the toe box. However, I prefer a sleeker look so was hesitant about going for a pair of Turnouts in a standard G width. I definitely will still go for a welted pair (for resoling and I also like the comfort/rubber soles for the wet weather), but I do appreciate the screwed sole would be even sleeker!

If I were to go MTO, then I would definitely consider a Turnout model with a narrower width (e.g. D width), but given my feet aren’t especially narrow themselves (8G probably best fitting for me), I wonder if I should go up a half size and down a width, as suggested in the original post on this thread from 2006! For that, I would definitely want to visit a store first and try on that combination if possible, before ordering. However, I would love to hear about how you go about sizing your MTO pairs (perhaps you just have narrow enough feet for you to go with the same # size and D width), and whether or not you would recommend my proposed plan of upsizing the # and downsizing the width.

Thanks!

Hi ssmart3,
I too prefer the round toed lasts and have several pairs of Turnouts. I also have a very narrow foot and get them MTO. The result is a boot that looks very little like #2. In fact, I wore an older pair into the store once and the sales assistants couldn't even identify them as a Turnout. At some point I guess they become less about their names and more about the lasts and fit (as you suggested re: B530).
I'm less familiar with the Forum special than many gentlemen on here, but I do know that it has a brass screwed sole. I picked up a screw-soled pair at an outlet many years ago and can confirm that the sole sits quite flush with the upper, and doesn't stick out at all (hence the sleek-ness). #1 still seems to look like a welt sole to me.
I feel like the angle the photo has been taken is adding to the slender feel of #1, but wouldn't be surprised if it was also a narrower fitting boot.
FWIW I've attached an image of a Turnout in a D fitting (the second-narrowest available), where you might (just) be able to make out the toe shape. Apologies for the lack of overall clarity in the photo.
Let us know how you go with your enquiries and all the best,
S.

View attachment 930329

 

[Snorpley]

Hi again,
You were perfectly clear I just went off on a bit of a tangent about my personal experience. The question on how to arrive at ones MTO size is a great one. For me, it definitely involved some trial and error, and I benefited from being in my location (Australia).
The first pair I ever purchased were Craftsman in a 9F, the narrowest Craftsman last. They were ok but not quite snug enough for my liking, additionally the chisel toe closed in on my left toe slightly, which I would eventually come to accept as being the result of having one foot a fraction longer than the other.
At an outlet store several years ago I came across a Turnout in a 9C(if you can believe that!) they are probably 'too' snug but I loved the veal calf tan finish and screwed soles (plus the price was right given I couldn't spot the flaw). The increased space in the Turnout toebox meant that my longer foot had a bit more room.
That lead to my first MTO, a brown suede Turnout in a 9D(I was clearly between a D and E width). They continue to be a favourite but on my more recent pair (the black suedes in the posted photo) I made the decision (after a 'realisation' I guess you'd call it) to go up half a size in one shoe to give a fraction more clearance to the left toe. Four pairs of RMs (albeit over ten years) is a fair bit of trial and error and a long-winded way of saying that your instincts to try and find a store with something close to why you're considering is a good one. Re: my thoughts on the 2006(feels like yesterday!) forum special, I can say that in my experience there is enough of a difference in the widths to think that this could work for you. Me personally, I might size up by a half-size(I believe it's a 4mm difference in length) and drop the width rather than going up a full one (+8mm). This could come down to personal preference though, as I like them pretty snug across the forefoot.
Apologies for the 'War and Peace' sized reply!
All the best,
S.

 

[ssmart3]

Thanks again for the thorough reply and your RM Williams history! It's always good to hear about others' experience with sizing and various iterations. The idea of having different sizes on each foot is a good one and may even be applicable to me, so I'm glad you mentioned that. After trying on Craftsmans in 8G in store and having them fit well, and then ordering the Macquaries in the same size on the advice that they would fit the same, I am wary of ordering without trying on anymore, as tempting as it may be...! Hence I also have some hesitation with MTO, but I also would very much like to try out a pair of Turnouts, as your experience and that photo of the black suede pair are convincing me more and more that they are the best option for me.

Cheers!

Hi again,
You were perfectly clear I just went off on a bit of a tangent about my personal experience. The question on how to arrive at ones MTO size is a great one. For me, it definitely involved some trial and error, and I benefited from being in my location (Australia).
The first pair I ever purchased were Craftsman in a 9F, the narrowest Craftsman last. They were ok but not quite snug enough for my liking, additionally the chisel toe closed in on my left toe slightly, which I would eventually come to accept as being the result of having one foot a fraction longer than the other.
At an outlet store several years ago I came across a Turnout in a 9C(if you can believe that!) they are probably 'too' snug but I loved the veal calf tan finish and screwed soles (plus the price was right given I couldn't spot the flaw). The increased space in the Turnout toebox meant that my longer foot had a bit more room.
That lead to my first MTO, a brown suede Turnout in a 9D(I was clearly between a D and E width). They continue to be a favourite but on my more recent pair (the black suedes in the posted photo) I made the decision (after a 'realisation' I guess you'd call it) to go up half a size in one shoe to give a fraction more clearance to the left toe. Four pairs of RMs (albeit over ten years) is a fair bit of trial and error and a long-winded way of saying that your instincts to try and find a store with something close to why you're considering is a good one. Re: my thoughts on the 2006(feels like yesterday!) forum special, I can say that in my experience there is enough of a difference in the widths to think that this could work for you. Me personally, I might size up by a half-size(I believe it's a 4mm difference in length) and drop the width rather than going up a full one (+8mm). This could come down to personal preference though, as I like them pretty snug across the forefoot.
Apologies for the 'War and Peace' sized reply!
All the best,
S.

 

[Snorpley]

Thanks again for the thorough reply and your RM Williams history! It's always good to hear about others' experience with sizing and various iterations. The idea of having different sizes on each foot is a good one and may even be applicable to me, so I'm glad you mentioned that. After trying on Craftsmans in 8G in store and having them fit well, and then ordering the Macquaries in the same size on the advice that they would fit the same, I am wary of ordering without trying on anymore, as tempting as it may be...! Hence I also have some hesitation with MTO, but I also would very much like to try out a pair of Turnouts, as your experience and that photo of the black suede pair are convincing me more and more that they are the best option for me.

Cheers!

Cool, man.
I'll keep my eye(and camera) out for some Turnouts around that size when I visit the outlet again in the coming weeks, to hopefully give you an idea of how that specific boot looks visually against the images in your original post.

All the best,
S.

 

[Jørgen S. E. Frederiksen]

UPDATE: The wolverine tear boots!

So, I got an answer from the customer service of R. M. Williams.

"If the leather is white underneath the surface, that would indicate that the leather is Veal Calf. All of our yearling leather is dyed all the way through but Calf isn't. This is due to the tanning process used and the hides are not left in the dyeing drums for as long a period to maintain the strength and fineness of the leather. Most scratches can be repaired and covered using the matching colour polish."

This makes sense, and I am fully aware that the tear is possible to hide almost entirely with glue/black shoe polish.
.
.
.
However, I have the Comfort Craftsman.

They should be made out of yearling leather and dyed all the way through. It also says on the box "black/Yearling". My pair is then obviously not yearling, or is not dyed all the way through.

These boots were bought brand new in store, and I don't remember anything about a veal calf choice. Maybe I've received an odd pair? Poor dye? This turned out a lot more interesting than I thought.

The plot thickens...

 

[kbuzz]

New lace up model arrived today. I’m smitten ....

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know if it's possible to get a pair of RMs in their chocolate brown suede but with the dynamic flex sole?

I can only find the DF sole unit on black and chestnut and I'm not a fan of either. Even the 'bespoke' option on the RM Williams site doesn't have the dynamic flex sole as an option.

 

[ausdertraum]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know if it's possible to get a pair of RMs in their chocolate brown suede but with the dynamic flex sole?

I can only find the DF sole unit on black and chestnut and I'm not a fan of either. Even the 'bespoke' option on the RM Williams site doesn't have the dynamic flex sole as an option.

I got a pair exactly like that - Dynamic Flex Craftsman in Chocolate suede - from boots-online.au 2 years ago, but I ordered just before RM Williams shut down their MTO program. Don't think you can get that configuration anymore, though it can't hurt to shoot them an e-mail.

 

[corgi invasion]

UPDATE: The wolverine tear boots!
...
They should be made out of yearling leather and dyed all the way through. It also says on the box "black/Yearling". My pair is then obviously not yearling, or is not dyed all the way through.

These boots were bought brand new in store, and I don't remember anything about a veal calf choice. Maybe I've received an odd pair? Poor dye? This turned out a lot more interesting than I thought.

The plot thickens...

I had problems with a pair of yearling whisky craftsmen that would get superficial white scratches that wouldn't polish out, and could not be coloured in. RMW took them back and replaced them for me. (problem posted a few years ago on this thread) So I think sometimes the dyeing process can go wrong.

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

I got a pair exactly like that - Dynamic Flex Craftsman in Chocolate suede - from boots-online.au 2 years ago, but I ordered just before RM Williams shut down their MTO program. Don't think you can get that configuration anymore, though it can't hurt to shoot them an e-mail.

Thanks. I've sent Boots online an email, hopefully they might be able to hook me up.