Viberg Boots - Reviews, appreciation, news - share yours

[Bobbii]

Hello everyone, has anyone here been to an MTO event before. I’m interested in going to the Rivet and Hide one in June, I missed out on the colour 8 shell last week and was interested to here thoughts on whether they’ll be offering shell options and approximate cost etc…and overall what to expect. Thank you for reading.

 

[spleenwort21]

Hello everyone, has anyone here been to an MTO event before. I’m interested in going to the Rivet and Hide one in June, I missed out on the colour 8 shell last week and was interested to here thoughts on whether they’ll be offering shell options and approximate cost etc…and overall what to expect. Thank you for reading.

Hi

I have been to the previous MTOs at Rivet and Hide in 2018 and 2019 and I am going to the next one. They didn't offer shell as an option then and I don't believe they have done at other MTOs, so probably not this time either. Overall it was a very pleasant(if expensive) experience, and both the R&H and Viberg folk were very helpful. On the first occasion I hadn't really researched and planned my boot spec properly beforehand and so ended up with a pair that I wasn't happy with and subsequently sold them. Second time around I knew pretty much exactly what I wanted and ended up with two pairs I was happy with.
If you are planning on going and haven't already booked you spot I'd recommend doing it soon as when I checked a couple of days ago there were only three slots left unbooked.

 

[Bobbii]

Hi

I have been to the previous MTOs at Rivet and Hide in 2018 and 2019 and I am going to the next one. They didn't offer shell as an option then and I don't believe they have done at other MTOs, so probably not this time either. Overall it was a very pleasant(if expensive) experience, and both the R&H and Viberg folk were very helpful. On the first occasion I hadn't really researched and planned my boot spec properly beforehand and so ended up with a pair that I wasn't happy with and subsequently sold them. Second time around I knew pretty much exactly what I wanted and ended up with two pairs I was happy with.
If you are planning on going and haven't already booked you spot I'd recommend doing it soon as when I checked a couple of days ago there were only three slots left unbooked.

Hi, thank you so much for the response. It is appreciated.

I managed to get a slot for Monday lunchtime. I know what I would like for a sole, eyelets, finishing and welt but just not sure about the leather,

I’d be grateful if you would answer the following:

Did you have to pay duty/customs for the past Rivet and Hide MTOs?

What did you end up getting the last two times?

What are you thinking about this time around?

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Hello everyone, has anyone here been to an MTO event before. I’m interested in going to the Rivet and Hide one in June, I missed out on the colour 8 shell last week and was interested to here thoughts on whether they’ll be offering shell options and approximate cost etc…and overall what to expect. Thank you for reading.

Its a 25% upcharge and about a 25% chance they get the specs right. Keep it simple so they don't screw it up. A good number of people wound up with refunds from the last one. They may offer shell, but a 25% upcharge on 1544 is a bad deal honestly. Stick to something cool and simple in a leather you find interesting.

 

[Bobbii]

It’s a 25% upcharge and about a 25% chance they get the specs right. Keep it simple so they don't screw it up. A good number of people wound up with refunds from the last one. They may offer shell, but a 25% upcharge on 1544 is a bad deal honestly. Stick to something cool and simple in a leather you find interesting.

Thank you for your response. It seems like a big mark up for the MTO privilege but I guess it depends on what exactly they have on offer. Concerning about the 75% they get wrong though.

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Thank you for your response. It seems like a big mark up for the MTO privilege but I guess it depends on what exactly they have on offer. Concerning about the 75% they get wrong though.

Small details they are bad with. Try to go into it with an open mind and think of it more like guiding an mto process instead of actually ordering something super specific

 

[Squizzy3k]

My experiences were no different than what @Crizzlelovesyou mentioned with some additions:

The viberg employee who was helping me wrote down all my specs-on a notepad- with pencil. And we wonder why mistakes are made.

Also, doesn’t bother me but Brett’s efforts to turn viberg into more of a luxury brand falls flat when MTO events are held inside a rented space where a sample sale is also held. You’re shuffled into a small space which can’t really accommodate more than one person and a chair but I guess it’s a nicer vibe when it’s held in an actual store.

 

[spleenwort21]

Hi, thank you so much for the response. It is appreciated.

I managed to get a slot for Monday lunchtime. I know what I would like for a sole, eyelets, finishing and welt but just not sure about the leather,

I’d be grateful if you would answer the following:

Did you have to pay duty/customs for the past Rivet and Hide MTOs?

What did you end up getting the last two times?

What are you thinking about this time around?

Yes, I did pay duty/customs - at the time it was done through the shipping courier(DHL). I haven't bought any boots directly from Viberg for a couple of years now but I was told it is now added at the point of purchase when you checkout and pay. I haven't checked this so I may be wrong.

All my Vibergs are on the 310 last. If you skip back through this thread a few pages you'll see I posted a picture most of my boots and explained why the 310 last is always my chosen option - on a practical level I need something that has lots of volume to cope with my orthotics, whilst aesthetically I like the overall look.

My first MTO was a pair of 310s in Black Morgan Horse. As I mentioned, I hadn't really decided which leather I wanted, and when they arrived I really wasn't sure I'd made the right choice. I'm not an expert on leather but the horsehide had an unnatural sheen/finish(TPR?) and looked more suited to a dress shoe or a boot on a slimmer last such as the 2030. After hanging onto them for a while I sold them.

My second MTO was a pair of 310s in Petrolio chamois(they are in the a pic a few pages back) and a pair in black Chromexcel(not in the pic).

As for what I will order, I am still working up a spec, but it will be a 310 with a brogue cap toe. I'm only planning on one pair this time as the uplift of 25% plus duty plus shipping means I'll probably be looking at a bill of £1000 for one pair whereas last time I paid £1600 for two pairs. Having just written this last sentence I'm already breaking out in cold sweat at the thought of spending the money....

Small details they are bad with. Try to go into it with an open mind and think of it more like guiding an mto process instead of actually ordering something super specific

I agree with this - there were a couple of minor (to me anyway)things like colour of stitching I asked for they got wrong but overall I was happy with my second MTO.

My experiences were no different than what @Crizzlelovesyou mentioned with some additions:

The viberg employee who was helping me wrote down all my specs-on a notepad- with pencil. And we wonder why mistakes are made.

Also, doesn’t bother me but Brett’s efforts to turn viberg into more of a luxury brand falls flat when MTO events are held inside a rented space where a sample sale is also held. You’re shuffled into a small space which can’t really accommodate more than one person and a chair but I guess it’s a nicer vibe when it’s held in an actual store.

I found the R&H atmosphere very comfortable - okay, we sat at a little table at the back of the shop, but the staff were very friendly and proffered a cold drink. On both occasions the Viberg employee recorded my specs on a spreadsheet on a laptop which I was asked to confirm before paying and after the first MTO I subsequently received a further confirmation email of the spec from them with the opportunity to make last minute changes. So maybe your experience with the pencil and paper demonstrates a lack of organisation on their part for that MTO?

 

[caffed]

It’s a 25% upcharge and about a 25% chance they get the specs right. Keep it simple so they don't screw it up. A good number of people wound up with refunds from the last one. They may offer shell, but a 25% upcharge on 1544 is a bad deal honestly. Stick to something cool and simple in a leather you find interesting.

Example:
I was part of the 2019 MTO which cost 900 (MSRP at the time was 750 I believe). I wanted double leather soles but they used single leather instead. Their system seemed to be a freeform google sheet they recorded specs on not like a specific order form for footwear. I might be missing something and it may have changed but it’s not a comprehensive as the Carmina made to order wizard on their site for instance.

 

[Understatesman]

Example:
I was part of the 2019 MTO which cost 900 (MSRP at the time was 750 I believe). I wanted double leather soles but they used single leather instead. Their system seemed to be a freeform google sheet they recorded specs on not like a specific order form for footwear. I might be missing something and it may have changed but it’s not a comprehensive as the Carmina made to order wizard on their site for instance.

A.K.A. The Drew Keith Method

 

[RossM]

How does the fit of the 1035 last compare to the fit of the 310 last? Would I use the same size for the 1035 as a 310?

 

[mattw]

How does the fit of the 1035 last compare to the fit of the 310 last? Would I use the same size for the 1035 as a 310?

I took the 110 last 0.5 down from 1035, and my understanding is 310 is about the same as 110

 

[RossM]

I took the 110 last 0.5 down from 1035, and my understanding is 310 is about the same as 110

Thanks for the feedback. So if I wear a size 9 in the 310 last I should wear a size 9.5 in the 1035 last?

Previously I had a Viberg rep tell me that I could wear the same one size down (Viberg UK 9) from my Brannock size 10 D in the 2030, 310, 1035, and 2040 lasts.

 

[mattw]

Hm, probably worth confirming with someone who actually has 310

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

How does the fit of the 1035 last compare to the fit of the 310 last? Would I use the same size for the 1035 as a 310?

Generally speaking all service boot lasts have the same arch length so you should be taking the same size in them all and accepting some lasts aren't ideal.