Viberg Boots - Reviews, appreciation, news - share yours

[CityHunter]

Viberg newbie here (well, I've owned 2 pairs - impulse bought on sale - but they remained unworn and then were sold. So I'm still a newbie).

I was looking for just a simple, black, service boot. I'm used to the 2030 last so that's the move. That said, I've found 2 pairs that match my very simple criteria: 1) CXL (assuming steerhide) w/ Danite sole, & 2) Maryam Horsebutt w/ Ridgeway sole.

Does one leather have any advantage over the other? Like, will one age better? Is one more durable? To my untrained eye I can't spot any superficial differences with the look of the leather so I'm going in blindly. Any opinions on which would be the better buy? Thx!

(or, is it just a matter of personal preference?)

 

[Rymanocerous]

Viberg newbie here (well, I've owned 2 pairs - impulse bought on sale - but they remained unworn and then were sold. So I'm still a newbie).

I was looking for just a simple, black, service boot. I'm used to the 2030 last so that's the move. That said, I've found 2 pairs that match my very simple criteria: 1) CXL (assuming steerhide) w/ Danite sole, & 2) Maryam Horsebutt w/ Ridgeway sole.

Does one leather have any advantage over the other? Like, will one age better? Is one more durable? To my untrained eye I can't spot any superficial differences with the look of the leather so I'm going in blindly. Any opinions on which would be the better buy? Thx!

(or, is it just a matter of personal preference?)

Potentially opening a can of worms here, but generally Horsebutt is considered a more premium leather. Horsebutt durability is higher vs Moo skins. CLX will crease like **** and black CXL is going to wear to show brown if it's not struck through, which it generally doesnt tend to be. Horsebutt will remaing looking black (edit: maybe not if also teacore). Ridgeway is generally more well liked than Danite.

Depends on what you're looking for at the end of the day.

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Potentially opening a can of worms here, but generally Horsebutt is considered a more premium leather. Horsebutt durability is higher vs Moo skins. CLX will crease like **** and black CXL is going to wear to show brown if it's not struck through, which it generally doesnt tend to be. Horsebutt will remaing looking black. Ridgeway is generally more well liked than Danite.

Depends on what you're looking for at the end of the day.

Wait this is wrong about black HB staying black. AFAIK the only black struck through HB is the comipel on the site right now. All other black HB is technically a teacore. Now most of the black HB teacores very slowly due to the protective coating (the Maryam HB is usually TPR, though Truman did an "unglazed" one recently) and the cloe lux and shinki have glazing which will protect to some extent. The black CXL will fade to brown much faster. The Black Maryam will fade slower. However a lot of that is abrasion based.

Viberg newbie here (well, I've owned 2 pairs - impulse bought on sale - but they remained unworn and then were sold. So I'm still a newbie).

I was looking for just a simple, black, service boot. I'm used to the 2030 last so that's the move. That said, I've found 2 pairs that match my very simple criteria: 1) CXL (assuming steerhide) w/ Danite sole, & 2) Maryam Horsebutt w/ Ridgeway sole.

Does one leather have any advantage over the other? Like, will one age better? Is one more durable? To my untrained eye I can't spot any superficial differences with the look of the leather so I'm going in blindly. Any opinions on which would be the better buy? Thx!

(or, is it just a matter of personal preference?)

Black CXL is fine, there is a 1035 lasted one that is struck through, but as Ryman said the 2030 you see is a teacore. The Maryam is a teacore HB as well, it is the TPR tannage (Viberg only started marketing TPR with the most recent price hike, probably to help smooth over the price hike, but all SHINY maryam HB is TPR.)

The Horsebutt is a veg tan and will be stiffer, thinner, and ages much slower in the case of the Black Maryam, and is a little more expensive. The CXL is combination tanned steerhide that is thicker, softer, ages quicker, and is a bit cheaper. The CXL is easier for maintenance, but since the HB is black it doesn't really matter much anyways.

 

[Rymanocerous]

Wait this is wrong about black HB staying black. AFAIK the only black struck through HB is the comipel on the site right now. All other black HB is technically a teacore. Now most of the black HB teacores very slowly due to the protective coating (the Maryam HB is usually TPR, though Truman did an "unglazed" one recently) and the cloe lux and shinki have glazing which will protect to some extent. The black CXL will fade to brown much faster. The Black Maryam will fade slower. However a lot of that is abrasion based.



Black CXL is fine, there is a 1035 lasted one that is struck through, but as Ryman said the 2030 you see is a teacore. The Maryam is a teacore HB as well, it is the TPR tannage (Viberg only started marketing TPR with the most recent price hike, probably to help smooth over the price hike, but all SHINY maryam HB is TPR.)

The Horsebutt is a veg tan and will be stiffer, thinner, and ages much slower in the case of the Black Maryam, and is a little more expensive. The CXL is combination tanned steerhide that is thicker, softer, ages quicker, and is a bit cheaper. The CXL is easier for maintenance, but since the HB is black it doesn't really matter much anyways.

Thanks for the correction, totally whiffed on Teacore HB as Im more used to that being advertised. I did look up the models to confirm.

 

[puddin]

Ridgeway is generally more well liked than Danite.

Now that the can of worms is open, I’d love to add that I never understood the hate that dainite has gotten over the last year or so. Ridgeway is super comfy, but the look isn’t really a good alternative. It’s pseudo lugged, which feels more country to my eye.

Dainite lasts a long time, is perfectly comfortable when it’s broken in, and looks great on almost everything. I don’t personally find it uncomfortable when new either, more that new boots are stiff and kinda suck until they’re broken in anyway.

I sure do wish there were more leather soles on Vibergs, but that’s purely aesthetic.

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Now that the can of worms is open, I’d love to add that I never understood the hate that dainite has gotten over the last year or so. Ridgeway is super comfy, but the look isn’t really a good alternative. It’s pseudo lugged, which feels more country to my eye.

Dainite lasts a long time, is perfectly comfortable when it’s broken in, and looks great on almost everything. I don’t personally find it uncomfortable when new either, more that new boots are stiff and kinda suck until they’re broken in anyway.

I sure do wish there were more leather soles on Vibergs, but that’s purely aesthetic.

Dainite is bad because I slipped in it in front of people and landed on my butt AND THOSE PEOPLE SAW. Also its hard and not comfy.

 

[zachthespook]

Now that the can of worms is open, I’d love to add that I never understood the hate that dainite has gotten over the last year or so. Ridgeway is super comfy, but the look isn’t really a good alternative. It’s pseudo lugged, which feels more country to my eye.

Dainite lasts a long time, is perfectly comfortable when it’s broken in, and looks great on almost everything. I don’t personally find it uncomfortable when new either, more that new boots are stiff and kinda suck until they’re broken in anyway.

I sure do wish there were more leather soles on Vibergs, but that’s purely aesthetic.

Yeah I’m a dainite fanboy, don’t really understand the hate. Ridgeway is a tad comfier, but IMO only looks good with certain color combinations and styles.

honestly, my recommendation for a first time Black service boot would actually be the basic black CXL. It’s a timeless classic

 

[Rymanocerous]

Now that the can of worms is open, I’d love to add that I never understood the hate that dainite has gotten over the last year or so. Ridgeway is super comfy, but the look isn’t really a good alternative. It’s pseudo lugged, which feels more country to my eye.

Dainite lasts a long time, is perfectly comfortable when it’s broken in, and looks great on almost everything. I don’t personally find it uncomfortable when new either, more that new boots are stiff and kinda suck until they’re broken in anyway.

I sure do wish there were more leather soles on Vibergs, but that’s purely aesthetic.

I understand why we ended up with it, and why so many boots feature it. Doesn't mean there aren't better options out there. Ridgeway is almost as low profile as Dainite, certainly more so than a commando sole.

If you live in a warmer climate that sees little to no precipitation, I'm sure Dainite is a fine option. Live anywhere where you transition from wet to dry and survive the ice skate of death, and your love might decline some. It lasts a long time, but it's hard as a rock, which does not lead to comfort.

Honestly though, my broken in leather soles provide better wet traction than Dainite. And in my climate, and especially on a boot, that just doesn't fly.

 

[nareichert]

Yeah I’m a dainite fanboy, don’t really understand the hate. Ridgeway is a tad comfier, but IMO only looks good with certain color combinations and styles.

honestly, my recommendation for a first time Black service boot would actually be the basic black CXL. It’s a timeless classic View attachment 1672948

The unstructured version is.

 

[RogerKaputnik]

The Black CXL 2030s at Brooklyn Clothing seem to be the classic, and the picture would indicate not struck through. I have tried reaching out to them about that cuz I'm interested, but so far just crickets. I seem to remember reading people have ordered these and sometimes received something other than what was shown in the photos - the struck through or tea-core style, or vice versa.

Service Boot 2030 Horween Black CXL Unstructured Toe

All our Viberg Service Boots are on a single E width, we suggest sizing down one full size from your standard sneaker size. Consider a half size down if you have wide feet. Viberg's Service Boot is directly based on their original model, first produced in 1931. A similar pattern was also used by...

brooklynclothing.com

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

The Black CXL 2030s at Brooklyn Clothing seem to be the classic, and the picture would indicate not struck through. I have tried reaching out to them about that cuz I'm interested, but so far just crickets. I seem to remember reading people have ordered these and sometimes received something other than pictures - the struck through or tea-core style, or vice versa.

Service Boot 2030 Horween Black CXL Unstructured Toe

All our Viberg Service Boots are on a single E width, we suggest sizing down one full size from your standard sneaker size. Consider a half size down if you have wide feet. Viberg's Service Boot is directly based on their original model, first produced in 1931. A similar pattern was also used by...

brooklynclothing.com

I believe BCC has received both struck through and teacore (as well as that one partially structured one.)

 

[Basboy]

The Black CXL 2030s at Brooklyn Clothing seem to be the classic, and the picture would indicate not struck through. I have tried reaching out to them about that cuz I'm interested, but so far just crickets. I seem to remember reading people have ordered these and sometimes received something other than what was shown in the photos - the struck through or tea-core style, or vice versa.

Service Boot 2030 Horween Black CXL Unstructured Toe

All our Viberg Service Boots are on a single E width, we suggest sizing down one full size from your standard sneaker size. Consider a half size down if you have wide feet. Viberg's Service Boot is directly based on their original model, first produced in 1931. A similar pattern was also used by...

brooklynclothing.com

I ordered last year when they had their sale at the beginning of the pandemic and got a struck through version of the black cxl.

 

[caffed]

Most people don’t realize that Dainite is company and that “Dainite” is actually Dainite Studded and “Ridgeway” is Dainite Ridgeway.

Dainite Popular Range: Studded, Ridgeway, Medway & Logger Soles

The Dainite range includes: Studded, Ridgeway, Medway and Logger designs and several aftermarket components for use in sole and heel repairs.

dainite.com

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Most people don’t realize that Dainite is company and that “Dainite” is actually Dainite Studded and “Ridgeway” is Dainite Ridgeway.

Dainite Popular Range: Studded, Ridgeway, Medway & Logger Soles

The Dainite range includes: Studded, Ridgeway, Medway and Logger designs and several aftermarket components for use in sole and heel repairs.

dainite.com

Also why don't we ever see medway soles?

 

[honestpanda]

I like how Ridgeway is a golf sole.