Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[WorldWideWafflz]



So much discussion about CXL and Dress leathers lately. Does anyone have experience with White's Oil-tanned leathers (aka Smooth)? I'm fairly certain the Black and Brown Smooth are the standard work leathers for the Smoke Jumper, Packer, and Farmer/Rancher boots, as I believe they are the thickest White's has (along with Distressed). I was surprised that when Kyle popped in recently he recommended a liner for them...I always figured they were so thick there was no need. Here's a pair of Bounty Hunters that belongs to the guy from Obbi Good Label:

Go back and read the post. The standard oil/smooth leathers are listed as no liner necessary. It wouldn't make sense if they needed a liner as smokejumpers are unlined as the standard configuration.

 

[cathpah]

So much discussion about CXL and Dress leathers lately. Does anyone have experience with White's Oil-tanned leathers (aka Smooth)? I'm fairly certain the Black and Brown Smooth are the standard work leathers for the Smoke Jumper, Packer, and Farmer/Rancher boots, as I believe they are the thickest White's has (along with Distressed). I was surprised that when Kyle popped in recently he recommended a liner for them...I always figured they were so thick there was no need. Here's a pair of Bounty Hunters that belongs to the guy from Obbi Good Label:

If you look at my post from a few days ago, there's an album of my Smooth Distressed Bounty Hunters. Mine are lined, but that was because I failed at the internet on the day that I ordered them and didn't realize my mistake until it was too late (weeks later). I don't regret the lining at all, but I'm not sure it was necessary...and I'm thinking about getting another pair in the same leather (potentially roughout side out) in an unlined boot specifically for hiking/summer wear.

 

[NNNN]

Okay cool, I guess I just misinterpreted Kyle's post.
Cathpah, I've definitely checked out those Distressed Bounty Hunters. Distressed is a popular choice (and for good reason), but it's rare that Brown or Black Smooth show up. I think at least 90% of the black White's I've seen are CXL. I think the Distressed wears a lot differently, at least on a superficial level, than the other two colors. It ain't called Distressed for nothing.

 

[univibe88]

I actually have never understood why they call it distressed. Usually distressed means something has been artificially aged or patina'd. That's not the case with this leather.

 

[cathpah]

Okay cool, I guess I just misinterpreted Kyle's post.
Cathpah, I've definitely checked out those Distressed Bounty Hunters. Distressed is a popular choice (and for good reason), but it's rare that Brown or Black Smooth show up. I think at least 90% of the black White's I've seen are CXL. I think the Distressed wears a lot differently, at least on a superficial level, than the other two colors. It ain't called Distressed for nothing.

From the leather samples I've gotten from White's, the brown and black are both really tough and thick (just like the Distressed), but the distressed just has so much more color depth and variation...almost like a pull-up leather. I think the lightness in color really aids in that, in the same way that natural CXL is so much more interesting than brown CXL. I love my brown CXL Quoddys and have beat them up a good deal, but they're still just...brown.

 

[climbinglife]

Totally agree with the CXL, Brown vs. Natural...having owned both the Natural is just much more interesting. Looks different to me from week to week.

 

[trvlr472]

The overwhelmingly vast majority of us don't have a job that requires us to stand in puddles of water and diesel fuel all day.

If that was part of my job, I would have a footwear appropriate for it.

I have worn the same pair of boots year round in the north east, every day, for seven years. Snow, rain, hot summer days on a motorcycle. I never even heard of LP until I joined this forum.

I don't have any problem with people putting whatever they want on their own boots.

But most of you are overkilling it. Hopefully you'll lose interest in your boots in a year or so and not keep repeating this overkill to the boots detriment.

There's an easy way to prevent the leather from darkening or changing when you apply these products to the leather.... don't put unnecessary **** on your boots. The leather was already tanned before they made it into your boots.

Since I joined this forum I have backed WAY off on putting crap on my boots. For the last 15 years though my demands on footwear have been a little differnet than most because I've been driving a truck over the road up until recently. I could have been down on the border of Mexico in AZ where it might be 100 degrees and in MT or ND two days later where it was at zero with a foot of snow or rain. I didn't want to carry three pairs of shoes with me so one was all I brought. It was especially bad right around the change from summer into winter and vice versa. The crap floating around in the water at a truck stop has everything in it from salt to diesel to oil so treating the leather is a must at least once in a while. Real heavy boots like Sorrels are a pain to drive in so chukka's or something similar work fairly well unless it gets real nasty like it did last winter when I was out in -22 degree weather for 4 hours walking around in a foot of snow unloading propane. That's when I bought the Sorrel's and that is what killed my Filson chukkas resulting in my purchase of two pairs of Whites at the same time. SJ's for winter and CWB's for summer. I still need a couple more pairs of Whites for other purposes though.

 

[linafelt]

So much discussion about CXL and Dress leathers lately. Does anyone have experience with White's Oil-tanned leathers (aka Smooth)?

 

[linafelt]

So, put my Bounty Hunters back on today after not wearing for over a week, and once again had serious ankle rubbing on one foot, right where the bellows tongue folds back. I know based on past experience that I will get used to it over a couple of days, but am kind of tired of it every time I put them back on.

So I am wondering about the possibility of taking them to a local cobbler to see if he can cut back the bellows tongue at that point. Basically turn it from a fully attached tongue to a semi-attached like the SDs. Pretty sure that would solve the problem, and I am not standing around in water or mud all day, so I am not worried about losing the protection that comes with the full bellows.

Anyone ever try anything like this? Any thoughts?

 

[trvlr472]

So, put my Bounty Hunters back on today after not wearing for over a week, and once again had serious ankle rubbing on one foot, right where the bellows tongue folds back. I know based on past experience that I will get used to it over a couple of days, but am kind of tired of it every time I put them back on.

So I am wondering about the possibility of taking them to a local cobbler to see if he can cut back the bellows tongue at that point. Basically turn it from a fully attached tongue to a semi-attached like the SDs. Pretty sure that would solve the problem, and I am not standing around in water or mud all day, so I am not worried about losing the protection that comes with the full bellows.

Anyone ever try anything like this? Any thoughts?

I wouldn't waste the time and money. They just aren't fully broken in yet. My Classic Work Boots in brown smooth are the same way but as time goes on they get more and more comfortable. They used to be stiff all over again after sitting for a few days but that is slowly going away. For whatever reason my SJ's in black roughout haven't had that problem. They were pretty comfy after about a month or so but i can still feel that they are slightly stiff in some areas once in a while.

 

[b-ewing]

Lina, I'd think that should only pose an aesthetic issue if the cobbler cut it whack. Other option, perhaps, at least I know it's often done with pull-up boots, is to have the instep stretched? Would stretching the tongue solve it? Regardless, get it fixed cause you'll actually wear them once you can get rid of the blister band aids!

 

[climbinglife]

I thought about doing this too, but haven't had any bite since the initial break in, so I forgot about it. I'm a cobbler would be able to do it, no problem.

 

[CityofChamps]



So, put my Bounty Hunters back on today after not wearing for over a week, and once again had serious ankle rubbing on one foot, right where the bellows tongue folds back.  I know based on past experience that I will get used to it over a couple of days, but am kind of tired of it every time I put them back on. 

The tongue on my brown oil tan farmer ranchers was digging in pretty good for me at first. I just simply loosened up on the the laces until the tongue was broken in and that helped me a lot. Now I can tie them as snug as I want.

This is how I fold my tongue as well. It doesn't sit on the outside ankle bone as much.

 

[Neognosis]

Have you considered using neatsfoot oil on the tongue to soften it up and speed break-in?

I wouldn't treat the whole boot, but some neatsfoot oil can soften the tongue up pretty nice, I imagine.

 

[cathpah]

The tongue on my brown oil tan farmer ranchers was digging in pretty good for me at first. I just simply loosened up on the the laces until the tongue was broken in and that helped me a lot. Now I can tie them as snug as I want.

This is how I fold my tongue as well. It doesn't sit on the outside ankle bone as much.

Whatever works, works...but don't you worry that's just going to create another hot spot on the boots/your legs? I think I'd just recommend enduring the standard break in, and wear them like they've been worn for decades by thousands upon thousands of people. Again, to each their own, but I think the break in period is worth it.