Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[linafelt]

My BHs at the six month mark. Worn only occasionally during the summer, but four or five times a week for the past two or more months. Not particularly hard wear though I should say.





I had planned not to treat them for a while, but the other day I did get them wet and a little muddy, so cleaned with saddle soap and did a VSC treatment afterwards.

I still love these boots. The only problem at all is that they are probably about a half size too big, even after all the back and forth with Baker's on tracings and try-on boots. (You just can't get it for sure with trying on the exact boot, in my experience.) But it's okay -- I use an insole and lace them up tight, and it works.

 

[trvlr472]

I'll stir it with you- wearing CXL and leather soles for any purpose other than urban terrain is akin to taking a Porsche Carrera on an off-road rally...there is a reason Subaru dominates those....don't see too many Carrera's.

That said, I have the mini-lug and 700 soles on dress leather/ WB knowing that I am not doing manual labor in them but will be seeing dirty/muddy/gravel conditions (or climbing rubble walls and scaffold. etc) and need a little traction and durability...but my white's won't be in the pit on a concrete pour any time during their life, just standing on the edge. I think wearing oiled leather, 100 soled 10" smoke jumpers for your urban commute is just as inappropriate as wearing a pair of AE Strands on an Appalachian trail hike.
Gotta have the right tools for the job.
James

That was my point. The right tool for the job. In my case I wear one pair of boots to work. I may just use them on a dock or I could end up having to hop in a truck and drive 400 miles not knowing what the weather will be and never knowing if I'm going anywhere or not in advance. I could be headed north, south, east or west. Therefore, I'm stuck with wearing whatever I'm wearing for a couple of days. It might just be real cold and it might be very snowy and it might get very muddy or it might be pouring rain or real hot and I have to get out and work in all of it. I may want to stop at a store on the way home or on the way to work. I just never know.so I have to wear something that will work OK in all conditions.

 

[gfloridafan93]



That was my point.  The right tool for the job.  In my case I wear one pair of boots to work.  I may just use them on a dock or I could end up having to hop in a truck and drive 400 miles not knowing what the weather will be and never knowing if I'm going anywhere or not in advance.  I could be headed north, south, east or west.  Therefore, I'm stuck with wearing whatever I'm wearing for a couple of days.  It might just be real cold and it might be very snowy and it might get very muddy or it might be pouring rain or real hot and I have to get out and work in all of it.  I may want to stop at a store on the way home or on the way to work.  I just never know.so I have to wear something that will work OK in all conditions.

I'm definitely wanting more of a casual boot at this price range. I'm just a little confused with all the leather options that are offered. Dress leathers vs cxl and such.

 

[meso]



My BHs at the six month mark. Worn only occasionally during the summer, but four or five times a week for the past two or more months. Not particularly hard wear though I should say.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

These look really great Linafelt!

 

[CityofChamps]

I'm definitely wanting more of a casual boot at this price range. I'm just a little confused with all the leather options that are offered. Dress leathers vs cxl and such.

If you haven't already, take the time to read all 5671 posts in this thread and not only will you learn about the leathers, you will learn about lasts and heels and vamps and everything White's. I found out that I knew very little about shoes and boots before stumbling on this thread and have learned a lot. Unless you have unlimited funds to blow on trial and error or time to spend selling boots on ebay, it is worth ($$) the read.

 

[jrosenthal]



I'm definitely wanting more of a casual boot at this price range. I'm just a little confused with all the leather options that are offered. Dress leathers vs cxl and such.

I think if you want a casual and comfy boot that is incredibly well made and don't anticipate subjecting it to hard labor (but could if you really wanted to), the semi-dress with Chromexcel leather (can't believe I'm suggesting Chromexcel but it has it's place) will be soft and buttery out of the box, take little to no time to break in and patina well very quickly to look like boots you have had and loved for years. A single midsoled with Vibram 700 or 430 if you like a little lug would give you plenty of regular terrain grip and is nice and thick so you won't feel every pebble under foot, but from a side profile won't look like you are wearing off road tires in your feet. If you're not familiar with white's but have read this thread, white's offers a variety of lasts to suit your feet and in the semi-dress the standard last, 461, or swing seem to be the most popular for different foot types (I like the swing for the pinky room but they can look odd from above), if you talk to Kyle at Baker's he can give you the low down on which one would fit your foot shape. If you plan to wear the boots both causally and a little dressier with jacket and trousers, the dress black or brown, water buffalo and French calf are very pretty and fine leathers that can go either way.
Nice to have these kind of options.

James

 

[gfloridafan93]

(can't believe I'm suggesting Chromexcel but it has it's place)

So what exactly is wrong with cxl? Yeah I will be wearing these with jeans only. I don't really dress up more than that. Do the dress leathers look very shiny? I will definitely try to contact Kyle. From what I have seen, the swing last looks a little awkward to me, no offense to anyone.

 

[stfugbtw]

Just got a note from Kyle that he is having my 7 in BH in Brown smooth remade as he was not happy with how they turned out. He asked me if I wanted to change anything on the boot. I initially had the whole boot in Brown smooth but was thinking of changing the upper shaft to something that is a little softer and thinner than the regular Brown smooth. Good idea or bad? Also Is there an upcharge for Bison from White's?

Hey - what was the build time on your shoes before Kyle rejected them? If they need to be remade, does that mean they do it right away? I'd find it frustrating to wait 2 months for a $450 pair of shoes only to find out I have to wait another 2 months since White's couldn't be bothered to make them correctly the first time...

 

[jrosenthal]



(can't believe I'm suggesting Chromexcel but it has it's place)

So what exactly is wrong with cxl? Yeah I will be wearing these with jeans only. I don't really dress up more than that. Do the dress leathers look very shiny? I will definitely try to contact Kyle. From what I have seen, the swing last looks a little awkward to me, no offense to anyone.

No offense taken on the swing, I have two pairs, the black ones with double stitch welt does look like clown shoes, my tan ones with single stitch welt looks a little more "Munson".
Absolutely nothing wrong with Chromexcel, in fact I have owned 3 pairs of shoes using that leather. I just have partaken in several "bashing" threads on that particular leather in regards to durability as a work boot leather. It is buttery soft and feels like you want the world wrapped in it, but it has a delicate surface and marres easily (part of the "look" of it). It shows every scuff but most brush out easily enough, if you want to brush them out, as the leather is so oil impregnated that it brings the luster back to the surface with the friction and heat of the brush.

I am getting my Nick's oxfords in burgundy CXL as those are going to be casual shoes and I want them to take on a well worn look.

James

 

[mogili222]

Hey - what was the build time on your shoes before Kyle rejected them? If they need to be remade, does that mean they do it right away? I'd find it frustrating to wait 2 months for a $450 pair of shoes only to find out I have to wait another 2 months since White's couldn't be bothered to make them correctly the first time...

The build time was just a little over 4 weeks initially. Kyle has said that he will have this order built on priority. Yes, it is frustrating that the original build did not come out well. Mistakes happen, but I am glad Kyle saw that before he shipped the boots to me and is having them remade. For me , a few weeks extra to get a pair that is to my satisfaction is worth the wait.

 

[linafelt]

These look really great Linafelt!

Thanks meso. They are almost my ideal black boot...

 

[linafelt]

(can't believe I'm suggesting Chromexcel but it has it's place)

So what exactly is wrong with cxl? Yeah I will be wearing these with jeans only. I don't really dress up more than that. Do the dress leathers look very shiny? I will definitely try to contact Kyle. From what I have seen, the swing last looks a little awkward to me, no offense to anyone.

A good case can be made for White's dress brown as the "standard" White's leather, especially for the SDs. It will be more hardwearing than CXL, but will pick up some nice patina over the course of a year or two. By all accounts, it will last more or less forever. Not as dressy as the name implies, and a nice balance between workboot leather and casual (thinner than the oil tans) leather. Check out the pic on the first page of this thread, by slide13, with dress brown on left with a little wear. Really nice boots! (It often looks darker in pics than in person...)

 

[jrosenthal]



A good case can be made for White's dress brown as the "standard" White's leather, especially for the SDs.  It will be more  hardwearing than CXL, but will pick up some nice patina over the course of a year or two.  By all accounts, it will last more or less forever.  Not as dressy as the name implies, and a nice balance between workboot leather and casual (thinner than the oil tans) leather.  Check out the pic on the first page of this thread, by slide13, with dress brown on left with a little wear.  Really nice boots!  (It often looks darker in pics than in person...)

I got my oxfords in dress brown (slides not that far back), and they appear very dark brown, but compared to black they are truly brown. Mine have a hint or reddish to it, a very rich color and have already started to mellow with creasing at the vamp and taking on nice character...although I do keep them brushed and shined.
James

 

[greger]

Linafelt, last I heard White still does. Danner quit years ago, so I heard. Really don't know about either, but, worth asking.

 

[stfugbtw]

For me , a few weeks extra to get a pair that is to my satisfaction is worth the wait.

Without a doubt. I was quoted 6-8 weeks - still have a few to go I'm sure. But if it's worth 8 weeks (not to mention $450), it's worth as long as it takes.