Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[Phil McCrackin]

Those boots are the most hideous looking things I've seen !
They remind me of Starsky and Hutch era ..

 

[Peter1]

Too much sole. Double midsole with vibram and stacked heel gives off weird "short guy trying too hard to compensate" vibe. Maybe single midsole and lowered heel -- the uppers are reallly cool.

 

[Kissmyanthia]

Think I found my makeup.

I saw these on the Ironheart.co.uk forum: http://www.eastwestapparel.co.uk/White's-semi-smoke-jumper-roughout

Thought hey.. those might look good with the honey vibram 100. So I googled "roughout honey vibram 100" just to get a feel for the roughout and honey on any boot and found out that Zodiac actually has done a White's makeup like this in 7" with a double midsole. http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/zodiac/item/10019042/







Quite distressed about sizing though. I wear a 11B in the Alden Saddle w/ barrie last w/ thin dress socks. Thought maybe a 10.5C in the smoke jumper for thicker socks and such. Sent in a tracing to Kyle and he said 10C. Thinking maybe my tracing came out too small.

Send them in again with the socks you will wear, see if he has a pair for you to try. Worth the wait to get it right.

 

[roknrolusa]

^^^One down from Barrie? I wouldn't go there until i had a pair to try first.

 

[NorthCoast]

@givemefive

This is a very nice makeup indeed. Very similar to my makeup, with the difference of single midsole, distressed smooth shaft and natural cut top.
The honey vibram is amazing. Hard wearing yet cushiony. Soft and silent, like ninja shoes!

So the honey is cushiony?

How do the soles look once they get dirty? I figured they would just look cruddy?

 

[tocohillsguy]

Ditto Roknrolusa. For what it's worth, I'm a TTS 10.5D. I have some Barrie lasted chukkas in size 10D and White's SD built on the 55 last in size 10.5D. Out of the box the chukkas fit well with thin dress socks, but they would have needed to stretch to accommodate thicker wool boot socks. The White's fit well with thick wool socks, but are a little large for dress socks. I suspect I could also wear 10D in the SD if I wanted to wear thin socks or wait for them to stretch. The SD leave a solid thumb width between the tip of my big toe and the end of the boot. The point of this long winded screed is I believe the 55 last is Brannock TTS but built to accommodate thick boot socks. I suspect the same for the Barrie last, but so many Barrie lasted shoes are dress shoes that most size down a half size. Others prefer to suffer tight shoes and boots until they stretch. I do not. For course YMMV, and I can't speak to other lasts used by White's. Wonder if Sambam would concur with my analysis?

 

[givemefive]

Yeah not going to double the midsole. I think it looks cool but it's too much... I agree with others in that I wouldn't lower the standard heel but if I want with the blocked heel I may do a 1/4" lower. I want the heavy duty lugs, but I feel that the black is not for me so I will try the honey.

I found a 10.5D in a stock makeup to try on locally Thursday. I will hopefully know a lot more then. Would still have to decide on last though.

What made you guys choose 55 vs 4811 for the Smokejumper pattern?

I am liking the idea of doing roughout with a smooth shaft. Maybe brown oil roughout with brown oil smooth shaft. I would like a boot I can take out in the woods and work on the trails with. Was a little worried about the smooth/CSL becoming too nicked up but at the same time I mostly wear jeans and won't want a ton of indigo on the roughouts. Combo might work best.

 

[motojobobo]

My distressed smooth Farmer Ranchers get washed (only water) and scrubbed every time they get muddy on the farm. It's happened four times so far. The upper is holding up fine to the mud and washes, but the heel and outsole get really dry and have turned whitish. I'm not too concerned about the looks of it but I don't want this dryness to begin splitting the leather heel stack.
I'm wondering whether it has also happened to some of you and how you've dealt with it. Thanks for all suggestions.

http://imgur.com/a0XUYvt
http://imgur.com/CWdKn9u
http://imgur.com/gcMRM8k

 

[YTHMNSTRY]

You can condition the midsole and heel stack with the same products that you would use to condition the boot. Lexol or Bick 4 would work fine. Once you get them conditioned, you can use a wax product like Obenauf's or beeswax to help seal them. If you want a more finished look you can use Fiebings Edge Kote after the initial conditioning.

It looks like it might be about time to condition the uppers as well.

 

[Motocowboy]

Our management team has had conversations about our laces the last few weeks. Looks like we need to fix some things. Great info for me. Thanks

Good to hear you are looking at the laces. I have always used your rawhide laces and generally find them to be good but the last pair of 690 Packers I got back from being rebuilt both laces broke on the first time lacing up the boots.

 

[Motocowboy]

My distressed smooth Farmer Ranchers get washed (only water) and scrubbed every time they get muddy on the farm. It's happened four times so far. The upper is holding up fine to the mud and washes, but the heel and outsole get really dry and have turned whitish. I'm not too concerned about the looks of it but I don't want this dryness to begin splitting the leather heel stack.
I'm wondering whether it has also happened to some of you and how you've dealt with it. Thanks for all suggestions.

http://imgur.com/a0XUYvt
http://imgur.com/CWdKn9u
http://imgur.com/gcMRM8k

I would say you need to condition the your boots. Most of the time I use sole and heal dressing to keep mine sealed up so there is no water absorbed. Obenauf's and Obenauf's oil seems to work well too. Both have wax to help protect and if you use some Brick 4 on the boots you will save your great boots.

 

[sambam]



Ditto Roknrolusa. For what it's worth, I'm a TTS 10.5D. I have some Barrie lasted chukkas in size 10D and White's SD built on the 55 last in size 10.5D. Out of the box the chukkas fit well with thin dress socks, but they would have needed to stretch to accommodate thicker wool boot socks. The White's fit well with thick wool socks, but are a little large for dress socks. I suspect I could also wear 10D in the SD if I wanted to wear thin socks or wait for them to stretch. The SD leave a solid thumb width between the tip of my big toe and the end of the boot. The point of this long winded screed is I believe the 55 last is Brannock TTS but built to accommodate thick boot socks. I suspect the same for the Barrie last, but so many Barrie lasted shoes are dress shoes that most size down a half size. Others prefer to suffer tight shoes and boots until they stretch. I do not. For course YMMV, and I can't speak to other lasts used by White's. Wonder if Sambam would concur with my analysis?

Nicely done. I have built 5 different sample sizes for guys in the factory using the barrie last with all the same results. If you are a 10D in a 55 then you will be a 9.5D in a barrie. Basically 1/2 size down from 55 to barrie. That being said we just ordered 400 pair of barrie lasts with the sizing being equal to our 55 for ease of ordering new lifestyle line and new MP commando boot. Coming real soon.

 

[FrankCowperwood]

Dumb question: so Barrie last isn't proprietary to Alden?

 

[Rolanberry]

The people who were working at the Danner store in Renton, Washington (Near Seattle), at the Renton Landing were saying a Rep. from White's was going to be training them next week on how to measure and custom fit people for custom orders.

 

[prettywish]

I'd like to know if we can build the boots with other outsoles. I like the Neo-cork(or Vibram Nitrile Cork) sole (the sole in alden indy) or dainite sole. these soles are more dressy and lighter. it is better for daily wear.