tod

Thanks, will check it out!

Yeah I'm with you. Hard to beat the Toys Mccoys for looks. The stitching looks great, and little things like the rivets... It used to be that I thought they were unreasonably expensive, but these days $600 or so for a pair of high end boots seems to be the going rate, not much more than a pair of Whites. It's the pain and cost of returning to Japan if the fit is off that really makes me pause.

Oh, and can anyone compare/contrast those Toys Mccoys with Lone Wolf mechanic boots? They seem very similar...

Anyone have sizing advice for Toys Mccoys boots, especially the surveyor boots? I have admired them from afar for years, but have never thought too seriously because they always seemed difficult to get in the US, and I had no experience with sizing. But am now thinking about giving them a shot anyway. I wear a 9.5E in both Whites and Alden trubalance.

No man, the arch-ease is real! As someone with high arches who can't wear any other boots without insoles except for White's, I can attest to the effectiveness of that thick leather arch support.

Triumph Bobber. The Chippewas have a hard rubber sole actually. Grippy enough for traction, but not so soft that they are going to wear too quickly. I think I'd miss having a heel if I wore the Vibram squishy soles...

And while I am at it, here are two pics of my Rolling Dub Trio coupen boots (aka work shoes). I like these a lot, but I have to say that I am slightly disappointed on the workmanship for expensive Japanese bench built boots. You can only see a hint of it, but there is some loose stitching on the left boot, where the top quarter/eyelets are stitched to the vamp. And I know creasing is hard to predict, but I don't like the way the CXL on these has worn compared with other CXL boots I've had. Ah well, not perfect, but still glad I have them..

Very pleased with these cheap Chippewas I got off ebay a couple of months ago. They are not made of the highest quality materials (eg, there is a plastic fake leather welt of sorts at the back of the boot), and while they say made in the US that is apparently debatable. Acc to another site a guy cut a pair open and it said made in the China in the toebox. So maybe "partly assembled" in the US is more likely. Nevertheless, I am pleased with them. I bought a similar pair about 15 years ago (which interestingly said made in China at the time), and I wore them regularly for over 10 years. We'll how long these go. They make good motorcycle boots, but also everyday wear.

Current line-up: Rolling Dub Trio / Chippewa / White's

Rolling Dub Trios, new and a few years old (with Vibram resoles).

It's White's standard lowered block heel. About 1.25" rather than 1.5".

Bounty Hunters.

Motorcycle damage to my White's heels: oops, couldn't get photo to load...