horsehide footwear contest thread

[PeterParker]

Forgive my lack of a participation in this contest, but I have a horsehide/cordovan related question that perhaps you guys can answer:

Do you find the breathability of cordovan shoes/boots in hotter climates to be an issue?

The reason I ask is because I am moving from a cool climate to hot climate, and I don't want to bring boots with me that I won't wear if it's too hot. Is calfskin noticably more breathable than shell cordovan?

[garden gnomes in space]

Oh my God, these are fucking breathtaking.

Hey Mike, glad you got the new thread going!

As promised - here are my boots. I'll post pics of the other footwear when they arrive...

[Planetarium]

For those with the whiskey Indy boots, who did you go through to order them?

I've been able to find a retailer that does the cigar Indy with the specs I want, but not the whiskey so far.

[rkusmant]

Call Kathy at Alden DC this was preorder from early fall last year, she ordered extras for the rest of public.

[Dave_SFU]

I ordered mine from Alden in NYC.

[rkusmant]

Weeklong evo, proper photos due later

[kansas]

Anyone mind if I unofficially join in with my alden/j.crew color 8 captoe boots i just received? Pm'd mikecch but i noticed he hasn't posted in nearly 3 weeks. don't wanna step on any toes....pardon the pun.

[rkusmant]

I'm all open for new entries, i think Mike made may 2012 to be the cut off date.

The more the merrier

[joelz]

Yea I believe that's the case too. Welcome

[kansas]

thanks folks-

worn once. alden/jcrew captoe.

gonna beat em up.

[mikecch]

^ Sorry for the late add kansas (been away for work with sparse internet). New entries updated in the first post!

[kansas]

thanks mikecch. should be fun. all of this shell shoe porn makes me drool.

[dr_do0m]

Hey guys, mind if I join up?

I've got a pair of Brooklyn Bootworks Cobble Hill in Chestnut Cordovan that are about 3 weeks old at this point.

[ShogunOfHarlem]

Updates:

Alden:

Wolverine:

My new third entry, Allen Edmonds Daltons:

[dr_do0m]

Sup guys. Guess this counts as my contest entry: Brooklyn Bootworks Cobble Hill in Cordovan.

Really looking forward to seeing how this contest goes.

[PeterParker]

Sup guys. Guess this counts as my contest entry: Brooklyn Bootworks Cobble Hill in Cordovan.

Nice to finally see a someone post a pair. I remember the chat about them when they were on sale a while back but there was no substance.

Any comments on the fit, quality of the leather, craftsmanship, etc.?

[dr_do0m]

Nice to finally see a someone post a pair. I remember the chat about them when they were on sale a while back but there was no substance.

Any comments on the fit, quality of the leather, craftsmanship, etc.?

Sure. Build quality is great - they're well put together with no loose threads. I was impressed with how neatly the welt was done; all of the stitching is very precise.

Fit is good; it took a good week and a half of daily wear to break the shoes in, and they're pretty comfortable now that they're no longer chewing my heels up. They run slightly big for their marked size.

Comfort is good so far; the liners are really soft and the midsole is just starting to mold to my feet.

I'm not sure what to think yet about the leather quality. I haven't called it shell because it's from a European tannery rather than Horween, who uses the term exclusively for their cordovan. It's got a smooth, waxy feel and tight grain, but if you look at the pictures I've posted, you'll see wrinkles by the stress points up close rather than the more typical waves. I'm really interested in seeing how they'll look in a few months; they're getting the most use right now of all my shoes.

[mikecch]

^ Also shoes man, sorry for the late add.

[arcarsenal]

Just took delivery of these custom horsehide semi-dress and I thought I'd play along with this contest as well.

Black all over, except for a brown back stay. Red lining, toe cap, close trim and #700 half soles as well. Can't wait to break these in.

[PeterParker]

1/4" lowered heel? medallion cap toe and contrasting backstay are classy touches.

[arcarsenal]

Thank you'. I did also get the heel lowered 1/4". I'm really liking how they look in person. Ray was the one who encouraged me to try some sort of two tone on the boots, I'm glad I did.

[TheBlackGoat]

^^^^^^^^^^Hands down, the Nicest damn SDs i have seen.

[ranonranonarat]

i am usually never for two tone boots (no offence to anyone but this is just personal taste). these however are really nice. i like the touch of the contrasting backstay and the medallion captoe. awesome.

[coleslawyum]

here's a quick update before I clean them up a bit. been a pretty boring year so far…

[TheBlackGoat]

^^^^^^ rep up! Sorry hit the wrong button

[An Oxymoron]

thinking about snagging some of those thorogood 685 from epaulet. are you guys planning on wearing your boots all through summer?

[joelz]

it's been a while since I've posted pictures:

[SLAB]

I really prefer the shape of the Barrie last over my Trubalance Jumper boots

[joelz]

Yea it's way lower. I like trubalance, but Barrie has grown on me a lot

[PeterParker]

It is amazing how much difference a last can make. Very similar make-up, eyelets vs. speedhooks, pull tab, does J. Crew have a close heel?

I think the Trubalance last resembles a military last, unlike the Barrie which is dressier. The "repro" look of the jumpers appeals to me, something about the nostalgia of a military officer shining up his boots before a date with a broad (reference to The Pacific), which is something that the J. Crew captoes lack.