Shoes that look better with age...

[Geeman]

There's a decent article on PTO about Jason Jules documentary on John Simons that has points related to this topic. 

As the heritage craze has now passed, apart for us weirdos, it's left a legacy where even the fashioned obsessed/hypebeasts care about construction, materials etc. 

Makes sense that a brand such as Viberg, synonymous with quality construction and heritage, would trade on that new found ethic. 

If they also stick with their core lines that made the brand what it is they can't really be criticised for it. Though them are ugly boots!

PTO

 

Edited April 30, 2018 by Geeman

[Maynard Friedman]

Thanks for the link Geeman, it’s a very good article.

[Iron Horse]

Well, I wouldn’t feel too comfortable putting my name on a product I didn’t fully believe in, let’s put it that way. But maybe they really do like what they’re doing and it’s not a cash grab. Times is tough out there kiddos, that’s for sure. It’s a shame we have to turn tricks to keep our hobbies going. 

Edited April 30, 2018 by Iron Horse

[shredwin_206]

Whites SmokeJumpers

[mlwdp]

@ecsong187That's what they're made for, besides wildland fire fighting and motorcycles if you're into that.  How is the fit so far working for you?

Edited May 1, 2018 by mlwdp

[shredwin_206]

Fit is spot on. I don’t have weird feet so a standard 8D is perfect. 

Little snug on the sides and in the front of the ankle, but after a 10hr shift yesterday they’re breaking in quickly. 

[edmond]

Wesco 9 year olds resoled twice

[Brenjay]

I love the Red Wing moc toe shoes so I had my cobbler rework these black ones.  New leather mid sole, old stock Biltrite soles, and a new Biltrite heel.  Very happy with them.  Previously had the standard white wedge soles.

[dudewuttheheck]

On 4/28/2018 at 4:42 AM, Broark said:

I don't know if it's really fair to talk about "how far Viberg has fallen" just because you don't stylistically agree with what they make at this moment.
It's not like they changed their construction methods, started buying shitty leather or shipped their production methods overseas.
Hell, I don't like those boots and I'd never buy a pair that looks like that myself, but they are still well made and the company still makes a classic work boot here and there.
Just because you don't agree with the direction and some of the shoes that they make doesn't mean they've suddenly fallen to a B-rate shoemaker.
I agree that I don't like a lot of of the stuff they have been doing lately, but you can only sell so many big 'ol work boots to heritage guys. I think Brett is just trying to angle for a different market on the side. It's not like they're exclusively making high fashion shoes and have completely forgotten their heritage.
Just my opinion. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Disagree. I have seen some pretty questionable stitching coming from Viberg.  Also, they have changed construction methods so you are wrong about that... they used to only do stitch down and now they do a lot of Goodyear welting. I don't think they're now B rate, but their reputation has fallen significantly. It was not long ago that everyone was singing Viberg's praises. Their reputation is definitely not what it once was, though they still have a lot of fans. Therefore, their reputation has indeed fallen in the denim and work wear circle. I didn't say their construction has necessarily fallen. I think it was never as good as most people said it was. Also, this is not just about what they've done lately. This is a trend that has been building for a few years. Obviously, they are still quite popular. My point is that among the denim head audience or whatever you want to call it, they are not considered golden gods like they used to, which I think is a good thing.

I should have clarified with what I meant by 'fallen.' I just meant that their position in the heritage boot market has been shaken. Truman, love them or hate them, has gained a lot of traction (for the record, I do not own any Truman boots either) and I have definitely noticed that Wesco's reputation has risen while Viberg's has gone down slightly. I remember a time when Viberg was considered to clearly be the best of the Pacific Northwest bootmakers. Over the last couple of years, I have seen more and more people say that Wesco is the best of that bunch. Again, Viberg's quality may not have changed at all, but how they are perceived has changed for the negative.

Edited May 5, 2018 by dudewuttheheck

[shredwin_206]

Viberg has always been overhyped and overpriced in my opinion 

I’d rather buy a pair of Whites or WESCO

[itsbenhere]

Why is it that stitch down is preferred to good hear welt again?

what frustrates me most about viberg is that it seems like 95% of their normal laced boots are captoe 2030 last with a low heel. I mean Jesus, if you like that look man do you have so many options. From other brands too!

if you’re like me and prefer a larger toe box and higher heels I have to look elsewhere from viberg. 

[FreeCharlesManson]

i personally prefer goodyear welt for aesthetic reasons. I also heard it's theoretically more durable because you can replace the welt if it wears out but it probably wouldn't come to that in your lifetime.

[Broark]

13 hours ago, itsbenhere said:

what frustrates me most about viberg is that it seems like 95% of their normal laced boots are captoe 2030 last with a low heel. I mean Jesus, if you like that look man do you have so many options. From other brands too!

if you’re like me and prefer a larger toe box and higher heels I have to look elsewhere from viberg. 

I think this sums it up for me too. Sick of the 2030, pointy toe service boots. They just don't fit my feet well and seem to be a dime a dozen.
And Dude, I think that if you had made those points originally a lot of people would have agreed with you. Instead you just claimed that Viberg has fallen from graces or whatever so that's why I wrote what I wrote. I wouldn't say that I'm flat out wrong in saying their construction methods haven't changed, they just started making more GYW options because they were evidently ruining a bunch of leather when attempting stitch down on more thin and exotic leathers. So saying that I'm wrong about the construction methods is BS.  If you ask me the whole stitch down vs GYW thing is completely overblown, but I'm no expert and don't claim to be. I prefer the look of stitch down much more as well, but a shoe being GYW is not going to stop me from buying a pair of boots. The new Lofgren M43 Boondockers look great as GYW boots.
I don't think there's much point in arguing with you because you're not likely to budge and that's fine, we all have our opinions!

[dudewuttheheck]

5 hours ago, Broark said:

I think this sums it up for me too. Sick of the 2030, pointy toe service boots. They just don't fit my feet well and seem to be a dime a dozen.
And Dude, I think that if you had made those points originally a lot of people would have agreed with you. Instead you just claimed that Viberg has fallen from graces or whatever so that's why I wrote what I wrote. I wouldn't say that I'm flat out wrong in saying their construction methods haven't changed, they just started making more GYW options because they were evidently ruining a bunch of leather when attempting stitch down on more thin and exotic leathers. So saying that I'm wrong about the construction methods is BS.  If you ask me the whole stitch down vs GYW thing is completely overblown, but I'm no expert and don't claim to be. I prefer the look of stitch down much more as well, but a shoe being GYW is not going to stop me from buying a pair of boots. The new Lofgren M43 Boondockers look great as GYW boots.
I don't think there's much point in arguing with you because you're not likely to budge and that's fine, we all have our opinions!

Yeah I should have, but I've talked to death about it and already wrote an article on the subject so that's why I was lazy and didn't explain myself, but I should have been more clear. 

 

I don't care about gyw vs stitch down either. Hell, I prefer gyw in general, but a lot of people have complained about it and that adds to my argument that Vibergs reputation has fallen. 

 

It's funny that you say you don't want to argue with me, yet you continue to respond to what I say. I think I've conceded a lot more than you have and yet you say I'm the one who is unlikely to budge... Interesting.

[mpukas]

I've read that stitch-down is more durable and water resistant than GYW, and that's the main reason the PNW boot makers use it for logger and wild land fire fighting boots. But, the heel of either construction is still tacked on and there's a weak point for water resistance, unless it's a 360° welt of some nature (GYW, storm welt, Norwegian welt, etc). When it comes to discussing which is better in the world of heritage work wear, it's just for fun as both are proven construction methods and both have pros and cons. It really comes down to aesthetics and what an individual prefers. 

I too am tired of the pointy toe shoe/boot options. I much prefer a rounder, wider profile. That usually comes along with a more bulbous toe, which I don't care for either. I've yet to find a round wide toe that still maintains a bit of elegance. 

BTW - speaking of Truman, what the generally feelings towards them? I know they're in Boulder, CO and I've heard from Canoe Club that they're a small shop with a few guys, unsing traditional methods. Just the vibe this crowd gets off on. I've tried on their boots once, and I thought they were very nice. But not the most comfortable (they were brand new and not broken in at all). I find their heel block isn't sloped enough, and the leading edge of the heel makes for an uncomfortable hot-spot. I thought they were in the range of the better brands discussed here, and far better than RW. Just curious what other think of them. 

[mpukas]

FWIW, I copped a pair of Grant Stone Diesel boots in a wide, 9 1/2 E, at the end of 2017 during the sale. Dune CXL with leather soles. I haven't talked about them or posted pics. They're freakin' awesome. So solid like tanks, yet so elegant. I got a 1/2 bigger than I probably should have as they're last runs a bit large, but I wanted to make sure they were wide enough for my preference. The toe is a pointier IRL than they look in pics. They were super comfy from day one. No hot spots or discomfort at all. I'm really into zero-drop completely flat, foot shaped shoes/boots, and I can wear these with no (personal) issues. I'd put these up against Alden, Viberg or any of the PNW makers. To get something better I think you'd have to look to the top tier Japanese and custom makers. 

[dudewuttheheck]

@mpukas well said! 

 

A great option for more rounded, but not bulbous lace up boots is Moto Japan. I'll get some pics of those up shortly as they have blown me away in terms of design, leather, and build quality

[Iron Horse]

Don't forget a Munson last, plain toe like so:

[dudewuttheheck]

Definitely! Those boots are absolute stunners!

Here are the pics of the Moto(r) boots I promised.

Edited May 7, 2018 by dudewuttheheck

[iamsuperflush]

On 5/5/2018 at 9:29 PM, itsbenhere said:

Why is it that stitch down is preferred to good hear welt again?

what frustrates me most about viberg is that it seems like 95% of their normal laced boots are captoe 2030 last with a low heel. I mean Jesus, if you like that look man do you have so many options. From other brands too!

if you’re like me and prefer a larger toe box and higher heels I have to look elsewhere from viberg. 

I have yet to see a bootmaker that makes a slim toebox service boot that is nearly as well proportioned as Viberg's, although I think the 1035 last looks way better than the 2030. Yeah Trumans, Oak Street, Red Wing merchants all look okay from certain angles, I have seen very few pictures of Vibergs that look bad. I don't have a lot of money, but I have not once regretted dropping $700 for my WF bergs 2 years ago, and they have served me well through those 2 years.

EDIT: Actually thats not true, I waffled for a while between the brown and natural waxed flesh after seeing the infamous pic that made everyone fall in love with WF Vibergs, but that's my own choice.

Edited May 11, 2018 by iamsuperflush

[shredwin_206]

My Whites SmokeJumpers after about 2 weeks of wear working commercial construction. 

Broke in nicely

[mlwdp]

Wesco released on book on the history of their boots.

[edmond]

On 5/11/2018 at 8:04 PM, ecsong187 said:

My Whites SmokeJumpers after about 2 weeks of wear working commercial construction. 

Broke in nicely

i think you need a maybe an e width?

 

and clean those  construction dust off

[shredwin_206]

E width is too room

[ElTadashi]

15 hours ago, ecsong187 said:

E width is too room

I think is just the way the soft toe is sitting was giving him that idea. I also broke inn my smokejumpers on construction sites.

[mlwdp]

Yeah he went stock with his SJ.  Had he got measured and custom ordered, dealing with the fire season wait times now, it would've been a different story.

[ElTadashi]

19 hours ago, mlwdp said:

Yeah he went stock with his SJ.  Had he got measured and custom ordered, dealing with the fire season wait times now, it would've been a different story.

The soft unstructured toe on mine looked similar prior to them resoled. They were a custom order that I got measured for.

[mlwdp]

Makes sense. Forgot about the structured and unstructured.  I went with structured toe for mine as I haven't done anything different eve for boots and didn't like the look for me with a unstructured toe.

[BrownMetallic]

Truthfully, i don’t even go out or web-shop for shoes/boots, nowadays. ‘Got too spoiled.

Ever since the NYC SampleSale, Viberg has been the low-hanging fruit that’s hard to resist ...

Side x side w/the Black Pit-Tanned:

Black Pit-Tanned on direct sunlight:

Edited May 16, 2018 by BrownMetallic

[shredwin_206]

Freshly cleaned and oiled with Obenaufs