Shoes that look better with age...

[morse9443]

looking into buying some White's SD. Anyone with experience good or bad with ordering a custom fit boot from either White's directly or Bakers.

Kyle at Bakers is great to deal with - a lot easier than dealing directly with White's. Customization is much easier on the Bakers website too. You can even email Kyle a pic of what you want and he'll help you duplicate it. Patti at Russell is good for that too.

[Broark]

Just received my Viberg aged bark engineer boots that were part of a GMTO through Styleforum!

2005 last, Cat's Paw heel and Vibram 700 half sole, stitchdown construction, 8 inch height, ping pong toe.

Got these in size 12 and the left foot feels great, the right is a little big. Might settle a bit with wear hopefully.

These were originally supposed to be made with the tobacco chamois leather, but I think they ran out.

I think the aged bark leather was a good substitute as it's close in look and just a slightly different color.

[Bobbo]

Beautiful boots Broark.

[volvo240thebest]

beauts! would you mind to take a side pic to see better the sole

and heel profile?

[Geeman]

Not my style but beauties nonetheless

[Broark]

beauts! would you mind to take a side pic to see better the sole

and heel profile?

 

Sure thing volvo, I'll try and snap some more photos tomorrow.

Right now I can't manage to teak them off, super comfy.

 

Not my style but beauties nonetheless

Used to feel this way about engineer boots but I've come around to them.

[Iron Horse]

Used to feel this way about engineer boots but I've come around to them.

 

Once you go engineer, you don't go back. 

[Broark]

Once you go engineer, you don't go back. 

 

I think you're right, wore these all day and they were super comfy right out of the box.

Road Champs on the check list next.

[docdocgs]

I think you're right, wore these all day and they were super comfy right out of the box.

Road Champs on the check list next.

Beautiful pics, man (I thought I might find them here)! Just got mine too, but have yet to take pics. They are amazing, and the quality is outstanding. 

I had a pair of the original Julian-made Road Champs back in the day. I sold them, and have been crying like a stupid bitch ever since. Never shoulda done it. These are bringing me some comfort, though. And they will probably whip up my appetite for another pair of the RCs, too!

Enjoy!

[Broark]

Beautiful pics, man (I thought I might find them here)! Just got mine too, but have yet to take pics. They are amazing, and the quality is outstanding. 

I had a pair of the original Julian-made Road Champs back in the day. I sold them, and have been crying like a stupid bitch ever since. Never shoulda done it. These are bringing me some comfort, though. And they will probably whip up my appetite for another pair of the RCs, too!

Enjoy!

 

Ah man that's a bummer about the RC's, I read a rumor somewhere that MF will have a full run of RC's soon and I'm very tempted to get a pair. But I'm sure these Viberg's will offer you some comfort, I wore them all day and they are really great out of the box.

I'll be wearing these most of the winter I'm sure of it.   Looking forward to seeing some other pictures!

I wore them tonight with my Roy's, they work a lot better with a straighter leg. I'll try and get some more photos tomorrow.

[Iron Horse]

I think you're right, wore these all day and they were super comfy right out of the box.

Road Champs on the check list next.

 

You've taken your first step into a larger world. Let the addiction begin. 

[elim]

Beautiful! And even the sockets seem to be impressed!

 

[edmond]

Ssup elim

[Broark]

beauts! would you mind to take a side pic to see better the sole

and heel profile?

 

Tried taking some photos this morning, it's quite cloudy out so I bumped the brightness up a bit but you get the idea.

The heel on this one is pretty low, which is part of the reason why I liked the idea of this particular engineer boot in the first place.

I would've preferred something besides a Cat's Paw heel since those tend to break down fast.

We'll see how they wear in, after a few years I'll probably get them resoled by Brian at Role Club!

[Aries]

Great boots Broark. I always appreciate the look of Engineer boots, and sometimes my finger even hovers over a 'buy' button, but my god I just don't think I could pull it off...

[BrownMetallic]

^

For the longest time that's what I thought, too.

U just gotta have to find a make-up u Lâ¤ï¸vE enough to make that leap of faith

[oomslokop]

i reckon your look would suit a pair of attractions @aries

[Aries]

Thanks for the tip ooms, not heard of the brand before but they are lovely looking boots.

[Iron Horse]

Don't forget Ed's engineers.

 

Aries, I know how you feel about engineers. I also thought I couldn't pull them off, but then I just took the plunge anyway and found I could. 

[Broark]

Attractions definitely makes some nice boots, I would consider a pair of those myself but I don't think they made a pair big enough for my feet. Same goes for Clinch.

I think most anyone can pull off engineers, now that I have a pair I think they look great with just about anything as long as you're not wearing super tapered skinny jeans.

Just got to make sure you find a pair that really checks off all the boxes for you. One thing that turned me off about a lot of pairs out there is the heel height. I know it's more traditional but I've never worn boots which a higher stacked heel and it just seemed off to me.

I think for my next pair (whenever that may be) will be more traditional. Higher shaft height, maybe even black. 

Road Champs really catch my eye, but I'm not entirely sure about the leather sole.

[Iron Horse]

You can always have a good cobbler add a half sole (I would).

A traditional heel doesn't take very long to get used to, really. If you've ever worn cowboy boots then you'll know it feels odd at first but by the end of the day walking in them feels natural.

Attractions is coming out with a slightly improved last now; apparently the old one gave some people trouble as the incline was a bit too steep for certain foot shapes.

Ed can probably have a boot made in your size though, Broark. Lofgren, Role Club, Wesco and Red Wing also make larger sizes.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Iron Horse

[Aries]

I'm actually looking at the lofgren short shift engineers in cognac now; god help me I think I'll be ordering soon.

Edit: trigger pulled.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Aries

[Broark]

Role Club is also on my list, those are a serious time/money commitment but the investment seems to be well worth it.

I also really like the Lofgren engineers, but I'd like something besides natural cxl I think. Got a pair of Indy boots in the same leather.

 

Aries you'll be happy with the Lofgren short shifts, they look so much better on than in product photos.

Saw Kiya wearing them a few weeks back and it made me want a pair haha.

[Iron Horse]

Broark, the Lofgrens come in black as well.

[Broark]

True, just wish they made a pair in brown horsehide. That would be awesome.

Need to not get ahead of myself though, I have a pair of boots that need to be worn a bit first!

[Iron Horse]

Too true, better to focus on beating up the Vibergs. It's just tempting to trawl the Internet soaking up every engineer model out there. XD

[Broark]

I know the feeling! I think Road Champ's are at the top of my list for another pair, as they were really the first engineer boot that caught my eye. Love the details and toe profile, would be good to have a pair that is unstructured like that compared to the Vibergs.

Also anyone have good boot sock recommendations? I need some heavier duty socks for these engineers.

[pudaspriest]

I like darn tough socks, their heavy socks are perfect for boots and nearly indestructible

[ALB]

Would love to hear what you think of those, Aries. Lofgren's the only engineers that has ever tempted me but me thinks it would look a bit chunky/clunky for my style. Though I am having more and more straight-ish fits going on now...

 

Agreed with darn tough socks. Would also suggest wigwam as they have lasted me for some years now.

[tod]

what are those?

 

[Rolling Dub Trio Coupen boots}:

 

Mainly two things:  First I am just a bit disappointed in the way the CXL has ended up creasing. I have two other pairs of CXL boots (White's and Aldens) and really like the leather, but the RDTs creased up in a different way, which is less to my liking.  (Just a preference no doubt, not a flaw of any sort.)  Secondly, I am not convinced that the leather toe w/ metal cap on the front of the sole is a good idea.  It looks very cool when new.  The leather of course is very vulnerable to wear, which is why they have the metal caps of course. But the metal caps make for some slippery walking I've found!  Fine on grass, not bad on blacktop, pretty dicey on brick, downright life-threatening on tile!  Then too, after about 30 wears or so I've noticed that the metal caps have themselves begun to wear down. I had ordered replacements, but didn't expect them to wear so quickly, and I am a liittle leery of replacing them, thinking that the new screws in the old holes might not hold very tight.  Overall, I don't quite think the cool look of the toes and caps is quite worth the impracticality of them.

 

But otherwise, great boots/shoes of course, and made very well.  Every stitch and angle is tight and just right, unlike virtually every other boot I've worn.