Shoes that look better with age...

[BrownMetallic]

@BrownMetallic, those Trickers are probably in my top 3 grail items that I would love to own.  The color is fantastic

  

^ what he says! my favourite boot on this whole thread, if I ever had to pick one.

 

Last year there was a very similar setup for sale as a factory second on the tricker's ebay store, unfortunately not my size.

Styleforum got some pretty intense TrickerHolics. 'Actually missed the cut-off date for the group buy__ but, Richard [shoeHealer] was such a fab guy to deal with, got me on the list in a heart beat

[garden gnomes in space]

without raising a shit storm of wrath from the search function nazi's, how do Trickers fit compared to say Whites?  If im a 10 in Whites, is a 9uk roughy the size I would need to look at?

[BrownMetallic]

^UK 9.5

Edit: to be more precise, UK9.5 5-fitting on the 4497 [eg, Stow] last, if you're medium width.

But, if you're US 10E on SD = 6-fitting on UK 9.5, or you may have to up 1/2 to UK10 on 5-fitting to compensate on the width.

Incidentally, Bureau just came out w/same Teak Cordo make-up__ only w/commando soles instead of Dainite

Edited October 6, 2014 by BrownMetallic

[pchoden]

The new Red Wing Harvester boot has been released in Europe it seems. I think the boot looks amazing. Anyone know if it will be released in the US? If so, when?

[tod]

Current boot lineup, from R to L:

 

Alden High Work shoes, 1 week, 2 wears.

White's BH's, 5 months, about 50 wears.

Chippewa Engineers (Ret.), 13 years, infinite wears.

 

 

[tod]

And an updated pic of the High Work Shoes (in brown CXL), after five or six wears,with leather laces:

 

[edmond]

wtf is a alden high work shoes?

[Broark]

They just look like Indy boots to me...

[tod]

^ Yeah, it's the Indy boot.  But before they decided to exploit the Raiders connection they were known for decades as the High Work Shoe.  I was sort of taking the piss by calling them that, though I actually do like the name better than Indy boot. 

 

When I first heard of the Indy boot years ago, with people saying it was the "grandfather of all work boots" and such, I looked at them and was not very impressed.  They barely looked like boots to me. But eventually I came to appreciate their plain old fashioned-ness, and then when I found out they were originally conceived of as a high work shoe, that made sense to me.  I almost don't think of them as boots.  And they serve as a nice lighter alternative to my White's (which I definitely DO think of as boots).

[mpukas]

@guys w/ Indy's - what do you think of the neo-cork outsole? 

[tmadd]

@guys w/ Indy's - what do you think of the neo-cork outsole? 

 

It's probably my favorite part of the boot, and I think it's absolutely stupid that Alden doesn't make more boots/shoes on this sole because it has the best appearance/performance in wet weather combination of any of their options.  I've owned my Indys for 8 years and had them resoled a number of different times, and each time I get "creative" and have another kind of rubber sole put on, or go with leather and half-soles, I immediately regret it and can't wait to go back to the original cork…next up Dr. Sole cork soles!

[mpukas]

If I were gonna drop $500+ on a new pair of boots, would I get Indy's or a White's SD? 

[pudaspriest]

 

Viberg, red wing, red wing

Edited October 8, 2014 by pudaspriest

[fre-co]

^this is making feel uneasy

[fre-co]

Are indys really over $500 now? wow.

 

Depends entirely what you are looking for in a boot, personally I'd have SDs over indys and I have owned both including my current cigar cordovan indys which I hardly wear.

 

If I were gonna drop $500+ on a new pair of boots, would I get Indy's or a White's SD? 

[tmadd]

If I were gonna drop $500+ on a new pair of boots, would I get Indy's or a White's SD? 

 

At current prices, I feel like White's SD is a better value, but it's not like you're getting ripped off with one versus the other…White's just feel like more bang for your buck.  At that price range, I'm thinking that Lone Wolves will probably be my next boot purchase, unless I buck up and spring for the Lofgren Donkey Punchers we just got in.

[Broark]

I think my next pair of boots will likely be some kind of Viberg service boot, I just really like the overall shape and everything I've read seems to be solid quality wise.

Although aho's White's are making me second guess that thought!

[tmadd]

Are indys really over $500 now? wow.

 

Depends entirely what you are looking for in a boot, personally I'd have SDs over indys and I have owned both including my current cigar cordovan indys which I hardly wear.

 

Haha…was about to say "back when I got my Indy's, I was able to get them for $300 shipped" but then I realized that 8 is not an insignificant amount of years.  Yikes!

[tod]

If I were gonna drop $500+ on a new pair of boots, would I get Indy's or a White's SD? 

 

They are very different boots in both style and feel I would say.  If you really want a workboot (whether for working or not) then definitely White's.  With pants over the shaft Indys look pretty much like shoes, and the feel pretty much like shoes to me as well.  To me, after Vibergs on the 310 or 2045 last, White's represent just about the ideal workboot, both for style and durability. Whereas Indy boots represent a slightly more casual non-workboot style.

 

Feelwise, for me there is no beating the arch support on White's.  It really makes a huge difference.  A lot of people point out that Indys were originally an orthopedic shoe and have more support than most shoes/boots, but nothing close to White's (if that's important to you).

 

Both brands have some quality control issues.  People tend to point out the issues with Alden more, but White's has them too for sure.

 

One big difference: Indys are easily returnable from multiple retailiers (eg. Shoemart) whereas White's almost never are.

 

If I could only have one, it would be White's, cause I want a classic workboot as my first pair; but Indys make a good second pair.

[tmadd]

I think my next pair of boots will likely be some kind of Viberg service boot, I just really like the overall shape and everything I've read seems to be solid quality wise.

Although aho's White's are making me second guess that thought!

 

I've always been a huge fan of White's and I know everyone involved with it says it's not going to effect day to day operations, but the acquisition of White's by Lacrosse/ABCMart and the fact that they're basically becoming Danner's hi-end lifestyle/workboot line really bums me out.  I'm not saying that the quality of product is certain to degrade, I'm saying that I'm a lot less interested in supporting a giant corporate entity than I am a privately owned traditional business.  If I'm buying North American made workboots at this point, the conversation is narrowed to Wesco and Viberg, both of which have their own merits.  

[tod]

I've always been a huge fan of White's and I know everyone involved with it says it's not going to effect day to day operations, but the acquisition of White's by Lacrosse/ABCMart and the fact that they're basically becoming Danner's hi-end lifestyle/workboot line really bums me out.  I'm not saying that the quality of product is certain to degrade, I'm saying that I'm a lot less interested in supporting a giant corporate entity than I am a privately owned traditional business.  If I'm buying North American made workboots at this point, the conversation is narrowed to Wesco and Viberg, both of which have their own merits.  

 

Whites will apparently still be North American made -- part of the deal reportedly is keeping the factory and workers.  But I hear you as far as the corporate ownership. Sad to see such a venerable independently owned company get bought out.  Remains to be seen what happens to quality, etc.  But yes, if anyone is thinking about a pair of White's, now is probably the time...

Edited October 8, 2014 by tod

[hollowsleather]

Nick's boots should absolutely be on that list.

[garden gnomes in space]

If I were gonna drop $500+ on a new pair of boots, would I get Indy's or a White's SD? 

white's.  

[aho]

For that price, White's hands down over Indy's if you can get your size right...but honestly at this point I'd get Nicks over all others, they've really taken the cake for me and are the same range as White's so why not (solid construction, cleaner stitching, etc. and word on the street from all the wild land firefighters and locals say Nicks is better so who am I to say no)? I myself will be getting Classic Packer's from them once I send in my tracings/measurements in a few weeks. Takes a bit more research but let me know if you have any questions on them, and check out some of their Zuriick collabs to get an idea of what you're looking at: http://zuriickusa.com/#product

 

I think in the next year or two, Nicks will EXPLODE in popularity what with the White's sale to Lacrosse/ABC Mart which is timed with new ownership of Nick's (same everything, different boss) who are now trying expand their product line experimenting with more "fashionable" leathers and styles (hell they're even making a moc toe ala Red Wing). I'm already seeing this shift with Japanese boot fans who interestingly enough seem to be in the most uproar over the sale to ABC. Nick's says they're dedicated to making workbooks before fashion boots however and I think they're willingly and gladly taking up the mantle now that White's has declined (still excellent boots don't get me wrong).

Edited October 9, 2014 by aho

[edmond]

nicks are fucktardly heavy!

[aho]

Ed, been meaning to ask your opinion on them for a while actually...Do you own a pair or handled some recently?

[edmond]

i own a pair of their oxford on the vibram 2021 last fuck! theyre  heavier than my whites smuke jumper with double midsole and a vibram outsole but  i swear they are fuckin tough never seen anything made like these. i mean if you can handle the weight though

 

planning to order another oxford on the 2021 vibram or a roberts in a 2021... opinions?

[aho]

I'd get the Roberts if you already have a pair of the Oxfords. Glad to hear they're durable in your experience; I've long suspected that my White's could be more durable (let's be honest, they're already incredibly durable) or that maybe there was a slight notch above them although I didn't know where to look. After diving into wild land firefighter forums, outdoorsmen type forums etc. I noticed everyone kept raving about Nick's even after years of wearing White's so I'm looking forward to getting a pair myself to judge. 

 

http://productresearchgear.com/nicks-boots/

 

I don't mean to wax poetic on Nick's and all but I'm excited about the brand. Still, you can't go wrong with White's which easily beat up most everything out there, and styling wise, White's is still ahead of the curve in the battle against Nicks IMO.

Edited October 9, 2014 by aho

[Broark]

Definitely giving me something to consider in regards to Nick's, very high praise indeed!

[mpukas]

My question about Indy's was kinda rhetorical. No way can I see paying $500+ for them. Although I've never handled a pair in person, they seem to be in the same league as Red Wing Beckman and Wolverine 1000 Mile, etc. The seem about $175 over-priced, probably because of the movie fame.