Shoes that look better with age...

[royman]

 

[Mr. Blue]

Burlap Wesco Jobmaster

[mpukas]

and now for something completely different... I fully realize this is not everyone around here's cup-o-tea... I'm sure there'll be some raised eye brows, hyper-critical squints and turned up noses, LOL! 

 

In the past couple of months I've had a major shift in footwear. I've gone completely 180 and have ditched all of my heavy boots and shoes with heels, arch support, padding, cushioning and narrow, toe-confining toe boxes. I'm now wearing flat, foot shaped shoes with no heel, no arch support, no padding, no cushioning, etc. 

 

These are Vivobarefoot Porto. Hand-cut leather. Made in Portugal. Stitch down construction. Double row sole stitching. Unlined except for something at the toe to hold it's shape. No insole, no arch, no heel. 

 

Overall quality of leather and craftsmanship is excellent as compared to all of my other boots and shoes. I'll be the first to admit that they are nowhere near as pretty as the White's, Wesco, Nick's, Tricker's, et al that we see 'round here, but my my feet and whole body are so much more happy wearing these. 

 

I'm not really a big fan of desert boots, but there are limited options for flat, foot shaped shoes & boots. I've never owned a pair of Clark's but have tried them on a few times, and these are far superior in terms of leather and craftsmanship. Overall I'm very happy with them, even if they are more than a bit odd looking. 

 

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[Max Power]

@Mr. Blue: Isn't the Burlap the best feeling leather you've ever handled? I really lovve the silky surface.

[Maynard Friedman]

Mpukas, my 5-yr old daughter wears Vivobarefoot shoes for school and seems to like them too!

[Cucoo]

MPukas, they don't look that odd. I got a pair of Clarks recently and am also favoring them (and sneakers with wider toe boxes) right now, and not just because it's too warm for most of my proper boots anyways It seems as I'm getting older, my feet get ever wider... I also seem to have wreaked quite the havoc on my pinky toes during the last year or so when I tried to break in two different pairs of boots that turned out to just be too small (both long sold on by now).

Edited June 11, 2015 by Cucoo

[Geeman]

Mpukas, I like them! Looks very comfortable. On the subject of Clarks Originals I love em, desert boots are great and Wallabees are like wearing slippers. Granted not as well made as some higher priced brands but great for the price. 

[Mr. Blue]

@Mr. Blue: Isn't the Burlap the best feeling leather you've ever handled? I really lovve the silky surface.

Sure is! The funny thing is the first time I saw pictures of Wesco burlap I didn’t like it at all, but once I saw/handled the leather in real life it was instant love and it has been an ongoing affair ever since.

[unders]

Quick shot of my RW engineer boots

 

 

 

[Iron Horse]

Properly beatup Unders.

Edited June 14, 2015 by Iron Horse

[Wörn75]

Those are some proper engineer boots Unders.

 

Mister Freedom Road Champs?

[Cucoo]

Those are some proper engineer boots Unders.

 

Mister Freedom Road Champs?

 

 

Quick shot of my RW engineer boots

 

Red Wing 2268

 

unders, what are you doing in them to trash the tips that thoroughly? I mean, looks like you'll be getting through to the steel toe soon

[Megatron1505]

My Wesco Flightmasters, most comfortable boot I've ever owned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Max Power]

The leather looks gorgeous. Black domain?

[unders]

Cheers Worn

Cucoo- that was all done over the space of a couple of weeks. Me and my father-in-law landscaped my garden so there was a lot of kicking slabs into place, lugging soil around, clearing bushes, etc.

It was great for the boots but awful for my back! As I've got a mundane desk job and won't be doing much heavy-duty gardening any time soon I don't the think the toes will take too much more of a beating. Shame really I think it's right cool when you see the steel popping through.

[tod]

^^ Really love the stitching on those Jobmasters..

[Megatron1505]

Thanks guys, it's black tie domain and they are Flightmasters (packer on an MP last).

[fre-co]

White's SD, dress brown, standard natural edge, standard heel, vibram half sole, lined...

These are finally going off for a resole soon.

 

about 4 years ago

[bradl]

Love the evolution of that natural sole. Have held up marvellously over that time period. Mine are already dude for a resole after 7 months...

[fre-co]

Wesco Packers on jobmaster last. Had these about 6 months, still pretty tight and feel shorter than White's in the same size. Considered selling them but I do love them so....

You can see the gear change scuff on the left boot.

[garden gnomes in space]

Fre-co, got any pics of the soles that are being resoled for those of us (me) with a worn sole fetish?

[BrownMetallic]

Viberg Sample Sale @NYC: 'Tho best make-ups [on my size] were mostly gone by closing time, Friday, i was fortunate to snag a 2-tone Country Derby Brown Waxed Flesh__CommandoSole on an old "mountain last", as per Brett

 

Swung by again Sunday & came away w/ Derby Shoe English Tan Latigo__ 1035 last on Dainite  ... & some quirky olive-greenish Bison Boot:__ 110?? on white Vibram Silvato, like Christys***WARNING: Steeze, not for every1 on this particular one-off.

 

Pardon the iPhone pix. Will get decent shots later:

 

 

Edited June 15, 2015 by BrownMetallic

[edmond]

get me a pair bro.. size 9us

[Megatron1505]

Oh hell yes....new Wesco olive burlap oxfords.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fre-co]

Not sure about those to be honest Mega... something is throwing it off. Maybe the green edge looks too clean or the lack of midsole up front..?

[mpukas]

Baller Mega, baller. Must see fit pics. Anxious to see them age a bit. 

[Megatron1505]

I think they will wear in really nicely, the lack of front midsole doesn't bother me too much and they feel much more substantial than my old White's oxfords, which were no light shoe themselves. I really wanted an LTT oxford this time and prefer a fuller toe box than the Viberg alternative.

[fre-co]

As long as you like them, that is all that matters. Will be interested to see how that leather wears in

[Megatron1505]

Yeh man, viva personal taste. Although most of us dress pretty identically to the uninitiated 

[garden gnomes in space]

construction looks so much cleaner than the Whites/Bakers Oxfords.  Like night and day