Shoes that look better with age...

[SLAB]

*Dainite! Honestly, what is the point? It's bloody uncomfortable, you feel both every bump in the pavement and every nobble on the sole, you can't walk on Yorkshire cobbles, it offers NO - zero - grip being slippery as hell in the wet, and cheapens anything it's used on. I hate the stuff! I am convinced it's a money saving exercise.

LOL, I just mailed my Alden Indy's to the Shoehealer to have them resoled with Dainite soles.

[Maynard Friedman]

I've never had dainite, but in my mind it appears to be a compromise based on aesthetics. It retains the more elegant appearance of a leather sole whilst offering the more robust and extra grip (although not according to hoggreaser - time for Yorkshire to invest in tarmac perhaps!) that a commando sole would offer. In short, a sturdier shoe that can be worn both formally and informally.

EDIT: it can also be worn around the clock - dainite geddit?

Edited October 5, 2012 by Maynard Friedman

[devilish]

Never had an issue with dainite soles. Never really felt that much different to any other non-leather sole to me. Have worn them in the rain and on ice and snow, never felt any appreciable lack of grip. Not quite as sure footed as a commando sole but then it isn't really meant to be. It has been used on golfing shoes a lot over the years and as such has proven to have good traction on grass without gathering dirt between the the cracks like a commando or true spike sole can.

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[PeterParker]

Regarding White's lasts, I believe the "classic" 461 last is similar to the semidress last, but with more of an upturned toe. The Ultrasound Boots facebook page has photos of many permutations of White's boots, mostly on the semidress last (e.g. standard Semid-Dress, conventional Bounty Hunters) and classic last (they seem to identify it as the C641T last, though they appear to be the same to me).

Here are some examples of 641 last:

And the semidress last:

As you can see, the classic 461/C641T last is not that clumsy. It is the swing last that has a wide and blobby toe with the appearance of a clown shoe. I'm pretty sure that White's can make both the Smoke Jumper and Semi-Dress on any of their last. Unless you have an oddly shaped foot, it's a safe bet to go with the semidress last.

[CrashTestBrummie]

@ ben

Those Grenson are quite nice, are they on the 201 last? Grenson do get a bit of stick with Tim Little having shifted production over to India but the 201 I did find surprisingly comfy on a pair of Archies I had. If the price is right then still better than the average glued/cemented sole high street tat sold as 'designer' with commensurate price tag by the likes of the dreadful HofF.

How are you taking to the vibram sole? At first I thought it a bit unusal for a brogue boot but one of the guys in Hip Leeds was wearing the exact boot and was happy with it. Tempting...

No idea about the last used on the Grenson - the only markings in the boots and on the box are '5138 77V 10 G'. They seem to be slimmer than the last used for their bulkier brogue boots (Fred, et al) and they've grown on me with each successive wear.

Never was a fan of the Vibram sole when seen on other boots. I'm pretty reactionary when it comes to footwear, so Vibram and crepe soles on boots used to make me mentally tut, with pursed lips and wagging finger. Very impressed now with the comfort and weight of the boot but can't see Vibram soles becoming anything more than an oddity in my collection. Might be interesting to try them out on another pair though, when the time comes for resoling an existing pair of boots.

I was half-tempted to pop up to Leeds tomorrow (via Doncaster to see Richard, naturally!) and Hip would have been one of my ports of call. Was toying with the idea of seeing if they had any of their old pairs of Tricker's lying around for a decent price...

With the studded Dainite soles, I don't have the issues with slipping that you mention but don't think they're good soles for walking more than a couple of miles in. The flat profile of the sole means that your foot can start to feel like it's slapping the ground after a while, or at least it does with me. As mentioned though, it's one of the lowest profile options available when it comes to rubber soles, so depends on what you're looking for.

I find the commando sole to be the slippiest of all the standard British rubber sole options. But the pro with the commando sole is that it seems to be made of tougher, longer-lasting rubber than the Dainite options (studded and Ridgeway) so it's probably a wiser choice with veldtschoen boots where you might be limited in the number of resoles a boot or shoe will take. Didn't stop me getting a Dainite Ridgeway sole put on my Edward Green veldts, but I do have more pairs of veldts than most...

With the AS last you mention I've only tried on the 7WK last. I've the Dumfries on the 77 last and the Kelso and Coldstream on the 88 last (Sargent's veldtschoen last). Interestingly, I think Sargent might have modified both the 77 and 88 last at some point as I've handled older boots build on those lasts and the lasts seem to have been made bigger on the more recent models. I own both a Sargent- and a Shipton & Heneage-branded Kelso and there's a noticeable difference in both boot profile and leather used - neither one better than the other, but the difference is there nonetheless.

Now, can someone please explain why the ad showing at the top of the screen is trying to get me to buy 'Surf Spray', for 'sexy, beachy, windswept styles'?! Is the Vibram sole the start of a lifestyle transformation?

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[CrashTestBrummie]

↑ Thanks for your reply, really interesting post.

I was a little quick to judge Dainite, but that said I don't think I'd want it again. Despite the general disapproval of topy / rubber half soles on leather, I actually think it more comfortable and better grip! Horses for courses.

I really like AS stuff, more so than Trickers simply for the variety, and I don't think they're capitalising on current boom in popularity in the same way as Trickers so they get my vote.

I - very briefly! - had a pair of AS Culford, simply fantastic, but before I'd gotten a better idea of my size and so sadly had to send them back. 89 last, not too pointy, but not cumbersome either. Dainite though, so would have been complaining at some point no doubt.

Actually if you don't mind, you mentioned the Dumfries on 77, how do you find it? Generous enough to half/full size down? I have it in my head that it might be rather like the Trickers 4444 but that's an entirely unfounded thought on my part.

Hip Leeds.. No Trickers in store two weekends ago, at least on display, didn't ask about unsold display stuff. However (!) they told me that they are doing a collab that should be available very soon!

edit: that annoying ad has become grey and moody All Saints for me .. at least it's stopped obscuring the posts I was trying to read. Good luck with your new surfy beach look ;-)

To be fair, I never was a fan of cover soles but now I'm a bit of a convert - will report back after the first snows of winter to see if I'm still of the same mind...

I went true to size with the Dumfries but could have gone down half a size. The 77 last has a high instep, more so than any other boot I own. The gorse leather used on the Dumfries is pretty decent - shame that gorse isn't as widely available as it used to be. Definitely a quality boot.

Sargent used to have a pretty formidable range of country boots made from Weathertuff leather (the 'Sargent Collection'), which I think was an American-made product. Tough as nails, you can sometimes find old stock in random cobbler shops and the like.

There's a cobbler's shop in Doncaster, just round the corner from Richard's premises and opposite the HoF outlet , which had a lot of old Sargent stock reduced a few months back when I was last up there. From handling these boots, I'd say that they were as hardy as Tricker's of old and a shame I've found none in my size.

Hip doing another collab with Tricker's? Just what the world needs, no?

I've got the All Saints ad now, too. I think I'd rather break my own pelvis than wear All Saints. Even with my new beach bum look...

Edited October 5, 2012 by CrashTestBrummie

[Maynard Friedman]

Anyone else seen the new All Saints x Crockett & Jones veldtschoen collaboration?

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[big truck]

Anyone else seen the new All Saints x Crockett & Jones veldtschoen collaboration?

Anyone seen any shoes that look better with age recently?

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[Aislingean]

Evening all!

I am new to all these forums.

Back in the Sixties I was trying to develop a style and over the years I settled into a country traditional vein.

When the boys moved toards Dr Martin I went to Veldtschoen.

Some time ago I lost an argument with a 40ton truck full of grain and cannot wear boots.

As I have said on other forums These are my 40year old virtually unworn Webbs [3 times] that were purchased as UK 8 but they have no label or markings. They are narrow probably D whereas I am now in Loake 8 EEE Richmonds.

Questions .... are they Zug, Country Grain or Scotch Grain ? How were George Webb boots sized?

I have decided to clear out all my nostalgic clutter so will be offering these in the marketplace when I can establish what exactly I have for sale!

[hollowsleather]

Natural CXL SJ/BH today.

[garden gnomes in space]

^^those look great.

[wgmds]

so many boots, so little time. Also, I like the flat, long toes on those. White's creates such great products.

[CrashTestBrummie]

Didn't know that about another Donnie shoe shop, but then I've only been a few times - with one obvious destination in mind! Never mooched about much. Leeds is pretty dire though, the guy in Hip was saying it's not a good town for shoe shopping, people will come in and drop like £80 on a t-shirt, couple hundred on a coat what have you, but not spend on footwear. All wrong way round in my opinion! Probably explains why Craggs on the Headrow dropped Trickers - as you pointed out in an old post. The original Craggs was/is in Ilkley, they're called the Ilkley Shoe Co now, good retailer.

Hahaha yes, Trickers again with the collabs... I think one of the more interesting thing they've done in recent times is Richard's resurrection of the 'Billy' half boot. (Bloody Dainite though!!!)

Odd that Leeds is so poorly dressed when it comes to feet - footwear aside, I'd rate Leeds as one of the most well-dressed British cities, more sophisticated than its trans-Pennine competition apart from when it comes to 'Casual' (with a big 'C') clothing, if you know what I mean. (Oi Polloi is always a required stop-off whenever in Mancs)

I'd seen the Ilkley Shoe Co online, wasn't aware that they had been Craggs at one point. When I popped in the Headrow-based Craggs, they tried to sell me pair of Loake boots instead of the Tricker's I was asking for...

Richard wanted originally to produce a short brogue boot, a la Bureau, but Tricker's wouldn't play so that's when the Billy came along...

Anyone seen any shoes that look better with age recently?

Get posting then, we can talk around you! Best proper discussion this thread has had since the botched site refurb...

To keep you happy though, here are my Sargent suede chukka boots that have become a bit of a favourite over the past few months:

Also my pair of Church's 'Buck' suede brogues, soon to go off for a new sole, and also an old pair of Loake-made suede derbys, made (presumably, entirely in England!) back in the day for the old Poulsen, Skone & Co - prior to the name being picked up by New & Lingwood:

Lastly, some pics of the C&J models that were causing me some issues recently - worked out that the problems were being caused by an underfoot callus which, happily, I've now sorted...

Coniston:

Skye:

Islay:

And a bonus pic of the Ibizan sunset on Wednesday, which was the occasion for the pic of the Grenson boots:

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[BrownMetallic]

LUVed the top pair.

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 8, 2015 by hoggreaser

[spidereye]

Will break in this. ranch packer hathorn.

[bestie]

The wait for my White's is driving me BERSERK!! Those are beautiful spider.

Please do tell -- did you order direct from White's? I'm curious in particular if you specified the darker stained midsole (or it's paired with dark brown by default) and also if that's the standard "composition sole" that is offered by White's. I know the SJ gets a vibram 100 but otherwise I don't believe they're set in stone...

Long story short- waiting on SD with comp soles, not sure what the midsole and sole will wind up as.

[fre-co]

Those dundas are in fact made by william lennon.

[denimjunky]

Good deal for them then...

[fre-co]

Oh shit I just did the math....

[spidereye]

The wait for my White's is driving me BERSERK!! Those are beautiful spider.

Please do tell -- did you order direct from White's? I'm curious in particular if you specified the darker stained midsole (or it's paired with dark brown by default) and also if that's the standard "composition sole" that is offered by White's. I know the SJ gets a vibram 100 but otherwise I don't believe they're set in stone...

Long story short- waiting on SD with comp soles, not sure what the midsole and sole will wind up as.

Same happen with me..cant wait to get the order in a flesh.

I win bid on ebay ,seller is whites river.(whites boot &co itself) the midsole is pure black. duno why it turn like brownish in this pic.

Im crazy with sd too, but not enough dough yet.

Edited October 8, 2012 by spidereye

[garden gnomes in space]

the White's sole color options are not too difficult to understand. They offer 3 different options. Natural, brown and black. You need to specify the color when you order them, just like you need to specify the size of the boot. The composition sole is a Vibram 700 that has been essentially cut in half, so the sole unti does not run to the heel, like in the pic posted above.

Edited October 8, 2012 by garden gnomes in space

[Aries]

My Alden #8 captoes 4 years on.