We don’t normally talk about what isn’t in the roundup, but we’re pained to mention the conspicuous absence of the Viberg Engineer that dropped this week… some boots just don’t make it to Friday.
Still, rest assured we’ve got you covered with the new Engineered Garments x Red Wing collaboration, Viberg’s 2nd SS25 drop, some terrifically patina-ready Paraboots, and more, in this week’s: Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week.
Go back in time (to read our previous roundups) here.
[Ed Note: while we never choose anything specifically because of them, some of these recommendations contain affiliate links—the price is the same for you, but Stitchdown gets a small commission if you make a purchase. It’s essential to keeping the site alive, so we really, really appreciate it.]
Divsion Road x White’s LTT 350 Cutter in CF Stead Bronze Brown Rambler: $835
Division Road just dropped a trio of new White’s models, including this tank of a block-heeled lace-to-toe 350 Cutter. All three models use leathers from the increasingly hegemonic C.F. Stead—this Rambler is clicked from the bends, the densest part of the hide, before being air dried (to tighten the grain) and heavily waxed on the flesh side. All three models also use White’s handsewn stitchdown construction, which on this Cutter is combined with a Vibram 430 mini lug.
Divsion Road x White’s MPM1 in CF Stead Urban Brown Buckingham: $835
The other two models are both MP-M1s, one on Dainite in a tumbled Buckingham cowhide that straddles the line between dressy grain leather and textured, flexible work leather…
Divsion Road x White’s MPM1 in CF Stead Caramel Oiled Shoulder: $835
…and another in combination-tanned oiled shoulder with Vibram half-soles that might just be the star of the show.
Engineered Garments x Red Wing Shop Moc in Black Muli: $460
Engineered Garments’ take on Red Wing’s revived Shop Moc uses a trio of different leathers to form a monochrome upper with a variety of different textures. The smooth vamp, roughout quarters combo means the difference is most visible on the black version…
Engineered Garments x Red Wing Shop Moc in Camel Muli: $460
…and perhaps least visible on the all-roughout camel version. The other tweak? a 360˚ storm welt replaces the usual flat welt. Beneath the surface, the guts are standard Red Wing, with a veg-tan insole and a Traction Tred wedge outsole.
Grant Stone Diesel Boot in Black Bison: $435
GS’s Diesel boot is a best-seller for darn near a decade now for good reason: it’s a boot’s boot. Nothing too fancy, just pure boot-i-ness distilled into…wait a second! Now they’ve got a wonderfully textured Seidel Tanning black bison upper? And a green Dr. Sole half-sole and heel on a natural sole edge? Ok this is very allowed too. Sizes are limited!
Grant Stone Garrison Boot in Black Bison: $435
The Diesel’s slightly more stately, cap-toed big brother the Garrison boot also gets the bison + Dr. Sole treatment, along with all eyelets. Fine fine work here too.
Grant Stone Longwing in Natural Waxy Commander: $395 (Pre-order)
Longwings typically get run in smooth and glossy variations on burgundy and black, but Grant Stone opted for something a bit more rugged on their latest preorder: CF Stead Natural Waxy Commander, whose light wax coat will scuff away with time to reveal a nappy suede underneath. It’s combined with a 360˚ storm welt edge dyed a dark brown, and lasted on the almond toed Leo last.
Viberg Service Boot 310 in Urban Waxy Commander: $1,040
Who decides when winter is over? A groundhog?!? We humbly advance the Viberg suede colors thesis. The Urban Waxy commander on these 310 service boots (Dainite sole, double row stitchdown, and gold-medal winning toe spring) could plausibly pop up in just about any weather…
Viberg Uplands Boot in Juniper Janus Calf Suede: $1,060
…but the Juniper Janus Calf on these Uplands is definitely moving us into deciduous–regrowth territory, (even if they’re named after an evergreen). These are build on the same last as the Navvy Boot, the 1940, with a 360˚ scalloped welt and Lactae Hevea outsoles.
Viberg Savoy in Chestnut Janus Calf Suede: $1,115
The Chestnut Savoys are also suggesting warmer days to come, and they look almost two-tone from some angles because of the texture of the suede. Leather soling and a rubber heel bottom out the design, which is built on the 1905 last with 360˚ scalloped welt construction. Check out the rest of Viberg’s second SS25 drop–fifteen other wide ranging makeups–right here.
Paraboot Michael in Vegetal Camel: $640
We’ve seen some pretty cool patina on Paraboots over the years (just check out the 40 year old pair in this article), but after just eight months this sample pair—from our friend Drew Altizer of the excellent new Alexandria, VA shop Old House Provisions—is right up there with the best of them.
Old House now carries the same model in stock, with a natural veg-tan upper and a 360˚ Norwegian welt. One of the first French makers of rubber-soled footwear, the thick lug soles retain the balance of grip and comfort that made them a utilitarian alternative to leather in the first place.
Old House x Viberg Savoy in Toscanello Washed Kangaroo: $980
They’re also stocking an exclusive Viberg makeup: the new Savoy model on a chunky Vibram wedge sole in washed Kangaroo. The sole-pattern combo makes for a nice intermediate between something even beefier (like a 145 oxford) and the more typically formal 1905 last makeup in calfskins and suedes. Old House’s Savoy uses a 360˚ split welt.
Rolling Dub Trio Coupen Mid-Cut in Brown Chromexcel: $700
At this point, RDT’s Coupen is one of the archetypal examples of the elusive ‘boot-shoe’—a piece of footwear with serious boot-level built combined with a liberating lack of altitude. Built on the round-toed CBT02 last using a 360˚ flat welt, the Coupen is bottomed with a nitrile-cork sole, finished with a leather insert and iron toe taps. Standard & Strange just got new stock in two different upper leathers: classic brown Chromexcel…
Rolling Dub Trio Coupen Mid-Cut in Black Guidi Calf: $820
…and some wonderfully dense Guidi calf. Check out our SOLE SEARCHING: Tokyo episode featuring a trip to the RDT factory and retail shop right here.
Eastman Raider Boot in Walnut Horsehide: $1,355
In case that wasn’t enough, Standard & Strange is also stocking a number of new models from Eastman, including the Raider, a lace-to-toe makeup with an 8″ shaft, a 270˚ flat welt, and raw cord outsoles…
Eastman Tanker Boots in Havana Burnished Roughout: $1,355
…as well as two tanker boot models. This version is the “Havana Burnished Roughout,” Eastman’s name for waxed flesh horsefront tanned by Horween. Eastman’s tanker has narrower straps and sleeker lasts than other heritage brand’s takes on the style, and they’re built with a 270˚ storm welt and reproduction half-soles.
Caswell Boot Company Lisbon in 1071 Horse TPR: $470 (Pre-order)
Caswell Boot Company is a Washington, D.C.-based one-man operation working with a variety of manufacturers around the world to put together small runs of heritage boots at prices that undercut a lot of the more established players in the industry. Their latest preorder is for the Lisbon, a service boot with a round toe sitting just on the outside edge of almond-shaped. Maryam Horsehide TPR uppers (more on those here), with a 360˚ split welt and commando half soles from Vibram.
Parkhurst Richmond in Maraca Waxed Mohawk: $388
Parkhurst’s latest makeup on their cap-toed Richmond pattern uses Maraca Waxed Mohawk and while we’re pretty sure it doesn’t actually sound any different when you shake it, it is a cool color with a ton of depth. Built on the 602M last with a 360˚ split welt and a proprietary rubber sole.
Oak Street Bootmakers Cap-Toe Trench Oxford in Sandstone Naked Kudu: $524
The scars and markings on C.F. Stead’s Kudu tannages come out the clearest on their lighter colorways, like the Sandstone Kudu on most recent limited run boots by Oak Street. Available on a trench boot with a brogued cap toe…
Oak Street Bootmakers Trench Boot in Sandstone Naked Kudu: $536
…but only twelve more dollars gets you a whole 6″ shaft. Both models utilize a 360˚ flat welt and Vibram Westerner outsole.
Standard & Strange x Dr. Martens Brogue Shoes in Green Multi: $260
Alright put down your pitchforks and hear us out for a second… we know Docs are only nominally welted (the soles are melted onto the plastic welts with a heat knife) and only nominally resolable (though it can be done). But we also know the Stitchdown audience well enough not to worry you’ll mistake these for something they aren’t.
The big thing here is the uppers, made from a combination of Cavalier, Denver Veg Tan, Repello Calf, and Buck Suede.. A generous amount of brogueing and the playful Docs look keep the color combination from looking haphazard. For what it’s worth, the made-in-England models (including this one) feature a felt insole instead of foam, which does make a pretty noticeable difference in comfort over time.