Fellow east coasters can probably sympathize with the fact that I was rained in today, staring wistfully out the windows and drinking tea like the temperature wasn’t approaching 90˚, but no matter where you are you can probably sympathize with the desire for a torrential rain of boots.
The forecast this week is waxed flesh Ron Rider Chelseas (feat. Stitchdown), new captial-b Boots from Division Road and EasyMoc, alarmingly affordable shell at Meermin, and more, in the latest: Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week!
Stay dry while reading every roundup ever, here.
Rider for Stitchdown Fritz Chelsea in Dark Brown Waxed Flesh: $550 (Preorder)
Tomorrow Saturday August 10th 2024 is the LAST DAY to get in on our very latest collaboration with repeat-shoecast guest and devestatingly knowledgable shoe dog Ron Rider. Produced with a Blake/Rapid construction that’s endlessly sturdy and pretty darn lightweight, in a dark brown Horween CXL waxed flesh that will show some wonderful underlying nap as they age, an effect that will be front and center as the vamps start to roll and shape to your foot. They’re produced by Cortina in Italy, on storm welts and Vibram Mortara outsoles. We like them! Hope you do too.
Nicks DomePro in Wickett & Craig English Bridle: $700 (Made to Order)
THUNDERDOME ALERT! Nicks is running a Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome special on their DomePro and Free Range Boots. If you order any of those models by August 14, 2024, they’ll arrive in time for the 2024-2025 Patina Thunderdome footwear aging contest with another ridiculous prize list.
The English Bridle DomePro is, in our humble opinion, an especially strong contender, because as a full veg-tannage (and a good one at that) it’ll take some pretty extreme patina if you put in the work. They start out a light natural tan color, and age in the direction of the boots shown above. And the Free Range boots, made with perfectly imperfect (visually) leather start at just $479, which is an insane deal these days.
Divison Road x EasyMoc Rangeley Boot in Brandy Waxed Kudu: $725
Alright don’t read this the wrong way: Easymoc unequivocally makes some extremely cool footwear and is helping to pass on Maine’s moccasin tradition. But there’s just something about low boots (even the vaunted boot shoe) that can’t touch a true, towering, capital-b BOOT. (There. I said it.) And Easymoc just cooked up some very good ones.
The uppers are Brandy Waxed Kudu with panels of 14.7oz waxed duck canvas on the shafts, which aesthetically meshes well with the detailed uppers, and also makes these a little bit lighter for hunting or hiking use. A relief cut between the fourth and fifth eyelets makes the shafts even more flexible right from the get. Add that to a veg tan midsole and Vibram 2060 outsole and you have a very capable boot.
Divison Road x EasyMoc Rangeley Boot in Black Waxed Kudu: $725
You can also get them in a black colorway which uses a 2062 outsole and sage colored canvas for a two-tone look that’s still very clean. One last thing: Division Road recently toured the Easymoc factory and put together some very cool footage.
Red Wing Iron Ranger in Alpine Portage: $370
The Iron Ranger of everybody’s-first-real-boot-fame is going green—chromatically, that is. Alpine Portage is an SB Foot (Red Wing’s in-house tannery) leather based on the deep green upper leather of a 50s Irish Setter boot from Red Wing’s archives. Like previous makeups, these feature the bump-toed No. 8 last, triple stitched cap toes, Vibram 430 mini-lug outsoles, and a 270˚ flat welt.
Red Wing Women’s Classic Moc in Clove Acampo: $309
The women’s version of the classic Moc, which has a narrower B-width last, and uses a lighter weight Traction Tread outsole, also picked up a new leather this week: Clove Acampo. They’re built with a 360˚ flat welt.
Brooklyn Clothing x Viberg 2040 Service Boot BCT in Desert Sand Waxy Commander: $888
Brooklyn Clothing has a new Viberg service boot for us, this time a brouged cap toe Service Boot on the chunkier 2040 last (win!). The uppers are C.F. Stead waxy commander in the desert sand color way, with double row stitchdown construction and a Ridgeway outsole.
Russell Moccasin Fishing Oxford in Walnut Timberjack: $575 (Made to Order)
Russell’s Fishing oxford is one of the comfiest, sturdiest, boot-i-est shoes out there, and they will one again be available made to order through Russell’s “Classic Build” Program. This the most classic possible version, using Russell’s signature leather (redeveloped for them by S.B. Foot), and an Aspen gumlite sole. These use Russell’s single vamp construction.
Brogue x Alden Colin Indy Boot in Saddle Calf: $705
An Indy on the 379x military last in saddle calf? Yes please! The rest of the specs fall in line with that clean-but-sturdy combo: we’re talking 270˚ flat welt and commando half soles, with dull gold eyelets and laces that match the edge stain.
Parkhurst Allen in Anthracite Waxy Commander: $368
Parhurst just released a whopping fifteen new makeups, all on the 602M last and using a goodyear welted construction rather than the stitchdown we’ve seen on the past few collections. The leather game is strong too, with some very three dimensional colors like Anthracite Waxy commander, accompanied by a 270˚ flat welt and a proprietary rubbery outsole…
Parkhurst Allen in Beaver Fur Kudu: $388
…or this Beaver Fur Kudu (no beavers were harmed) that varies between a light natural tan and a grainy dark brown that almost approaches black, this time decked out with a 270˚ split welt and proprietary commando soles.
Parkhurst Niagra in Spruce Kudu: $418
We’ve also got some moc-toe stitch options like these Niagra’s, which have a 360˚ split welt and a proprietary commando outsole paired with some spruce Kudu which–in the best way–looks like they had Jackson Pollock working the dye table. That’s not everything—there are a couple cap toed Richmond makeups and a bunch more leathers that you can check out here.
Truman Moc Toe in Black Oiled Rough Out: $480
Truman’s latest ready to wear drop is a Moc Toe on the 20 last in Black Oiled Rough Out. Not to be confused with Black Oil Tanned Roughout (also from Seidel), this is a softer and more supple leather with a matte, oily finish. From the welt down we’ve got a 270˚ flat welt, and a Truman commando outsole.
Oak Street Bootmaker Trail Oxford in Brown Chromexcel: $336
The Vibram Christy-soled version of Oak Street’s trail oxford is back in a trio of Horween Chromexcel colors, roomy 555 last and all. The uppers are handsewn and stitched to the midsole, which are then attached to the outsoles. Available in Brown Chromexcel…
Oak Street Bootmakers Trail Oxford in Natural Chromexcel: $336
…and Natural Chromexcel, in addition to a Navy Version that you can check out here.
Meermin Penny Loafer in Black Heritage Shell Cordovan: $310
Are you sitting down? Meermin just opened the preorder for a new collection of shell cordovan penny loafers, and they cost only three hundred and ten American dollars.
While objectively still a significant outlay (we won’t pretend otherwise) that’s startlingly low compared to comparable shell cordovan offerings, and they have handsewn aprons. This is a new pattern for Meermin, with a lower vamp and a modified strap design, and it’s lasted on the NOVA last, which is listed at an E width but it’s also a combination last with a snugged up fit in the heel. The outsoles are leather, secured with a 270˚ flat welt and a closed channel stitch (meaning an incision is made around the outside of the sole so the leather can be lifted up and laid back down over the welt stitching, hiding it). There are a lot of things here that would be non-standard at double the price. Color choices include Black…
Meermin Penny Loafer in Burgundy Heritage Shell Cordovan: $310
…(very dark) Burgundy…
Meermin Penny Loafer in Brown Waxy Shell Cordovan: $310
…and a “Brown Waxy” colorway with a more matte finish.
Crockett and Jones Falmouth in Tan Wax Calf: $770
When you think “boat shoes” you almost definitely think “American Northeast”, but Britain is an island people! And they have boat shoes now! The Crockett & Jones Falmouth is part of their new waterfront collection. Perceptive shoe-beholders might notice that the pattern looks a lot like a loafer pattern, and they would be right — from the fit perspective you can kind of think of these as a Harvard or Boston loafer, but with a little extra adjustability. The outsole is also new, a rubber unit sole that C&J calls a wedge but which has suspiciously heel like protrusion towards the, well, heel.
Thursday Boot Company Lincoln in Cider Oil Snuff Suede: $168
Thursday spent the last few years industriously expanding their lineup and consolidating their grip on the entry level tier of the welted boot market, and now they’re getting into the penny loafer game. The Lincoln is a blake stitched loafer with a leather outsole. We especially like the Cider suede colorway…
Thursday Boot Company Lincoln in Black Full Grain: $168
…but there’s also plain black, in a leather simply called “full grain”.