This week’s roundup comes courtesy of our (sovereign) neighbors in the north. DeVito’s expanded range of Bobcat boots happened to land alongside with a dip in CAD, and while that dosen’t lower Viberg prices, Withered Fig has some pretty sweet new 310s on offer too. Read on for all that, plus some Francophone Asics exclusively at Leffot, a new half sole option from Nicks, and more.
Oh yeah… and if you noticed something conspicuously missing, keep an eye on the site. More to come soon.
Check out 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.]
Corthay x Asics En Piste Hybrid in Lie de Vin: $1,295 (Available 2/1/25)
A list of properties one associates with Pierre Corthay might look something like this: colorful, elegantly chisel toed, artfully patined—and it would certainly not include foam or anything generally sneakerlike. So, to crib the official announcement’s wording, this collaboration bewteen the ever-artistic French shoemaker and Japanese powerhouse sneaker brand Asics is “a bold and unexpected move” indeed.
Inspired by the X-Caliber model, the En Piste Hybrid is manufactured in Japan, and features calfskin uppers. Few details are listed about the construction (although there is a Gore-Tex lining), so it’s probably safe to assume there isn’t too much going on here that you wouldn’t find in a more standard running shoe, but the real star of the show here is Corthay’s signature patina. The prices are obviously insane for cemented sneakers…buy very affordable for Corthay! So there’s that. Whatever the sticker price these things are incredibly cool, coming in three options including Lie de Vin (wine red)…
Corthay x Asics En Piste Hybrid in Gunmetal: $1,295 (Available 2/1/25)
…Gunmetal, which we gotta say looks just fabulous…
Corthay x Asics En Piste Hybrid in Ebony: $1,295 (Available 2/1/25)
…and Ebony. Only 50 pairs are being offered in the U.S., available at Leffot, though if you’re in Japan you’ll have access to a number of other models as well.
Withered Fig x Viberg 310 Service Boot in Col. 8 Chromexcel: $990
By all reasonable standards the Viberg 310 should be an absolutely ridiculous boot, and yet… well let’s just say Icarus didn’t toe spring too close to the sun after all. Withered Fig has three new makeups in stock, with specs that should be familiar if you’ve followed Viberg for any length of time: Dainite soles and double row stitchdown construction, with Horween Chromexcel uppers available in Color 8…
Withered Fig x Viberg 310 Service Boot in Brown Chromexcel: $990
…Brown…
Withered Fig x Viberg 310 Service Boot in Black Chromexcel: $990
…and Black. All three models also feature the correct number of AA eyelets (7), and tonal edge finishing.
DeVito Boot Co. Bobcat Flat Christy in Black: $503
Repair-shop-turned-bootmaker DeVito is offering a new version of their signature Bobcat model, this one with a Vibram Christy wedge sole beneath the high-arch last. As with all their boots, the uppers are constructed and lasted in Mexico before being shipped to Canada and bottomed and finished in-house at DeVito. The upper leather is tanned by Seidel and the construction, like other Bobcat models, is stitchdown.
Nicks x Parkhurst V3 Half Sole: $689 (Made to Order)
Nick’s longstanding collaboration with Parkhurst just gained a new spec option: Dr. Sole half soles, which will also be offered on other custom configuration boots. Nicks has offered half-soles in the past, but generally in limited runs.
Russell Moccasin Forester Boot: $775
One of the handsomest uber-functional tall boots we’ve covered in a minute, the Forester is essentially Russell’s Birdshooter pattern dialed to a 9-inch height, and bottomed with a hardcore Vibram Montagna lug outsole. The double-vamp construction (Luke will tell you all about it in our video interview with him here) means an extra layer of waterproofing lurking beneath the surface, and the dual textures of SB Foot Walnut Timberjack—smooth and reverse both—look fantastic next to each other. This model’s a Classic Build, which means 12-16 weeks delivery from the time the order’s put in.
Russell Moccasin Zephyr II Premium Build: $750 (Made to Order)
The Zephyr II has finally made its way onto Russell Moccasin’s premier build lineup, utilitarian but very useful visualization tool included. There are a plethora of leather (Bison and Chamois, among others) and sole options (think light varying degrees of heel). Clocking in at 9″, the Zephyr II is built with a single vamp + moulded sole construction, leaving it fairly lightweight, and it’s equipped with both a rear zip and a buckle at the instep.
John Lofgren Sahara Boots in Khaki Suede: $760 (Pre-order)
Lofgren’s new Sahara model satisfies the very specific desire of “traditional desert boot, but taller”. Maybe someone forgot the rules and fed the chukkas after midnight. In any case, the suede uppers are lined to lend a little extra stability, and combined with a veg-tan midsole, steel shanks, and crepe outsoles, with a 360˚ stitchdown construction. Available for pre-order at Brooklyn Clothing.
John Lofgren Steel Gang Boots in Badalassi Grigio: $1,250 (Pre-order)
Further along the boot continuum are Badalassi Grigio Steel Gang boots. It’s been alleged that olive is a neutral color in menswear—without signing on to that we’ll say that the desaturated green veg-tan looks great without being particularly intimidating. The specs are Lofgren all the way down: V-bar half sole (always welcome), 270˚ storm welt, and a noticeable but not exaggerated woodsman heel.
John Lofgren Fieldmaster Boots in Havana SHF Horsehide: $1,155 (Pre-order)
Further yet we find the Havana Fieldmasters. This time we’ve got a V-bar full sole with a low block heel, a steady foundation to support a whole lot of boot. The 7″ shaft and the round 220 last make for an imposing presence, but not at the cost of details like the quarter and backstay geometry, which widens and sweeps outward at the top to accomodate the calf and generally avoid the “giant vamp, tiny shaft” predicament. Plus there are no fewer than five pairs of speedhooks to keep things moving. Check out the full preorder at Brooklyn’s site here.
Moulded Shoe x Alden #D5803 in Brown Scotch Grain: $715
We’re not sure if it’s the combination of the simple pattern and dressy but textured leather or just some Alden magic, but the new “D5803” makeup at Moulded shoe looks sleeker than it has any right to, considering that it’s built on a wedge sole and the Modified last. Constructed with a 360˚ flat welt and finished with matching hardware and edge dye.
Alden Plain Toe Boot in Earth Reverse Chamois: $734
Alden Madison is putting their own plain toe boot on the table this week, this one clicked from Horween Earth reverse chamois and built on the Trubalance last. The model is built out with a 360˚ split reverse welt and a crepe sole with a leather toe insert to slow wear and allow toe taps to be installed.
Rancourt Harrison Boot Redux in Medium Brown Buckaroo: $238 (Pre-order)
Rancourt is running their annual pre-order event, with 13 models on offer at considerable discount, so long as you can wait a little while to get your hands on them. This is hardly the first time we’ve put the Harrison on the roundup, and for good reason—it just does the quintessential guide boot thing so well, and at a very reasonable price. The boots feature a handsewn moccasin construction with a Vibram Christy outsole.
Rancourt Beefroll Penny Loafers LH in Heritage Brown: $218 (Pre-order)
We’d be equally hard pressed to miss the Beefroll Penny, available both on a leather sole as well as this Lactae Hevea version. These are handsewn, like the Harrisons, and the uppers are clicked from brown Chromexcel.