Need some red boots to really pull off that Valentines day look? We’ve got you quadruply covered. Also Easymoc’s most serious boot is back, new Viberg makeups at Division Road, Fishing Oxfords we can’t personally stop wearing, and more.
Been a while? Catch up on our weekly 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.]
Russell Moccasin x Stitchdown Fishing Oxford in Seidel British Tan Double Shot: $700 (Pre-Order)
Every so often we hijack the top of this roundup to remind you that we make shoes too! Except like, someone else makes them. Someone much better than us at making shoes! In this case: Russell Moccasin, with whom we put together a Wonderful Wisconsin Story by teaming up with Milwaukee’s Seidel Tanning to make our fourth Fishing Oxford collaboration. Which means there must be something good about these things. Here’s the Ben Take, just hawking his own shit a couple of days ago in our Discord:
“They’re not as flashy or striking as some of the others we’ve done, and I think that’s exactly what’s drawn me into them so hard. They are SO damn versatile, go with just about anything you can imagine (not like suits but you get it), and yet still have the distinctive Russell funkiness, which is accentuated by the Gumlite sole which is good solid chonk and also just a nice sturdy platform especially for off-piste stuff. And the good hearty Double Shot leather has just been perfect for them in terms of comfort and all the molding-to-foot stuff.
And I swear I get more compliments on them from both shoe people and regulars than just about anything, including my other Fishing Oxfords. There’s just something about them, how they’re ‘normal’ shoes but also not. Anyway! They’re great.
Oh also the boots are good too haha.”
Russell Moccasin x Stitchdown PH Boot in Seidel British Tan & Sesame Double Shot: $750 (Pre-Order)
Our “good too” boots referenced above are also a story of Wisconsin manufacturing, with Russell deploying two variations of Seidel Double Shot—the same British Tan of the Fishing Oxfords, and also a lightly colored Sesame (in lieu of the historically fabric quarter panel) that should patina like absolute mad while the Brit Tan holds down the fort. Both pairs take advantage of a nice chonky Vibram Aspen Gumlite outsole that’s quite capable in various situations, and have one of the better hard-wearing/long-lasting to comfortable/bouncy quotients we’ve found.
Feel free to shoot Ben an Instagram DM or email on eit
Division Road x Viberg Serice Boot 310 in Color 8 Chromexcel: $990
Division Road is now stocking a Color 8 version gracing what is arguably Viberg’s most distinctive (though not most famous) shoe last. Interestingly enough, Viberg is leaning hard into the 310 right now, even as they pull back on stitchdown models overall—and it does look as good as ever, especially in leathers like this one with a lot of depth and shine. The outsole is Dainite and the uppers are finished with seven AA brass eyelets.
Division Road x Viberg Service Boot 2030 in Brown Chromexcel: $990
There’s also a 2030 model in brown Horween Chromexcel, sporting the same double-row construction, this time paired with a Ridgeway sole. The nine (we may never see 10 again!!), finer eyelets leave the boot looking a little sleeker and dressier than, for example, the essentials collection version of the 2030.
John Lofgren Donkey Puncher in Burnt Ezo Deerskin: $1,375
Ezo Deerskin is a pretty incredible leather: supple, and a distinctive texture from both the grain and larger scale variations in density throughout the hide. Here it’s lined with an oil tanned leather, which provides additional structure to the 8″ shaft. Lofgren’s lace to toe pattern has an imposing presence (i.e. rounded and beefy last), but the proportions are well balanced, at least in part thanks to the V-bar half sole. It’s (pleasantly) a lot of boot, but at least there are no less than six pairs of speed hooks to help you get them on and off.
Parkhurst Allen Stitchdown in Bordeaux Veg Tan: $418
A lot of boot-related things happen in the ambiguous space between brown and red, but Parkhurst’s Bordeaux veg-tan parks itself unambiguously on the red side of the line and–well–if you’re still not convinced that Tempesti is good at what they do, see exhibit A above. The Allen uses a 270˚ double row stitchdown construction on a proprietary rubber commando sole.
Easymoc Rangeley Boot in Waxed Elk & Snuff Kudu: $795 (Pre-order)
Pretty sure we’re pushing through “medium-moc” into “hard-moc” territory with there but preorders are currently open on the Rangeley, which combines a handsewn, “double/triple-vamp” moccasin upper (in C.F. Stead Kudu and Elk) with a V100 lug sole. If we had to guess, the guide’s guide guides in these things.
Brogue x Alden Ranger Mocc Blucher in Color 8 Shell Cordovan: $950
Brogue’s new makeup, on the other hand, is a moc in a whole different vein. They have a way of putting together absolutely seamless combinations of specs—the handsewn toe stitching, Van last, and (of course) the Horween shell cordovan definitely does it for us here. Constructed with a 360˚ flat welt and a double oiled leather sole.
Brick+Mortar x Alden “Union Street” in Color 8 Shell Cordovan: $1,020
The new “Union Street” makeup from Brick + Mortar joins a split toe upper (with matching hardware) and a commando half sole on the Aberdeen last, all held together with a 360˚ degree flat welt.
Meermin Negon Workboot in Black Waxy Calf: $275
The Negon workboot introduces something of an enigma: you’re probably not doing hard labor in these, but on the other hand there are different kinds of work? (Also they take work-work better than you’d expect). Naming conventions aside, what they are is a very solid cap-toe service boot built with a 360˚ split welt at an impressively accessible price given the specs. The waxy calf is a combination tanned leather new to the Negon, and the outsoles are proprietary rubber commando soles.
Unmarked Durango Boots V4 in Crocodile: $2,500 (Made to Order)
Unmarked has been slowly but steadily pushing the boundaries outward on their Western offerings, and (we thought you should know) you can now get their cowboy model in a combination of caramel crocodile and roughout cowhide, with the flame motif kept simple and executed in two lines of white stitching on the shaft. The Durango is bottomed using of welting (around the toe and ball of the foot), traditional wooden pegs, and brass tacks (both around the waist). They’re built on the EE “pintoe” last, which has (appropriately) a round, pointed toe.
Oak Street Bootmakers Cap-Toe Trench Boot in Minerva Liscio Castagno: $548
The latest from Oak Street is a limited edition Trench boot in Liscio Minerva, a vegtable tannage used on heavy and dense shoulder hides and finished with a very smooth and fine grain. Underfoot is a Ridgeway sole and heel, anchored by a 270˚ flat welt.
Truman Service Boot 79 in Burgundy Rambler: $480
Truman continues steadily releasing new stock and preorders in a rotating variety of leathers—including a new a Gallun elk leather that unfortunately sold out too fast to make the roundup. Still available, though, is a 79 last boot in burgundy Rambler, built to a 6″ height on a Truman commando sole and 270˚ flat welt. Depending on how cool your Valentine is, these could be just the thing.