December has somewhat suddenly arrived, and after a week or so of windchill and frost there’s no doubt that the title of honorary shoe/boot of the week this time goes out to boot-shaped mugs (here’s a fun one).
You’ll also find a whole mess of Viberg 310s (including the latest from Division Road), new boots from White’s and Grant Stone, cozy winter slippers from Easymoc and Russell Moccasin, and more, in this week’s: Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week!
You can find all of 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.]
Division Road x Viberg Service Boot 310 in Black Wooly CXL: $880
As promised, this is a 310-heavy roundup, and the first of these tall-toed terrors comes from Division Road, complete with blacked-out uppers in Horween’s lanolin-infused Wooly Chromexcel. Underfoot we’ve got a Dainite half sole and, of course, two rows of stitchdown construction.
Division Road x Viberg Service Boot 2030 in Black Wooly CXL: $890
If you want the soft shine and extra-malleability of Wooly CXL without giving a podiatric salute to everyone you bump in to, DR’s also offering a similar makeup with a cap toe and commando soles on the more traditional 2030 last.
Withered Fig x Viberg 145 Oxford in Burgundy Lucida Horsebutt: $870
I’m no mathematician, but my TI84 is telling me 145 (oxford) + 110 (last) = one gloriously beefy boot-shoe, especially when it’s done up on Vibram wedge sole. The leather of choice in this case is Maryam’s Lucida horsebutt in a deep burgundy. They’re one of two stitchdown models in the leather currently available at Withered Fig…
Withered Fig x Viberg Service Boot 2030 in Burgundy Lucida Horsebutt: $965
…the other bing a brogued cap toe 2030 Service Boot with Dr. Sole Supergrip half soles and heels. We’re particularly fond of the way that figuring and differences in the density of the hide interact with the dye to produce variation in the color (more visible in some of the closeup shots on the product page).
Viberg Service Boot 310 in Cypress Walnut: $990
Viberg themselves have not one but two 310s for us this week, part of a new collection in Horween Cypress, a not-chromexcel combination-tanned leather that applies some of the lessons learned in the development of the Essex and Dublin (veg-)tannages (check it out here). They’re available in Walnut (a warm medium brown)…
Viberg Service Boot 310 in Cypress Charcoal: $990
…as well as Charcoal (think natural Chromexcel but darker), alongside a Navy Boot and a 2040 BCT model in the same colorway. Both 310s are built with double row stitchdown construction and Dainite outsoles.
Alden x Brogue Docker Indy in Color 8 Shell Cordovan: $975
We cover a lot of Alden Indy boot makeups—we expect that to be true until approximately the heat death of the sun—but of all the various permutations out there, shell uppers and hand-stitched aprons are pretty hard to beat. They’re doubly appropriate on what Brogue positions as a winter boot given shell’s early history as the bad-weather dress shoe leather of choice. These are built on the Trubalance last and feature 270˚ flat welts and tonal eyelets.
Brick + Mortar x Alden “Victory Heights” Plain Toe Dover in Black Shell: $910
Meanwhile Brick and Mortar is offering up white might just pass for the Alden take on a USN derby. These are both straightforward and blackout out, clicked from shell and built out with an unstructured plain toe on the Barrie last. The leather sole and 360˚ flat welt are edge dyed black.
White’s Original 350 Cruiser Toe Cap in Brown CXL: $720 (Made to Order)
White’s just expanded their standard offerings with a trio of new variations on one of their new classics, the 350 Cruiser. It’s now available with a cap-toe, for example, a simple but extremely welcome addition…
White’s Original 350 Cruiser in Green Pasture Chromexcel: $720 (Made to Order)
…alternately, the plain-toe version is now available in “Green Pasture” Chromexcel, a treatment they also have to its sibling, the lace-to-toe 350 Cutter, or the MP-Sherman. All three models are otherwise unchanged, retaining their hand-sewn stitchdown construction and their Vibram mini-lug (for the 350s) or commando half sole (for the MP).
White’s Original 350 Cruiser in Tobacco Waxy Commander: $720 (Made to Order)
You’ll also find the same lineup of models (350 Cruiser, 350 Cutter, and MP-Sherman) available in Tobacco Waxy Commander.
Black Sign x Standard & Strange Aviator Boots in Black Veg Tan: $960
We’ve previously covered the absolutely stratospheric 17″ version of Black Sign’s Aviator, and as undeniably serious as those boots were, it’s probably safe to say they fell outside of a lot of people’s comfort zones. If that’s you, good news: Standard & Strange is now offering the 11″ version with the same cast iron hardware, teacore horsebutt uppers, and 30s-inspired pattern. Rounding out the specs, they’re built with 270˚ flat welts and O’Sullivans half soles and heels.
Grant Stone Diesel Boot in Saddle Tan: $395
Grant Stone doesn’t shy away from pushing the envelope when it comes to upper leathers, whether it’s with ostrich, bold colors, or leathers from smaller tanneries like Gallun. This isn’t one of those boots. Badalassi Minerva is about as tried and true as it gets for GS, especially on their trademark Diesel boot—but this time it’s being offered with a 360˚ split-reverse welt and commando sole on the Leo last in a the warm saddle tan, which is still light enough to clearly darken and burnish with wear.
Grant Stone Baroda Boot Butterum: $395
The Baroda is a plain-toed take on Grant Stone’s more aggressive, moc-toed Brass Boot. It uses the high walled and more spacious Floyd last, while borrowing the clean, minimalist upper pattern from Grant Stone’s Edward Boot. This limited release makeup uses C.F. Stead’s Oiled Desert Oasis suede, resulting in a sharp mustard colored upper that sits atop a 360˚ split-reverse welt and and commando outsole.
Grant Stone Edward Boot in Butterum: $395
For bump toe haters or almond-toe lovers, a near identical makeup is available on the much sleeker Leo last.
Easymoc Cabin Slipper in Honey Crazy Horse: $295
Few things are as unqualifiedly pleasant as a fluffy slipper. Easymoc’s version is handsewn with a wool blanket lining. Plus, if you’re really hard on your holiday slippers, you can get them resoled.
Russell Oneida Moccasin in Shearling: $515
Russell’s also released an shearling version of their Oneida moccasin, optimized for sneaking presents under the tree rather than hunting or building blimps. The uppers use Rust Laramie roughout from Horween, while the collars use Law Tanning’s American bison and the molded sole is made of sturdy Seidel Bullhide.