What do you get when a the first Viberg Fall/Winter 24 drop, a natural CXL RDT Casper restock, and some tall tall White’s, um… walk into the WordPress editor? The latest: Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week!
Speed-reader? Archivist? Whoever you are, you can scroll through all seventeen pages of 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.]
Division Road x White’s Semi-Dress 375 in Horween Black Waxed Flesh: $800
Exquisite, exclusive, and altitude-endowed Semi-Dress makeups from White’s are back at Division Road. They sport an all eyelet hardware configuration on their seven-inch shafts, with the traditional hand rolled stitchdown construction executed with a contrasting natural Chromexcel welt. Available with a commando half sole and heel on the 55 last, in either Black Waxed Flesh…
Division Road x White’s Semi-Dress 375 in Horween Black Waxed Flesh: $800
…or Brown Waxed Flesh.
Division Road x White’s LTT Logger 375 in Cinnamon Waxed Flesh and Natural Chromexcel: $375
If you like all of that White’s stuff but just want more, the tallboy version of the LTT logger has more eyelets, more leather tones (twice as many!) and just a little more heft on the same 55 last, with the same welt-and-sole combo as the semi-dress options.
Russell Moccasin Expedition Boot in Weathered Oak Timberjack and Olive Twill: $775
All it takes is a cursory look at pretty much any of their material to know that Russell Moccasins have been on the feet of a ton of very active people throughout history, including Bruce Chatwin, an internationally acclaimed travel writer who wore a pair of Russell Safaris with some purposeful modifications. While retaining the twill panels on the shaft, they sported a double stack midsole and a lugged Vibram Montagna outsole—an extra rugged version of the hot weather hiking boot. Today, Russell is releasing a model called the Expedition Boot which mirrors those features and provides even more reinforcement in the form of Russell’s double vamp construction, with uppers that combine Weathered Oak Timberjack and olive cotton twill.
Viberg Service Boot 2040 in Black Washed Chromexcel: $860
Safe to say Horween is a bit of a mad scientist’s workshop overflowing with all kinds machinery, equipment, and chemistry magic—everything they produce utilizes a unique and precise combination of the above, and adding or removing a step can change the outcome of the process more than one might expect. Even a straightforward wash can be pretty transformative—just take a look at Washed Chromexcel. It’s a softer and more matte compared to the regular Horween flagship leather, with a fine texture to it that’s almost reminiscent of new waxed flesh. In sum: it’s cool, and now you can get it on a boot—or very specifically, only a 2040 Viberg Service Boot with double row stitchdown construction, a Ridgeway sole, and some very contrasty un-dyed edges on the upper…
Viberg Navvy Boot in Black Washed Chromexcel: $900
…or you can get it on their Navvy boot, a slightly dressier affair built around Viberg’s 1940 last, which references a vintage US Navy last. These come decked out with Ridgeway outsoles and 360˚ scalloped welts. The uppers on the pair in the photo show the other extreme of the washed Chromexcel grain continuum, with some larger scale texture compared to the service boots above (remember leather is natural and can be varied! So it’s tough to say exactly which variation of the washed CXL will come on any of these two models).
Viberg N1 Boot in Nero Teacore Vachetta Lucida: $900
Viberg too, does their fair share of experimentation, and the result of their most recent round of investigations is Drop 1 of Viberg AW24′.
One of the clear stars of the shoe is this N1 boot on a thick Dr. Sole outsole, with a midsole that substantial under the ball of the foot but then tapers off under the arch for some extra shape. The uppers use (absolutely glistening) teacore Vachetta Lucida from Maryam, and these 2040 lasted boots are constructed using double row stitchdown. Just look at ’em.
Viberg Chelsea in Mojave Janus Calf Suede: $970
The collection is supposed to offer a take on ‘uniforms for the contemporary worker,’ by drawing on a color-scheme that’s based on colors traditionally associated with the military like Marine Field Shoe tan roughout for example, or the desaturated green that makes an appearance on these Mojave Suede Chelseas, which also feature 360˚ scalloped welts and ridgeway soles, and are lasted on the 2030 last.
John Lofgren Bootmaker Steel Gang Boots in Camel Horsebutt: $1,260
In addition to being a certified cool workwear dealership ©, Lost & Found is pretty good at keeping their boot stash topped up, and they just restocked a couple of models worth taking a look at. First up are these Lofgren Steel Gang boots in camel horsebutt from Shinki Hikaku, and the uppers have that warm radiance that Shinki is so good at, especially in a bright and warm colorway like this one. Underfoot there’s a Vibram mini-lug half sole and heel, topped off with a 270˚ flat welt and a five eyelet/three speed hook hardware combo.
Rolling Dub Trio Casper in Natural Chromexcel: $740
Lost & Found also restocked a handful of Rolling Dub Trio models, including the Natural Chromexcel Caspers, which feature the standard RDT sole combo of (deep breath) nitrile cork soles, with a rubber heel, a leather toe insert, and a brass toe tap, all held together with a 360˚ flat welt (whew). The uppers are much simpler—a plane* of natural Chromexcel which extends to the horizon and possibly several infinities further. Patina waiting to happen.
*Yes, we know they’re three dimensional.
LaRossa x Alden Penny Loader in Loden Suede: $710
LaRossa and Alden have teamed up once agin, this time on a Van lasted penny loafer in loden (green) calf suede, on a 360˚ flat welt and a single leather sole. Autumn, perhaps?
Alden Madison Penny Loafer in Clay Nubuck Grain: $675
Alden Madison also has a loafer offering this week, in gray two-tone grain nubuck, with light vamps and plugs and a dark strap. Built on Alden’s Van last with an oiled flex leather sole and a 360˚ flat welt.
Joseph Cheaney Winterfold R Derby Boot in Black Waxy Commander: $570
Joseph Cheaney is a particularly interesting brand—like many Northamptonshire makers past they have a long history making shoes in the english footwear capital. Eventually they were sold to Church’s, which was in turn sold to Prada, but in 2009 Jonathan and William Church bought out Cheaney and took it independent. Today they put out some pretty great boots, like these nine eyelet derby boots in waxy commander, with a Dainite sole and a 360˚ storm welt…
Joseph Cheaney Spitalfields RW Derby Boot in Cognac Hatched Grain Leather: $615
…or these cap-toe boots in Horween’s hatch grain that combine Ridgeway soles and 36o˚ storm welts with a cool swooptie detail on the quarters.
Truman Service Boot in Cognac Teton Stag: $510
Teton Stag continues to make the rounds (a development we certainly can’t complain about), now reappearing on a two makeup release from Truman. We have to mention that they post a leather notes page for all of their upper leathers—it skews a tiny bit more quantitative than we’re typically inclined to, but getting this much information is very welcome. The Cognac makeup is an in stock cap toe service boot on the 79 last, with a proprietary commando outsole and a 270˚ flat welt…
Truman Service Boot in Olive Teton Stag : $510 (Preorder)
…while the Olive is being offered on a slightly more flexible preorder. They’re still built on the 79 last, but you can chose the outsole from among Truman’s proprietary options and the presence or absence of a toe-cap as desired.
Yanko Cap Toe Service Boot in Dark Brown Repello Suede: $252
Skolyx, the Scandinavian nice-shoe-titan (run by, among others, Jesper Ingevaldsson of the Shoegazing blog) just announced a new cap toe service boot from Yanko, a Spanish manufacturer of Goodyear welted dress shoes who also produces some formal boots and a few more rugged offerings like these service boots. The new models are feature Vibram Eton outsoles and 270˚ flat welts, with leatherboard heel stiffeners. They’re available in C.F. Stead Repello Suede…
Yanko Cap Toe Service Boot in Dark Brown Chromex: $252
…or a pull up leather called “chromex”.