Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Footwear to go with our jackets

Aloysius

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,670
Heritage marketing is based almost entirely a premise of durability and quality vs. mass produced, flimsy fashion trash. That premise is sometimes true - Except when it isn't and when it isn't, it couldn't possibly be much further from the truth.

Not to mention, even when the materials and quality are good, the retro/repro brands often have far worse patterning than the mainstream brands Standard & Strange customers scoff at…
 
Messages
17,466
Not to mention, even when the materials and quality are good, the retro/repro brands often have far worse patterning than the mainstream brands Standard & Strange customers scoff at…

That's exactly it. I think a lot of them are honestly so lost at patterns and lasts that they don't even realize it.

Before I got into 'fashion' boots, I was like "yeah, these are pretty comfortable for a pair of boots". Now I know boots can feel as comfortable as walking barefoot over a Persian rug.
 

Aloysius

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,670
One of the exceptions is Toyo (Sugar Cane, Buzz Rickson's, etc); their pattern work is amazing, and not only on products that have been around a long time (so you can assume tweaks) or repro items.

As for boots, the designer stuff (not counting those horrific plastic sandals people buy) is usually made by reputable shoe companies. For aesthetic reasons, I wouldn't buy designer shoes personally, except Ralph Lauren Purple Label or Double RL, since those two marry aesthetics and design I like with very high quality suppliers, but it would be silly to claim workwear brands and Shinki have a magic edge because some Oakland hipsters like it.
 

jglf

A-List Customer
Messages
450
Location
USA
I’m in talks with Benzein about ordering a pair of olive boots to match my olive Thedi jacket. I’m considering their olive badalassi as well as their Java olive pull-up. Anyone has experience with any of these leathers? Pics would be super helpful as well. I seem to remember @Jin431 owning a pair of olive badalassi from them, is that correct?
I have a pair in Java olive pull-up and it’s like a dark hunter/forest green. Nice leather, but not very thick and I would have preferred a more subdued olive color.
F553A80D-3FA1-45A4-AE86-54D9C0E0F4D0.jpeg
 
Last edited:

matchankh

One of the Regulars
Messages
123
I had the exact same experience with another maker. I reached out to the vendor who then reached out to the maker. The makers reply “I wouldn’t pay $1,000 for those, send them back.” While it won’t effect durability there is no way my OCD could handle that. At the price point the maker needs to exchange imo.

A little update Rizky just replied and he said maryam sent him a bad batch. When he was cutting the boot the leather was fine and he isnt sure why the leather does that as soon as its worn. He probably has other customers reporting this similar issue. He has agreed to a remake. Really happy with the outcome.

This is the boot brand new when I first received them. They are indeed well made and the pattern is awesome too.

IMG_20211102_131007.jpg
 

Robbie79

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,163
I finally decided to order following boots made of Red Brown Oiled Shinki Horsebutt through Benzein as I really like the combination. I chose this natural single naturlar leather midsole, regular heels as pictured below and Dr. Sole Black Half Sole (same as below), natural welt color, white welt stitch, flatwelt 270° and structured toebox (not sure if unstructured would have been better).

Customer service is very friendly, supportive and fast.
Current waiting time is 4-5 months.

upload_2021-11-5_11-22-55.png


upload_2021-11-5_11-23-31.png
 

Attachments

  • upload_2021-11-5_11-23-2.png
    upload_2021-11-5_11-23-2.png
    1.6 MB · Views: 527
Messages
17,466
Wow, these are beauties!! 10-20 miles a day is a lot - respect!!

I hate driving enough to not own a motorized transport and I have a dog. That alone amounts to some nice daily mileage, whatever it is you plan on doing that day. :) Walking is fun.

I don't know why, I'm getting more and more reluctant to even climb into that metal box with wheels. I dislike being driven somewhere! The smell of the plastic interior doesn't help. . .
 

Jin431

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,912
Location
Bay Area CA
A little update Rizky just replied and he said maryam sent him a bad batch. When he was cutting the boot the leather was fine and he isnt sure why the leather does that as soon as its worn. He probably has other customers reporting this similar issue. He has agreed to a remake. Really happy with the outcome.

This is the boot brand new when I first received them. They are indeed well made and the pattern is awesome too.

View attachment 375867
what ever happened with your Onderhouds? I also have the black Maryam horse ****, it does feel a little thinner compared to my black service boots from Truman though but other than that I haven't noticed any issues on mine.


I finally decided to order following boots made of Red Brown Oiled Shinki Horsebutt through Benzein as I really like the combination. I chose this natural single naturlar leather midsole, regular heels as pictured below and Dr. Sole Black Half Sole (same as below), natural welt color, white welt stitch, flatwelt 270° and structured toebox (not sure if unstructured would have been better).

Customer service is very friendly, supportive and fast.
Current waiting time is 4-5 months.

View attachment 375885

View attachment 375887
that's a real nice leather, I love the oiled horse ***** from shinki. great pick with the side zip too, I have two pending orders (oiled camel and oiled dark brown horse shinki ****) since it's built on a last that really works well for my feet. I have 2 Chelsea and 1 dress boots from that last and going down half a size from my usual brannock size works best for me. Also you can tell them to select the thickest hides and specify how you like the grain. It's not perfect/flawlessly made like your clinch boots but it's well built. I actually find the upper stitching and double row stitchdown (big respect to the hand lasting that they do) on my Benzeins are better made than my viberg service boots.
 
Last edited:

Robbie79

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,163
what ever happened with your Onderhouds? I also have the black Maryam horse ****, it does feel a little thinner compared to my black service boots from Truman though but other than that I haven't noticed any issues on mine.



that's a real nice leather, I love the oiled horse ***** from shinki. great pick with the side zip too, I have two pending orders (oiled camel and oiled dark brown horse shinki ****) since it's built on a last that really works well for my feet. I have 2 Chelsea and 1 dress boots from that last and going down half a size from my usual brannock size works best for me. Also you can tell them to select the thickest hides and specify how you like the grain. It's not perfect/flawlessly made like your clinch boots but it's well built. I actually find the upper stitching and double row stitchdown (big respect to the hand lasting that they do) on my Benzeins are better made than my viberg service boots.
Oiled camel shinki sounds also nice and I was actually deciding between the red brown and dark brown Shinki and picked the red brown (not sure why - probably a good match with my FW Caboose). I was unsure if I choose the Chelsea or the side zip boots - as I already have several Chelsea boots from Italian + French shoemakers and Red Wings, I decided to go for the side zip ones. Thanks a lot for the recommendation regarding leather thickness (I'll send him another message) and I've already emphasized that I want a grainy leather. After receipt I can also compare between them, Clinch and my Vibergs ;)
 

Jin431

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,912
Location
Bay Area CA
Oiled camel shinki sounds also nice and I was actually deciding between the red brown and dark brown Shinki and picked the red brown (not sure why - probably a good match with my FW Caboose). I was unsure if I choose the Chelsea or the side zip boots - as I already have several Chelsea boots from Italian + French shoemakers and Red Wings, I decided to go for the side zip ones. Thanks a lot for the recommendation regarding leather thickness (I'll send him another message) and I've already emphasized that I want a grainy leather. After receipt I can also compare between them, Clinch and my Vibergs ;)
good thing you got the oiled red brown, their stock was running low and you probably got the last one. that also works that it matches with your deadleaf brown caboose. no problem at all, I was told it's about 2-2.2mm thick so it's not the thickest leather so better to select the thickest hides.
 

matchankh

One of the Regulars
Messages
123
what ever happened with your Onderhouds? I also have the black Maryam horse ****, it does feel a little thinner compared to my black service boots from Truman though but other than that I haven't noticed any issues on mine.

Grain is really low density on the left boot across the entire vamp as soon as I put them on. Not loose grain territory I think? but makes it really uneven with the right boot.

IMG_20211105_104023.jpg
IMG_20211105_104023.jpg
IMG_20211105_104034.jpg
IMG_20211105_104205.jpg
IMG_20211105_111406.jpg
 

Jin431

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,912
Location
Bay Area CA
Grain is really low density on the left boot across the entire vamp as soon as I put them on. Not loose grain territory I think? but makes it really uneven with the right boot.

View attachment 376001 View attachment 376001 View attachment 376002 View attachment 376003 View attachment 376004
have you worn this pair a lot? mine doesn't look like that (yet anyways) but I haven't really put miles on my boots so that's not saying much.

I hope @dudewuttheheck or anyone can chime in and explain what could have possibly happened here.
 

matchankh

One of the Regulars
Messages
123
have you worn this pair a lot? mine doesn't look like that (yet anyways) but I haven't really put miles on my boots so that's not saying much.

I hope @dudewuttheheck or anyone can chime in and explain what could have possibly happened here.


The pictures are after wearing them for 6-8 hours. It seems like the batch of black maryam Rizky received has similar problems and he told me he cant do the remake using the same leather as he cant guarantee it will be better
 

Forum statistics

Threads
114,448
Messages
3,174,802
Members
58,286
Latest member
kaanchkaglass
Top