Engineer Boots, Harness Boots...

[GHT]

Any advice on Chippewas? Just bought a pair of (I think) M1901 something or other - the 7" height oxblood ones.Notg tried them with a shoehorn yet, but they'red clearly the correct size for me, it's just very hard to get my heel down in there. Will ashoe-horn work until they stretch out that little bit?

Does anyoned still soak boots then wear 'em dry to improve the fit?

Chippewas? I'm sure that you mean Chippewa. Did you not indulge yourself in Simon's rather splendid boot. Irresistible.

 

[Edward]

Chippewas? I'm sure that you mean Chippewa. Did you not indulge yourself in Simon's rather splendid boot. Irresistible.
View attachment 185010

Chippewas is the plural of Chippewa. I bought two of them, see. One for each foot.

Didn't get any of the pictured boots - they are lovely - though I did get a pair of Simon's engineer boots, which I still have. I think I'm going to darken the colour a little with soem black polish, but they are nice. Thing with boots is, well, y'know.... morte is always good!

 

[Blackadder]

Bought two pairs of Clinch.

 

[kazuma]

Bought two pairs of Clinch. View attachment 185277
View attachment 185276

Those look fantastic! What leather are they made out of?

 

[Mich486]

CN last with structured toe?


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[Blackadder]

CN last with structured toe?


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Both are NPT not CN.

 

[Blackadder]

Those look fantastic! What leather are they made out of?

Natural one is Latigo. The other pair not marked.

 

[Bfd70]

Where from? I know a lot of people have had success from Rakuten but i find it difficult enough to navigate that i don’t bother. They look great.

 

[Bfd70]

I see standard and strange now carries a model. Look great but I don’t think I’ll be at the $1,950 price point anytime soon.

 

[Blackadder]

Where from? I know a lot of people have had success from Rakuten but i find it difficult enough to navigate that i don’t bother. They look great.

Pancho and Lefty is one of the earliest Western shop to import Clinch but it is in Europe.

 

[Blackadder]

I see standard and strange now carries a model. Look great but I don’t think I’ll be at the $1,950 price point anytime soon.

I have seen them on sale at Pancho and Lefty before. In fact my fds bought their Clinch Mast Trainers there at around 40%off. However, stock is usually rather limited. I bought mine at a steep discount at the local dealer which is closing down end of this month. They cost no more than White's CXL boots at regular retail price from say Baker. The engineer are display item and have minor marks etc but the lace-up are without defects.

 

[Bfd70]

Geeze well done.

 

[glider]

I can't seem to find any opinions on frye boots. There engineer looks pretty good on there web site, they have been in business a long time , So, anyone have experience with frye engineer boots ?

 

[handymike]

Frye has really gone downhill in the last 5 years. They no longer make the solid heritage type boots they built their reputation on. The last good boot they made was the Artisan Engineer. Now it is mostly aimed to the disposable market. I have a pair of Brando Engineers from 8 or 9 years ago- I like them, but you are better off with Redwings or the myriad of other better quality makers these days.

 

[glider]

Thanks for the reply, that's what I wanted to know.

 

[tropicalbob]

Thanks for the reply, that's what I wanted to know.

I'd like to respectfully disagree with HandyMike's comments. I've been wearing Fryes since the '60's and have seen them go through a number of changes over the years. I think what's happened with them is that, like a lot of the bigger companies, they've evolved into a firm with a more expensive line, usually American-made, and a less expensive one (Mexican). The more expensive one is no more so than any other makers of comparable quality, and I think, probably better. Over the last few years they've expanded into the women's market while at the same time constantly experimenting with new styles, some of which are ill-advised (like putting zippers on lace-up boots). On a couple of occasions I've just gotten interested in a style only to find it's been discontinued: the upside to this is that I've then found them on Ebay for half the price. For instance, a couple of years ago I bought a pair of their Rand Lace-up boots in black and was really impressed by their looks, comfort, and solidity. Then I had to search the bay until I found them in my size in brown and tan. I couldn't be happier with them.
They still make great boots. The best engineers I've ever owned are their Jackson Engineers that I've had for over twenty years, and that, when I recently took them to the shoemaker's, came back looking fantastic. There's quite a bit of brand loyalty here on the Lounge, but from some of the comments I've seen from the buyers of White's and others I'm glad I've pretty much stayed with the Fryes. At the moment I'm seriously considering a pair of belted harness boots I saw, which I'm pretty sure I'll eventually cave in and buy. Anyway, you might want to look into them a bit more closely.

 

[handymike]

I’m not saying they made bad boots in the past. Please don’t get me wrong. Frye boots are what got me into engineers. I’m only stating my experience. My wife’s Frye’s are no different than any other women's’ boot- pretty flimsy. In fact, I went into the Frye flagship store in NYC last year only to find that they didn’t even carry engineer boots for men anymore. Same went for a Frye store in Atlanta. Nowadays I believe there are so many better options on the market.

 

[handymike]

On another note, can anyone justify the $1,950.00 price tag on these Brass engineers from Standard and Strange? They are obviously amazing as sizes up to 10.5 are sold out.
https://standardandstrange.com/coll...r-boots-black-overdyed-horsebutt-cn-wide-last

 

[Bfd70]

Price points are weird. Will a two thousand dollar boots last longer than a thousand dollar than six hundred dollar? I don’t think durability grows proportional to price.
What about finish? My $600 Wesco are clearly made with nicer leather, hardware, than my $350 Redwings. Perhaps there is another leap of equal proportion when going with Clinch.
I think there is a phenomenon (to which i am not immune) where people want to be viewed as having what is considered “the best” regardless of whether it is by any quantifiable measure. We’re all peacocks.
In the end I think the barometer of value most closely ties in to annual income. If you’re making millions annually and the price difference between $800 Lofgrens and $2,000 Clinch is a non factor, and you like the Clinch better go for it. I myself am not in that tax bracket. If I had 2 grand to blow on TFL purchases I’d rather have a pair of Lofgren and an Aero board racer or a pair of Wesco and an Eastman roughwear B6.

 

[Edward]

Price points are weird. Will a two thousand dollar boots last longer than a thousand dollar than six hundred dollar? I don’t think durability grows proportional to price.
What about finish? My $600 Wesco are clearly made with nicer leather, hardware, than my $350 Redwings. Perhaps there is another leap of equal proportion when going with Clinch.
I think there is a phenomenon (to which i am not immune) where people want to be viewed as having what is considered “the best” regardless of whether it is by any quantifiable measure. We’re all peacocks.
In the end I think the barometer of value most closely ties in to annual income. If you’re making millions annually and the price difference between $800 Lofgrens and $2,000 Clinch is a non factor, and you like the Clinch better go for it. I myself am not in that tax bracket. If I had 2 grand to blow on TFL purchases I’d rather have a pair of Lofgren and an Aero board racer or a pair of Wesco and an Eastman roughwear B6.

The Law of Diminishing Returns is as writ large in boots as it is in hifi, electric guitars, cars, or just about any other consumer durable.

I believe I handled Clinch boots at the Clutch Cafe in London. Lovely boots. Better than my Chippewas or Red Wings? I think a little. I could be persuaded to pay £100 more (about 33% the cost of a pair of the others), but at double the price, I'd want made to measure.

FWIW, though, my old Grinders are as well constructed as any of my Chippewas or Red Wings, though undoubtedly the latter are made from a much nicer hide.

I still wish Aero would give engineers a go. Given just how good their other boots are... A pair of Aero engineer boots in Horween cxl fqhh or steer to match a jacket in the same hide would be a no-brainer.