Engineer Boots, Harness Boots...

[jimmer_5]

Ok all, I finally got outside and took some pictures of the RRL Engineer boots. The color in the photos is pretty accurate, and I've tried to show some of the details.

I like details like the extra long instep straps - this a custom option ($30) on Wescos, and they look really great, even if they are not period correct.

The leather is very thick and grainy - more so on the right than on the left, but I think they will even out with wear. Check out the pull on strap - it's all bowed out from the difficulty of putting them on

The toes are not as round as my White's or Wesco's, more of a vintage round toe profile:

The toes are also lower and not "bumped" up like a Wesco "Bump Toe" or bubble toe. They are more sleek and vintage.

The heel is more blocked off than I expected - I thought these had more of the "Cuban" heel you see on White's:

 

[jimmer_5]

Check out how thick the leather is on the vamp and instep strap:

Vibram 705 Half Soles are becoming my favorite - I would have liked double midsoles, but that can be fixed on the first resole, and they will probably be easier to break in with the single midsole.

 

[trapp]

Thanks for the great pics. These boots are a pleasure to look and that thick leather just looks yummy. I hope you decide to keep them so we can see more of them in the months to come.

 

[marineabilly]

Recently picked up the John Lofgren & Co. Engineer Boots

...and modified the second of my two Mister Freedom "Road Champ" Engineer Boots

 

[ButteMT61]

D@mn nice boots fellas! Wow, really dig those two-tones too. Keep working on those RRL's, they look worth the work.

 

[jimmer_5]

Marineabilly, I have been meaning to comment on those Lofgrens - they look fantastic. Considering the detailing, they appear to be worth the high price of entry. If I could justify it, I would pick up a pair myself, especially since they seem to run big (I might be able to fit a size 12). I love the brown ones as well, but sadly they are limited to size 10 and below. Looking at the pictures, is the shaft a little on the large side, or are they just kind of flattened from being in the box? DO you know who is making these? The craftsmanship looks very clean, cleaner than the Julian made RRL's I am currently handling.

I am also impressed with the two tone Road Champs - it's a great look, and the kidney pocket is unique. Are you doing all the stitching by hand or using a machine? I have taken on some leather projects myself, but you are more brave than I am. Congrats on the successful transformation.

 

[tonypaj]

Tonypaj, you must own a lot of nice footwear..

Unfortunately I do not... I have just several "two pairs" of mediocre stuff, different styles, different colors. Engineer boots are Frye and Sendra (brown and black), harness boots Frye and Chippewa, both with harness cut off and different shades of brown, cowboy boots old Frye and even older (20 +year old) whatever, brown again, Chelsea boots RM Williams, mid brown and dark brown, and a black pair of I don't know what, and a dark brown pair of Ballys. Then the work boots, well a pair of Red Wings and a pair of old US military boots, and old walking boots bought in Wales. Then I have given two pairs of RM Williams boots to my son, and a pair of nice Church's to the young master, as well. This has been more of an experiment, possibly 4 pairs of of more expensive stuff would have been a better choice. My ex father in law used to tell me, son you have no money, just buy the best quality, whatever the item... I have strayed a bit, people tend to like "stuff", me included.

Shoes, I will not go there at this time

 

[jimmer_5]

It is of me last week, I just cropped out the rest of me.

The technique you have described is the very same I practice for putting on and taking off. After I accepted that these weren't going to be easy on and off like my Red Wing 1155s that I have worn since I was a little kid, I gained patience for these boots. It's not bad now, and still gets a little better every day

I should have mentioned another thread on another forum with 5 or 6 other fellas having the same struggle, same boots some months ago, but I don't know the cross forum etiquette on such things. They stuck with it, and I believe are happy with the decision.

On the basic questions about keeping. Well, I am a poor, older than average college student, who does not smoke, drink, or gamble and choose to spend my money on well crafted, hopefully domestically sourced things be it fishing rods, clothes, or boots etc. Anymore "worth what I paid" is seldom on my mind due only to the amount of time I take asking questions and researching before I buy. I know not everyone can do that, So I am happy to step up and speak for the quality of something that I have/had and feel should be applauded. I have also been very disappointed by things that felt confident buying (through said research) but falling short of my expectations and needed returned or sold. So I understand the dilemma.

By the way, if anyone wants it, I have a super secret method to inconspicuously stretch an ill fitting boot shaft, which
I have used for a lady whose ankle width/tiny foot did not allow her to wear pull on boots in her size

Illumin8em - thanks for the advice. Do yours still take a minute or so to put on and remove? I wore mine around the house all weekend, and I am now leaning towards keeping them. I am curious about your super secret method for stretching a boot shaft as well.

From your statement about keeping or not, it sounds like we have a remarkable amount in common, except I am out of college. I generally have a threshold of what I am willing to pay for a particular item, and that threshold has grown over time. I think part of my threshold is that I don't feel like I can justify spending above a certain amount, and part of it is that I have a hard time believing that I would get enough bang for my buck at some of the higher price points.

I have too many nice boots at this point, so I really don't need them, but they are so nice that they're hard to turn down. They have more of a vintage vibe and a closer fit than my White's or Wescos, and I think they will look even cooler with a little breaking in.

 

[kyboots]

Wow! You guys had some great boot discussion while I was away for a week. I learned a lot. Jimmer are those boots Julian or Murdoch or neither? I am right at the point of pulling the trigger on some RRL Murdochs, but the price and the quality picture is still hard for me to put together. I am also a 13 so Roadchamps are not an option and that is SO WRONG by this company! I am going to SF next week for a meeting and thinking I should wait and just get a pair of Wescos measured while there. Those were great looking boots youall!--John

 

[jimmer_5]

Kyboots, take a look at my post on page 63 (the very last post on the page) before you buy a pair of the Julian made RRL's. I am really liking them, but they are not a slip-on-and-go fit like a Wesco Boss or White's Nomad. I don;t want to turn you off to them, but they are a tight fit in the shaft, and they are very hard to get on (and off) the first few times. Mine have been stretching and getting much better, but they're still not easy, and I'm not sure they ever will be. A good return policy might be very important if you try these out. That being said, they are very nice, and I like them a lot.

 

[trapp]

Jimmer, if the shaft is already loosening up and you haven't even worn them out of the house, I have to believe that sooner or later, after you really start wearing them, they'll loosen to a point where this fit issue is of no concern. There may always be some small resistance, but that soft 'pop' that happens when your foot clears the shaft and slides home will get much easier to achieve. If the boot feels good once it's on, that's the main thing. It would be a shame at this point to give 'em up. Just my 2 cents.

 

[illumin8em]

Illumin8em - thanks for the advice. Do yours still take a minute or so to put on and remove?

I have a hard time believing that I would get enough bang for my buck at some of the higher price points.

I have too many nice boots at this point, so I really don't need them, but they are so nice that they're hard to turn down. They have more of a vintage vibe and a closer fit than my White's or Wescos, and I think they will look even cooler with a little breaking in.

Just to answer honestly, I timed myself, and 6 seconds. Keep in mind that after the first week of dedicated wear, I have worn them twice in two more weeks. It is still too hot and humid in WV for the jeans and boots, at least doing the kinda things I do on a day in August.

I understand this disbelief of bang for your buck at higher price points, and I am not gonna try convincing someone of that. Often times we are over paying for everything, and rarely get out bang for our buck. It is a personal war that we all must wage with those who take our money for their goods or service. I have never been one who needed convincing to buy or keep something. If I do make it to the point of purchase, I usually will catch on pretty quickly if the affair will be short lived. I almost feel if you are really this back and forth on them they may not be for you, but in no way am I recommending to get rid of them. I' m just saying boots shouldn't be such an issue, their just boots. (yeah right)

 

[illumin8em]

OK, for those interested in stretching their boot shafts.

It's not really secret, but took me awhile to figure out. You could send them to a cobbler but you can do the same thing yourself at home. I read once that the leather/boot/shoe stretcher stuff they sell is primarily isopropyl alcohol. So I diluted 1/4 a bottle with a tablespoon of water into a spray bottle for a test on my oil tanned Red wing 1155s. Sprayed enough to saturate, and once dry, there was no evidence it was ever sprayed. So here is what I did. Careful getting the spray into the air, it kinda burnt my lungs.

Find something round that snuggly slides down into the boot shaft to where you want is stretched, so it at least fills up the space around the shaft, the tighter the better. I use a 32oz Nalgene water bottle that you can get just about anywhere now, Target, Walmart, Sporting goods store. It is rigid and does not flex so it is perfect. Also tear up a spare card board box into 2"x10" or so strips.

Go get a plastic shopping bad and put it in the boot as if it were a trash can.

Now get your diluted alcohol and start spraying the part of the boot you aim to stretch.

Once saturated, start folding the strips in half and slide them down into the shaft between the bottle and the side wall (inside the bag with the bottle) to the depth where the stretching is needed. Keep doing thing around the bottle until the boot shaft is taught, you may have to double up, I did.

Once the boot feels taught and leather stressed, squeeze a couple more in there if you can and are comfortable with it.

That it, just set it somewhere to dry naturally gradually, not fast. It may take the better part of a day. You could feed the boot a lite snack of Obeneuf's LP, my boots love when I take the time to massage a thin layer on them.

Now please pay attention to the part where I said I did this to an oil tanned boot (twice). I have also used alcohol on my Alden Indy's, today actually, to clean accidental black polish off the white threads and where the alcohol ran onto the boot looks no different than it did before. So, spot check some where on the boot to be sure it won't harm the finish before doing a huge area. I don't want to be responsible for a disaster.

 

[jimmer_5]

Just to answer honestly, I timed myself, and 6 seconds. Keep in mind that after the first week of dedicated wear, I have worn them twice in two more weeks. It is still too hot and humid in WV for the jeans and boots, at least doing the kinda things I do on a day in August.

I understand this disbelief of bang for your buck at higher price points, and I am not gonna try convincing someone of that. Often times we are over paying for everything, and rarely get out bang for our buck. It is a personal war that we all must wage with those who take our money for their goods or service. I have never been one who needed convincing to buy or keep something. If I do make it to the point of purchase, I usually will catch on pretty quickly if the affair will be short lived. I almost feel if you are really this back and forth on them they may not be for you, but in no way am I recommending to get rid of them. I' m just saying boots shouldn't be such an issue, their just boots. (yeah right)

My bad - I'm not really that indecisive, I'm just going on about personal philosophy. I think I got a great deal on these boots, and I think I will keep them. I was mainly pointing out that I have a hard time justifying spending more than about $500 on a pair of boots, no matter how awesome they are. I could probably make it happen, but I would probably be too worried about screwing them up to enjoy them. Anyhow, I'm getting off topic.

I will have to post some pics as they break in. Thanks for the advice on break in and stretching.

 

[illumin8em]

I was mainly pointing out that I have a hard time justifying spending more than about $500 on a pair of boots, no matter how awesome they are. I could probably make it happen, but I would probably be too worried about screwing them up to enjoy them.

No worries. Same here. I think it is healthy to find spending even a couple hundred on boots. I grew up poor with not much in the way of excess or luxury and knew only the disposable from clothes to furniture . If I find myself in a moment of self doubt, I can find comfort in that I now have boots, clothes, as well as other finely crafted goods that have lasted 10+ years and I still use them today, where my friends and family couldn't even tell you what they had 10 years ago because it is either in tatters or has been discarded for whatever is new. Many of them don't even know how to spend decent money on decent things because they are so used to spending on trivial. I tend to buy things I am looking for, and not what I have been told I need.
It is 4:14am here so I am gonna sign off. Sorry to you folks who have had to read this topic derail perpetrated by yours truly. Back to topic

 

[mattfink]

Just take em' into the local shoe guy...he will likely have some more effective equipment. I did the same to my RRL boots and the cost was about $15.

Kyboots, take a look at my post on page 63 (the very last post on the page) before you buy a pair of the Julian made RRL's. I am really liking them, but they are not a slip-on-and-go fit like a Wesco Boss or White's Nomad. I don;t want to turn you off to them, but they are a tight fit in the shaft, and they are very hard to get on (and off) the first few times. Mine have been stretching and getting much better, but they're still not easy, and I'm not sure they ever will be. A good return policy might be very important if you try these out. That being said, they are very nice, and I like them a lot.

 

[mattfink]

Here's mine with pair of 1930's Lee 101B's:

 

[kyboots]

Just take em' into the local shoe guy...he will likely have some more effective equipment. I did the same to my RRL boots and the cost was about $15.

Thanks for the advice. I am looking at Murdocks, what is your thought on them?

 

[mattfink]

I heard the Murdock's are running a size smaller than the stated size, so a 12 is really an 11. They look really nice IMHO.

 

[jimmer_5]

The current production one's are called the Murdock, and are not made by Julian anymore. I am not sure how the fit compares to the older Julian made model (which is what I have). All I know is the Julian made RRL boots seem to run a little small and a little narrow. I would call mine a 12.5 (tag size is 13) and the width would be between a C and a D, depending on what you are comparing them to.

And, by the way, I just gave them a liberal coat of Wesco Bee Oil last night, and it really darkened the color. They should dry out and get back to normal eventually, but this morning they were still looking pretty dark. The leather is pretty supple, so I don't think the oil was totally necessary, but these were pretty dry. The polish was actually kind of sticky - I chalked this up to sitting in a box for too long. The oil will be good for them, but I am hoping they get back to the original color soon. Strangely enough, two coats of oil didn't change the color of my White's Nomads anywhere near as much as these.