Engineer Boots, Harness Boots...

[Bucoholic]

Thanks man--I appreciate it. How about a) straight sideways view, b) looking down on them when you're wearing them, and any other view you think would be helpful to see.

Again, thanks.

 

[PoohBang]

a few shots for you...

 

[Bucoholic]

GREAT looking boots. Thanks for the pics. What soles did you order for them, and what was the break in period like? I'm planning on 705's. And, those pics sealed the deal--I'm going MP.

 

[PoohBang]

GREAT looking boots. Thanks for the pics. What soles did you order for them, and what was the break in period like? I'm planning on 705's. And, those pics sealed the deal--I'm going MP.

I got the 705's.

The break in period was awful. Took a few weeks of bloody shins till I soaked them in the tub and wore them till they dried. I'd suggest you do the same. The leather is so thick on these. Which I love, but the break in period was bloody....

 

[Bucoholic]

Man that sounds like fun! (gulp)

 

[Aether]

Classic look Pooh Bang, Selvedge denim and Engineers. Nice.

Anyone know anything about Walker Boots? I've had a pair of their Engineers for years and they've lasted brilliantly, great for riding and look good. Will post some pics at some point...

 

[Griemersma]

resole?

Alright, so the thin rubber soles on the bottom of my Brando's are getting close to wearing through to the leather. I was thinking about putting some longer-wearing Vibram half-soles and heels on them, but I'm not sure. They have double leather midsoles, so do you think it would look weird to have the thicker Vibram soles underneath them? Shave them down to a single mid-sole, maybe? Anybody resoled theirs before?

 

[kowalski]

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hello all, this is my favorite engineer, Sendra, sorry my english is not good, shoe brand, you know?

 

[holdencain]

Socks!!!? What kind of socks do you guys were w/ these boots? I have a new pair of Frye Brando engineer and just wonder what a good sock is for these?
Thanks,
HC

 

[jimmer_5]

Alright, so the thin rubber soles on the bottom of my Brando's are getting close to wearing through to the leather. I was thinking about putting some longer-wearing Vibram half-soles and heels on them, but I'm not sure. They have double leather midsoles, so do you think it would look weird to have the thicker Vibram soles underneath them? Shave them down to a single mid-sole, maybe? Anybody resoled theirs before?

I think they would look good - look at a lot of the Wesco's and other high-end boots out there - they have pretty thick soles. Also, as you wear them around , the edges of the soles will soften (get rounded out a bit) and will appear thinner than they are. In my opinin, a good resole is all about clean workmanship and longevity - it's got to last to make it worth the cost.

 

[too much coffee]

Socks!!!? What kind of socks do you guys were w/ these boots? I have a new pair of Frye Brando engineer and just wonder what a good sock is for these?
Thanks,
HC

I like a quality sock made with Merino wool. Red Wing, found in their stores, is a good one. Also there are superb ones in Cabela's catalog. I can't stand a sock that sinks below the height of the boot and then squishes further down from there. I wear boots all the time here in Arizona and I don't skimp on socks; buy quality with the wool/wool blend. Wool sound hot, and I guess there are cooler alternatives, but it's what I like and wear.
BTW, those Frye Brando boots look awesome.........how do you like 'em?
Regards, coffee

 

[holdencain]

I like a quality sock made with Merino wool. Red Wing, found in their stores, is a good one. Also there are superb ones in Cabela's catalog. I can't stand a sock that sinks below the height of the boot and then squishes further down from there. I wear boots all the time here in Arizona and I don't skimp on socks; buy quality with the wool/wool blend. Wool sound hot, and I guess there are cooler alternatives, but it's what I like and wear.
BTW, those Frye Brando boots look awesome.........how do you like 'em?
Regards, coffee

I have been wearing these for about 2 wks:

http://www.stompersboots.com/gtwy_engineer-031.php

They are super comfortable! I have been wearing just regular cotton socks, but obviously need a more specific boot sock.

HC

 

[Griemersma]

About the re-sole:

Yeah, the idea is definitely to add some durability, otherwise I would just put some thin rubber soles on like the ones that they already have. Also, I've heard that a Vibram sole might be a little more shock absorbing. Anybody know if there is truth to this? I really like the looks of the boots from the 50's, and most of the ones I've seen have a leather welt, single-leather mid-sole, rubber outsole (usually a half) configuration. Anybody have pictures of any with the double mids and rubber half-sole on the bottom?

About the socks:

My Brando's are fine comfort-wise for short term, regular wear, but wearing them for 8 hours or so at work was starting to make my feet ache, so I ended up adding the insoles out of my Chippewa Katahdin's and this has helped a bit. Of course, since I went down a half-size on them, they were now tight, so I've been wearing just regular thin-ish socks. According to the "experts," though, you should really invest in some real boot socks, preferably in wool or some other sort of moisture-wicking material, as they will compress less, adding better cushioning, while at the same time increasing the longevity of the boots (because of the moisture part). I will probably do this when the weather cools down a bit more, and my boots have stretched a bit more to accommodate the new insoles...

 

[jimmer_5]

I really like the looks of the boots from the 50's, and most of the ones I've seen have a leather welt, single-leather mid-sole, rubber outsole (usually a half) configuration. Anybody have pictures of any with the double mids and rubber half-sole on the bottom?

I found the following pics on the web a while back. They show what you are describing just about perfectly - double leather midsoles and Vibram 705 half soles. Keep in mind that Wesco uses really thick midsoles, so yours might not look quite this thick. Personally, I love it.

I am going to order a pair of boots made exactly like these by Wesco (except in brown or redwood). I need to wait a bit longer to put together the cash, but I can't wait.

 

[Optionseeker]

I'll be picking up a couple of high end Engineer Boots when I return home - the Mister Freedom Road Champs and the Wesco Narrow's. I might even order up a pair of custom Vibergs. I only say "high end" because of the price - Chippewa's (U.S. Made) and RedWings are made just as well for a fraction of the price.

Cheers!

Great Blog! You mention Vibergs and feature a few pairs in you blog. Is this the same Viberg that is in Victoria, BC? I ask because I walked over to their store/shop yesterday and found lots of great boots but not all of the ones on your blog. Do they do custom work as well as make different boots for different markets? They had a couple of pair of one-off Engineer boots made while they were finalizing the design of the current offering. Nice and VERY heavy duty. Also some beautiful boots similar to White's semi-dress.

J

edit: Duh! Just checked out their blog and found many of the boots you were talking about. It was really cool perusing the very old fashioned store with the shop just through the open door.

 

[Griemersma]

Thanks for the pix, Jimmer_5. Those were exactly what I'm looking for. The 705 soles are probably the way I'll go if I can find someone reputable around here to put them on

 

[coleslawyum]

Figure I'll make my first post with some Chippewa's that I have.

 

[53Effie]

Well, you guys. It's all your fault! I started looking through this thread a couple of weeks ago and got really interested...haven't owned a pair of engineers in years. However, today took delivery on a new pair of White / Hathorn Open Road engineers. I got them with the Vibram 430 mini-lug soles. I really like them. They fit great and are very comfortable. I think they are going to break in without too much pain. I've always been very happy with Whites and I think these will be no exception. They should be good for riding. Pretty decent price on these too.

 

[univibe88]

Pictures, man, pictures

 

[Italian Dave]

my chippewa engineers are made of a matt leather, when I bought them I thought they would be shiny like those ones I see in the pic above .. but they are brand new, maybe it's a new kind of leather they use these days? .. also a bit disappointed on the sizing, all of my boots are 8.5D and wear nice and tight (they are mostly western boots) but these ones feel very wide. it's a pity because you can tell the amazing quality they are made with, and they will last a really long time..