Engineer Boots, Harness Boots...

[RJR]

Hi belopsky, I've not been a member here long and joined originally to ask questions and post about a custom boss build that I've recently ordered from Bakers. I was just reading thru this thread, looking at veg tanned leather engineer boots after I contacted Chris Warren @Wesco yesterday to ask him about their recent collab with Standard & Strange with whom they have just brought out, or rather are bringing out in August a veg tan Van Cleef boss (below).

Anyway, I just wanted to you about your boots above which if I'm right about what they are, are my grail boots. Are they Lofgrens in sand roughout by any chance? Who did the resole, Hukurokuju? They look blinding mate, really amazing. Just wanted to add my two-penneth

View attachment 50138 View attachment 50139

Those will develop a great patina.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Any thoughts please on the redwing 2966 boots...

 

[mendelboaz]

I LOVE MINE. Thankfully, Red Wing Amsterdam recently started offering them for only 400 euros. Of course I immediately jumped on the next train out to secure my pair. I suggest you get these. Sizing is a tad large though-- I wear US7.5 in Road Champs, US8 in Lofgrens, US7.5D in Wesco's and White's, US7 in Attractions and 7.5D in Chippewa engineer boots. I got the 2966 in 7.5 since I couldn't get my feet into the 7 and they felt pretty great in the store-- but they are very roomy in the toes. Perhaps a US7 would've been better.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Any thoughts please on the redwing 2966 boots...

IMO spend a couple extra bills for Wesco if you're in that price bracket. I am not a fan of RW's quality.

 

[bretron]

Or get some old beatup ones and have them rebuilt by the likes of Baker's

Before

And after

I got a measly $275 invested in these puppies ($50 for boots, and $225 for new footbeds, toe restructure and soles/heels)

 

[mendelboaz]

Those are killer, Bret.

 

[bretron]

@mendelboaz thx. Totally transformed them

 

[handymike]

OMG....wow Bret!
Now to find those 40's Chips....

 

[bretron]

@handymike now you're talking

 

[AeroFan_07]

So I would like to ask a question for those who've owned Wesco's, how is the arch support in them? I typically wear lace-up boots and have been very spoiled by a wonderful pair of Nick's that are fully leather, with Vibram soles that will not wear out anytime soon. They are deep brown with the low-traction soles (not deep lugged).

Prior to next Winter I would like to pick up a black deep-lugged (logger type) pair and found a great deal on Wesco's website, however I've really come to love the Nick's boots. Wondering if they are comperable, basic differances, etc. The Nick's new would run about $150 more. Both are made in USA. I don't have a good dealer for either near Iowa. I would like a high arch, un-lined, and all leather inside & out. Thanks for any help!

 

[kyboots]

I still think Wesco's are the real deal. Strong arch but not overdone and will last forever. They will be around after I am gone.

 

[bretron]

Arch support is less in WESCO than in White's/Nick's, but I'd argue last shapes are better. Motor Patrol, 9109 "Classic"/"Bubble toe" , or just the standard Boss. They're all winners.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Visited Brian today in LA and put my name down for some black horsehide Role Clubs. Super cool guy and I am sure they will be worth the almost year long wait!

 

[Dav]

Put down a deposit a couple of weeks ago with Brian as well,

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Put down a deposit a couple of weeks ago with Brian as well,

Nice! Waht did you go for?

 

[Dav]

Standard make up, in brown horse hide.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Standard make up, in brown horse hide.

Nice! The wait for both of us will be painful, but worth it!

 

[mendelboaz]

Wait, Brian has a year long wait time nowadays?

 

[Dav]

Wait, Brian has a year long wait time nowadays?

I was told "I will begin your boots on January 22nd 2017", then there's the build time, so I figured on around 10 months personally.

 

[bikerpoizun]

I posted way back in Dec '12 (pg 39) about the problems with a new pair of Wesco engineers and I just thought I'd update with what I've done since then.
I ordered the boots originally with black roughout leather, brass buckles, undyed midsoles, standard engineer heel and a square toe. When I got them the shaft was so huge you couldn't even pull bootcut jeans legs over them. They also had nickle buckles, but I wouldn't have bothered sending them back just for that. After some persuasion, they took them back and reduced the size of the shafts and changed the buckles. However, since I couldn't pull my jeans over them and hadn't even stood up when I first tried them on, I hadn't noticed that there was no "cup" to the heel counter at all so heel slippage was massive, and I do mean massive. Now I have lots of boots, engineer boots, cowboy boots, harness boots, western steel toe work boots, American boots, Mexican boots, Chinese boots- and have NEVER had a problem with heel slippage. I knew sending them back again was an impossibility so I'd tried putting in insoles to tighten up the fit and maybe raise my foot enough that my heel would hit something on the way out of the boot. No go. Then I tried heating the heel and pinching it to narrow it so maybe the sides of the counter would hold my heel in. No go. I then bought some strong clamps and affixed them to the heels and left them there for six or eight months without removing them. Nothing. When I walked it felt like my feet would come clear out of them if I didn't concentrate on keeping them on. Now the fit as far as length and width is just fine. My heel is at the back of the boot.

So after not wearing them for maybe a year, I wondered if I could make some of those cheap, stick-on heel inserts work in some way. Of course I knew they would not stick with just the glue on the back, so I put a couple of them in each boot, staggered , and then used gorilla tape to hold them in. Had to experiment a bit to get them in the right spot to hold my heel in place and then I used both vertical and horizontal strips of tape to hold the heel inserts in the right position.

Miraculously, it has worked. I always put the boots on and take them off carefully, and actually have to squeeze my feet that last inch or so before they "pop" into place. I wear them only when I ride my motorcycle, which is a lot in the summertime, but I also have other motorcycle boots (including an older pair of stock Wescos) so I've only worn them maybe thirty or forty times, but they are holding together fine. I have to fool with the tape only occasionally.
So, it's a happy ending of sorts. I can wear my $430 boots and so far I've had no discomfort walking. But there are a couple of other things;
I just noticed a few weeks ago for the first time, when they were parked next to my other pair of Wescos, that they were not engineer heels, they had the extra lift of the harness boot heels! Then, just yesterday, and I admit I apparently am not very observant, I noticed that the white thread stitching on the sole was done wrong and veers up onto the front of the two front lugs instead of the bottom of the vibram 100 sole on the left boot! I suppose I will just use a black marker to cover this up, but man!

To summarize, Wesco made the shafts so huge that no jean legs would fit over them, they made them with the wrong buckles, they did not shape the heel counter properly, they made the heel taller than specified and they screwed up the stitching on the left sole! And then they were snotty enough to send them back just sliding around in the box without the protective plastic bags, brochures and bee oil they originally came with! FIVE things wrong with one pair of boots!
Sorry about the length of this post but I thought the readers of this thread would be interested in my experience with these boots.