Wesco Boot Thread.

[Vintagestyle]

Tuff decission i understand you trust.me,i bought it too 1939 th engineer english tan boot, i am From Monterrey México so i going to pick it up to my pobox in Texas, this Friday, but trust me is annoying to go every week to United States to pick up amd send back boots to Standard and strange. i purchase 10.5E cause Standard and strange store online says run same sizing as Iron Rangers by Redwings but wasnt true. So i returned back Axe Breakers and request 11E. i hope fits perfect, and once there pobox office, i try on 1939th if as miracle 10.5E fits me, right way, i keep it. But if dont. i send it back to Standard and strange. i already talk with Neil. I m telling you body seems there was Wesco mistake about toe box built. So my humble advice is send it back or sell them. Look contact to Iron Heart in London or post them here at reasanoble price may be not enough to get what you want, but something close.

What do you mean about Wesco mistakes on the toe box, do you think it is because they are not made correctly ?

I don't know if it is because that's the way they are made ,with lower toe box ( whereas the ones i bought seemed to have a taller toe box than the 7400 ) and they should advise to buy 1/2 size larger than with other boots that have taller toe box , like steel toe ones, or if they have had problems making them.
Personaly i don't think the D width on the 1339 last is narrower than other engineer boots like Chippewa or RW in D width but maybe it's because i have thin feet .
That said RW ones have a quite tight instep , so i suppose people with large feet have problem with that and Wesco seems to be the opposite with extra wide instep ( Chippewa is in between or at least were as they are discontinued !! Sheeeeiiiiiiit !)
Personnaly , Chippewa are my favorite , when they are well made and didn't go through QC with defects ( but RW can have defects as well , i experienced that as well unfirtunately !) !
I am really frustrated as those Wesco were the ones i liked the best for their look as i don't like the flat toe box on most of the Engineer boots without steel toe ( except the Buco repros and Beck but they don't make sizes over 10 unfortunately whereas many guys have bigger foot than that , especialy nowdays !) .
I don't really like their boss round toe either compared to Chippewa with steel toe but maybe Wesco Boss with steel toe have the same round toe appearance as the Chippewa , do they ?

 

[Colin G]

Vintagestyle - I am the one who had nearly the exact same issue with my 7400's that I bought off thier clearance page. Only thing I can suggest is using internal boot shaping devices (spring loaded) and boot stretching spray. A little at a time, ovenight keep the devices inside them. Over a couple of weeks, it may get better. Not much else I can suggest other than to sell (what I did, break-even.)

These specific types of boots are some of the most challenging to fit, since you have very little adjustment and no way to lace up. Lots and lots of posts here about good looking/ill fitting Engineers.

Did the 7400 fit oddly? I am ordering a pair asap from Baker Shoe so good timing for me to read this.

I am ordering regular 7400 in an 8 1/2 E as a test fit to return and then do a custom order. I am normally a size 9 sneaker and was told to size down 1/2 size. I am an 8 in a Red Wing heritage Blacksmith or Iron Ranger ect.

For custom I am sure I'll have to go 1" smaller in diameter on the boot shaft and I really hate the copper roller buckles and longer instep strap. I'd go Burgundy domain, regular length strap and no rattly roller buckles.

 

[Bfd70]

I wear a 9 in Iron rangers and Beckman
9.5 in Wesco 7400
9.5 in RW engineer 9268
9.5 in Chippewa engineer
10.5 in Nike

In my experience
Wesco = narrow toe and roomy instep
RW = roomy toe and snug instep
Just depends on which foot type you have.
I’d never again pay over $500 for boots without dropping the extra $ and having them custom sized and a lengthy conversation with the maker.

 

[Vintagestyle]

What i can tell you is that i wear 10,5 ( a bit tight in length but they can stretch a bit ) to 11 US size for Adidas Adiracer , 10 ( depending when they size big or small ) to 10,5 D for Chippewa 27863 and 10,5 D for Red Wing 2268 ( which size smaller than Chippewa ) but maybe i should have bought 11D for those wesco boots ( but couldn't find some and was advised to buy 10,5 D by Wesco and other shops selling them ) .
The flat toe box seem to need 1/2 size larger to fit without compressing the big toe ( and i would tend to think the 7400 is flatter than the 100th anniv 1939 Brit Tan / MP last 1339) .
My problem is that i have 2mm longer left foot than the right one , so i am always between sizes , like 10D for my right foot and 10,5 D for my left foot ; or about a 1/2 size difference between both ( but i had specified it to Wesco and othr shops when asking advices for size ).
To really be taken care of seriously about feet sizes and fit , it seems we have to go to expensive high end brands like Weston ( i went in one of their shops recently in Paris, they make some of the best dress shoes in the world and the girl who answered me there was the first person i met in a shop with so much knowledge and really listening to what i was telling her ) but those usualy don't make engineer boots unfortunately although they make great tall 17" police style boots ( only custom order mostly for French cops on motorbike !

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I had some Vibergs that caused me to remove the insole. Nails were also exposed. The nails never bothered me, but the leather was too slick. I made some other, thin leather insoles to cover the nails and be less slick. Because of the huge $$ loss, I would try both stretching and different insoles. I've never seen Wesco insoles, but the Viberg supplied insoles had a rather high profile (relatively thick). Try something thinner. Not a lot of options. Sorry to hear it isn't working out. SO MUCH money. Or maybe try to find a local cobbler and see if they have any remedies.

 

[Vintagestyle]

I wear a 9 in Iron rangers and Beckman
9.5 in Wesco 7400
9.5 in RW engineer 9268
9.5 in Chippewa engineer
10.5 in Nike

In my experience
Wesco = narrow toe and roomy instep
RW = roomy toe and snug instep
Just depends on which foot type you have.
I’d never again pay over $500 for boots without dropping the extra $ and having them custom sized and a lengthy conversation with the maker.

You are lucky to live in the USA cause ordering those boots from abroad is a nightmare when they don't fit as import taxes and shipping fees cost much !
Yes , RW have much narrower instep than Wesco ( at least the ones i bought ) and Chippewa is in between .

Do you know if Red Wing 2268 instep loosen up and gets wider with break in ?

 

[Vintagestyle]

I had some Vibergs that caused me to remove the insole. Nails were also exposed. The nails never bothered me, but the leather was too slick. I made some other, thin leather insoles to cover the nails and be less slick. Because of the huge $$ loss, I would try both stretching and different insoles. I've never seen Wesco insoles, but the Viberg supplied insoles had a rather high profile (relatively thick). Try something thinner. Not a lot of options. Sorry to hear it isn't working out. SO MUCH money. Or maybe try to find a local cobbler and see if they have any remedies.

Yes , i thought about getting some thinner inserts to use on the insoles instead of theirs as they are a bit thick and i feel better without it but it makes them more comfortable as the insoles are quite hard, so they are useful for that .
I wonder if i would feel the nails once they break in after beeing worn for a while but i don't really like the idea to have the nails just under my feet without anything in between !
I think they should advise people to take a 1/2 size larger because of the low toe box but they say to take the same size as RW and Chippewa engineer boots which have a taller toe box; not really good advice unfortunately !
What i need to know is if they will stretch or not on the toe box, cause if they don't , then i just have to sell them or send them back and loose much money !
It makes me angry as i really like their look and don't like much their other toe box looks but they just made them on pre order for a few weeks !
I really wonder if they can make some that look like the Chippewa 27863 toe box if ordered with steel toe ,or if their steel toe has a different shape ?

 

[Luis Gutiérrez]

What i can tell you is that i wear 10,5 ( a bit tight in length but they can stretch a bit ) to 11 US size for Adidas Adiracer , 10 ( depending when they size big or small ) to 10,5 D for Chippewa 27863 and 10,5 D for Red Wing 2268 ( which size smaller than Chippewa ) but maybe i should have bought 11D for those wesco boots ( but couldn't find some and was advised to buy 10,5 D by Wesco and other shops selling them ) .
The flat toe box seem to need 1/2 size larger to fit without compressing the big toe ( and i would tend to think the 7400 is flatter than the 100th anniv 1939 Brit Tan / MP last 1339) .
My problem is that i have 2mm longer left foot than the right one , so i am always between sizes , like 10D for my right foot and 10,5 D for my left foot ; or about a 1/2 size difference between both ( but i had specified it to Wesco and othr shops when asking advices for size ).
To really be taken care of seriously about feet sizes and fit , it seems we have to go to expensive high end brands like Weston ( i went in one of their shops recently in Paris, they make some of the best dress shoes in the world and the girl who answered me there was the first person i met in a shop with so much knowledge and really listening to what i was telling her ) but those usualy don't make engineer boots unfortunately although they make great tall 17" police style boots ( only custom order mostly for French cops on motorbike !

Westons shoe legends!!!!!! I really sorry all dismess you are trough. Little options, i really dont think is gonna be better(boot ) when you tryed to strech it, that soubs as we say into old México as Mexicanada ( i mean something as not really practical or that is gonna work for sure) and maybe youre gonna to spoil the boots, under your own risk. I never dare to do it, or sale it or change it, talk to standard and strange and deal with Neal about it. Look i send sunglases to Japan from United States through usps and cost to me was 30 us dollars 2 way, so Postal Service in France i guess is better and cheaper then México. You dont need to send it with Ups or FedEx.

 

[Bfd70]

To get my stock boss boots to fit me properly i had to do the following:

Take out the insole to create room for my toes. Add a 1/2 insole to the rear and an instep pad to keep them tight enough.

That was after trying a dozen sock combos.

 

[Bfd70]

You are lucky to live in the USA cause ordering those boots from abroad is a nightmare when they don't fit as import taxes and shipping fees cost much !
Yes , RW have much narrower instep than Wesco ( at least the ones i bought ) and Chippewa is in between .

Do you know if Red Wing 2268 instep loosen up and gets wider with break in ?

You are lucky to live in the USA cause ordering those boots from abroad is a nightmare when they don't fit as import taxes and shipping fees cost much !
Yes , RW have much narrower instep than Wesco ( at least the ones i bought ) and Chippewa is in between .

Do you know if Red Wing 2268 instep loosen up and gets wider with break in ?

Yes, they loosened up with 2 weeks of regular wear. Fit perfectly now.

 

[Vintagestyle]

Yes, they loosened up with 2 weeks of regular wear. Fit perfectly now.

Were yours really tight and hurting your instep ?

 

[Bfd70]

I would just say tight, not really tight.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Sold, gone, done.

 

[Vintagestyle]

Sold, gone, done.

Really disapointing to read that , for you as i suppose you were frustrated to have to sell them but also for me as reading your previous message , i had thought you finaly were able to wear them and that they had really stretched enough for you feel comfortable enough in them to keep them but it doesn't seem so !
So ,it makes me think i might have to do the same !
Did you try them without the insole insert , wasn't it better ?

Cause yours were stitched down, so you didn't even have any nails on the insole ,so i suppose you might have worn like that ( although i don't feel the nails when removing the insert ) but maybe it was not enough to make you feel comfortable enough and give more room for your toes ( or maybe you didn't like wearing them without inserts ) .
I am extremely frustrated by that experience i have with Wesco boots as it was my first pair and the fact i can't even buy some other a 1/2 size larger really bothers me !
I can't understand why they don't want to make a custom pair ,even if i have to buy them on top of mine !
I don't understand what's the problem for them as they make custom boots , so why not these ?
I was interested to buy some other custom made Wesco but this experience bothers me so much that i don't know if i will buy any other from them !
( i suppose they don't care about one customer but i would have worn them here in France and might have given the idea to other peiple here to but some !) .

 

[Luis Gutiérrez]

Really disapointing to read that , for you as i suppose you were frustrated to have to sell them but also for me as reading your previous message , i had thought you finaly were able to wear them and that they had really stretched enough for you feel comfortable enough in them to keep them but it doesn't seem so !
So ,it makes me think i might have to do the same !
Did you try them without the insole insert , wasn't it better ?

Cause yours were stitched down, so you didn't even have any nails on the insole ,so i suppose you might have worn like that ( although i don't feel the nails when removing the insert ) but maybe it was not enough to make you feel comfortable enough and give more room for your toes ( or maybe you didn't like wearing them without inserts ) .
I am extremely frustrated by that experience i have with Wesco boots as it was my first pair and the fact i can't even buy some other a 1/2 size larger really bothers me !
I can't understand why they don't want to make a custom pair ,even if i have to buy them on top of mine !
I don't understand what's the problem for them as they make custom boots , so why not these ?
I was interested to buy some other custom made Wesco but this experience bothers me so much that i don't know if i will buy any other from them !
( i suppose they don't care about one customer but i would have worn them here in France and might have given the idea to other peiple here to but some !) .

Go to Ironheart store at London they are able to suport your purchase with Wesco custom made boots is not really far from you, i mean. I travel from México to US only to have this beutiful boots, if i have money enough for these boots, pay for. I must mo gave my efort and go overthere US, i know for you is too far and too much more money for a pair of boots but UK is a train travel of distance or ferry as you wish always is gonna be better face to face customer care.

 

[Vintagestyle]

I checked Iron Heart Website but they don't sell the same as i have bought !
The ones they sell are much less nice and are stitched down, not nailed down, so it doesn't give them the same look ( and the color is much less nice !) and toe box is different ; mine are rounder and a bit taller it seems.

 

[Bfd70]

Pics?

 

[Luis Gutiérrez]

I checked Iron Heart Website but they don't sell the same as i have bought !
The ones they sell are much less nice and are stitched down, not nailed down, so it doesn't give them the same look ( and the color is much less nice !) and toe box is different ; mine are rounder and a bit taller it seems.

 

[Luis Gutiérrez]

But Maybe they can help with correct feet measures. Besides to return cheaper way your engineer boots vause they are dealers from Wesco as Standard and Strange or at worst they got a forum like this, you sell overthere your boots.

 

[regius]

Yes please post some photos of the british tan, the compressing toe area will loosen


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