We’re closing out April strong with a mess of new boots, including Viberg’s third Spring drop, some great lace-to-toes from the Flat Head, a new model from Rancourt, and more in the latest: Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the week.
Check out all of our previous roundups here.
[Ed Note: while we never choose anything specifically because of them, some of these recommendations contain affiliate links—the price is the same for you, but Stitchdown gets a small commission if you make a purchase. It’s essential to keeping the site alive, so we really, really appreciate it.]
Viberg Bristol in Tobacco Calf Suede: $1,115
Drop three of Viberg’s SS25 collection is made up of just two leathers: CF Stead antique Waxy Commander, and the tobacco calf suede used on these Bristol loafers, which had dropped early at Withered Fig. They use a 360˚ scalloped welt and leather outsoles secured with open channel stitching, all sitting beneath that pleasantly golden suede. No last is listed, but we expect that these use the 1905 last, Viberg’s new, slimmer last for their dressier models.
Viberg Service Boot 2030 BCT in Antique Waxy Commander: $1,060
The collection includes two stitchdown boots: a pair of 310s, and these BCTs. Underfoot, the outsoles are Ridgeway. There’s also an eyelets plus speedhooks hardware setup instead of the more typical all eyelet configuration…
Viberg Navvy in Tobacco Calf Suede: $1,240
…which shared by the Navvy boots, except that here the eyelets are blind. These also use a leather sole, a 360˚ scalloped welt, and the same suede from earlier. All in all the drop gives fairly even coverage to most of common models in Viberg’s current lineup. Speculatively, it’s interesting to see certain combinations of specs get more entrenched, like the suede chukka on Lactae Hevea, or the “casual” versions of the, Regent, and Savoy with natural scalloped welts and Ridgeway. In any case, you can check out the whole lineup here.
Viberg Service Boot 310 in Marine Field Shoe: $1,060
Withered Fig has been doing their best to ensure we don’t run out of 310 Service Boots lately, and this Horween Marine Field Shoe version is just an excuse to build up a ton of patina on that toe bump. There’s a reason this is such a staple leather. The construction is, of course, double row stitchdown, but the boots use Vibram mini-lug outsoles.
Viberg Service Boot 2045 in Black Teacore Chromexcel: $1,040
They also have a new 2045 model in heavyweight teacore Chromexcel. The most exciting thing here are the half soles, which lean into the bump toe look and make it more a bit more aggressive. Double-row stitchdown with Supergrip outsoles.
Grant Stone Horsebit Loafer in Crimson Chromexcel: $412
There aren’t a ton of horsebits out there that don’t fit into the category of “narrow, pointy, blake stitched, and Italian,” and Grant Stone has one of the best. The wide vamp and tidy overlap stitch are pulling a lot of weight here, and the leather sole is sleek and mostly stays out of the way, secured with a 360˚ flat welt. Previously, they were only available in calf and suede, but now you can get them in crimson…
Grant Stone Horsebit Loafer in Dune Chromexcel: $412
…and “Dune” (basically natural) Chromexcel.
Grant Stone Diesel Boot in Berry Suede: $360
C.F. Stead’s berry suede—which just popped up over at Grant Stone—is a dark, rich purple with a lot of red undertones. It’s combined with black edge-dye, black laces, and black hardware (speedhooks and eyelets), always a strong move with an intensely colored upper, and which looks quite good here. The 360˚ split-reverse welt sits atop a commando outsole.
Grant Stone Plain Toe Blucher in Berry Suede: $370
The plain toe blucher get’s the same treatment, but this time with brass eyelets (wait they also look great!) and a cavity wedge outsole from Vibram. Both use the Leo last.
Wesco Mister Lou in Black Horsehide: $865
Wesco’s lead times have been slowly coming down—which still means 16 months!!—and ready-to-wear boots have been more widely available from stockists like Franklin & Poe. Anyway these won’t be around long! The Mr. Lou is Wesco’s narrow shafted and narrow lasted engineers, a genre defining model for the engineer in its current form and worn/chronicled extensively on this very boot site. These are clicked from Horween horsehide with green Super Grip half-soles and heels…
Wesco Mister Lou in Burgundy Horsehide: $865
…but there’s also burgundy version (with some great striations on the pair in the photos), with the same specs, right down to the stitchdown construction and 10″ shaft.
The Flat Head FN-004 Logger in Black Horsehide: $1,045
Founded in the 90s by Mayashi Kobayashi, the Flat Head was one of the pioneering brands of Amekaji. Like many Japanese brands from the same period, their lace-to-toe pattern has a big, round, sprung toe with plenty of room in the rest of the last as well.
What’s unique about these is the sole stack: allowance left around the front of the boot for the two rows of stitchdown is wide and blocky, but tapers in quite aggressively through the waist and heel, chased by the half-soles and the quite aggressive curve to the logger heel. All in all, it makes for a very balanced boot, relieving some of the weight at the back where many LTTs end up looking like cinderblocks. they’re available in Black…
The Flat Head FN-004 Logger in Beige Horsehide: $1,045
…as well as beige horsebutt. Andrew from Franklin and Poe says this on sizing “they fit about a half size down from brannock, but maybe a touch on the narrow side in the toe box.”
Nicks x Rose Anvil ND2 1964 and Waxed Flesh: $669 (Made to Order)
As part of the 5 year anniversary of the Indestructible series of collaborations with Rose Anvil, Nick’s is reopening orders on previous version of their collab models. This week. that’s the ND2, which uses two lineman’s patches (per boot) to ensure that… well… these boots are tougher than they have any good reason to be. But that’s the point. The uppers are in Seidel Brown 1964, except for the inner patch, which uses brown waxed flesh. As the boots wear in, the two leathers will get closer and closer in color. There’s also a Vibram V100 outsole for good measure.
Leffot x Alden Indy Boot in Natural Chromexcel: $755 (Pre-Order)
Leffot opened pre-orders this week on four new Alden makeups (see them all here), and you can’t fault their selections. There’s an Indy in natural Chromexcel—which Alden hasn’t used in almost a half-decade—with a 270˚ flat welt and commando half soles on the Trubalance last…
Leffot x Alden NST Chukka in Humus: $775 (Pre-order)
…as well as an NST Chukka in Humus suede. These use the Barrie last, and with the thicker crepe soles and low vamps it makes for a balanced, squared off look. We’ve also got a 260˚ flat welt, a hand-stitched split toe and apron and six blind eyelets.
Ealdwine x Alden Duck Dover in Pebbled Clay Nubuck: $725
Ealdwine has a new blucher, the “Duck Dover” model in clay nubuck embossed with a pebbled grain pattern. They use the Trubalance last, and a 360˚ split reverse welt on commando half soles.
Cheaney Camden MV in Black Suede: $510
Northampton brand Cheaney just introduced a duo of new moc-toe models. The first is the Camden MC, a wide-ish, bump-toed boot where the Northampton design sensibilities peek through in the close facings and the shape of the shaft, despite the whole thing being quite American work-boot-y. They’re constructed with a 270˚ flat welt and Vibram Christy outsoles.
Cheaney Shoreditch in Biscuit Nubuck Kudu: $490
The Shoreditch is the derby-height version of the same pattern, cut down to four eyelets. The kudu tan nubuck leans harder into the workwear roots of the pattern than the Camden’s black suede.
Rancourt Boothbay in Lava Boheme/Parchment Cotswold: $308
Rancourt’s new Boothbay is a slightly more fashion oriented take on a Rancourt staple, the boat shoe. Because everything’s coming up boat shoes for some reason! Not fighting it over here. It adds contrast mudguard and heel detailing and a sleeker outsole, as well as some new colorways. We quite like the blue-and white combo…
Rancourt Boothbay in Parchment Cotswold/Chestnut Vienna: $308
…as well as the richer Parchment nubuck and white version. Like the rest of Rancourt’s output, these have a hand-stitched moccasin construction.
Jim Green Workhorse in Bronco: $279
Jim Green is dipping their toe into the moc-toe game, with two new models: the Workhorse and the Meander. The workhorse is the more straightforward of the pair, with derby-style quarters and a simple cut top. Both models are Blake stitched, with a hand-sewn overlap seam at the toe, but the Workhorse has a steel shank and fully gusseted tongue in addition to the wedge sole…
Jim Green Meander Moc-Toe in Fudge: $279
…while the Meander forgoes the steel shank to make the boots more flexible, but adds a padded collar and higher quarters.