It’s been a downright deluge, but we’ve got the shoes and boots locked down tighter than the Clinch nails securing the soles on this week’s headliner. Also in store: the week’s top three Viberg drops, and some patina monsters from Iron Heart. Oh, and a handfull of sales too, if you’re a procrastinating son or daughter.
Plenty of other recent releases to check out 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.]
Clinch Cowboy Boots in Black Teacore Horsehide: $2,150
Revered Tokyo makers Clinch released their first cowboy boot last year, to more than a bit of fanfare. This one’s more toned-down—stars and whatnot are gone, and they’re just black—but the best part of this design may be the heel, with its slanted inner face and perilously steep rear angle. Currently available at Clutch Cafe, they’re hand-welted and configured with black teacore horsehide uppers atop reproduction O’Sullivans half soles. Pure magic.
Clinch Conrad Boots in Waxed Uneven Horse Suede: $1,813
Pancho and Lefty also has a few sizes remaining in Clinch’s Conrad model, a high lace-up boot with a unique pattern in that blends elements of lace-to-toe and derby style quarters. As you’d expect, the 270˚ flat welt is hand sewn, joining the repro O’Sullivans full soles to the waxed suede uppers. Note how the bottom of the sole shows slightly when the boots are viewed in profile—that’s because of the heavily sculpted footbed similar to what you’d see in high-end dress shoes.
Max Schaaf 4Q x White’s Riding Boot in Burgundy Chromexcel: $508 (Made to Order)
After a two decade career in vert skateboarding, Max Schaaf now builds choppers under the name 4Q Conditioning. His partnership with White’s has netted the Riding Boot, a 6″ boot built on the relatively low arches 610 last, with a deep and wide toebox and a Vibram Christy wedge. This week White’s introduced a new colorway in Burgundy Chromexcel, with a Black Chromexcel backstay. The boots use a 360˚ stitchdown construction, relatively unusual for White’s, and have a combination of eyelets and speedhooks. Most all of White’s boots are also 20% off for their semi-annual sale, from the 12th through the 18th.
Viberg Service Boot 310 in Antique Waxy Commander: $1,040
Drop No. 3 of Viberg’s SS25 collection released this week, with offering broadly in line with what we’ve come to expect from the last few drops: a broad cross section of Viberg’s patterns in offered in the select shades of Waxy Commander and suede. This time it was tobacco calf suede, alongside the Antique Waxy Commander that appears on these 310s, possibly our favorite boot of the drop. And yes, the leather is new—antique refers to the colorway. Beneath the upper is a standard 310 build, with double row stitchdown construction and Dainite outsoles. Check out the rest of drop No. 3 here.
Viberg Bristol in Avocado Janus Calf Suede: $1,115 (Pre-order)
The other big Viberg release was a collection of unlined shoes and boots available for pre-order. These leather soled Bristols got the avocado suede treatment, doubling down on the casual, summer focus of the whole release. Like the other models on offer, you’ll also find Acorn Janus calf and Peanut Papillon suede version. They use the 1905 last, and are built with a 270˚ flat welt. No stitchdown on this one…
Viberg Navvy Boot in Peanut Papillon Suede: $1,240 (Pre-order)
…but there are boots, specifically the Goodyear-welted Navvy model in a brouged cap-toe configuration. This Peanut version features a cushy Lactae Hevea sole, tonal speedhooks, and a 360˚ scalloped welt, while the other two colorways get Dainite and a flat welt. Check them (and the rest of the release) out here. Expected to ship by August 11th.
Lost & Found x Viberg Bristol in Nero Washed Kangaroo: $1,013
The Lost and Found team’s love for washed kangaroo is no secret—it’s one of the most frequent leathers on their collaboration makeups. This week it’s back, on the first ever wedge soled version of the Bristol. The wedge lends some extra visual weight to the sleeker 1905 last, complimented by a 360˚ split welt.
Rolling Dub Trio Roots 8.5″ in Black Horsebutt: $1,000
It’s only fitting that Rolling Dub Trio paired their most imposing last with a logger heel and a thick nitrile cork outsole, anchored by the (very even) double-row stitchdown construction. Emerging from that Roots last Munson toe is an absolute trunk of an 8.5″ shaft, complete with brass eyelets and plenty of speedhooks. The upper leather of choice is teacore Italian horsebutt, available in black…
Rolling Dub Trio Roots 8.5″ in Brown Horsebutt: $1,000
…and brown from Standard & Strange, who just restocked and are also running a 15% off sale (code PAPA at checkout) until the 15th.
Iron Heart x Wesco Guildsman in Natural Horsehide: $1,047
The Guildsman just gained a new colorway. Iron Hearts take on Wesco’s Hendrik, these are spec’ed out with a brogued cap toe, Vibram 269 western soles, and a double-row stitchdown construction. This new version is natural horsehide from Maryam probably has you thinking what we’re thinking… Patina Thunderdome starting this October 1??
Grant Stone Longwing in Tobacco Waxed Commander: $395 (Pre-order)
We really like the play between the texture of the waxed suede and the broguing on the new Waxy Commander pre-order from Grant Stone. A double leather outsole and 360˚ split beef things up even further, which is never, ever an issue.
Grant Stone Ottawa Boot in Tobacco Waxed Commander: $395 (Pre-order)
The other boot from that pre-order is Ottawa—also on Grant Stone’s Leo last—with the same 360˚ split welt and a slightly more rugged commando sole. As always, the hand-sewn stitching on the split-toe deserves a shoutout here.
John Lofgren Wabash Engineer Boot in Burnt Burgundy Deerskin: $1,595
Ezo Deerskin was basically made for engineer boots. The soft, supple texture means the leather tends to form fine, consistent wrinkles across the whole shaft, giving up more of its deep red undertones in the creases and folds. The patina’ed brass buckles add to the effect. Underfoot, there’s a 270˚ storm welt and Vibram half-soles. Currently available at Blue Owl, but unlikely to linger, at least in the more common sizes.
Brick + Mortar “Yakima” Plain Toe Boot in Tan Smooth Chamois: $750
Alden Trubalance plain toe boots have long lived in the shadow of a certain archeological relative, but lately they seem to be holding their own. Following up on their “Skagit Valley” and “Meadowlark” makeups, the Yakima puts the plain toe pattern on a 360˚ split reverse welt and commando half soles. The tan uppers are clicked from smooth Chamois and completed with brass hardware.
Russell Moccasin Gustin Bird Shooter Premier Build: $775 (Made to Order)
Russell Moccasin’s ur-boot is now has a customizable Premier Build version, available on six soles in seven upper leathers (just not all at once). The Bird Shooter, a 9″ lace up boot which uses Russell’s double-vamp moccasin construction, has been in just about the same form since it received its last major update in the late 20s. “Modern” amenities here means lighter Vibram sole formulations like the 2060, 360, and Sierra wedge, in additional to the more traditional Roccia, Montagna, and Oxford options. Just about every Russell boot is a variant of this platform in one way or another. This is one of the hardest-core versions you can get.
Franklin & Poe x Easymoc Old Port in Cigar: $398
Franklin & Poe took Easymoc’s three eyelet chukka pattern and gave it some extra grip and cushion in the form of a Vibram SBR outsole. The handsewn uppers are clicked from a leather we haven’t seen in a while—S.B. Foot’s Excalibur tannage in Cigar. Excalibur is a waxy, chrome tanned pull up leather which will lend a little extra stretch and softness to the Old Port’s moccasin construction.
Caswell Boot Co. Wilson II in Brown Teacore Cypress: $450
Made in Spain, the Wilson II is a six-inch derby boot with a brogued cap-toe and a satisfying swoop to the back of the shaft. The 360˚ split welt and rubber full-soles sit beneath uppers in Horween’s Cypress. Cypress is a veg-retanned leather, but unlike Chromexcel, it’s wet-stuffed rather than hot-stuffed, and mechanically dried, for a denser, more compact end product with less pull up.
Caswell Boot Co. Lisbon in Toscanello Horse TPR: $470
Caswell’s most recent Lisbon makeups use some really great leathers. In this case, that’s the TPR version of Maryam’s Toscanello horsehide, glazed with a mixture of oil, wax, and resin to give a strong sheen from the tannery. It’s combined with a 360˚ split reverse welt and commando half soles, and uses Caswell’s Morris last. It shares those specs…
Caswell Boot Co. Lisbon in Stone Rambler TPR: $430
…with the Stone Rambler makeup, with antiqued brass hardware that matches the waxed, flesh-out leather.
Bright Shoemakers Mountain Shoe in Soft Tobacco: $458
Copenhagen-based Bright makes a wide range of designs that can only be described as… swashbuckling? Or Bright’s had man Martin certainly is, at least. These two-tone mountain shoes are based on Italian-style hiking boots, with a unit lug sole, a padded collar and D-rings rather than eyelets. They use a 360˚ split welt and unique overlapping pattern on the facings that eliminates the need for a tongue. Available in “soft tobacco” suede…
Bright Shoemakers Mountain Shoe in Flora Black: $458
…as well as black and cognac highshine, both with tonal suede on the padded collar.