So, you probably like boots and shoes. You likely wouldn’t be on this incredibly nerdy website if you didn’t! Maybe trying them on for hours at a time, to finally find that perfect size and then just explode with joy. Let’s imagine you enjoy talking about boots and shoes with other good people who like boots and shoes, deep deep into the night, as Steve from Bedo’s puffs a cigar and cackles.
If you or someone you know is struggling with any of these afflictions, you should probably come to our Boot Camp mega-event this October 12 & 13th, 2024, in Brooklyn. Even if you live nowhere near Brooklyn. Countless people made the pilgrimage last year and only one complained! But that was because her car got (you’re never going to believe this) booted.
VIP tickets are on discounted pre-sale now! GA tickets are free, and also highly fantastic. You can’t go wrong—we just want to hang.
You’ll hear plenty more about Boot Camp in the next five months, but if you want to look at boots now, you’ll find our latest and greatest comfy collaboration with Russell Moccasin, a trio of Division Road boots on White’s sprung toed C461 last, a whole lot of Rolling Dub Trio at Standard & Strange, and more, in the latest: Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week.
If you’re craving more roundups, click 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.]
Stitchdown x Russell Moccasin Fishing Oxford in Walnut Timberjack: $650 (Pre-Order)
After V1 of our Russell Moccasin collab went swimmingly (fishingly?) we’re excited to be back with two more Fishing Oxfords open for pre-order now. They’re still tough, funky, and comfortable as hell—as Ben said, “they’re just built different.”
For the first model we’re working with S.B. Foot’s Walnut Timberjack, a wonderful pull-up leather that wants to be worn hard, and will reward you for it, built with a single vamp + molded sole construction on Russell’s Munson (or 30) last for a little extra room. Really fun casual shoes you can wear with pretty much anything.
Stitchdown x Russell Moccasin Finishing Oxford in Tan Laramie Suede: $650 (Pre-Order)
And then there’s these, a loving reimagining of our first Fishing Oxford collab, although for the the sole we swapped in another light and cushy Vibram 2060 cavity wedge (you have to mix things up just a little). By and large though, this is a model that we cooked up, loved, Domed, and loved even more. The Laramie suede is coarser than some, but still durable and soft with a slow burn patina, and they’ve got the same single vamp + molded sole combo as the Timberjack model above. Though we would never rank our personal boots (it would hurt their feelings), these would be quite high on the list if we did. Purely theoretically.
Division Road x White’s LTT Cutter in CF Stead New Rosewood Unicorn: $825
White’s C461 last is one of their less common and more unique lasts, with a chunky bump toe and a whole lot of toe spring built in from the jump. It’s long been popular with the Japanese market, but only a bit of a sleeper hit in the U.S., where for a long time it was only available on their Oxford model (at least on stock boots). Division Road just give us three new models on the last, including these lace to toe Cutters in CF Stead’s New Rosewood Unicorn, built with White’s traditional handsewn rolled welt construction (single row), on a Vibram Christy Sole.
Division Road x White’s Semi-Dress 350 in CF Stead Urban Brown Re-Tan Waxed Kudu: $825
These boots have a presence. They’re a large boot with a heel on a dramatic last, in a dark color which, because of the waxing, are a little extra three dimensional. Like the pair above, DR went with the single-row handsewn construction. The midsoles are dyed a dark brown and the soles are a split commando. This is how you dress down a Semi-Dress.
Division Road x White’s DR Springdale HSC 350 in CF Stead Flint Waxed Kudu: $825
This third pair I find fascinating: with textured Flint Kudu uppers and a lowered block heel/Vibram half sole combo beneath a black (edge-dyed) midsole and heel stack, they look deceptively like a more common work or tactical boot, plus the unmistakable White’s details (including the hand rolled stitchdown) and a stature you can’t achieve on a boot of lesser make. There’s a parallel but adjacent world where these our the everyman’s boots, unobtrusive but also striking. And SPRUNG.
Division Road x Easymoc Scout Boot DB in Hand Waxed Mole Suede and Trail Crazy Horse: $435
Division Road also tapped into a different American bootmaking tradition (Atlantic Northeast?) for a Scout Boot DB released with Easymoc. The two-tone chukka uses a combination of waxed mole suede, which combined with the pale veg tan midsole and the matte sand outsole (a chunky 2060 wedge) give you about as many shades of brown as one could reasonably ask for in a boot. .
Rolling Dub Trio Griffin Plain Toe Boots in Beige Suede: $850
A small army of Rolling Dub Trio boots recently touched down at Standard and Strange—they can be browsed here. A particular favorite are these suede Griffins, which with the heel, low toe, and suede, have a bit of a western thing going in a very good way. Between the woodsman heel, narrow waist, and thin rubber Boots Factory outsole, it’s also an aggressively curved boot. The 270˚ flat welt uses fine stitching executed impressively neatly, and the (brass) hardware setup is four eyelets/three speed hooks.
Bright Shoemakers Kiltie Moc Loafer in Black and Brown Cowhide: $314
Bright Shoemakers have historically made their always-fun Goodyear welt boots in a Spanish factory, but they’ve expanded to El Salvador for a very interesting new moccasin line. The Kiltie Moc Loafer above uses a pullup cowhide from Temola, and with a, the two toned uppers, and the brogued plug there’s a lot going on here, but it cohere’s around an esoteric but clear vibe that…actually works. This one is for my lawyer-cowboy-pirates.
Bright Shoemakers Kiltie Moc Loafer in Gold/Tan Suede: $314
Their other moc-loafer will be a little closer to most of our comfort zones, with suede upper from CF Stead that almost looks like buckskin. The nap of the suede tones down the brogueing a little bit, and a Vibram extralight wedge still makes these fairly beefy, at least visually and at least for a loafer.
Oak Street Bootmakers Lakeshore Boot in Gray Slider: $562
Oak Street has been experimenting with two colorways of the Lo Stivale tannery’s “Slider” Vachetta, a simply finished tannage with a light stain rather than the usual drum dye. They’ve rolled out the gray slider for a Lakeshore boot with a 360˚ split welt and an Isthide commando sole…
Oak Street Bootmakers Cap-Toe Field Boot in Brown Slider: $562
…and used the brown on a Cap-Toe Field Boot with a 360˚ flat welt and the same commando.
Russell Moccasin Backcountry Premier Build: $705
If you’ve ever felt to urge to cruise the Russell site trying to find the Backcountry model with the perfect specs, your life just got a whole lot easier. The premier build page now allows you to chose your own combo from five sole options (Vibram 2060, Aspen Gumlite, Vibram Roccia, Vibram Air Bob, Vibram Sierra Wedge) and six leather options (Walnut Timberjack, Weathered Oak Timberjack, Pecos Chamois, Bronze Chamois, Cognac Bison, Chocolate Bison).
Rancourt and Co. Classic Ranger Moc in Medium Brown Buckaroo: $288
Rancourt has three new models in Horween’s Buckaroo, a grain printed oiled cowhide with tons of color variation. It’s available on their Classic Ranger Moc, a four eyelet handsewn model on a camp sole…
Rancourt and Co. Pinch Penny Moc in Medium Brown Buckaroo: $288
…and the Pinch Penny Moc, a camp soled penny loafer pattern, among other models.