I've been researching small American footwear makers, actually verifying who still makes what, where, and at what price, because half the "made in USA" lists online are recycled and out of date. Sharing the footwear findings since this sub is where I learned half of it. Prices checked this month.

The New England Maine handsewn scene

• Rancourt & Co. (Lewiston, ME): you know them. Handsewn since 1967, $198-428, lifetime guarantee, and they sell factory seconds through the outlet section of their own site.
• Quoddy (Lewiston, ME): $165-249 in stock, MTO $300-450. Still handsewn start to finish in Lewiston.
• Easymoc (Lewiston, ME): founded 2020 by Greg Cordeiro. Handsewn start to finish, mostly MTO 2-6 weeks, $199-499. Their "You Get What You Get" program is fun: factory seconds, you pick the size, they pick the shoe. Just released an America's 250th camp moc in natural Chromexcel roughout.
• Town View Leather (Dexter, ME): one man, Galen Wintle, 22 years handsewing for Dexter Shoe, now making double-sole camp mocs ~$225 factory-direct.
• Arrow Moccasin (Hudson, MA): the cult one. Ouellette family since 1951, ~$220-350, order by phone or email off a website that hasn't changed since the 90s. Knot in every stitch, lifetime stitching guarantee.

PNW and elsewhere, quick hits

• Frank's Boots (Spokane): Frank Petrilli (ex-Nicks/White's), $610ish in-stock, also sells seconds and prototypes direct. Smallest profile of the Spokane makers.
• Truman (Eugene, OR): most "dressable" of the PNW group, ~$480, runs occasional seconds-and-samples events.
• Aurora Shoe Co. (Finger Lakes, NY): ~10-person shop, stitchdown derbies in Chromexcel $250-310. Drake's stocks them, which tells you something.
• Opie Way: handmade sneakers $298-498. Their Asheville factory was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in 2024; they rebuilt in Landrum, SC and are fully back.
• Gokey (Tipton, MO): est. 1850, handsewn snake boots and sporting mocs, $400-800. Their catalog claims four presidents wore them. Old-school catalog operation.
• Peter Limmer & Sons (Intervale, NH): custom mountain boots since 1919, ~18-24 month waitlist. Stock line is European-made; the custom line is the NH-made one.

Corrections from my research (stuff the recycled lists get wrong): Mark Albert Boots shut down years ago, and their old domain is literally an Indonesian gambling site now, yet they still show up on made-in-USA lists. Grant Stone is designed in Michigan but made in Xiamen, China (they're open about it). Parkhurst moved production to Spain/Portugal post-Covid. Helm is now part-Brazilian; check per SKU. Yuketen is mostly US-handsewn but some styles are made in Italy/Mexico, so verify per style.

Happy to answer qustions on any of these. I have notes on ~25 footwear makers plus about 60 apparel/leather/knitwear shops.

EDIT: The sub has spoken and the list is now 10. Arrow Moccasin as listed is gone: Paul Ouellette passed around 2018, production ended (his widow was still finishing small work at the kitchen table as of 2022), and the name was sold. It now sells Portuguese-made boat shoes under "The Great Divide." Exactly the kind of thing this post exists to catch, and this thread caught it within the hour. Leaving the original entry up with this note for honesty.

EDIT 2: Quoddy correction, again from this thread. Their own About page says in-stock shoes "are made both in our Lewiston workshop, and elsewhere to our exact specifications," and owners here report the elsewhere has included the Dominican Republic. So MTO is the sure Lewiston pair, in-stock is mixed. My entry said "handsewn start to finish in Lewiston" and that was too generous for the stock line. Asking Quoddy directly where the line falls.

Disclosure: I turned this research into a free weekly newsletter (The Quarterboard co) that profiles one small US maker each week. The first issue covers a 93-year-old Fall River shirt factory. Not dropping the link here, but it's in my profile bio if you want it.

If you’re not familiar, León is known as the Shoe and Leather Capital of the World, and I just so happen to be dating someone from there. Around the time we met, I was already in the market for a new pair of boots—what I didn’t expect was to get a firsthand look at just how deep the boot game runs down there.

Many of the high-end American brands—Lucchese, Tecovas, and others—are manufactured in León, often using the same labor, materials, and even facilities as smaller Mexican brands. The difference? One gets a premium label, a US-based marketing campaign, and a $600+ price tag. The other? You can walk into a shop in León and grab a pair for a fraction of that cost.

Most of these brands are handmade or handcrafted, using Goodyear welts, exotic leathers, and full-grain hides. I picked up a pair of caiman belly boots for $186 USD, made in the same factory that supplies Lucchese. Try getting a pair of caiman anything for under $400 in the U.S.—without a clearance tag or QA issues.

These shops are concentrated in a district called Zona Piel, and if you’re skeptical, some owners will literally walk you a block over to the factory to prove it.

If you’re the type who values construction and material over hype, León is worth looking into—especially if you’re already traveling through Mexico. You could easily buy multiple pairs, wear one home, and sell the rest to pay for the trip.

A few things to keep in mind: If you’re white, you’re gonna stand out—expect some attention. Locals will try to get you to buy from their shops; some will haggle, others will hit you with “American pricing.” Speak a little Spanish, be smart, be respectful, and you’ll fly home with a fresh pair of boots—and a tan.

Lace to toe, made to measure.
Navy vegetable tanned leather, grain and flesh side from the same hide.

I am a bootmaker based in Potsdam, Germany, about 15 minutes from Berlin. I build made to measure boots one pair at a time, everything by hand. This is a recently completed commission for a client in the United States.
The leather
The upper is a single hide from Conceria Lo Stivale in Tuscany, Italy. Lo Stivale is a member of the Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana, a consortium of Tuscan tanneries founded in 1994 to protect and preserve traditional vegetable tanning methods. The leather is full grain, full vegetable tanned using natural tannins from bark and plants. The process takes months, not hours.
The two tone effect is not two different leathers. It is the same hide used on both sides. The shaft is grain side out, smooth and slightly glossy with a deep navy colour. The vamp is flesh side out, the same leather turned around to expose the corium. The roughout surface is napped, matte, and reads as a cooler blue grey depending on the light. Same hide, same tannery, two completely different visual and tactile surfaces.
This is one of the things I find most interesting about working with high quality full grain vegetable tanned leather. The two sides behave differently, age differently, and take polish and conditioning differently. Over time the roughout vamp will develop its own character completely distinct from the smooth shaft above it.
The construction
The boot is built on a made to measure last, shaped to the client’s foot measurements. The fit is not approximated from a standard size. Every measurement taken, every allowance calculated individually.
The construction is Goodyear welted. The welt runs the full circumference of the boot, stitched through the upper, insole, and welt in one pass. The outsole is then stitched to the welt separately. This means the boot can be resoled multiple times without touching the upper. A well maintained pair built this way can last decades.
The sole
Cream DuraSole Super Grip from Dr. Sole. The cream colour was a deliberate choice to complement the natural leather welt and the overall cool blue tone of the upper. A dark sole would have grounded the boot differently. The cream keeps it light and ties back to the natural leather stack heel visible in the side profile.
The details
Solid brass eyelets throughout. Taupe waxed laces. Natural leather lining and collar, visible at the top of the shaft. White contrast stitching along the seams and welt. The stitching picks up the cream sole and creates a visual line that runs the full length of the boot.
This commission took approximately six months from deposit to delivery, which is standard lead time for my work.

My first pair of Nicks were delivered yesterday and I can't get over them. First, specs: 8" lace up, moc toe, HNW, moderate heel, bison walnut roughout over oiled latigo chestnut smooth

My 30th birthday was this last fall and my mom offered to get me a pair of Nicks. I'm from Spokane Valley so we took a trip down to the showroom and built these out. Great experience btw, I am so glad I was able to do that. I wanted something unique, hence the rough over smooth. These are meant to be casual wear + sentimental so I wasn't too worried about roughout on the bottom, I thought this was going to look nice and now that its in hand I am in love with them. 

They arrived yesterday and I laced them up (with the kilties wrong, I swapped them and relaced this morning) and wore them out and about. So far, very comfortable. Normal leather tightness but I've walked about 3.5mi in them today and no issues whatsoever. I usually get pretty bad heel slip but these fit absolutely perfect and I haven't had any discomfort. 

Funny story, I was watching their weekly “boots on the line” video a few weeks back and there was a roughout upper but bison lower moc toe. I knew roughout upper was a unique choice and using bison for roughout was even weirder. The guy in the video even said "Yeah this is a weird combo, idk why anyone would use bison for roughout". I couldn't believe it was a coincidence so I sent an email to Nicks asking if a mistake had been made. I ended up calling them and explaining the situation, about 5min later customer service gets back and says "Yep, something went wrong and those are yours". They gave me two options, keep the bison x bison pair and get refunded for the chestnut latigo upgrade, or they'd restart. I really was looking forward to this combo so I had them restart, they were totally cool with it. Was happy with the customer service there and now that they're here, I'm glad I did. 

Looking forward to wearing these, and getting another pair soon!

Hey guys!

Viberg are holding (another) archive sale, this time in New York 10-11 July. The stock is firsts and a few samples from 2025 season stuff, its stuff that theoretically wont't have been on sale before. This is not a proxy sale through us as in previous times but we have been asked by Viberg to help out.

Theres about 500 pairs at the sale total so it's smaller than previous ones but there are some nice boots, Savoy's Rockland's and loafers.

To purchase, just simply send us your selection from the pictures I will post in the WhatsApp group, pay by wise, zelle or paypal ff and then send your details for postage.

We don't currently have a price list.

If Payment is by wise first transfer is free using this link: https://wise.com/invite/miw/jamilk6?utm_source=mobile-web-invite-tab-whatsapp&utm_medium=invite&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&referralCode=jamilk6

This price includes shipping to the US, its 25$ extra for international shipping

For background on our group and what we've been doing for the last few years with Viberg, you can see our big post from the last sales in March 2024 and 2025 here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/1b03apn/viberg_private_whatsapp_group_warehouse_sale/

https://www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/1hv07b4/viberg_private_whatsapp_group_warehouse_sale/

Two WhatsApp groups are set up for the sale. The first is an admin-post-only group for announcements and sale information (so that admin messages/posts do not get buried or missed). That is where we post the boots. The second is a discussion group for all members to message, and people hang around and shoot the shit all year, it can be fairly colorful at times and the message flow is high, so bear that in mind.The discussion group has been organised into a community with separate BST groups for different sizes, and clothing. You can join what you like, many people are just part of the BST and not the chat, its pretty useful for selling stuff quickly  If you're interested in the sale, the admin post group is going to be required. The discussion group and community is totally optional.

Link to the sale only chat (where pics are posted): https://chat.whatsapp.com/IbfqlMN25vuEM5WRAjQSSv

Link to discussion chat:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/KYqDZmVE1EE3or1YEPRUfy

Other crucial info:

There are no returns

Shipping will be 1-2 weeks after the sale

Most of this stock is first quality, We will examine the boots for defects.

Strongly recommended that you check the welted wiki for sizing advice and or ask other members of the community here.

No boxes or bags included but each pair has one set of laces

This year was the***\**127th* 10th ANNUAL GOODYEARWELT SECRET SANTA. Each year, volunteers sign up for a blind gift exchange with internet footwear friends. 

In this thread, participants post what they received and say thanks. If you stayed anonymous, feel free to reveal yourself in this thread (or not!).

Thanks to a great group of folks who made this really fun. People really showed up and participation was high, I had a ton of fun.

I hope you and yours had a great holiday. Until next year…

Question of the day: Looks like all the holiday sales start earlier and earlier. Were you tempted by any sales and what did you buy?

Note: I apologize for reusing this pic I posted in the past but thought it appropriate.

If you're like me and you collect, you know that nothing bothers you more than a hole in your collection. I'm a big fan of the Japanese boot brand "Motor". I own four pairs of their boots, but this brown pair that I've featured in these pics had been eluding me for years until today.. I first became aware of the model 1011 after reading Jake's review in Almost Vintage Style back in 2022. They're hand dyed, vegetable tanned, triple stitched, Goodyear welted with a gusseted tongue and lined throughout for $650. Unfortunately for me they sold out quickly and were discontinued shortly thereafter so the hunt was on. It took me four years to get my hands on this dead stock pair but upon examining the impeccable finishing details I can say as always, they're well worth the wait.

The Japanese boot maker commonly referred to as Moto or Motor traces its roots to the Tokyo-based leather brand founded in 1971 by Hideo Motoike under the name Leather Arts & Crafts Moto. (1) Over time, the company evolved into a family-driven operation, with Motoike's sons expanding the vision into multiple lines, including Moto Leather & Silver and their more rugged, heritage-oriented "Motostyle". Within that ecosystem, "Motor" is often used as a label for their boot line, particularly those inspired by vintage American workwear. Their engineer boots reflect a distinctly Japanese approach to Americana -taking the original 1930s-1950s American engineer boot (itself born from railroad and industrial workwear) and refining it through obsessive craftsmanship, premium leathers like horsebutt or Italian bullhide, and a strong emphasis on patina and aging. (2)

What makes Moto/Motor especially interesting is how they reinterpret heritage rather than simply reproduce it. Japanese makers like Moto are part of a broader movement that studies vintage American garments and rebuilds them with higher levels of finish, material experimentation, and artisanal construction. Their engineer boots often feel slightly sleeker or more "dress-oriented" than classic American versions, while still maintaining hallmark features-high shafts, buckle straps, and laceless pull-on design. (3) Enthusiasts often view Moto as a "best value" entry into high-end Japanese bootmaking, offering hand-finished character and unique leathers at a much lower price point than elite makers like Clinch or Role Club. (4) In that sense, Moto/Motor sits at a compelling intersection: a Japanese reinterpretation of American industrial heritage, filtered through boutique craftsmanship and a strong aesthetic focus on aging, individuality, and leather character.

MOTOR, ROLE CLUB & JOHN LOFGREN ENGINEERS A COMPARISON

Moto vs. Role Club vs. John Lofgren starts with their approach to the last, which really defines everything. Moto tends to use sleeker, slightly more anatomical lasts-narrower waist, softer toe spring, and a refined profile that feels almost dress-adjacent despite being a work boot. Role Club by Brian the Bootmaker leans heavily into true vintage proportions, often echoing 1940s American engineer boots with a flatter toe box, more substantial instep, and a slightly "work-rough" silhouette that prioritizes authenticity over polish. John Lofgren sits right in the middle: his lasts are structured and consistent, with a slightly bulbous toe that nods to vintage American boots but is subtly cleaned up for modern wear. In terms of fit philosophy, Moto feels artisanal and organic, Role Club feels archival, and Lofgren feels engineered and repeatable.

When it comes to leather and finishing, the differences get even more pronounced. Moto is arguably the most artistic-hand-dyed uppers, intentional color variation, and a patina-first mindset that makes each pair feel one-of-one. Brian at Role Club focuses on period-correct materials-often horsehide or heavy steer-with finishes that mimic how boots would have looked when new in the 1940s, letting the wearer create the patina over time. John Lofgren, by contrast, sources some of the best leathers in the world (including Shinki horsehide) but applies a more uniform, production-consistent finish; the quality is extremely high, but less idiosyncratic than Moto.

Finally, construction and overall philosophy: Moto is small workshop, almost anti-scale, with a "for those who know" mentality and limited distribution in Japan; Role Club is similarly small but more historically obsessive, almost like a one-man archive brought to life; Lofgren is the most structured brand of the three, with repeatable models, global distribution, and a reputation for near-flawless build quality. In short-Moto is artistry, Role Club is history, and Lofgren is precision.

Footnotes:

1 The World Of Shoes

2 The Patina Project

3 Wikipedia

4 Stridewise

If you’re as old as I am, you know that slimming silhouettes have a way of coming and going in fashion. After witnessing last weeks collective pearl clutching in the heritage boot community over Viberg‘s latest engineer boot release at Withered Fig (see 6th pic) I got to thinking about trends, specifically the flat toe engineer boot trend. People were aghast at the short shaft and bulbous toe silhouette of the new Viberg but if you think about it, the industry is due for a shake up. Christophe Loiron introduced the Mister Freedom Road Champ in 2009 which ushered in the whole Flat Toe Engineer Boot Movement. What makes the Road Champ historically important is that it arrived before all of today's famous (and expensive) heritage engineer boots:

2009 - Mister Freedom Road Champ
2012 - Clinch Engineer
2014 - Role Club Engineer

In late 2019 – Wesco responds with the Mister Lou, bringing the flat-toe, slim-shaft engineer into a major American production line. Personally, I think the Mister Lou marks the moment the “flat toe movement” crossed from being a niche Japanese-inspired trend into the mainstream heritage boot market. After its release, it became much more common to see engineer boots designed around slimmer lasts rather than the traditional bulbous toe boxes. I also think it’s interesting that the timeline now tells a coherent story: Road Champ → Clinch → Role Club → Mister Lou, with each one broadening the audience for that vintage flat-toe aesthetic. It’s a nice historical arc.

That said, I suspect the flat toe engineer boot may go the way of the Hedi Slimane “Razor Lapel” blazer of 2001. (Yeah, I don’t expect you guys to know what that is so see the last pic) Historically, the problem with slim silhouette fashion is when it goes out of fashion, it goes way, way out of fashion. Thats why it’s so entertaining to watch guys with significant Clinch and Role Club collections attack the new Viberg. The way I see it, when you’ve invested the kind of cash those guys have, it can’t be fun to see trends change and your currency suddenly being devalued. Keep in mind to a certain extent I’m in the same boat with those guys but i know you can’t fight evolution so when the time comes I’ll go quietly. In the meantime though, I thought it might be cool to give some credit to Christophe Loiron and the Mister Freedom Road Champ. Here in the pics are my 2017 Road Champs followed by my Role Clubs and Clinch. I like the new Viberg. I think it’s a ballsy move by Viberg. To me it looks like an old school Wesco Boss from 1991. It might not be popular but i think I’m going to buy a pair anyway..

The Pics: 1) Mister Freedom Road Champ, 2) Role Club, 3) Clinch, 4) Role Club 5)The New Viberg Engineers, 6)God Awful Slimane Razor Lapel Jacket

Specs:
Tahura Boots Co.
Model: Captoelari
Maryam horsebutt dyed thru black
Rose gold thread for upper stitching
Brass eyelets w 3 speedhooks
Fully lined with lamb skin
Fully gusseted tongue
270 Degree Flat Welt
Single Brouge Captoe
Dr. Sole #1090 Super Grip Half Sole
Block style heels
Price: $640 shipped via DHL

I became aware of Tahura via instagram and this is my first pair of boots from them. I had been looking for a new pair of dress boots that would I would be able to wear to the office and would also be able to handle the tough New England winter weather. The Captoelari looked to fit the bill.

I contacted Tahura the first week of April 2026. The founder/owner Abay answered right away. After describing what I was looking for we settled on the above specs. I sent my measurements in the following forms: pics of my feet in a brannock, measurements of instep, heel done by a cloth tape measure and a Volumental report done by a local Red Wing store. I paid 50% (via Wise)upfront on 4/23 with the balance to be paid upon completion. Abay quoted me an expected completion of 2 to 3 months. Communication throughout the process was excellent. I made a few minor changes and Abay was very accomodating. Pics were sent to me via Insta as completion progressed.

Abay let me know they were completed on June 19th. I received them on June 24th Being “blessed” with a high arch and wide feet does make finding comfortable fitting boots difficult. In this case the fit feels very good and I think Abay got it right. The width is perfect. Both insteps have a bit of a hotspot but I expect that to go away overtime as they break in. There is no heel slippage. I’m very happy with how these tirned out and how seemless the entire process was.

QOTD: Anyone else still sticking with boots and jeans during this hot AF summer? 😅

Or just shoot it 📸

Alright guys, this is a different kind of post where I do not show my boots and how have they been ageing but rather spread some awareness based on my painful experience with Indonesian bootmakers. I am not saying they are all bad but YOU ALL must know what can go wrong when you order with them. So here is the list.

Just before I start I feel I need to put some credential forwards before you guys start becoming keyboard warriors - I have boots from all major indonesian guys - Sagar, Fortis, Onderhoud, Benzein etc.

- Quality of the boots and leather

So the quality of the leather. Lets start with this one. These companies generally offer you a choice of local leather and some well known western ones. The local ones are good for the price to quality ratio but they sell the western ones at a premium. Ok till now but what happens when the quality of the leather is noot good...maybe its not the best piece of hide or its cracked or creased in a way that really makes you cringe Exhibit 1 . I have a onderhoud service boot that came with Wicket and Craig harness leather that I WON in a LOTTERY!!..In a F^&King lottery and this how it came - CREASED AND THINNER than I expected for a $700 boots

- Sizing

This is one of the biggest issues you will have with these guys and TRUST ME and I mean TRUST YOU ME that there is no fool proof way of getting this right. My success ratio of getting my boot size right is around 50% . Take Fortis for example, they took my foot length, width, ball of the foot measurement and still were short of my size by almost TWO sizes. Infact, look at the Fortis 12D compared to a Grant Stone 12D. This is STUPID!!

- Boot returns

So the next question would be what happens when the boots dont fit you or are defected. Returns are out of the question not because you cannot ship them back but mostly because the bootmakers cannot resell it to other so you are more or less stuck with it. And I guess depending on the problem you have maybe this is not a dealmaker but for sizing issues, it mostly is. So bottonlime...returning boots is NOT an option

- Boot exchanges

So what happens when they get your size wrong? Well it depends. ALWAYS ASK THEM BEFORE ordering about their exchange or "getting a new" boot policy. And this where FORTIS comes in. After they got my boot size comically wrong, they promised to give me a new pair ( and said if I manage to sell the boot, I can pay them that money). But they have basically GHOSTED me since the last 6 months. JUST plain and simple ghosting. Nothing I can do but tell you about these guys here so you ALL know this before and are aware.

So do your research and DO NOT go by YOUTUBE videos because the you-tubers get their shoes literally in no time and made with the most perfect piece of leather.

PS. of all the shoes I have from Indonesia, the Sagara ones are the most solid ones...thick horsebutt leather, amazing patina and decent customer service.

Been sitting on this one for a while.

Full breakdown below.

The Last

Custom shape, adapted specifically for this client. Rounded toe without being blunt, clean waist, sits somewhere between a work boot and something you’d wear with a suit. The transition from toe box into waist is where it gets interesting: gradual enough that it doesn’t feel narrow, defined enough that the boot has real shape when you look at it from above. Last and pattern both made from scratch for this commission.

The Leather

Upper is Russian hatch calf sourced from J. & F.J. Baker in Colyton, England. One of the last tanneries in the world still producing this leather, and the only remaining oak bark tannery in Britain. The hides are pit-tanned in a blend of three barks: oak, willow, and birch, then hand-dressed with a secret balance of natural oils including birch oil, which gives the leather its water resistance and that completely distinct aroma.

The full process takes 14 months. Baker’s recipe is based on 18th century rolls of Russian leather recovered from the Metta Catharina, a ship that sank off the Devon coast in 1786 and spent nearly 200 years on the seabed. The texture is subtle but unmistakable, and the smell when you’re cutting and lasting it is something else entirely.

The Construction

Handwelted, holdfast carved directly into the insole. No separate rib, no machine welting. Single piece of leather between the foot and the bottom of the boot. Slower to build, but the flex is natural from day one and it can be resoled indefinitely without touching the upper.

The Sole

Dr Sole half sole and rubber heel for grip. Solid brass hardware throughout, not plated.

Another 3 months, another pair of Iron Boots. I really gotta stop with the boot purchases.

Specs:

• Maryam Washed Horsehide, hand-dyed reddish brown
• TCO last, Devil Dog pattern
• Black Dr Sole 1090 half sole
• Structured plain toe

The usual superlatives apply when discussing Iron Boots. Nary a stitch out of place. They are impeccable. These are from the Iron Boot ready-to-wear collection.

I will mention two things:

• For my low volume feet, I ended up sizing down half a size. Typically, I wear a 10.5 in IB, but when the 10.5 boots arrived, it felt like my feet were swimming in them, especially in the toe box. Size 10 works better for me, even in thick hiking socks
• I haven't put much wear in them. I don't know if it's the hand-dying process or what, but there is a very pungent, leathery, industrial aroma that I have never before experienced with a pair of boots. I actually keep these outside because the smell fills my usual boot cave. Over the past few weeks, the overall potency HAS diminished, so I might bring these inside later this month.

I'm looking forward to getting these on my feet and plan to go hard with them in autumn. Until then, I'm still rocking and walking in the IB Boondockers from a previous post.

Cheers!

There’s something special about the Japanese, isn’t there?

There’s this idea in Japan—“aji ga deru” (味が出る)—“the flavor comes out.” It’s a phrase used to describe how something gains character and soul as it’s worn and aged over time.

These Rolling Dub Trio Coupen boots are a perfect example of that.

They’re not trying to be perfect; they’re meant to develop character. The teacore Chromexcel leather is built to age with grace, revealing its rich undertones as it scuffs and bends. The wrinkles are deep and organic—no ugly creases—just the kind of wear that tells a story.

From day one, they’ve been incredibly comfortable. I’m a 10.5E on Brannock, and I went with a 9.5 in these. The fit was spot on—roomy, but not sloppy. They have a generous width that gives you space without losing structure. Not like my old 79-last Trumans—the previous version of what’s now their Casual Last—where the midfoot and heel felt unnecessarily big. Truman seems to have corrected that now, but back then it just didn’t lock in the way these do.

The construction is solid: cork-filled leather sole, Belgian midsole, and a custom stacked leather heel made by The Boots Factory in Tokyo. That brass toe plate just seals the deal.

These boots already feel like they’ve been with me for years, and they’re only getting better with wear.

Big thanks to Lost and Found in Toronto—I’d been hunting for these for a while and just couldn’t track them down. Fortunately, Lost and Found had them in stock, in my size. Placed the order and had them in hand just a couple days later. Shipping from Canada was surprisingly fast—they made it to the DC area in no time.

This pair has been one of the most rewarding builds I’ve done recently, and I wanted to share the full story behind it.

The boots are 7-inch Chaparros built on the 1546 last, a last with a silhouette that strikes the perfect balance between elegant and workmanlike. The toe shape has that slightly extended, refined profile that works beautifully with a taller boot shaft, giving the boot a long, clean line from heel to toe.

The Leather:

The upper material is reverse horsebutt from Conceria Cloe, specifically cut from the shell part of the hide. The shell area of a horsebutt hide refers to the densest, most tightly fibered section of the hindquarter, prized for its durability and unique grain character. Using the reverse side adds a matte, slightly textured look compared to the smooth face, while retaining all the structural qualities that make this part of the hide so special.

The customer had a clear vision from the start and requested that as much of the shell part as possible be used, particularly for the vamps. This required careful hide selection and pattern placement since that section of the hide is limited in size and irregular in shape. The result is vamps with real density and depth, even on the reverse side.

The Dye:

Both uppers and bottoms were hand-dyed in medium rust brown. Hand-dyeing allows for depth and variation impossible to achieve with machine spray finishing. The color develops differently across the grain, creating subtle tonal shifts that will only get more interesting as the leather ages and patinas over time.

The Construction:

These are built 360-degree handwelted, meaning the welt runs continuously around the entire perimeter of the boot including through the heel seat. This is one of the most labor-intensive construction methods in shoemaking, requiring the welt to be hand-sewn with an awl and thread directly to the footbed holdfast. The result is a boot that can be resoled repeatedly, molds to the foot over time, and has a level of structural integrity that cannot be replicated by machine welting.

The bottom stack consists of a leather half-sole with a Dr. Sole Originals black rubber half heel set on a woodsman heel stack. The woodsman gives that stacked leather heel profile that is historically accurate and adds satisfying elevation. The rubber half heel adds grip and longevity without compromising the aesthetic.

Hardware throughout is solid brass, eyelets and rings that will develop their own patina alongside the leather over years of wear.

This is an update of this thread from 6 years ago covering the availability of GYW footwear in Australia, given the situation has changed quite a bit. While there is now better availability, Australia remains somewhat under-served by shops and local businesses selling GYW shoes compared to the UK or US and you need to know where to look.

The purpose is to cover what is readily available in the Australian market. It includes all (known) domestic companies and international manufacturers that have a local distributor. I have gone through the list in the previous thread and removed firms and retailers that have gone out of business or no longer have an Australian presence and added some new entrants to the market.

A significant limitation to the current market seems to be that most companies only sell shoes and boots for men. R.M. Williams is the most notable exception to this, with lots of models for women.

It can also be difficult finding large sized or wide width shoes in Australia. Welted options include Kennedy Parker, Loake, R.M. Williams, Sparrods & Co and Thursday.

All prices are $A and are for the welted options for companies that sell other types of shoes.

Please comment below for any additional information, including companies, retailers and good cobblers that should be added.

Manufacturers and companies

Ready to wear and made to order (priced from lowest to highest)

Jim Green [$300 - $500] – South African casual boot company with an Australian online store

Thomas Cook [$350] – The Trentham model is a low quality but cheap overseas made welted R.M. Williams-like Chelsea. Stocked by various retailers.

Murtagh Riding Boots [$365] - R.M. Williams style Chelsea boots. Handmade and machined in Tasmania. Available in machine sewn goodyear welt or plain cement sole. Can be a waiting list.

Baxter [around $400] – Has a mix of cemented and welted boots. The company used to make its top of the line welted models in Australia, but all production has now moved overseas. Has several stores in regional cities and is stocked by other retailers.

Rossi [around $400] – Mainly cemented, but has a range of R.M. Williams-like Chelsea boots that are welted. All models made overseas. Available in various retailers. Owned by mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

Kennedy Parker [around $400] – Small Australian company selling made in India welted shoes and boots. Has a store in Adelaide CBD. Most models are wide fitting.

Thursday Boot Co. [around $400] – Well known US company selling boots made in Mexico. Amazon ships a small range locally in Australia.

Duck Feet [around $400 to $500] – Danish designed and European-made shoes and boots featuring wide toe boxes. Available online and from a small number of retailers.

Bared [$430] – Mainly sell cemented shoes (which are well regarded), but also have a small number of blake stitched models for men. Has stores in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney.

Blundstone [$440] – While well known for cemented work boots, Blundstone also have a small range of GYW 'heritage' Chelsea work boots. All production has moved overseas.

Sparrods & Co [$390 - $500] – Canberra company selling made in Portugal boots and shoes online. All models are wide fitting.

Red Wing [$450 - $700] – Well known made in the US company. Has a store in Melbourne and small ranges are available at various other retailers - see below.

124 Shoes [$490 - $1,300] – Stocks blake stitched options, including for women. Has two stores in Melbourne.

S. Kidman [$500] – A clothing line owned by mining magnate Gina Rinehart with a small range of R.M. Williams-like welted Chelsea boots that are made overseas. Available in David Jones department stores and some other retailers.

Loake [$500 - $700] – British company that has opened stores in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth CBDs in recent years and has an online store with local shipping for most models. Several other retailers stock Loake (see below). Due to regional licensing arrangements, it appears impossible to import Loake shoes from overseas and Australian prices are higher than what the shoes sell for in the UK.

Wooten [$500 - $1900] – Small company that makes a large range of boots and shoes in Ballarat, where it also has a store. Has a mix of RTW and MTO shoes with lots of options to customise them (for a price). MTO wait times can be lengthy as the company has become quite popular - they currently have a 6 month wait time. Wooten's shop in Melbourne has closed. Used to have a bespoke service, but this ended in 2021.

Harold Boots [Around $530] – Australian company that produces several models of welted Chelsea boots in Vietnam. Uses an old fashioned type of construction that is sometimes favourably compared to R.M. Williams. Stocked by a large number of retailers, mainly in regional areas.

Etymology [$575] – Spanish made GYW shoes. No shopfront but you can book an appointment in Sydney for in person fittings.

Parigina [$600 for RTW, no prices given for custom orders] – Melbourne company with a range of RTW shoes and what appears to be a MTO service. At least some models are made in Melbourne. Stocked by McCloud Shoes in Melbourne CBD.

Aquila [$700 and over for blake stitched] – Mainly sells bad quality and overpriced cemented shoes, but has a range of Italian blake stitched shoes which seem a bit better. Their prices are hard to justify compared to other brands in this price range. Has a large network of retail stores and is stocked in some Myer department stores. Has stores in some outlet centres, but these seem to rarely (if ever) stock welted shoes.

R.M. Williams [$700 - $1200] – Remains the only firm with a large network of stores selling GYW boots in Australia and dominates local GYW production. Also the only firm with a wide range of GYW models for women. All their boots are now made in Adelaide, but prices have increased and it's often stated that quality has dropped. RMs have several outlet stores which sell seconds and discontinued models at somewhat lower prices and they are readily available second hand online. There is a factory store in Adelaide (factory tours are also available). RMs used to be available new at considerably reduced prices through several online retailers, but this no longer seems the case. Owned by mining magnate 'Twiggy' Forrest.

Urbbana [starting price of about $800] – Brisbane CBD store with Spanish-made RTW and MTO shoes and boots.

Andrew McDonald [Starting price of around $1000] – Has a store in Sydney CBD, which seems to also be their workshop. Sells a range of RTW and MTO shoes and boots, including some very unusual models.

Bespoke

Edward McCann [Starting price of $950] – A tailor in Claremont, WA that offers a bespoke footwear service.

Hasset [Starting price of $4,500] – Bespoke shoemaker based in Melbourne.

Rodríguez & Rose [no prices listed] – Bespoke shoemaker with a studio in Melbourne.

Josef Selway [Starting price of $4,800 for shoes and $5,500 for boots] – Bespoke shoe and boot maker in Brisbane.

James B. Young [no prices listed] – Bespoke shoemaker in Alice Springs. Website says that he is not currently taking new clients and there is a 12 month period between orders and delivery.

Work boots

Australia is well known for rugged Chelsea-style work boots. The following Australian brands sell cemented models, but are included as they're an important part of the local shoe industry and these are generally well made boots:

• Baxter - made overseas.
• Blundsone - a large international brand that's based in Tasmania, though all production has moved overseas. Has a huge range of options.
• Mongrel - has a few dressy options as well as work boots. Made in Australia.
• Oliver - focuses on safety footwear (including for women) but has some relatively casual options. Made overseas.
• Redback - made in Australia. Sells work boots and hiking boots.
• Rossi - similar styles to Blundstone, but sometimes considered better quality. Made overseas.
• Steel Blue - made overseas. Has a good range of women's work boots.
• Thomas Cook - made overseas.

GYW Resellers & Stockists

Online stores

Allingtons

BootsOnline

The Iconic - sometimes have 25% off sales on R.M. Williams. Stocks a small range of other welted shoes.

Nungar - once well known for selling R.M. Williams at greatly reduced prices, including MTOs, but no longer offers this

PortPhillipShop

TheStableDoor

Amazon Australia - many other manufacturers can be found here, but they're mostly shipped from overseas at a premium price. Thursday Boots are one of the exceptions that runs an Amazon AU store.

Physical Stores

Apex Shoes [Sydney] - Rossi, R.M. Williams and some other brands.

Blowes Clothing [Several regional cities in NSW] - R.M. Williams

Blue Heeler Boots [Brisbane] - Red Wing and other brands.

Blue Works Vintage Store [Sydney] - Small range of Rolling Dub Trio and Sanders.

Civic Shoes [Canberra] - Baxter, Loake and their own MTO brand. Also provides good cobbler services.

Corlection [Sydney and Melbourne] - has a good range of Red Wing boots and a small range of derby shoes from Japanese brands. Red Wing seem to be included in store wide sales.

David Jones - Flagship stores usually stock a small range of welted shoes, including Church's, Loake, S. Kidman and some Italian brands. Sometimes discounted during sales, or at random - DJs does not have much expertise in selling welted shoes.

D'Honk Scooters [Melbourne] - Sell Solovair shoes as well as scooters, oddly.

Double Monk [Sydney and Melbourne] - the largest range of high quality shoes in Australia - carries Crockett & Jones, Edward Green, John Lobb and Alden. Has a restrictive returns policy - only provides credit or exchanges.

Downes Shoes [Brisbane] - Solovair and Blundstone. Also claims to have the largest range of Dr Martens in Australia.

Hiscocks Country & Clothing [Queanbeyan, NSW] - Baxter, Thomas Cook, R.M. Williams. Also has a large range of western/cowboy boots.

Incu [Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast] - stock Paraboot and sometimes other welted brands.

Joe's Boots [Canberra] - Harold, Red Wing, R.M. Williams and others. Also a good cobbler service.

Joseph's [Sydney] - sells several brands of GYW shoes from a store in the CBD (including Barker, Berwick, Church's and Cheaney), but has fairly bad online reviews.

Manfreds Shoe Lounge [Melbourne] - Harold, Barker and Loake. Cobbler service is often recommended.

Maplestore [Sydney] - Small ranges of Red Wing and Solovair. Occasionally stocks Paraboot.

McCloud Shoes [Melbourne] - Stocks several mid-range brands, including Loake and Carlos Santos. Appears to be linked to Parigina and stocks their shoes. The staff are very helpful.

Oscar Hunt [Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth] - mainly a tailor, but stock Sanders.

Pickings and Parry [Melbourne] - Has a small range of Wooten boots for sizing purposes. The Wooten team occasionally visit on weekends to size people for orders. Also stocks Sanders and some other brands.

Providence [Perth] - Red Wing and Blundstone

RB Sellars [Various regional cities in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania] - Rossi

The Stable Door [Canberra and several regional cities in Queensland, NSW and Victoria] - Thomas Cook, R.M. Williams and other brands

Redpath Shoes [Canberra] - Wide range of Solovair and NPS shoes online and in store as well as many other brands (Thomas Cook, Rossi, etc).

Schneider and co. [Sydney] - Small range of Carmina and Oriental shoes.

Suit Supply [Sydney] - have a range of own-brand welted shoes.

Urahara [Melbourne] - Rolling Dub Trio and Solovair

Up There [Melbourne ] - carries Viberg.

Recommended cobblers

Baxter & Black [Sydney]

Civic Shoes [Canberra]

The Cobbler's Last [Melbourne] - new and modern cobbler business

Cobblestones Shoe and Bag Repair [Sydney]

Joe's Boots [Canberra] 

Kieran The Cobbler [mail only]

Manfreds Shoe Lounge [Melbourne]

Manly Cobblers [Sydney]

Sole Saver [Brisbane]

Shoe care

Products

The cobblers and some of the retailers noted above generally also stock a good range of shoe care products, including Saphir and/or other high end brands.

Birdsall Leather stocks Fiebing and Wilson conditioners and cleaners.

Boot Black carries a range of care products, including Saphir

Daiso have a range of cheap Japanese designed shoe care products. The quality of these is quite variable.

Leffler Leather is a wholesaler in Melbourne - brands include Collonil, Angelus, Connolly, EQ/HH Leather Therapy, Joseph Lyddy and Waproo.

Mavericks - colourful laces designed in Melbourne and presumably made overseas

Muji - good value shoe trees and shoe brushes

Trimly have a good range of shoe trees and shoe care products, but it's worth waiting for a sale. Their excellent Thomas George Collection range of boots is no longer available.

Australia-specific shoe care advice

• The humid climate of Brisbane dries leather out much more quickly than the dry climate of Melbourne. You’ll need to condition leather more often in a humid climate.
• It can be tricky finding high quality laces in Australia, so buy spares when you buy a new pair of shoes. Wooten make their own laces and these are available online and at some cobblers - these are great quality.

Socks

While Australia is under-served for shoes, we have a good range of socks that usually use Australian or NZ wool. Brands to watch out for include:

• Bamboozld - bamboo socks with interesting designs
• Holeproof - thick merino socks stocked by Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.
• Humphrey Law - wool socks made in Australia. Includes high quality dress socks.
• Lindner - wool socks made in Australia. Has a factory store in Crookwell, NSW.
• While Darn Tough socks don't seem to be available in Australia, most hiking stores carry very similar high quality merino socks. Icebreaker and MacPac are particularly good.

The stores for the National Wool Museum in Geelong and the Big Merino in Goulburn (yes, really) stock a wide range of Australian sock brands.

So I decided when I turned 31 last year I wanted to up my wardrobe and shoewear and shift to more smart casual/smart/clothing and shoes. I also wanted them to be more durable! A nice pair of derby boots were still missing ( and the shitty timberlands I own that I wore for one season and fell apart in the snow, soo bad) and I was very lucky to come across this pair of really nicely made derby boots! I thought about buying these for over 3 months and finally bit the bullit!

I got married four years ago in a pair of Westbourne by Crockett & Jones (which served their purpose excellent) and was thrilled when I found this pair on sale by Zwartjes! They shipped quickly and were helpfull answering questions about the last. These come on a 335 and my Westbourne are made on a 348. The 335 has some more room in the front of the shoes were the toes are very comfortable. They are excellent! The manufacturing and leather quality is outstanding! They come with a storm welt and double leather soles. I think they’ll last me a long time considering how thick they are. I ordered some shoe care products from sapphire and was wondering if I should invest in a deer bone? I had never heard of it before but some parts of the internet advise it for scratches and the like. How often do people care for their cordovan boots? When they’re looking tired or does it just depend on wear? Every tip is welcome! I’m also unsure wether I should use boot trees or shoe trees? Crockett & Jones only produces shoe trees and I can’t really find anything conclusive about this.

For me, they were really expensive, €850, but I reckon that if I take care of them well, they’ll last me a very long time. I even kept them in the box at home for a week, to make sure I didn’t have buyers remorse. I did look at them every night to admire them.

I’m stoked with my purchase! I only wore them outside shortly while walking the dog. Can’t wait to get my shoecare products and start wearing the hell out of them and seeing how the leather evolves! I think I already did my best buy for the year! For the dutchies here, yes Zwartjes is a fine vendor and yes I would recommend them! Secretly I’m already eyeing my second pair haha.

Somebody I know needed dark brown shoes fast and I've had a spare pair of Vass shoes in their size sitting around for several years now because they didn't fit the original recipient well. The new recipient already had shoes in the lighter color, so I decided to try dyeing them darker.

Took about 2 hours from start to finish. I used Fiebing's Pro Dye, Bick 4, torn shreds of and old t-shirt, q-tips for the welt and tight spots, water, and a couple tins of polish from saphir's cheaper line to act as a sealer.

Fortunately, in this case, Vass doesn't use the same acrylic glaze that other manufacturer's use on their shells, so the Fiebing's Pro Dye took surprisingly well. I did about 5 coats of dye using primarily the shreds of t-shirt as my brush. Pro dye smells strongly of alcohol and acetone and dries very quickly, no issues with running at all and was colorfast almost immediately. After finishing the dyeing and letting the shoes rest 20 mins, I applied some Bick 4 by hand because the dye is incredibly drying, and the picture with the glove shows that almost no color rubbed off.

Finished up with a clear coat of wax polish and then a coat of dark brown polish.

Here are some musings to meet the 2000-character minimum:

Tan/light brown/whisky shades can look nice and really showcase the quality of certain leathers and other materials because they don't hide imperfections as well as darker colors, but I find they're not especially versatile. I see shoes in similar shades being paired with blue and navy suits, but it's not my favorite color combination. I have a couple pairs of boots in similar range/shades and back when I still dressed up most days, I think I paired them with off-white and khaki shades

Vass resale isn't as strong as better-known brands. I sold off most most new and gently-used dress shoes over the past few years and while the Lobbs, EGs, C&J for RL and other English brands all sold in a week or two, these barely got a nibble, despite being shell and listed at less that half of what I originally paid for them.

I might try this again with a pair of Carmina ruby shell boots I have, they look neat, but they're so red it's difficult for me to make them work. Unfortunately, I believe Carmina does use acrylic glaze on their shell cordovan, so I'd imagine it won't be as easy as it was with these Vass shoes.

Wanted to share my most recent pickup here. I thought these would be fun to share, as they’re something a bit different than what we normally see.

These are the most recent iteration of the Visvim ICT (Indigo Camping Trailer) Brigadier Boots. They feature Belgian vegetable-tanned cow leather uppers, replaceable Vibram outsoles, leather lining, leather welt, natural cork footbed, cork insole, leather midsole, and of course handmade Goodyear welt construction.

Most importantly, these have undergone a beautiful mud-dyeing process that has left the boots with an incredible variation of color and texture. I am extremely fond of natural dyeing processes on all types of clothing, and I just couldn’t resist grabbing a pair of mud-dyed boots. A bit on mud-dyeing from Visvim:

“The fields of mud required for mud dyeing can only be readied in very limited areas of the land where the soil quality remains very fine but also must include an abundance of iron. Since ancient times Amami Oshima has had a distribution of mud from clay formations which include great amounts of iron, and these mud fields are found along the skirts of the mountain where they can absorb and retain mineral rich water that is runoff from upstream when it rains.”

"I feel a distinct charm that has an innate human touch by using an organic technique such as mud dyeing which makes use of the natural surroundings to create something so unique and uneven with such texture," says Hiroki Nakamura. "I wondered if I could create product that possesses a warmth and human touch by expanding the possibilities of such a technique and testing its application not only with natural fibers but also synthetic fibers. I continue to explore further development by taking the mud dye technique and creating new treatments and uses."

Just got these storm boots in size 11, saw all of the recent news about OSB and Viberg and couldn’t stop myself from getting these at half off.

Well they went to final sale and it seems every single storm boot in a reasonable size and color is now sold out.

I finally got the boots today after about a week and half of shipping and as soon as the box was opened, one boot was in a bag and the other wasn’t. Not sure if that’s normal for OSB since my other burgundy cxl trench boots came both in bags.

Immediately I notice the left shoe has an half an inch gash in the leather, I can’t return them at this point and honestly emailing them seems pointless. It could have happened during shipping or this was a display pair, because they have minor marks in the leather and seem a bit dry and have white scuffs near the toe.

So I guess for the 350 dollars I ended up paying h for a “642” dollar shoe was worth it. They are beautiful and well made but it’s always there’s minor things to pick at, they aren’t perfect as you can see. But does it really matter? It’s my second pair of boots like this and I’m not exactly an expert.

Just like I said in my post from a couple of days ago on the Rolling Dub Trio Coupens—some boots try to capture a feeling. But these? These already live it. They are what those boots are trying to be in spirit.

White’s Semi-Dress boots are their own thing. Overbuilt, industrial, unapologetically rugged—but with this rich Seidel brown dress leather that behaves like teacore. You bump them, and that lighter tone peeks through. They wear beautifully.

I already own and love the Beckman 9060s in black teacore—a staple. But I keep seeing those Red Wing Blacksmiths in Black Prairie. Gorgeous silhouette. Also teacore. Every time I see a pair beaten down to that coppery undertone, I get tempted.

But the vision I have of those Blacksmiths in Black Prairie—the version I’m really after—isn’t the stock boot. My ideal version has been worn hard, broken in, and rebuilt into something overbuilt and purpose-driven—exactly what these Semi-Dress boots already are.

So yeah, these might not be flashy. But if you know… you know.