The Official New Boots Thread

[MasterBlaster]

I wore Wescos for years until I discovered these. Light and CHEAP.

 

[Tucker943]

My whites don't have a steel shank, but that rolled leather through the arch of the boot acts as a shank, and doesn't bend or break. Ive bent shanks in other boots too many times. The leather and workmanship in my smoke jumpers is top shelf. What takes the cake in the smokejumpers is the arch support. faaaaaan-tastic.

 

[bonner1040]

Whites and WesCo are both very well known for being of the highest quality.

 

[Tucker943]

I might try wescos. I need a pair of steel toes and I was thinking maybe tree some wescos.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Other than weighing a ton and having hard soles, I loved em.

 

[ClimbMIT]

What are the best boots for spur climbing in hot weather? Also best high top climbers for working the canopy that are again for hot weather?

 

[bonner1040]

WesCo highliners

 

[MasterBlaster]

Those look terrible.

Seriously. Apply all that other stuff after you give them a good base coat of polish.

 

[ClimbMIT]

Thanks Nick, I keep hearing good things about them I may just try them out.

 

[ClimbMIT]

Those look terrible.

Seriously. Apply all that other stuff after you give them a good base coat of polish.

I got a pair of mucks that I have used to climb in that look like Bonner's

 

[bonner1040]

They arent that bad, due for a clean up yes, but thats just a bit of mud... It has been raining quite a bit. I will post some pics up when I polish em!

 

[Tucker943]

My boots get polished with the bar oil that dribbles and sprays on them.

 

[1BUS]

No. Fill them with water, let it soak in all the way. Empty the boots and wear them dry. Use a peet boot dryer always. After they are broken in then use the Wesco oil or Obenaufs or Pecards preservatives. Stay away from Mink oil.

Why should you stay away from mink oil?

 

[Paul Smith]

Make up some, 2 parts beeswax 1 part boiled linseed oil and 1 part white spirit or Turps. Works better than any commercial stuff!

 

[woodworkingboy]

I think that is also a woodworking finish.

 

[Tucker943]

Anyone have steel toe smoke jumpers? My smoke jumpers are non steel tie but I think I want a pair with some kind of toe in it.

 

[1BUS]

I have to wear steel toes for work everyday and some days they still hurt my toes and the top of my feet, to me they're not comfortable. But I'm wearing Georgia boots not Whites, probably a big difference.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Wear thicker socks.

 

[1BUS]

I'll have to try that, tough to do this time of year though

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm susceptible to the heat, but I don't really feel it from the thighs down. I always wear thick socks.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Am getting close to ordering another pair of Wesco boots and so read through this thread. I’ll look at the Whites again and the Vibergs for fun. Have had mostly custom fitted/built Wescos through the years and always loved them. I’ve sweated through taking the measurements and drawing around my feet on the factory custom paperwork. Wanted to make sure I was getting it right. Then about six years ago the local cobbler I go to for Vibram resoling told me I could get the fitting done by him and put in a custom order for the same price as dealing with the factory. Oh! That would be simple. He sells a lot of Wesco and Whites and etc. to fire depts..

Just wanted to post a warning that things can go sideways on custom boots in an effort to balance out my previous enthusiasm. When you order Wescos made for you they tell you in advance that if things go wrong in sizing/fitting etc. you still own them.

So I received my custom boots that I have waited a few months for and had built to be what I thought would be the cats meow. They are things of beauty, only problem is my right big toe touches a little at times. And after a few hours of working it seems to touch frequently and perhaps more. To his credit the boot retailer tried doing what he could with his modest ‘shoe stretcher.’ That didn’t make much difference and he called Wesco and spoke to a person he has a long standing relationship with and to that persons credit they offered to use one of their big machine stretchers and advanced techniques to see if they could gain me a little room.

But wait - I’m not to the warning yet. In the process of working through all this I am told the story about a guy ordering a pair of custom boots from Wesco and they are just right. Calls up and says I love those boots so much...make me another pair. They come in and he can’t lace them tight enough - too much material around the calves/lower leg. The boot retailer ended up feeling bad on that one and did a material reduction work around.

I have had about six sets of custom boots made by Wesco over the years and been happy with them. But (if) Wesco can’t reproduce the same result from a pattern for one customer and can’t make a workable boot for me from the pattern a guy drew out that has done literally hundreds of them then how much certainty is there that you will get what you want on your first try at following their custom sizing instructions?

 

[Tucker943]

Why buy wescos when you can buy whites?

 

[rangerdanger]

Why buy wescos when you can buy whites?

Agreed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rskybiz]

Why buy wescos when you can buy whites?

My answer is 4 years of use abuse and only a re-sole needed.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Have you had Whites before?