White's vs Viberg: The Best Service Boot, with  

Yes, it's funny how it's a casual boot but it still clearly grew from work boots!

Nick learn to stfu while guests talk and let them talk more?!

The whites in this video obviously don’t have a Norwegian welt. Also the welt is stitched on by hand but the outsole is stitched on my machine. So “hand” Welted is subjective here. The Vibergs are definitely higher end and have better craftsmanship. They also tend to use higher end leather including some really nice vegetable tanned leather. The cordovan ones will literally last a lifetime.

I'd agree actually, I find my White's a bit more comfortable because of the firm arch support! Should have mentioned that.

Oh I'm glad! I wonder how many people have made it to the end.

Haha! It was worth it! Good timing for me because I'm headed to Divison Road in Virginia on October 1st White's will be there to do a collaboration with Divison Road and sizings and a Q&A for customers that Saturday and Sunday

You can afford it now. Give yourself joy. You can spend the same on a nice jacket and much more on a watch. These boots if taken care off will be with you for your lifetime.

Agreed, I’d feel weird wearing the whites to my office job though. Also vibergs work better with my custom orthotics. Viberg has a 310 last that looks more classic PNW which I’ve been eyeing.

Vibergs will last a decade on CXL with the heaviest use. Cordovan more like life.

Agreed

I was going to the comments section, just to mention this…. I would love to have heard what the man has to say. It’s rare to have a guest with his expertise. It’s just ruined when he only gets 10 percent of the talking time. It should have been completely the opposite… You can tell sometimes he wanted to speak, then he gets a change and feels like you will cut him off and seems like he is rushing before you interrupt.

He’s basically used as clickbait.

Stitchdown is an inferior method to a Goodyear welted, hand welted, or Blake Rapid construction. I would never pay top dollar for any footwear that is stitchdown method. Nothing I own is made this way.

@@stevenroche9874 Jake at Almost Vintage Style wrote this for my site a little while ago, you might like it! stridewise.com/goodyear-welt-vs-stitchdown/

@@Stridewise Thank you, Nick !

I think I would have liked a comparison between Viberg boots and Nicks better. They both have hardcore work boots as well as casual boots. Not knocking on whites, but I feel Nicks and Viberg are more comprable

@@stevenroche9874 that's good to know.

urban logger review just published, video coming! stridewise.com/nicks-urban-logger-boot-review/

I’m still somewhat new to boot constructions. What’s the difference between multi and single counters?

@@autisticusmaximus9562 I'm no expert either, but I think it's just a design choice.

Damn, my bad! Vancouver Island, not Vancouver

@@Stridewise Your content is so good, I felt bad mentioning it.

Oh this shirt is Taylor Stitch's western shirt fave.co/3tGC6xn , it's in this unboxing! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HSr7jY0Z0Ks.html

Yes, I was thinking the same thing…plenty of different leathers and outsoles are offered with White’s if you do a custom order through Baker’s.

Technically White's doesn't offer those leathers to the public. They make them for Baker's. But I also thought that same thing.

On Vancouver Island, B.C.

Yes, sir; the thank you.

Just regular brown chromexcel service boot!

vancouver ISLAND BC, messed that up - updating this video soon!

10.5! Turns out you're meant to go a whole size down in Vibergs lol, I'm doing an updated review soon

I apologize, it's Vancouver Island not Vancouver

They're so similar it'd be hard to compare haha, thought it'd be best to compare two boots of similar price points, same region, but different approaches. Nicks vs Whites is a great idea though

11! not 11.5 like most boots would be for you. this is assuming you're getting the 2030 service boot last

@@StridewiseYes, I was referring to the service boot 2030. I wanted to make sure before I spend that kind of money. Thank you so much for that info!

Lining wears out. Unlined boots last forever. These are unlined.

There are plenty of worn ones on eBay! Search "viberg (your size)" once a week and you'll find something very soon :D ditto Grailed, though they're pricier there

'Hand sewn construction' refers to the welt stitch, not the outsole stitching discussed in the video. Both Viberg and White's stitch their outsoles by machine: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XwDZjO__B4A.html

Some people just like stuff made with a really high level of skill.

@@Stridewise that's fair. I do own a few luxury/quality items as well, just not footwear (where i generally purchase the mid-tier brands). I subscribe/watch your videos to scratch that itch.

yeah but keep in mind they have to import american leather and all this other stuff into Canada, adding taxes US bootmakers don't have, in a place with typically higher taxes than the US as well

We have cows in Canada but you're point is taken that they have to import some of their supplies and pay in US$. Labour costs are higher @@Stridewise

@@MrDuojet yeah, but also just bc you have cows doesn't mean you have leather like Horween and CF Stead !

Argh those are some excellent boots good work

I don't think I did? I remember your comment, not sure why it's disappeared.

Don’t be a di’k like you are in the comments section on the watch channels

White’s stitch down (not hand sewn stitch down)boots can be had for around $450 during Father's day and black Friday sale.

You get what you pay for. The wolverines aren’t even comparable to a boot like nicks or whites

White’s is the undisputed king of PNW boots!

That's true! Do you think a leather shank is significantly better?

@@Stridewise just to confuse things further, Viberg don't use steel shanks anymore; they started using wooden shanks after 2020. Chances are your older pair will have steel shanks in them, and your newer pair will have wooden shanks. Do you notice any difference? My personal experience is that you'd be hard pressed to tell what material was used for the shank without someone telling you first; it's usually buried under a couple of layers of leather, and as long as it's stiff enough to function as a shank, there's really no way to tell what it's made from. There are lots of different materials that can be used to make shanks; steel, leather, wood, fiberglass, etc., and they all work fine. Of course, every bootmaker will say that their way is the 'best' way, but that's usually because they've each got their own way of doing things, and they each want you to buy their product. It's not something I get hung up on.

@@Stridewise Not necessarily by a lot, but I think it is at least somewhat. It conforms to the foot better, while still being just as supportive. And unlike wood and fiberglass, doesn't really have the problem of breaking down over time.

@@EssenceofPureFlavor interestingly, there was a guy on the Nick's Boots (who also use leather shanks) subreddit last week asking if they could make him a pair of boots with steel shanks instead of leather, because he didn't think leather was a very good shank material! Most people just told him not to worry about it, which I think is probably the correct response. I don't think shank material is particularly consequential; any of the commonly used materials are absolutely fine. Leather shanks do tend to soften up with use (particularly if the boots get wet a lot) but White's replace the shank during a re-sole anyway, so they only have to last as long as the outsole in any event, so it's not a big deal.

would you have city boys go barefoot!?!?!?!

I don't know, I think there's a few key differences between Grant Stone and Viberg. GS use the same standard gemming-based Goodyear welt construction used by pretty much everyone from Thursday boots upwards. Most Viberg's are stitchdown, and those that are Goodyear welted use a channeled insole, not canvas gemming, to attach the welt. GS advertise their midsoles as being 3.5mm thick, whereas my Viberg's are about double that. Viberg also uses some of the beefiest veg-tanned leather heel counters I've ever come across, and use leather toe-puffs in their structured toe boots. GS use faux heel counters (i.e. there is no leather upper behind the heel counter, it's just cosmetic), and celastic toe puffs. Viberg uses pricy brass clinch nails that won't ever rust, whereas GS use the same ferrous clinch nails that most people use. It's the little differences that add up. Grant Stone make good value fashion boots. White's make decent work boots. To me, the value in Viberg is that they make a boot that looks like a fashion boot, but is built like, and has the durability of, a proper work boot. Not everyone wants or needs that, but I like that Viberg make a sleek boot that can be dressed up a bit, but can still take an absolute pounding.

Very good points and on top of that this video doesn't into account that if you order White's from Baker's there is a staggering amount of customizations you get when it comes to leather choices (cxl, dress, work, horsehide, bison, bullhide etc), sole options (100,430,269, dainite) , toe caps, midsoles and even combo leathers. You also get to send your feet tracings and measurements.

When it comes to the cost of Viberg you need to consider the cost of rent, taxes, staffing, literally everything is more expensive in Canada and especially the south coast of British Columbia. I honestly don’t know how manufacturing companies can survive in Canada, it’s so ridiculously expebsive. On top of that, there is ZERO incentive for Canadians to “buy Canadian”, therefore I don’t.

Just you!

That's just how shit looks like in Tennessee. God bless those folks

filming a whole new updated look at viberg next week! out soon