@@Stridewisecorrect. double-whammy since I watched them in a row, although I think his was a bit more outing for their claims since this guy, like you said, is just trying to undercut Thursday for customers who don't want to pay their prices and couldn't tell the difference unless they really cared.
Portland Leather's marketing for their boots is laughable, IMO. Thank you Nick for calling them out. You and other boot content creators are doing a great job of spreading the word, while Portland Leather tries their best to avoid and obfuscate. If you can set aside the ethical concerns of non-recraftable leather goods, you're still left with scummy (IMO) marketing tactics. No bueno.
Everything the CEO said is true because most people don't understand or care about what makes a quality boot. It's their marketing that's the problem. They advertise like they are the best boots in the world instead of saying what their CEO said "cheap boots"
Isn’t it funny that he actually is correct, most guys don’t know about Goodyear welts and if they get enough good visuals of the product they’d say “yeah cool, it’s cheaper than similar boots and looks fine” Like it’s a very logical move by portland
@@Stridewise I'd go so far as to say that many people actually WANT the lower quality product even if it costs more. Heck, they might even WANT it to cost more. I've come to this realization myself recently, that the vast majority of people are dissimilar to me in this way. Most people actually do not care for high quality products that last a long time. Most people are not actually looking for the best value for their money. Most people are not financially responsible in the slightest. It's a hard pill for me to swallow, but most people just want to waste their money on shit products. Most people are not like yourself or the people watching the video. There's a lot of people who are actually upset if their stuff lasts longer than they expect. They WANT to replace their stuff and waste money. It's like a pastime or something. They don't seem to want to have stuff that lasts a long time, because they see it as a burden or a pet that they have to care for for a long period of time. They want the cheap stuff that breaks down quickly so they don't have the burden of taking good care of the stuff. I don't really get it myself, but that's what I've come to understand about lots of people, that they are entirely in favor of planned obsolescence and filling up landfills with junk. I guess it's like the mentality of "why buy ceramic plates? You have to wash them and find a place to store them. That's a lot of work I don't want to do. Paper plates you can just throw away and not think about them ever again."
Sadly the CEO might be right there. Lots of guys still don’t understand the benefits of Goodyear welted boots. And until 10 years ago I was possibly one of them. But you’re doing a top job of getting that knowledge out there.
Most people I know actually are happier that cheap things wear out quickly so they have a chance to buy new stuff and try out new styles of apparel. Fast fashion has really ruined appreciation for good clothes and footwear. It's all about having what's popular or endorsed by some celebrity now.
@@chinatownboy3368 Cheap shoes cost more in the long run, both in terms of replacing shoes and also in terms of medical costs. Bad shoes can cause longterm health issues like bunions that aren't cheap to fix.
@@cheekibreeki9155 That's what I've come to realize too, that most people actually want the stuff that wears out faster so they get a chance to buy new stuff and replace it. Most people don't actually want the most value out of their money. They want to waste their money because it lights up something in their brains whenever they do.
That's the thing, they retail at a price close to Thursday boots, but they have a never ending sale on these boots that keeps the price closer to $100. So when comparisons shopping, most will jump on the $100 boot thinking they are getting a heck of a deal.
Got their London boot for $90 on sale. Had them for several months. They’re nice still, especially considering that resoling them would probably be more than they’re worth on sale at least where I live.
I went through a similar issue when I went to get a pair of Thorogood moc toes, and switched to Redwing 875's after doing the math and realizing spending $40 more I could get a better boot. You can just spend $45 more and get the Thursday Captain, then get the difference back +$20 with a single resole (assuming you can get a resole for $100). Quality is comparatively infinitely better, and you reduce waste substantially (shoe, shoe box, environmental impact from shipping).
You're likely underestimating the long term cost savings since Thursday uses thicker leather, real leather midsole, and more durable outsole. So Thursdays are not only resoleable, but they almost certainly will last longer between resoles than any individual pair of PLG boots.
Portland is I guess what people would call a "success story." There is a market for cheap goods. Personally, I have enjoyed seeing what I perceive as a return to a focus on quality and heritage values in footwear and clothing. I see the financial success of a company like Portland and ask myself "Would I want to make something like this?" No, I personally would not take pride in this, and won't be contributing to Portland's success.
I think that's a great way to look at basically anything you buy. Genuine pride in a product, whether that be a piece of tech, a piece of clothing, or food, makes a huge difference. If the person who made it isn't genuinely proud of what they have made, why would I want it?
Good review, not a big fan of cheap footwear after learning all about construction and materials a little over a year ago. Really brought into the heritage style boots and now have a nice little collection. Thanks Nick for putting this together and making a cogent argument for buying better without getting into the name calling.
I stumbled on these a few months ago. Same as everyone, I was curious about construction. I contacted them and they responded. As soon as I saw cemented I moved on.
When I saw that price I immediately though "why wouldn't I just pay 199 for Thursday?". I have a pair of Captains, and Diplomats and I've worn them literally around the world. They're nice and comfy.
hey Nick, love your content man! I just bought from Portland Leather 2 days ago with their BOGO deal 1 Breaker boot and 1 Moc Toe boot for a total of $109 (this includes tax and shipping). At this price, I would say this is a very good deal. Especially since I rotate my shoes and boots.
Aesthetic appeal comes from high quality construction, long service life, and pride of ownership. My Red Wings, White's, Grant Stone, and even Thorogood boots have high aesthetic appeal for me. I purchased my boots after watching boot reviews on YT. I feel my dollars are well spent. I would not buy inferior boots.
I appreciate this review. I just bought a pair of these because they had these boots on sale in their "nearly perfect" section for $50 shipped. Now i know it's flaws and what to look for in a leather boot but for that price I couldn't say no.
I will never buy a cheap boot again. You and Weston have taught me about what makes a good and great boots. I have based my recent purchases from both of you on what to buy. I now own Thursdays, Whites, Oak Street and Helm to go with my old pair of Red Wings...I just returned a pair of Thorogood's cause the boot pull on lop broke when putting on the new pair. And, they where a new model that I really wanted to keep...
I mean...companies like this portland one could just make high quality products and have a loyal customer base forever...instead of making cheap crap and having a bad reputation in the industry. Just sayin...👀 I have 5 pairs of Thursday boots and love them all, (3 Captains, 1 president and 1 logger). Jim Green is also an awesome company, love my "Tyre Sole Razorbacks". I also love Ariat boots, have a few pairs from them, love the "Midtown Rambler". Great video!
Honestly, it may be the lighting, but the Portland looks cheaper on camera. If I want genuine leather and don't care if I can resole them Nunn Bush or Stacy Adams can be had for around $100 if you shop around. The SA Osiris is on clearance for $80 right now.
I have two pairs of Thursdays I alternate between sometimes and I’ve had both pair for two years. They’re both still in great condition and I wear one or the other every single day. Thursday is great value.
I ordered a pair of Portland Boots for Beaters. Nick, they aren't even worth the money as Beaters!!! They look and feel cheap. I returned them and purchased a pair of Thursday Hero boots. I'm very pleased with my Thursday Beater Boots!
I bought Portland's Brooklyn boots because I knew nothing about boots and they looked good on the website. Unlike the Breaker they actually are GYW (or so they claim; they don't seem to make them anymore) but that doesn't matter because I haven't worn them since. I bought the Thursday Captains a month later, and I've already replaced the heel block twice because I wear them so much. I also have a pair of Grant Stone Chelsea boots and am getting a pair of Diesels this week. Portland Leather boots suck, but they got me into wearing actually good boots, so I consider the $180 I spent on them the price of entry. That said, I do like PLG's leather sneaker better than Thursday's. Tried both, returned the Thursday sneaker, still have and use the Portland sneaker.
@@tony_r_pierce Looking forward to it! It'll be my first non-traditional leather shoe. How did the leather age/patina for you? Did it hold up to abrasions? I couldn't really find much about kudu online except that it's supposedly tougher than cow leather
@@Antenox Kudu is a favorite for me. I have five pairs in kudu I think. The burgundy is about a year old. Does not change dramatically from new for me.
They're trying to fill an interesting niche. Amazon was selling the Bushacre 3 by Clark's in their Beeswax leather for like $37 on Black Friday. There you have a cemented construction with a decent upper that develops a nice patina, but for about a quarter of the price as these boots.
augh I should have talked about the Clarks Desert Boot! That's a really important fixture in sub $200 boots, thanks for bringing them up. They're stitchdown, too! They're practically always over $100 to be fair but still very relevant to this video
I would rather buy Thursday instead of patina but I have been buying Grant Stone fwiw. I did start my collection with Thursday’s captains like a lot of people but now I’ve upgraded to Grant Stone’s.
@HustleLXXXI I own 3 pairs of Grant Stone's but think they are too dressy for Beater boots (Diesel Cognac Ostrich, Jungle Kangaroo, Sky Kudu). Thursday Hero is my everyday, grab n go boots.
You know they place ads on your website to trick people into thinking you included them in "best boot" listicles, right? That was how I learned about them. The CEO might be right that only weird boot nerds care about construction, but then why bother with a fake midsole that only weird boot nerds would notice? They're totally scummy.
Hi, greetings from Mexico!, love your videos and find them quite informative. I just got the ubiquitous Arizona Adobe Thursdays sent from the official page, and man, they are stupid good, even though I had to pay import taxes in a product made in my country in the first place. 7 leguas boots are INCREDIBLE value and Goodyear welted. I've a Haiker model with thick lug Vibram soles that copped them for like 140 bucks. If you're lucky you can get them close to 100 dollars. They are ultra well respected in Mexico and known for making affordable quality boots in many styles. I would love you to make a video or @roseanvil to dissect them. The Haiker model has a fabric interior similar to a sneaker,but otherwise, is Goodyear welted, quality thick leather and my model has a super Vibram....have a good day mate!
I love my Thursday boots. But I bought their Black Friday sale boots for $80. Worth it at that price. But for full price I will still definitely buy Thursday boots.
Great vid.l! Going in this same vein, would you ever review some of these way overpriced mall brands to give people some context compared to what they might see at Nordstrom rack or off saks? Thinking brands like Cole Haan, Johnston and Murphy, To Boot NY etc. they’ll carry $250+ price tabs for cement boots and people don’t know the difference in quality.
Random comment; Maybe it's a US mostly thing but I've only ever heard of Portland patina once before. Maybe even from this channel or one of the leather-focused channels. A few weeks ago I bought a pair of alden boots and did a lot of research. I did not get hit with ads from Portland patina or Thursday boots.
Portland boots ads are like a bad rash lol. They are flooding social media in spend. Ultimately it just comes to watch a consumer wants + their level of investment in goods. Do your research when buying leather goods. Even as a one off Boot, these boots look like they’re made based off the lowest quality/spend to maximize their margin.
I can't wait to resole by Thursdays. I get to customise them and really make them my own. Oliver cabell also try to compete, and people say the shoes are alright if they ever get them*** also I hope you don't want to exchange them either.
The owner seems like a clever guy in it for the short run, running off the popularity of Thursdays success. It doesn’t seem likely that Portland boots will become a sign of quality, but just throw away starter boots for guys.
Thanks for this. Came across a pair of Allen Edmonds “Briggs “ boot at N Rack for cheap ($160-$120 with credit card sub) and am trying to get Wes at Rose Anvil to split them in two. Not a lot of info out there on them. Thanks again.
damn I Just bought these with no foreknowledge... I appreciate your very detailed video. I'm not a big fan of Thursdays or sending boots back several times before getting a decent pair. but The portland boots I was looking at the moc toe and the breaker and boom they went to half price. I was even going to get the "almost perfect" because the price was so good. then as I was considering the boot all of the sudden my size started to sell out. And Portland just dropped a BOGO FREE... so I was just concerned with getting my credit card out before they sold out. and quickly bought two pairs. I guess thats what I get for rushing without doing my due diligence. But maybe for the price I'm not getting ripped off too bad, although that ceo basically said he had no problem selling his customers a crappy product, didn't even defend the quality. 2 pairs for a hundred quid... I guess I'll find out soon enough how much more research I should have done. but if these were decent at the 168$ as you stated . i'll be happy. Hey.. thinking about it your video and rose anvil probably effected the BOGO sale that caused them to sell their stock and perhaps they are going to find a better constructed boot next season. but even with the crazy price drop they can't get rid of them . the stock on hand has barely decreased since it started yesterday.
I really considered the "Almost Perfect " Breaker boot since its $99. Basically for something to just knock around and not care much about. I'm just getting into boots and have a pair of Becketts and Grant Stones. There are a couple of Thursdays that I like. Idk, $99 for a beater boot?
The point of buying quality is for you to be able to knock around and worn/break in so I dont see why you wouldn’t wear those boots and just clean them afterwards. You and your feet deserve quality wear no? And it’ll likely make you smile which makes them worth their price of admission
@n0ne846 this is true. I need to get a more kick around boot. My Becketts are more casual and I went kinda flashy with the Grants in Ostrich. I think I found a pair that I'll get instead of going the cheapest available route. Both are used pairs, Parkhurst for $125 or Iron Rangers for $175. Now I gotta make a choice lol
So right now they have some boots as low as $68. Still won’t buy them but if there is a style I’m thinking about trying. Might buy them just for aesthetics to see if I like the style then buy and better Goodyear welted boot in said style. Great review!! Thank you!
Ahhhh, just saw your satchel and Page ultimate review video. It is! Cant wait to get mine! It looks so rad. Love your channel, man. Keep up the great work and thanks for all you do 🙏
@@Stridewise dude! This jacket is AMAZING!! Unfortunately, I’m in between sizes (large and XL) but I have an amazing leather trailer so I said fuck it and took it in. Just needs to be taken in around the mid section. The quality and construction is such an amazing value!
I noticed something else during your video.... When you were looking at the fake welt and pulling back the leather it appears the leather was shifting on the toe cap... That suggests to me that the stitching of the toe cap (and possibly the whole boot) is possibly not as good as others (Thursday, Grant Stone, etc.).
PLG's marketing material really deceives you into thinking their operations are based in Portland. I nearly fell for the trap myself before I did a bit more research. The boots were literally in my cart, but the scam bells were ringing in my head.
Georgia Boot for work Cole Haan for crossover. I like the idea of remanufacturing ability but just making a boot that will last forever or will be re-soled doesn't sound like something too crazy. Big in performance wear is i think called "Boa" ? Don't understand why this can't be applied to a hybrid dress boot.
Definitely a hard pass here. The fact that these cut so many corners and have far less features for the money, makes their price ridiculous relative to Thursday boots.
Well, they may have a point because if the Thursday boots also needed more of a rebuild rather than just a resole, then it might be more worthwhile to just buy the new Thursday boots for most customers who don't need a heavier duty true work boot, but if their quality is still even LOWER and with a price that is not THAT MUCH lower, then they will still lose.
So it seems like a lot of companies try to exist on Initial Sales these days, but I might put Thursday still borderline into this category, because how long before Thurs are they already turning INTO Boot Geeks and wanting some nicer version dress boot or more true better work boot? Two months?
I bought a pair of Chelsea’s before seeing more in depth info and at the time (last Black Friday) I didn’t know what to look for. I spent $68 on them and they’re worth that much but I’d never buy them again lol even for it being a decent $100 and under boot- why waste that money when you can buy secondhand or save for something new? They have held up well being a cheap boot and I’ve gotten compliments from them but even the smell of the leather was cheap being combined w synthetics and maybe leather board lol
Those should cost $100. They’re basically the same thing you get from a store like Buckle. Or somewhere in the mall like shoe carnival lol or JCPenny. They’re super cheaper but don’t last at all.
I feel like the people at Patina do not really care about the quality of their product or even boots in general, thats kind of the biggest issue I have. There's absolutely no care in the product and the CEO made that clear, if they don't care, why should anyone else, this seems like lame attempt to squeeze into a whole in the market already taken up by Thursday and other brands
If you buy these boots, you're part of the problem; that CEO is chumping you, he thinks you're a moron, and if you buy his boots, well then... The only justification for buying them is to expose them in a youtube review, so fair play to Nick.
I have three pairs of goldenfox boots and i would have to say there leather quality is great. For the money they are the best boots you can get. Especially there overlord service boot. Id choose those over thursday everytime
Bought two lairs of Thursday boots and unfortunately for me they were not comfortable. The foot beds and the leather were not flexible enough for me hence the uncomfort. They do make a quality boot though just not for me. Reviewer states that GY melted boots are comfortable. Not inherently the rest of the construction absolutely matters.
I was terribly disappointed by the Ashland Leather podcast for their interview with Portland Leather. I don’t know why I expected Phil to be an investigative journalist during that interview but I was profoundly disgusted with PL company. Too many red flags throughout the interview and his take on heritage boots were quite disheartening. Ultimately, PL just has a low opinion of their customers and it shows.
That podcast is a little weird. They kind of brush things off and dismiss real concerns. I’ve only seen a couple of episodes but that’s the impression I get.
Phil was definitely more interested in (and clearly admired) the business aspect of Portland than the quality of the products they make, is the impression I got from that podcast episode.
Thre s something wrong with the sound maybe be ause you are in a larger room and you are talking faster than usual maybe because you were annoyed by the subject ...maybe.... good work as always
After considering all of this, I got the PLGs on sale for $112 shipped. I don’t think I’d pay the extra ~$50 but I think the price I got them at will be adequate.
This is gonna drive me crazy but did you shoot this video in West Philly/Drexel Hill/ Havertown? This looks like a house I used to live in Havertown and I swear I know this street lol
I do think that Thursday boots are much better however I recently purchased my Portland boots and they had a great deal that I couldn't pass up, I got2 boots for $199. I got a black and a brown pair. They are comfortable and I enjoy them For now.
I'll buck the trend in the comment section. I think they are a great buy at (often) less than $100. That's half the price of Thursdays. I have 8 pairs of boots, including one Patina, and most are what this community would call good. That doesn't make the Patinas bad. You are getting pretty good leather for the price, they fit me great and were immediately comfortable, and for the price, I don't care that they aren't resolable or that they will break down quicker. I had some fake leather H&M boots that got me into boots about a decade ago that were the cheapest made things ever... and I loved them. They didn't last long, but they were comfortable and looked fantastic. The Patinas are absolutely a step up in quality and fit that same niche. They aren't my work boots, they don't need to last forever, but I want them to be comfy and look good. They would be even better without the lug sole, but I don't mind that look as I can put on more expensive boots that I own these days to fill that niche. Look, I love Michellin Star restaurants, and have been fortunate enough to even eat at a few that are that level, but it doesn't mean I don't also love Taco Bell or Sonic. You can love both. And really, these are more like the Chili's or Olive Garden equivalent. They definitely have a place, even if you know that there's better options available. Both you and Weston wanted to say they are terrible and both of you kept conceding that they did make something better than my H&M boots, and do offer a pretty good $100 boot. It's fine that Michellin doesn't rate the Olive Garden, and it's fine that BootTube doesn't want to like the boot equivalent. There's still a stong market for this adequately faux fancy for the masses type of appeal. That's what these are. I get the comparison with Thursday, but that's not who they are competing against. It's H&M.
I have Thursday boots and I got breaker boots for 100 dollars, I might be the only one to feel that Thursday boots leather is cheaper and thinner, it just has a leather lining that makes it seem thicker. QC on Thursday boots is a hit or miss. Resoling makes no sense on 200 $ Thursday boots.
I own a pair of Thursday’s Captain Stormking. After 2 years they fell aparat, most of the stitching is gone and the undersole is splitting. The cost of re-stitching and re-soling is higher than a new pair. There’s no point in getting cheap goodyear wealt boots as it’s financially not feasible to re-sole them.
I commented on Portland Leather's IG referencing Rose Anvil's review of these and urging people to do their research. They deleted my comment. That says a lot right there.
Meanwhile you can get a top of the line leather Nike tactical boot for Under $250... In fact I just got a great pair of Nike all leather hiking boots for $85 on deep discount... And you can get Rothco leather jungle boots for $45... Like I don't get what makes some of these footwear so expansive...
I have no particular love for Portland or any other similarly situated company. That said, I kind of feel like this "outrage" about their marketing is being overdone here. First of all, you say multiple times that the price is "so close" to Thursday's, being "only $30 cheaper," but the very screen you show clearly indicates that they're actually in the $120 range. Yes, Portland is saying that's a "sale" price. I get it. But that's just plain old marketing for budget products. You see it everywhere. This is a $120 boot (looks like they also sell "almost perfect" ones--whatever that means--for
That guy was human red flag. Makes a boot worth nothing, worse than Chinese construction, can’t even be resoled, and charges just $30 bucks less than one of the highest quality boots you can get for its price. I just hope he treats his Mexican employees with respect and pays them a good wage.
Except for boot nerds, most of the world is buying lower price shoes and boots, and disposing of them. Most people are not resoling or recrafting their shoes. Most people are not spending hundreds of dollars on shoes. Look around in the real world, in shopping centers, at discount stores, at big box stores, at department stores. The high price shoes and boots are a very small minority.
Nick is doing fantastic work here. Bravo!
So here we just have Scumbag Marketing vid #2 for the day...
@@Highland_Paddy oh you mean me and Carl’s videos are about scumbag marketers
Your video from today on Brunt was also a masterpiece in shutting down big marketing!
@@Stridewisecorrect. double-whammy since I watched them in a row, although I think his was a bit more outing for their claims since this guy, like you said, is just trying to undercut Thursday for customers who don't want to pay their prices and couldn't tell the difference unless they really cared.
Portland Leather's marketing for their boots is laughable, IMO. Thank you Nick for calling them out. You and other boot content creators are doing a great job of spreading the word, while Portland Leather tries their best to avoid and obfuscate. If you can set aside the ethical concerns of non-recraftable leather goods, you're still left with scummy (IMO) marketing tactics. No bueno.
I’m not going to hate on their quality for the money, but yeah the marketing is among the shadiest I’ve ever seen. Just gross.
Its only around 30 bucks cheaper than Thursday. Thursday has free shipping.
Everything the CEO said is true because most people don't understand or care about what makes a quality boot. It's their marketing that's the problem. They advertise like they are the best boots in the world instead of saying what their CEO said "cheap boots"
Isn’t it funny that he actually is correct, most guys don’t know about Goodyear welts and if they get enough good visuals of the product they’d say “yeah cool, it’s cheaper than similar boots and looks fine”
Like it’s a very logical move by portland
@@Stridewise Not everyone can afford fine dining. Some of us are on a Panda Express budget.
@@Stridewise I'd go so far as to say that many people actually WANT the lower quality product even if it costs more. Heck, they might even WANT it to cost more. I've come to this realization myself recently, that the vast majority of people are dissimilar to me in this way. Most people actually do not care for high quality products that last a long time. Most people are not actually looking for the best value for their money. Most people are not financially responsible in the slightest.
It's a hard pill for me to swallow, but most people just want to waste their money on shit products. Most people are not like yourself or the people watching the video. There's a lot of people who are actually upset if their stuff lasts longer than they expect. They WANT to replace their stuff and waste money. It's like a pastime or something. They don't seem to want to have stuff that lasts a long time, because they see it as a burden or a pet that they have to care for for a long period of time. They want the cheap stuff that breaks down quickly so they don't have the burden of taking good care of the stuff. I don't really get it myself, but that's what I've come to understand about lots of people, that they are entirely in favor of planned obsolescence and filling up landfills with junk.
I guess it's like the mentality of "why buy ceramic plates? You have to wash them and find a place to store them. That's a lot of work I don't want to do. Paper plates you can just throw away and not think about them ever again."
Sadly the CEO might be right there. Lots of guys still don’t understand the benefits of Goodyear welted boots. And until 10 years ago I was possibly one of them. But you’re doing a top job of getting that knowledge out there.
Most people I know actually are happier that cheap things wear out quickly so they have a chance to buy new stuff and try out new styles of apparel. Fast fashion has really ruined appreciation for good clothes and footwear. It's all about having what's popular or endorsed by some celebrity now.
A lot of people can only afford cheap shoes. That's why they're so many cheap shoes.
@@chinatownboy3368I think plenty of people can afford quality footwear, it's just where they put their money
@@chinatownboy3368 Cheap shoes cost more in the long run, both in terms of replacing shoes and also in terms of medical costs. Bad shoes can cause longterm health issues like bunions that aren't cheap to fix.
@@cheekibreeki9155 That's what I've come to realize too, that most people actually want the stuff that wears out faster so they get a chance to buy new stuff and replace it. Most people don't actually want the most value out of their money. They want to waste their money because it lights up something in their brains whenever they do.
That's the thing, they retail at a price close to Thursday boots, but they have a never ending sale on these boots that keeps the price closer to $100. So when comparisons shopping, most will jump on the $100 boot thinking they are getting a heck of a deal.
Got their London boot for $90 on sale. Had them for several months. They’re nice still, especially considering that resoling them would probably be more than they’re worth on sale at least where I live.
I recently re-soled my Thursdays--they feel and look great--even better 5 years later
I went through a similar issue when I went to get a pair of Thorogood moc toes, and switched to Redwing 875's after doing the math and realizing spending $40 more I could get a better boot. You can just spend $45 more and get the Thursday Captain, then get the difference back +$20 with a single resole (assuming you can get a resole for $100). Quality is comparatively infinitely better, and you reduce waste substantially (shoe, shoe box, environmental impact from shipping).
You're likely underestimating the long term cost savings since Thursday uses thicker leather, real leather midsole, and more durable outsole. So Thursdays are not only resoleable, but they almost certainly will last longer between resoles than any individual pair of PLG boots.
Portland is I guess what people would call a "success story." There is a market for cheap goods. Personally, I have enjoyed seeing what I perceive as a return to a focus on quality and heritage values in footwear and clothing. I see the financial success of a company like Portland and ask myself "Would I want to make something like this?" No, I personally would not take pride in this, and won't be contributing to Portland's success.
I think that's a great way to look at basically anything you buy. Genuine pride in a product, whether that be a piece of tech, a piece of clothing, or food, makes a huge difference. If the person who made it isn't genuinely proud of what they have made, why would I want it?
Good review, not a big fan of cheap footwear after learning all about construction and materials a little over a year ago. Really brought into the heritage style boots and now have a nice little collection. Thanks Nick for putting this together and making a cogent argument for buying better without getting into the name calling.
I stumbled on these a few months ago. Same as everyone, I was curious about construction. I contacted them and they responded. As soon as I saw cemented I moved on.
When I saw that price I immediately though "why wouldn't I just pay 199 for Thursday?". I have a pair of Captains, and Diplomats and I've worn them literally around the world. They're nice and comfy.
hey Nick, love your content man! I just bought from Portland Leather 2 days ago with their BOGO deal 1 Breaker boot and 1 Moc Toe boot for a total of $109 (this includes tax and shipping). At this price, I would say this is a very good deal. Especially since I rotate my shoes and boots.
Aesthetic appeal comes from high quality construction, long service life, and pride of ownership. My Red Wings, White's, Grant Stone, and even Thorogood boots have high aesthetic appeal for me. I purchased my boots after watching boot reviews on YT. I feel my dollars are well spent. I would not buy inferior boots.
And you'll be able to keep those boots for years and years, resole them and keep them for even longer! Buy once, cry once!
Yes, cheap boots like Thursday goes out of shape real quick
Cheap is okay as long as there is transparency. It's the marketing that bothers me. Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.
I appreciate this review. I just bought a pair of these because they had these boots on sale in their "nearly perfect" section for $50 shipped. Now i know it's flaws and what to look for in a leather boot but for that price I couldn't say no.
I will never buy a cheap boot again. You and Weston have taught me about what makes a good and great boots. I have based my recent purchases from both of you on what to buy. I now own Thursdays, Whites, Oak Street and Helm to go with my old pair of Red Wings...I just returned a pair of Thorogood's cause the boot pull on lop broke when putting on the new pair. And, they where a new model that I really wanted to keep...
Weston Kay also promotes Rock Rooster.
I mean...companies like this portland one could just make high quality products and have a loyal customer base forever...instead of making cheap crap and having a bad reputation in the industry. Just sayin...👀
I have 5 pairs of Thursday boots and love them all, (3 Captains, 1 president and 1 logger). Jim Green is also an awesome company, love my "Tyre Sole Razorbacks". I also love Ariat boots, have a few pairs from them, love the "Midtown Rambler".
Great video!
Just got my first pair of Thursday boots (the Major in Old English). Love em.
Skip these, keep wearing socks and sandals and save up for Thursday's at minimum. Great video!
Honestly, it may be the lighting, but the Portland looks cheaper on camera.
If I want genuine leather and don't care if I can resole them Nunn Bush or Stacy Adams can be had for around $100 if you shop around.
The SA Osiris is on clearance for $80 right now.
Stacy Adams Madison is a good boot.
I will always pass on Portland's good and I have my family steer clear of there junk Thanks Nicks being straight with your viewers !!
Great review Nick, thanks for all your content mate.
I have two pairs of Thursdays I alternate between sometimes and I’ve had both pair for two years. They’re both still in great condition and I wear one or the other every single day. Thursday is great value.
That was a completely fair take on these “boots”. Good job.
I ordered a pair of Portland Boots for Beaters. Nick, they aren't even worth the money as Beaters!!! They look and feel cheap. I returned them and purchased a pair of Thursday Hero boots. I'm very pleased with my Thursday Beater Boots!
I bought Portland's Brooklyn boots because I knew nothing about boots and they looked good on the website. Unlike the Breaker they actually are GYW (or so they claim; they don't seem to make them anymore) but that doesn't matter because I haven't worn them since. I bought the Thursday Captains a month later, and I've already replaced the heel block twice because I wear them so much. I also have a pair of Grant Stone Chelsea boots and am getting a pair of Diesels this week.
Portland Leather boots suck, but they got me into wearing actually good boots, so I consider the $180 I spent on them the price of entry.
That said, I do like PLG's leather sneaker better than Thursday's. Tried both, returned the Thursday sneaker, still have and use the Portland sneaker.
What GS did you order? Just curious as a GS fan.
@@tony_r_pierce The Diesel in dark burgundy kudu with the Commando sole
My Chelsea is the dark oak roughout with the Commando sole
@@Antenox Thank you, I have that Diesel model, it’s great.
@@tony_r_pierce Looking forward to it! It'll be my first non-traditional leather shoe. How did the leather age/patina for you? Did it hold up to abrasions? I couldn't really find much about kudu online except that it's supposedly tougher than cow leather
@@Antenox Kudu is a favorite for me. I have five pairs in kudu I think. The burgundy is about a year old. Does not change dramatically from new for me.
Great video and I agree it's ok to be the L'cheapo brand but you have to be honest about it...
There is a reason why Thursday boots holds the crown. I’m sticking with Thursday.
They're trying to fill an interesting niche. Amazon was selling the Bushacre 3 by Clark's in their Beeswax leather for like $37 on Black Friday. There you have a cemented construction with a decent upper that develops a nice patina, but for about a quarter of the price as these boots.
augh I should have talked about the Clarks Desert Boot! That's a really important fixture in sub $200 boots, thanks for bringing them up. They're stitchdown, too! They're practically always over $100 to be fair but still very relevant to this video
I would rather buy Thursday instead of patina but I have been buying Grant Stone fwiw. I did start my collection with Thursday’s captains like a lot of people but now I’ve upgraded to Grant Stone’s.
@HustleLXXXI I own 3 pairs of Grant Stone's but think they are too dressy for Beater boots (Diesel Cognac Ostrich, Jungle Kangaroo, Sky Kudu). Thursday Hero is my everyday, grab n go boots.
2:20 That's Phil from Ashland Leather Co.! They make great leather products here in Chicago using Horween leather.
Haven’t watched your channel in a while but your your channel is what cost me thousands of dollars in Boots! lol
Another highly informative comparison vid, thanks for all the info and detail you give, much appreciated. 🙏
You know they place ads on your website to trick people into thinking you included them in "best boot" listicles, right? That was how I learned about them.
The CEO might be right that only weird boot nerds care about construction, but then why bother with a fake midsole that only weird boot nerds would notice? They're totally scummy.
Hi, greetings from Mexico!, love your videos and find them quite informative. I just got the ubiquitous Arizona Adobe Thursdays sent from the official page, and man, they are stupid good, even though I had to pay import taxes in a product made in my country in the first place. 7 leguas boots are INCREDIBLE value and Goodyear welted. I've a Haiker model with thick lug Vibram soles that copped them for like 140 bucks. If you're lucky you can get them close to 100 dollars. They are ultra well respected in Mexico and known for making affordable quality boots in many styles. I would love you to make a video or @roseanvil to dissect them. The Haiker model has a fabric interior similar to a sneaker,but otherwise, is Goodyear welted, quality thick leather and my model has a super Vibram....have a good day mate!
I love my Thursday boots. But I bought their Black Friday sale boots for $80. Worth it at that price. But for full price I will still definitely buy Thursday boots.
‘
“Fix your f ing strap!” Perfect!
Great vid.l! Going in this same vein, would you ever review some of these way overpriced mall brands to give people some context compared to what they might see at Nordstrom rack or off saks? Thinking brands like Cole Haan, Johnston and Murphy, To Boot NY etc. they’ll carry $250+ price tabs for cement boots and people don’t know the difference in quality.
Random comment; Maybe it's a US mostly thing but I've only ever heard of Portland patina once before. Maybe even from this channel or one of the leather-focused channels. A few weeks ago I bought a pair of alden boots and did a lot of research. I did not get hit with ads from Portland patina or Thursday boots.
Portland boots ads are like a bad rash lol. They are flooding social media in spend. Ultimately it just comes to watch a consumer wants + their level of investment in goods. Do your research when buying leather goods. Even as a one off Boot, these boots look like they’re made based off the lowest quality/spend to maximize their margin.
At their price so close to TBC the compromises just aren't worth it even for those who "don't care." These boots belong at DSW for $99.
I can't wait to resole by Thursdays. I get to customise them and really make them my own. Oliver cabell also try to compete, and people say the shoes are alright if they ever get them*** also I hope you don't want to exchange them either.
The owner seems like a clever guy in it for the short run, running off the popularity of Thursdays success. It doesn’t seem likely that Portland boots will become a sign of quality, but just throw away starter boots for guys.
I’ll stick with Thursday’s!
Thanks for this. Came across a pair of Allen Edmonds “Briggs “ boot at N Rack for cheap ($160-$120 with credit card sub) and am trying to get Wes at Rose Anvil to split them in two. Not a lot of info out there on them. Thanks again.
Search for chili shell higgins mill and theres a 27 minute video where somebody takes his apart. The internals look like a Thursday boot.
Appreciate that. I will.@@kingofthenoobs
damn I Just bought these with no foreknowledge... I appreciate your very detailed video. I'm not a big fan of Thursdays or sending boots back several times before getting a decent pair. but The portland boots I was looking at the moc toe and the breaker and boom they went to half price. I was even going to get the "almost perfect" because the price was so good. then as I was considering the boot all of the sudden my size started to sell out. And Portland just dropped a BOGO FREE... so I was just concerned with getting my credit card out before they sold out. and quickly bought two pairs. I guess thats what I get for rushing without doing my due diligence. But maybe for the price I'm not getting ripped off too bad, although that ceo basically said he had no problem selling his customers a crappy product, didn't even defend the quality. 2 pairs for a hundred quid... I guess I'll find out soon enough how much more research I should have done. but if these were decent at the 168$ as you stated . i'll be happy. Hey.. thinking about it your video and rose anvil probably effected the BOGO sale that caused them to sell their stock and perhaps they are going to find a better constructed boot next season. but even with the crazy price drop they can't get rid of them . the stock on hand has barely decreased since it started yesterday.
I really considered the "Almost Perfect " Breaker boot since its $99. Basically for something to just knock around and not care much about. I'm just getting into boots and have a pair of Becketts and Grant Stones. There are a couple of Thursdays that I like. Idk, $99 for a beater boot?
The point of buying quality is for you to be able to knock around and worn/break in so I dont see why you wouldn’t wear those boots and just clean them afterwards. You and your feet deserve quality wear no? And it’ll likely make you smile which makes them worth their price of admission
@n0ne846 this is true. I need to get a more kick around boot. My Becketts are more casual and I went kinda flashy with the Grants in Ostrich. I think I found a pair that I'll get instead of going the cheapest available route. Both are used pairs, Parkhurst for $125 or Iron Rangers for $175. Now I gotta make a choice lol
Right now Allen Edmonds has a sale running. They have cap toe boots for $250. So there is a third option in that price range.
The only thing I don’t like about Thursdays is that crazy smell inside the boot. They use some kind of chemical smell to make it smell like that.
Yes, I had really bad experience with Thursdayboots and their sizing is always a hit or miss
So right now they have some boots as low as $68. Still won’t buy them but if there is a style I’m thinking about trying. Might buy them just for aesthetics to see if I like the style then buy and better Goodyear welted boot in said style. Great review!! Thank you!
Hard pass on these, I’ll stick with Thursday
Yup 💯
Agreed. These boots belong at DSW for $50
Jim Green got my dollars for a cheap boot. South Africa Rand is only worth 5¢ USD. Amazon has Jim Green Vellie for $64.99.
Thursday boots also suck lol
@@machiavelli7546 you're entitled to your opinion, I love my Thursdays and keep wearing them. Thorogoods are great as well for work 👍🏼
Is that the Satchel and Page bomber? I have one on order and didn’t see a review on your channel.
Ahhhh, just saw your satchel and Page ultimate review video. It is! Cant wait to get mine! It looks so rad.
Love your channel, man. Keep up the great work and thanks for all you do 🙏
i'm so glad someone looking for a review of that jacket found that video, which is a really good sub-5 minute review of the jacket!
@@Stridewise dude! This jacket is AMAZING!! Unfortunately, I’m in between sizes (large and XL) but I have an amazing leather trailer so I said fuck it and took it in. Just needs to be taken in around the mid section. The quality and construction is such an amazing value!
I noticed something else during your video.... When you were looking at the fake welt and pulling back the leather it appears the leather was shifting on the toe cap... That suggests to me that the stitching of the toe cap (and possibly the whole boot) is possibly not as good as others (Thursday, Grant Stone, etc.).
I like my Rockports for the purpose these cover
PLG's marketing material really deceives you into thinking their operations are based in Portland. I nearly fell for the trap myself before I did a bit more research. The boots were literally in my cart, but the scam bells were ringing in my head.
Georgia Boot for work Cole Haan for crossover. I like the idea of remanufacturing ability but just making a boot that will last forever or will be re-soled doesn't sound like something too crazy. Big in performance wear is i think called "Boa" ? Don't understand why this can't be applied to a hybrid dress boot.
Definitely a hard pass here. The fact that these cut so many corners and have far less features for the money, makes their price ridiculous relative to Thursday boots.
Well, they may have a point because if the Thursday boots also needed more of a rebuild rather than just a resole, then it might be more worthwhile to just buy the new Thursday boots for most customers who don't need a heavier duty true work boot, but if their quality is still even LOWER and with a price that is not THAT MUCH lower, then they will still lose.
A LOWER price is not automatically a BETTER price unless people just don't understand pricing, so...
So here we just have Scumbag Marketing vid #2 for the day...
Someone doesn't have to be a boot geek to know that if they bought them once and they fell apart too soon that they will likely not buy them again.
@@Highland_Paddy wait what why am I a scumbag now
So it seems like a lot of companies try to exist on Initial Sales these days, but I might put Thursday still borderline into this category, because how long before Thurs are they already turning INTO Boot Geeks and wanting some nicer version dress boot or more true better work boot? Two months?
I bought a pair of Chelsea’s before seeing more in depth info and at the time (last Black Friday) I didn’t know what to look for. I spent $68 on them and they’re worth that much but I’d never buy them again lol even for it being a decent $100 and under boot- why waste that money when you can buy secondhand or save for something new? They have held up well being a cheap boot and I’ve gotten compliments from them but even the smell of the leather was cheap being combined w synthetics and maybe leather board lol
The thing is, mainly due to Nick my rotation of Goodyear welted boots is so big I'm not sure I'll get many resoled
Nick as the Fonz!
any comparison on size? I wear a 10 in Thursday boots. They now have a BOGO sale so maybe worth it for $50 bucks a pair...?
Those should cost $100. They’re basically the same thing you get from a store like Buckle. Or somewhere in the mall like shoe carnival lol or JCPenny. They’re super cheaper but don’t last at all.
Just got 2 pairs for $40 each, hoping they are worth that.
yeah they're worth that haha
Yeah I just bought a couple of pairs for my 17 year old, they are still at 39.99 , the company is going away from selling boots.
I feel like the people at Patina do not really care about the quality of their product or even boots in general, thats kind of the biggest issue I have. There's absolutely no care in the product and the CEO made that clear, if they don't care, why should anyone else, this seems like lame attempt to squeeze into a whole in the market already taken up by Thursday and other brands
If you buy these boots, you're part of the problem; that CEO is chumping you, he thinks you're a moron, and if you buy his boots, well then...
The only justification for buying them is to expose them in a youtube review, so fair play to Nick.
Random question: What leather jacket are you wearing?
White’s boots MP Sherman are the best
I have three pairs of goldenfox boots and i would have to say there leather quality is great. For the money they are the best boots you can get. Especially there overlord service boot. Id choose those over thursday everytime
For work boots that are going to get thrashed, I still go with Sears DieHard.
6:37 there's no way those are a few weeks old 😂
Bought two lairs of Thursday boots and unfortunately for me they were not comfortable. The foot beds and the leather were not flexible enough for me hence the uncomfort. They do make a quality boot though just not for me. Reviewer states that GY melted boots are comfortable. Not inherently the rest of the construction absolutely matters.
While I’m not the target for these, to be fair, most down market companies don’t say where they source their leather.
I'd go for the better quality boot that will last a long. The problem is that poorly made boots and clothing just end up in the landfill.
For this price, I'd just buy a pair of Timberlands instead. Thicker leather, guaranteed waterproof, and a lot less of that knockoff feeling.
I was terribly disappointed by the Ashland Leather podcast for their interview with Portland Leather. I don’t know why I expected Phil to be an investigative journalist during that interview but I was profoundly disgusted with PL company. Too many red flags throughout the interview and his take on heritage boots were quite disheartening. Ultimately, PL just has a low opinion of their customers and it shows.
That podcast is a little weird. They kind of brush things off and dismiss real concerns. I’ve only seen a couple of episodes but that’s the impression I get.
Phil was definitely more interested in (and clearly admired) the business aspect of Portland than the quality of the products they make, is the impression I got from that podcast episode.
More Quality, Comfort and longevity for the price of two fast food meals, Thursday hands down! All day long.
Thre s something wrong with the sound maybe be ause you are in a larger room and you are talking faster than usual maybe because you were annoyed by the subject ...maybe.... good work as always
After considering all of this, I got the PLGs on sale for $112 shipped. I don’t think I’d pay the extra ~$50 but I think the price I got them at will be adequate.
This is gonna drive me crazy but did you shoot this video in West Philly/Drexel Hill/ Havertown? This looks like a house I used to live in Havertown and I swear I know this street lol
It's Ardmore!
@@Stridewise I definitely have been there on the way to the train station then! Love that area
Why do they not do wide width? I was going to buy but no wide offering
Great thorough review! Will definitely stay away from these.
When people talk about "false economy", this is what they are talking about.
I do think that Thursday boots are much better however I recently purchased my Portland boots and they had a great deal that I couldn't pass up, I got2 boots for $199. I got a black and a brown pair. They are comfortable and I enjoy them For now.
Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin look like saints compared to
Portland Leather.
There are too many shortcuts!
Is it cow leather?
Yeah
I'll buck the trend in the comment section. I think they are a great buy at (often) less than $100. That's half the price of Thursdays. I have 8 pairs of boots, including one Patina, and most are what this community would call good. That doesn't make the Patinas bad. You are getting pretty good leather for the price, they fit me great and were immediately comfortable, and for the price, I don't care that they aren't resolable or that they will break down quicker. I had some fake leather H&M boots that got me into boots about a decade ago that were the cheapest made things ever... and I loved them. They didn't last long, but they were comfortable and looked fantastic. The Patinas are absolutely a step up in quality and fit that same niche. They aren't my work boots, they don't need to last forever, but I want them to be comfy and look good. They would be even better without the lug sole, but I don't mind that look as I can put on more expensive boots that I own these days to fill that niche. Look, I love Michellin Star restaurants, and have been fortunate enough to even eat at a few that are that level, but it doesn't mean I don't also love Taco Bell or Sonic. You can love both. And really, these are more like the Chili's or Olive Garden equivalent. They definitely have a place, even if you know that there's better options available. Both you and Weston wanted to say they are terrible and both of you kept conceding that they did make something better than my H&M boots, and do offer a pretty good $100 boot. It's fine that Michellin doesn't rate the Olive Garden, and it's fine that BootTube doesn't want to like the boot equivalent. There's still a stong market for this adequately faux fancy for the masses type of appeal. That's what these are. I get the comparison with Thursday, but that's not who they are competing against. It's H&M.
I have Thursday boots and I got breaker boots for 100 dollars, I might be the only one to feel that Thursday boots leather is cheaper and thinner, it just has a leather lining that makes it seem thicker. QC on Thursday boots is a hit or miss. Resoling makes no sense on 200 $ Thursday boots.
I own a pair of Thursday’s Captain Stormking. After 2 years they fell aparat, most of the stitching is gone and the undersole is splitting. The cost of re-stitching and re-soling is higher than a new pair. There’s no point in getting cheap goodyear wealt boots as it’s financially not feasible to re-sole them.
I commented on Portland Leather's IG referencing Rose Anvil's review of these and urging people to do their research. They deleted my comment. That says a lot right there.
I gave these to a homeless guy in Portland. A month later I found them in the trash.
no way did that really happen
and in portland to boot
Portland says its a better price, But its a Marked Up price.!!! That's what bugs me SO Much! So much deception. Not cool.
Did you move to a new house?
Thursdays are pretty crap as well, not sure why Portland leather boots gets so much hate, when they are both bad
Meanwhile you can get a top of the line leather Nike tactical boot for Under $250... In fact I just got a great pair of Nike all leather hiking boots for $85 on deep discount... And you can get Rothco leather jungle boots for $45... Like I don't get what makes some of these footwear so expansive...
I have no particular love for Portland or any other similarly situated company. That said, I kind of feel like this "outrage" about their marketing is being overdone here. First of all, you say multiple times that the price is "so close" to Thursday's, being "only $30 cheaper," but the very screen you show clearly indicates that they're actually in the $120 range. Yes, Portland is saying that's a "sale" price. I get it. But that's just plain old marketing for budget products. You see it everywhere. This is a $120 boot (looks like they also sell "almost perfect" ones--whatever that means--for
*Mic drop*
That guy was human red flag. Makes a boot worth nothing, worse than Chinese construction, can’t even be resoled, and charges just $30 bucks less than one of the highest quality boots you can get for its price. I just hope he treats his Mexican employees with respect and pays them a good wage.
Except for boot nerds, most of the world is buying lower price shoes and boots, and disposing of them. Most people are not resoling or recrafting their shoes. Most people are not spending hundreds of dollars on shoes. Look around in the real world, in shopping centers, at discount stores, at big box stores, at department stores. The high price shoes and boots are a very small minority.