Just one data point: I bought these boots based on this review. 10 months of casual wear later the stitching has failed to the extent they are no longer wearable. The heel stack is also separating. OC has offered me a discount on future purchases but has declined to repair or replace.
Hardness has NOTHING to do with wear at least in the footwear industry. Harder rubber usually means more clay. It is the amount of natural rubber and nitrile in the compound which determines wear. Also the harder the sole, less slip resistant.. (edited from here on as I hit save before I finished). In the shoe industry cost cutting is rampant, sole makers are pressured by shoe factories to cut costs, so they fill the sole compound with ballast (clay), which makes the sole more prone to cracking, harder and also less resistant to abrasion. A sole like Vibram is expensive because they have the minimum amount of fillers and they are balanced between slip resistant and wear. Sole are like an airplane, want to carry more, go big and slow, want to go fast - make it small. Want to go big and fast.. use more gas. There is always a compromise. The best rubber sole compound in the world is any sole which meets the US Army's AR-670-1 spec for rubber soles. Vibram is the only US supplier right now which can provide that sole to all US Military boot manufacturers. The clay used by rubber sole makers to cheapen the sole is Kaolinite. Which seems to be the case with this sole used in the Oliver Cabell boot.
@@MikeHaggarKJ I am a lifetime shoe maker, I started making shoe last models by hand at 14 years of age. I was trained by people from Mobbs Miller of UK, then moved to shoes and boots when I was 19. I now work for a large military boot supplier in the US, so am limited to what I can reveal. Dainite soles are very good as well.
I am in the US Military and just found your channel and have been binge watching your videos. It would be awesome if you could cut open some popular authorized military boots.
I agree with this. Speaking of government boots, I work for a federal land use agency and switched from government boots cause they broke down so quickly. Would really like to see what kind of crap tax payers are paying for. It's especially ridiculous given how many good boot companies are in this country and that's not counting the great ones.
@@little_blue_dragon661 Thursday is much better for the $200 price. They have cork which is much better for the feel of the boots. The rubber soles on Oliver Cabel are not even nailed. The Blake stitching is not all the way around. They cut too many corners. Thursday boots will last longer than these. What I don’t understand is why put a fake stitching that serves no purpose? That’s a part your are paying just for the looks. I understand it’s thier first time making boots but if that’s the best they can do for 200, these will absolutely go up in value when they start improving things. Thursday in the other hand price remain the same but boot construction is always improving. I know this for a fact cause I have they first ever captains and a recent one. Quality have gotten improved. And Thursday sneakers are one of the best leather sneakers at $129.
I think Canada West Moorby's solve a lot of the problems found in these boots, only thing is that prices fluctuate based on where you buy. I've seen them on sale as low at $140, but can go as high as $330
I just got my Thursday Diplomats in the mail and i freaking love them!!!! Thanks to your videos and work you have done, i now feel like i know what a good boot is and dont feel unsure about pulling the trigger on some expensive boots and sneakers, and my girlfriend thanks you also!!!! Keep it up Kay!!!! and dont die from coronavirus or else i will never get good boots again!!!!!
Cabell are idiots for breaking their contract and NOT sponsoring this video! Classic, honest Weston review that highlights the positive aspects as well as describing the negative ones. It made me want these boots! This review actually made me contact OC to see if it was possible to buy these European-made boots inside Europe, since it seemed stupid to ship them back and forth across the Atlantic with resulting costs and emissions. They never answered.
Meermin is also a cool brand in this price point that makes boots in Spain. A good amount of it is made in China to get the costs down and are finished in Spain.
Watching this video 2 years later and I can't believe Oliver Cabell didn't end up paying for this review, it's as honest and even positive a review as can be given for their product. Hopefully they pay with interest to make up for it!
I really don't like these fake toe caps. All that does is introduce a weak point at the stitch line. Apart from that, these are nicely made for the price.
@@cpf4746 if you’re going to drop $200, just buy Nick’s for $500 and be confident that you’re getting the best build. 1000 mile boots suck, and you wasted $200
@@swankybubbles77 I have seen mixed reviews on the 1000 mile boot. When I got mine from nordstrom rack I did notice a hand full of qc issues, i.e. lose stitching, jagged rubber sole, and some cosmetic imperfections (used a nail file and some small clipper to remedy not a huge issue). I actually spent less than $180 on the Havana brown cap toe version which is normally $385 on their official website. Less than $180 is a more appropriate price imo. I am over all happy, and I wouldn't say they completely suck. Obviously Nick's are better but the wife said it's a no go for 600 dollar boots (taxes & shipping included). I thrown on some leather laces (trying to look like Nick's as much as possible) and pretend they are Nick's lmao. But over all I dont think it's a complete waste of money considering the price difference on their website vs Nordstrom rack. I plan on beating the fuck out of them like a step father because I know in my heart that the Nick's Americana is my real son 🤪🤪🤪
On the GYW vs Blake Stitch construction and one being better or worse than the other (it's not as simple as everyone makes it out to be): Resoling: Yes, you can resole a GYW boot easier and likely more times than a Blake Stitch shoe. But before you even get to resoling the shoes, you gotta think about the overall quality of the boot anyway. What's more important in determining if you can/want to resole a shoe is both price as, well as the quality of the upper leather. If the upper leather is trash there's almost zero point in re-soling the shoe as it's gonna be busted up, cracked, broken, lost it's structure, etc. In reference here, Thursday's proprietary chrome tanned leather isn't really awesome. And while veg tanned leather is gonna be stiffer and harder to break in and less water resistant, it is much more wear resistant than chrome tanned leather, it's also a more expensive process than chrome tanning. And from a cost perspective, outside of labour, your uppers are likely to be the most expensive part of the boot. Further, if you put cheap welting leather on your GYW boots, you might have to replace the welt when you take it in anyway. And guess what the welt is attached to, THE UPPER OF THE BOOT, like a blake stitch. So if you're gonna make a GYW boot, which is a more labour intensive and cost prohibitive construction method, you best use top quality leathers and other parts of the shoe to even justify making it that way. Actual wear: Sure, there's better water resistance on a GYW shoe. However, how many of us are actually trekking through swamps and creeks and rivers in our fashion boots. Sure, they have a service boot style but, if you're like most people, the most you're probably gonna deal with these is some rain or snow on a walk to work or out with friends. And really, almost any boot is gonna get "wet" and absorb water if you don't try and treat it a little bit. So I don't think that's a huge knock on blake stitch for most people. And if you're someone who says "well i took my service boots on a hike and they were awesome", good for you. I'd rather take a pair of $100 Merrell trail shoes out on the trail that I don't care about getting swampy and shitty. They're also gonna perform 20 times better than a service boot will. So for everyone saying it's a "worse Thursday Captain" I wouldn't be so quick to state that. I'd argue the silhouette and the look of the leather is more fashionable and appealing than the oliver cabell. However, I don't find that it's, overall, a better boot, simply because its GYW. Of note, I have a pair of blake stitched bluchers that I've worn through rain, snow, walks to work in bad weather in Canada. They are still holding up after 8 years. I've replaced the heel toplifts like 3 times and had them resoled once and they're still going strong.
totally agree. Sure you can resole a Thursday more times, but is the upper going to survive long enough to get the chance? The only thing that concerns me about these SB1s is that it wasn't a full blake stitch. I want to know if that's going to affect their ability to be resoled in the first place
@@ryana6036 I mean, in any more expensive blake stitch shoe, the stitching will go a few inches further up to the heel of the shoe. Given it's unlikely your cobbler will hit the same holes in the upper when they're resoling a blake stitch shoe, you could just ask them to take the stitches all the way up to the heel. And ask them to nail the heel block to the shoe instead of just cementing it. The fact that the stitching ends at the waist of the shoe really has no bearing on reconstruction, other than if you damage the inner of the shoe from salt and other debris getting in there. And in terms of price of a blake resole vs a GYW resole. I had a blake resole done recently for CA$120 and most places in my area, that aren't even using top quality soles charge $100-120 for a GYW resole anyhow. Another thing people have to ask themselves is. How likely are you to actually resole your boots or shoes? Or will you just get rid of them cause you want something new?
@@heyitsozzie4646 I was simply trying to put a bit more colour to the "GYW is, by default, a better shoe" when that simply isn't the case. And it's what most people on the thread are arguing. Yes, I would have been nice to not have the fibreboard insole on this boot and a better heel counter and toe structuring. However, a 2mm thick veg tanned leather upper is likely to be a pretty durable upper. And its where Oliver Cabell has clearly spent the most money on this boot. As I also stated above, the method of construction is irrelevant if the quality of materials is not there. I'm not saying it's representative of TBC as a whole but there is this resole project: www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/bfllcg/thursday_boot_rebuild/ That shows, from a cobbler's perspective, what resoling a pair of Thursdays might look like. There are also many other positive reviews, like these: www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/aaef0t/thursday_boots_three_years_later/ www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/it9hn1/thursday_boots_captain_in_brown_12ish_month_review/ At the end of the day, they're an entry level boot. Regardless of them being GYW, and no, you aren't likely to find a pair of GYW boots this cheap, if they aren't massively marked down or seconds/B grades. And there's a reason for that. If you want a boot that's gonna get you out of mall brand boots and you aren't sure about higher end GYW boots, sure, hit up some Thursday's! Or if you wanna have a closet full of different boots that are all decently classy, equally casual but don't wanna spend >$300 per pair of shoes. Go for it. However, just because they are GYW does not imply that they are better than a blake stitch shoe. And that was an argument I was seeing a lot on the comments.
those who are looking for resoleable boots are looking for quality and too many aspects of this boot do not indicate that. glued on heel block? What happens when these thing get introduced to some moisture? That thing will fall right off. Also if they wanted to have a welt they should have made it goodyear construction, fake welts piss me off and indicate they are not confident in the product they made.
I own the same style in black...missed out on the free conditioner, yet have plenty, so no biggie. The leather is stout, yet felt comfortable on day one. It is my understanding it will take some time to fully break in. I have owned them for 3 weeks and have managed to get in a few hours a couple of times a week. I watched this prior to purchasing and do not regret my decision. Thanks for your dissection and candor!
Westin, if you want to see a hybrid of a welted construction and a Blake stitch you might want to check our Helm boots. A lot of their models use a Blake rapid stitch. Basically: Blake stitch upper to a midsole then separately stitch midsole to outsole, looks similar to this boot on the outside. I have a a pair of Helm Hollis boots made this way and like them.
Can you do some “high quality” boots marketed towards women cut in half? I’m having trouble finding boots that seem worth it in women’s styles. I’ve been looking at a pair of dear frances boots. I know women’s footwear at is a whole other ballgame.. but I would like to know if some of those supposedly high quality fashion boots are actually worth the design surcharge.
Oliver Cabell reached out to me last December for a pair of boots in exchange for a social post and I have to say, I really love them. They sent me the Wilson in black, which is the plain toe version, a bit more elegant for a pair of black boots IMO. I definitely agree that the break-in period was significant. Once they're broken in however, they are quite comfy. I recently picked up a pair of Thursday Captains and I can say that those are more comfortable than the OC, no question about that. But I wear both pairs often and I like them both. I would definitely be interested to see the cut in half comparison between those two boots, as someone who owns each one.
Just spend the money and get some PNW boots.. Nicks, Franks... maybe Whites (I've heard the most negative reviews about that last one). My first pair is arriving today! I'm so excited!!
I love these videos! They're so relaxed and I have learned as much from your shoe and boot covers as I have learned from my entire life wearing shoes. I have always selected walking/hiking footwear because I have a teeeeeny (large) reputation for killing shoes and boots. When I was younger I would walk in a manner that just didn't suit shoes at all and even now I still will do miles and miles of walking, running, jumping and cycling day after day in boots and shoes. I am from the UK, so some of the footwear you feature isn't available here, but, as you might have guessed, I'm not the most fashion conscious, and I look at footwear in a utilitarian manner: How far can I walk in these, will those miles be comfortable, will my feet stay cool, will my feet stay dry, are the soles rugged and offering good traction (Often an overly hard sole will not be soft enough to grip a smooth or even rough surface, even though they're longer lasting)? Having been through almost every shoe from every walking shoe style footwear brand, I have so far spent the most amount of time wearing a pair of Salomon X Ultra GTX 3's. Part of what drew me to them is that they offer a two year warranty on the shoe, and until this point I had never had a pair of shoes last more than a year, so I thought I'd put their claim to the test! I actually bought the previous model (a 2 instead of 3 of the same name) and when they only lasted 10 months they were replaced by the original retailer and a brand new upgraded pair with a full warranty was issued. They lasted me 18 months, plus the previous pair for 10 months, for a total of 28 months, on what was at the time, a £84 (~$110) purchase. I have since acquired a pair of Meindl Vakuum boots, but these are not suitable for everyday wear. I'm making do with a pair of Merrell walking shoes that I have not been overly impressed with. I am really tempted to buy another pair of the Salomon shoes, but I enjoy wearing and testing new footwear each time I make a purchase. There is so much brand hype and marketing around this category of shoe that I can never look to online 'best' lists and when I have done I have been disappointed. I will also add here that the louder the colours and styles are on the shoe, often the more disappointing the performance in this category. I adored the style of the Merrell Chameleon 7 shoes, but having bought a pair in a slightly cheaper price bracket than these (marketed as a none-waterproof summer shoe), I was so disappointed in the grip (same sole) and the level of comfort (same overall shape) that I decided against this 'upgrade'. Would you be able to make a recommendation for a shoe in this category that is not loud, marked by certain styles, and good for all of the above? I'd love to see a video on what you find about this particular genre of footwear. I typically spend ~£100, that being anything up to $150, and anything lasting over a year for that price I consider value for money. How does this compare to the value propositions you've seen in your footwear and the footwear you've reviewed? I know it's a lot to ask, especially when it's so heavily tailored, so I can't imagine you ever would do anything with this suggestion, but I'd love to hear what you expect from shoes (and boots!), in terms of comfort, wear, and versatility, as most of the boots you test seem rather one dimensional, appealing to style, profession, or simply brand hype. Thank you for all your content!
@Rose Anvil love the vids! have a suggestion, build a little sled for your Band saw! Could even include a V-notch or T-track on the left and right to make an adjustable clamp to hold the boot open and in place .. clean even straight cut and your hands out of harms way.
I have many boots and have always taken care of them. Some of these boots now cost twice as much as I originally paid and one pair now costs four times the original purchase price. It's nice to have you do reviews and take some of the guesswork out of purchasing a pair of boots. I know that you've done some reviews on leather conditioners and treatment, but am wondering how Obenauf's, that I've always used, compares to other products.
I think the construction on the Thursday boots is better for around the same money. This is a nice looking boot but so is the Thursday boot. My money would go to Thursday boots
@KampKarl the reason why you want a much better upper because it’s the one that can’t be replace. You can just ask a cobbler to do a GYW on these when it’s time to resole them. That’s how they approach it. Which make sense. You’ll get all the downside of Blake construction until it’s time to resole. But you will then have a better upper and GYW. There’s always a compromise.
@KampKarl you just said in previous comment that “you be better of using a cheaper leather and a gyw.” Now veg tan from Italy ain’t cheap. That’s why the $200 value is justified regardless of the construction. A more expensive boots will still need to be resole at some point. Thursdays will still need resole in the future. And at that point, OC will have much better value. First purchased, yes, the Thursdays are much better but when both shoes are due for their first resole, the OC wii have much better value. Both will have GYW but one with a much more expensive upper. Don’t get me wrong, I got 3 pairs of Thursdays. But if you think about in the long run, these OC actually make sense. A GYW with veg tan leather runs what 400-500 for a good pair. If you live in a place where it’s not necessary to wear GYW and Blake stitched is sufficient, these would be cheaper option.
I've noticed the harder the rubber the easier it chips on concrete I go through a set of boots every 3 months delivering mail. Currently have a set of African rangers and razorbacks been buying resoleable recently. Would love a set of nicks but the heel is too high and I have a wide foot. Jim greens meets nicks that would be perfect
One key area which is not covered in these videos is the fiber / leather / synthetic reinforcement used in the eyelet / speed lace area. This is a key area and if reinforcements are not used the eyelets and speed hooks can pop out. I would like to see boots torn apart in those areas as well. The technical term is 'Eyestay Reinforcement.
Hey Weston, from that camera sitting on the bandsaw behind you, I am starting to think you are going to review cameras in the near future. I think you will need a better blade! LOL!
considering resoling/repairing is expensive these boots will need to be repaired sooner rather than later. I don't see any savings with this boot. Even though it can be resoled you're better off not. so it becomes a throw away boot
Hey Weston man you've got one of the best channels on youtube, I wish there were more folks doing this kind of reverse engineering style of reviewing. I've seen your entire cut in half library now and I am just wondering what you consider to be the best quality as opposed to the best value. Personally I feel like the Nicks and Grant Stone were standouts but I'm wondering what you would buy if price was a non-issue and the only determining factor was high quality materials and construction. Keep up the awesome work brotha, happy thanksgiving!
Nice boot, design is almost identical to the Thursday Captain. For my money the Thursday is appreciably higher quality for the same money, and all last longer to due easier resole-ability.
I like Spanish boots, I have a pair of Berwick’s shell cordovan, they are great quality and stylish, and most importantly it doesn’t cost as much as US made ones
There is a lot to be said for a products designed for a lower price point rather than designing the product first and then make it cheaply to hit a price point.
Cardboard and glue? Beckett Simonon are a much better value and less expensive with frequent discounts. Although I’d personally just pay up for Grant Stone.
I would love to see a video on different welt constructions and again suggest taking a look at the Red Wing 2233 or 953 with its unique direct attach to welt Supersole construction.
Cut up the brooks brother duck boot, It’s bison leather which I have no clue if that’s any good but it’s soft. The boot is $198 I’d like to see what’s on the inside?
These are great videos. I never thought I'd binge watch boots cutting until I bought a pair of boots and could barely get them. Louis Vuitton has great boots I would love to see the guts..I WONDER IF THERE IS GOLD INSIDE THEY ALOT.
You didn't mention it, but the toe cap also appears to be fake from what I can see (I'm watching on my phone). That's three fake stitches (welt, blake through the arch, and toe cap), and fake nail holes.
I would put John Doe way above these and Thursday. The only problem is communication and sizing. I’d recommend a half size bigger and and a wide if you even close to a wide foot. But the build and materials are top notch.
As a matter of fact I contacted Weston above cutting up mine because they were just too small, but he only does it if the factory sends them. I don’t know, legal issues?
Would like to see an HR Trask boot cut in two. Like Cabell Trask appears to use high quality uppers, but the construction will more than likely be equal to or less than the componets found in this boot autopsy.
Just an FYI to everyone, I noticed the other day when Kohl's was having the mystery coupon sale day where you can score up to 40% off, it works with Thorogood moc toes. Takes them down to, I think, $135, so keep an eye out for the next mystery sale and sign up all your email addresses to their marketing emails to increase the odds of getting the 40% off.
I understand that a Blake stitch construction provides a more elegant silhouette which is nice for fair weather dress shoes, dress loafers, and dress boots but what is the point of a Blake stitch construction on a casual, heritage, or service boot?
You should update this video. It is not longer valid. They have changed up the materials in the boots. Construction | Blake stitch (resole-able) Upper | Waxed full-grain (fully water-proof) from Charles F Stead, Leeds, England Outsole | Custom water resistant anti-slip studded rubber outsoles from England Footbed | Vegetable tanned leather over removable molded in-sole for comfort (replaceable with orthotics) Lining | Vegetable tanned leather from Venice, Italy Laces | Premium Italian flat waxed cotton laces Midsole | Natural vegetable tanned leather from Spain (foot forming) Eyelets | Vintage brass eyelets sourced from Spain Shank | Custom made steel shank from Germany Components | Custom Spanish brass nails Last | 812 Finishing | Hand stitched lasted in Albacete, Spain
Grab a leather wallet, belt, camera harness, or MORE from the Rose Anvil shop here - bit.ly/44jXLNu
Just one data point: I bought these boots based on this review. 10 months of casual wear later the stitching has failed to the extent they are no longer wearable. The heel stack is also separating. OC has offered me a discount on future purchases but has declined to repair or replace.
Was that around the liner?
@@beijingbikinibottom it was the stitching on the counter.
I am dubious of any French Canadians. They are a shifty folk.
When a review channel accepts sponsors for the products they review, they are sold out. I feel rose anvil main goal is to make money!
@@John_Doe62You can’t make these videos and “tests” without those.
Hardness has NOTHING to do with wear at least in the footwear industry. Harder rubber usually means more clay. It is the amount of natural rubber and nitrile in the compound which determines wear. Also the harder the sole, less slip resistant.. (edited from here on as I hit save before I finished). In the shoe industry cost cutting is rampant, sole makers are pressured by shoe factories to cut costs, so they fill the sole compound with ballast (clay), which makes the sole more prone to cracking, harder and also less resistant to abrasion. A sole like Vibram is expensive because they have the minimum amount of fillers and they are balanced between slip resistant and wear. Sole are like an airplane, want to carry more, go big and slow, want to go fast - make it small. Want to go big and fast.. use more gas. There is always a compromise. The best rubber sole compound in the world is any sole which meets the US Army's AR-670-1 spec for rubber soles. Vibram is the only US supplier right now which can provide that sole to all US Military boot manufacturers. The clay used by rubber sole makers to cheapen the sole is Kaolinite. Which seems to be the case with this sole used in the Oliver Cabell boot.
Wow. Thanks for sharing. How did you learn all this?
And do you know how good dainite is?
You should compile your knowledge in a blog post.
@@MikeHaggarKJ I am a lifetime shoe maker, I started making shoe last models by hand at 14 years of age. I was trained by people from Mobbs Miller of UK, then moved to shoes and boots when I was 19. I now work for a large military boot supplier in the US, so am limited to what I can reveal. Dainite soles are very good as well.
@@pavanmex Very cool! This explains why I see split rubber soles on cheap shoes.
I was listening to a cobbler talk about how in his experience Dainite souls wear quickly and split in the cold. And how much better Vibram are
Thank you
I am in the US Military and just found your channel and have been binge watching your videos. It would be awesome if you could cut open some popular authorized military boots.
I would also love to see how our Military boots are constructed. Jump boots, jungle boots, issue boots....
This 1000%
I agree with this. Speaking of government boots, I work for a federal land use agency and switched from government boots cause they broke down so quickly. Would really like to see what kind of crap tax payers are paying for. It's especially ridiculous given how many good boot companies are in this country and that's not counting the great ones.
Dont need Rose Anvil to tell you military boots are shit.
@@chazarkansas1366 not all of them. Jungle boots are great. Not sure why anyone would dislike them
How about cutting a pair of Thursday Boot Captains in half? And compare them to this boot.
I do think they have a bettter construction
Tye thursdayboots have a welt
@@isaacbruyn9122 but they don't have a leather midsole
@@little_blue_dragon661 Thursday is much better for the $200 price. They have cork which is much better for the feel of the boots. The rubber soles on Oliver Cabel are not even nailed. The Blake stitching is not all the way around. They cut too many corners. Thursday boots will last longer than these. What I don’t understand is why put a fake stitching that serves no purpose? That’s a part your are paying just for the looks. I understand it’s thier first time making boots but if that’s the best they can do for 200, these will absolutely go up in value when they start improving things. Thursday in the other hand price remain the same but boot construction is always improving. I know this for a fact cause I have they first ever captains and a recent one. Quality have gotten improved. And Thursday sneakers are one of the best leather sneakers at $129.
Rmrs has a thursday boot captains cut in half video
still waiting to see some Thursday Captains be cut in half :)
I would say these and the captains are a direct competitor.
Same!
Same!
I think Trenton and Heath have a video taking the Thursday captain boots apart
Link for Trenton and Heath video
ua-cam.com/video/4i_SzrfEewM/v-deo.html
Definitely need a stitch comparison video.
Would like Norwegian stitch too!
I think Canada West Moorby's solve a lot of the problems found in these boots, only thing is that prices fluctuate based on where you buy. I've seen them on sale as low at $140, but can go as high as $330
Canada West makes great boots! I'd love to see a pair of their boots cut apart.
I'd love to see these compared! Own a pair.
We gotta get this comment thread up in the comments so he cuts up some Canada West boots!
Yes! Canada proud , love my Moorbys!
I just got my Thursday Diplomats in the mail and i freaking love them!!!! Thanks to your videos and work you have done, i now feel like i know what a good boot is and dont feel unsure about pulling the trigger on some expensive boots and sneakers, and my girlfriend thanks you also!!!! Keep it up Kay!!!! and dont die from coronavirus or else i will never get good boots again!!!!!
Cabell are idiots for breaking their contract and NOT sponsoring this video! Classic, honest Weston review that highlights the positive aspects as well as describing the negative ones. It made me want these boots!
This review actually made me contact OC to see if it was possible to buy these European-made boots inside Europe, since it seemed stupid to ship them back and forth across the Atlantic with resulting costs and emissions. They never answered.
Meermin is also a cool brand in this price point that makes boots in Spain. A good amount of it is made in China to get the costs down and are finished in Spain.
Meermin are hard to beat at their price point.
Can confirm, they are great quality. Hard to beat especially in Europe.
Veg tan and made in Spain for 200 is insane
i think only the lining leather was veg tan unfortunately
@Right Round i see now, i missed it before
@@mikeycrackson yeah i missed it before
Terrible construction though. It’s like the boots are half way finish😂
Watching this video 2 years later and I can't believe Oliver Cabell didn't end up paying for this review, it's as honest and even positive a review as can be given for their product. Hopefully they pay with interest to make up for it!
how do you know they did not pay for the review?
How about dissecting the Golden Fox boondockers? I have a pair and they are great boots for around 125 bucks .
With the current price this is way better than Thursday's Captain i think and I love the Captains
Depends on what you like... Captains are Goodyear welted... That's a plus for me.
@@thomasknowles7311 oh yeah true it is a big plus
The Thursday Captain is a much better boot.
How is it better than the Captains as they are both about the same price and the Captains have much better build quality?
I really don't like these fake toe caps. All that does is introduce a weak point at the stitch line. Apart from that, these are nicely made for the price.
Can you do a "cut in half" for wolverine 1000 mile boots?
And Alden Indy boots!
I just purchased the cap top 1000 mile boots. Would love to see them cut in half as well.
@@cpf4746 my condolences
@@cpf4746 if you’re going to drop $200, just buy Nick’s for $500 and be confident that you’re getting the best build. 1000 mile boots suck, and you wasted $200
@@swankybubbles77 I have seen mixed reviews on the 1000 mile boot. When I got mine from nordstrom rack I did notice a hand full of qc issues, i.e. lose stitching, jagged rubber sole, and some cosmetic imperfections (used a nail file and some small clipper to remedy not a huge issue). I actually spent less than $180 on the Havana brown cap toe version which is normally $385 on their official website. Less than $180 is a more appropriate price imo. I am over all happy, and I wouldn't say they completely suck. Obviously Nick's are better but the wife said it's a no go for 600 dollar boots (taxes & shipping included). I thrown on some leather laces (trying to look like Nick's as much as possible) and pretend they are Nick's lmao. But over all I dont think it's a complete waste of money considering the price difference on their website vs Nordstrom rack. I plan on beating the fuck out of them like a step father because I know in my heart that the Nick's Americana is my real son 🤪🤪🤪
We had Moctober, now it's time for Duckcember?
On the GYW vs Blake Stitch construction and one being better or worse than the other (it's not as simple as everyone makes it out to be):
Resoling: Yes, you can resole a GYW boot easier and likely more times than a Blake Stitch shoe. But before you even get to resoling the shoes, you gotta think about the overall quality of the boot anyway. What's more important in determining if you can/want to resole a shoe is both price as, well as the quality of the upper leather. If the upper leather is trash there's almost zero point in re-soling the shoe as it's gonna be busted up, cracked, broken, lost it's structure, etc. In reference here, Thursday's proprietary chrome tanned leather isn't really awesome. And while veg tanned leather is gonna be stiffer and harder to break in and less water resistant, it is much more wear resistant than chrome tanned leather, it's also a more expensive process than chrome tanning. And from a cost perspective, outside of labour, your uppers are likely to be the most expensive part of the boot. Further, if you put cheap welting leather on your GYW boots, you might have to replace the welt when you take it in anyway. And guess what the welt is attached to, THE UPPER OF THE BOOT, like a blake stitch. So if you're gonna make a GYW boot, which is a more labour intensive and cost prohibitive construction method, you best use top quality leathers and other parts of the shoe to even justify making it that way.
Actual wear: Sure, there's better water resistance on a GYW shoe. However, how many of us are actually trekking through swamps and creeks and rivers in our fashion boots. Sure, they have a service boot style but, if you're like most people, the most you're probably gonna deal with these is some rain or snow on a walk to work or out with friends. And really, almost any boot is gonna get "wet" and absorb water if you don't try and treat it a little bit. So I don't think that's a huge knock on blake stitch for most people. And if you're someone who says "well i took my service boots on a hike and they were awesome", good for you. I'd rather take a pair of $100 Merrell trail shoes out on the trail that I don't care about getting swampy and shitty. They're also gonna perform 20 times better than a service boot will.
So for everyone saying it's a "worse Thursday Captain" I wouldn't be so quick to state that. I'd argue the silhouette and the look of the leather is more fashionable and appealing than the oliver cabell. However, I don't find that it's, overall, a better boot, simply because its GYW. Of note, I have a pair of blake stitched bluchers that I've worn through rain, snow, walks to work in bad weather in Canada. They are still holding up after 8 years. I've replaced the heel toplifts like 3 times and had them resoled once and they're still going strong.
totally agree. Sure you can resole a Thursday more times, but is the upper going to survive long enough to get the chance? The only thing that concerns me about these SB1s is that it wasn't a full blake stitch. I want to know if that's going to affect their ability to be resoled in the first place
@@ryana6036 I mean, in any more expensive blake stitch shoe, the stitching will go a few inches further up to the heel of the shoe. Given it's unlikely your cobbler will hit the same holes in the upper when they're resoling a blake stitch shoe, you could just ask them to take the stitches all the way up to the heel. And ask them to nail the heel block to the shoe instead of just cementing it. The fact that the stitching ends at the waist of the shoe really has no bearing on reconstruction, other than if you damage the inner of the shoe from salt and other debris getting in there.
And in terms of price of a blake resole vs a GYW resole. I had a blake resole done recently for CA$120 and most places in my area, that aren't even using top quality soles charge $100-120 for a GYW resole anyhow.
Another thing people have to ask themselves is. How likely are you to actually resole your boots or shoes? Or will you just get rid of them cause you want something new?
If you know anything about boot construction it's easy to see how TB has better construction.
@@heyitsozzie4646 I was simply trying to put a bit more colour to the "GYW is, by default, a better shoe" when that simply isn't the case. And it's what most people on the thread are arguing. Yes, I would have been nice to not have the fibreboard insole on this boot and a better heel counter and toe structuring. However, a 2mm thick veg tanned leather upper is likely to be a pretty durable upper. And its where Oliver Cabell has clearly spent the most money on this boot.
As I also stated above, the method of construction is irrelevant if the quality of materials is not there. I'm not saying it's representative of TBC as a whole but there is this resole project:
www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/bfllcg/thursday_boot_rebuild/
That shows, from a cobbler's perspective, what resoling a pair of Thursdays might look like. There are also many other positive reviews, like these:
www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/aaef0t/thursday_boots_three_years_later/
www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/it9hn1/thursday_boots_captain_in_brown_12ish_month_review/
At the end of the day, they're an entry level boot. Regardless of them being GYW, and no, you aren't likely to find a pair of GYW boots this cheap, if they aren't massively marked down or seconds/B grades. And there's a reason for that. If you want a boot that's gonna get you out of mall brand boots and you aren't sure about higher end GYW boots, sure, hit up some Thursday's! Or if you wanna have a closet full of different boots that are all decently classy, equally casual but don't wanna spend >$300 per pair of shoes. Go for it.
However, just because they are GYW does not imply that they are better than a blake stitch shoe. And that was an argument I was seeing a lot on the comments.
Would like to see the Allen Edmonds Higgin Mills boots cut in half... Thx
those who are looking for resoleable boots are looking for quality and too many aspects of this boot do not indicate that. glued on heel block? What happens when these thing get introduced to some moisture? That thing will fall right off. Also if they wanted to have a welt they should have made it goodyear construction, fake welts piss me off and indicate they are not confident in the product they made.
I own the same style in black...missed out on the free conditioner, yet have plenty, so no biggie. The leather is stout, yet felt comfortable on day one. It is my understanding it will take some time to fully break in. I have owned them for 3 weeks and have managed to get in a few hours a couple of times a week. I watched this prior to purchasing and do not regret my decision. Thanks for your dissection and candor!
Westin, if you want to see a hybrid of a welted construction and a Blake stitch you might want to check our Helm boots. A lot of their models use a Blake rapid stitch. Basically: Blake stitch upper to a midsole then separately stitch midsole to outsole, looks similar to this boot on the outside. I have a a pair of Helm Hollis boots made this way and like them.
Can you do some “high quality” boots marketed towards women cut in half? I’m having trouble finding boots that seem worth it in women’s styles. I’ve been looking at a pair of dear frances boots. I know women’s footwear at is a whole other ballgame.. but I would like to know if some of those supposedly high quality fashion boots are actually worth the design surcharge.
ME TOO! Please do a women's boot!
Yes absolutely WOMENS BOOTS!
@@eyes2see438 Great idea!
You should look at the L.L. Bean Duck Boot
I don't see how is this better than Thursday boots captain?!
I would love to see some reviews of women's shoes. Not heels but casual boots or oxfords.
I live in sunny California where no one wears boots outside of work but your videos have swayed to buying about 3 pairs now! Love your content!
My money is on the Thursday Captains. Full Goodyear welt, softer leather and a better than average sole. Made in American for under $200!
Oliver Cabell reached out to me last December for a pair of boots in exchange for a social post and I have to say, I really love them. They sent me the Wilson in black, which is the plain toe version, a bit more elegant for a pair of black boots IMO. I definitely agree that the break-in period was significant. Once they're broken in however, they are quite comfy.
I recently picked up a pair of Thursday Captains and I can say that those are more comfortable than the OC, no question about that. But I wear both pairs often and I like them both. I would definitely be interested to see the cut in half comparison between those two boots, as someone who owns each one.
Just spend the money and get some PNW boots.. Nicks, Franks... maybe Whites (I've heard the most negative reviews about that last one). My first pair is arriving today! I'm so excited!!
Echoing the same thing other folks are saying: plz compare these to the Thursday’s!
Vibergs! Dying to see if their cost equates to quality.
Canadawest boots are pretty rad you should do them you get a lot of boot for the price
finally a stitched boot im able to buy in europ, thanks man
I know this is not a sneakers video, but I think it would be interesting to see what's inside the Cole Haan sneakers they look great
I love these videos! They're so relaxed and I have learned as much from your shoe and boot covers as I have learned from my entire life wearing shoes.
I have always selected walking/hiking footwear because I have a teeeeeny (large) reputation for killing shoes and boots. When I was younger I would walk in a manner that just didn't suit shoes at all and even now I still will do miles and miles of walking, running, jumping and cycling day after day in boots and shoes.
I am from the UK, so some of the footwear you feature isn't available here, but, as you might have guessed, I'm not the most fashion conscious, and I look at footwear in a utilitarian manner: How far can I walk in these, will those miles be comfortable, will my feet stay cool, will my feet stay dry, are the soles rugged and offering good traction (Often an overly hard sole will not be soft enough to grip a smooth or even rough surface, even though they're longer lasting)? Having been through almost every shoe from every walking shoe style footwear brand, I have so far spent the most amount of time wearing a pair of Salomon X Ultra GTX 3's. Part of what drew me to them is that they offer a two year warranty on the shoe, and until this point I had never had a pair of shoes last more than a year, so I thought I'd put their claim to the test!
I actually bought the previous model (a 2 instead of 3 of the same name) and when they only lasted 10 months they were replaced by the original retailer and a brand new upgraded pair with a full warranty was issued. They lasted me 18 months, plus the previous pair for 10 months, for a total of 28 months, on what was at the time, a £84 (~$110) purchase.
I have since acquired a pair of Meindl Vakuum boots, but these are not suitable for everyday wear. I'm making do with a pair of Merrell walking shoes that I have not been overly impressed with.
I am really tempted to buy another pair of the Salomon shoes, but I enjoy wearing and testing new footwear each time I make a purchase. There is so much brand hype and marketing around this category of shoe that I can never look to online 'best' lists and when I have done I have been disappointed. I will also add here that the louder the colours and styles are on the shoe, often the more disappointing the performance in this category. I adored the style of the Merrell Chameleon 7 shoes, but having bought a pair in a slightly cheaper price bracket than these (marketed as a none-waterproof summer shoe), I was so disappointed in the grip (same sole) and the level of comfort (same overall shape) that I decided against this 'upgrade'.
Would you be able to make a recommendation for a shoe in this category that is not loud, marked by certain styles, and good for all of the above? I'd love to see a video on what you find about this particular genre of footwear. I typically spend ~£100, that being anything up to $150, and anything lasting over a year for that price I consider value for money. How does this compare to the value propositions you've seen in your footwear and the footwear you've reviewed?
I know it's a lot to ask, especially when it's so heavily tailored, so I can't imagine you ever would do anything with this suggestion, but I'd love to hear what you expect from shoes (and boots!), in terms of comfort, wear, and versatility, as most of the boots you test seem rather one dimensional, appealing to style, profession, or simply brand hype.
Thank you for all your content!
@Rose Anvil love the vids! have a suggestion, build a little sled for your Band saw! Could even include a V-notch or T-track on the left and right to make an adjustable clamp to hold the boot open and in place .. clean even straight cut and your hands out of harms way.
I like your style and method of critique on shoes and boots. Very informative.
Bruh, that was a 9/10 cut in the back my dude
I have many boots and have always taken care of them. Some of these boots now cost twice as much as I originally paid and one pair now costs four times the original purchase price. It's nice to have you do reviews and take some of the guesswork out of purchasing a pair of boots. I know that you've done some reviews on leather conditioners and treatment, but am wondering how Obenauf's, that I've always used, compares to other products.
Great honest video! Good that you ripped it up so we could see everything 🙂
you should do the harley davidson hedman for boots under 200$ . It will be interesting for the bikers that watch your videos.
Wolverine 1000 mile boots cut in half?
Its about time we saw some British boots and sea how they go against the us boots
I think the construction on the Thursday boots is better for around the same money. This is a nice looking boot but so is the Thursday boot. My money would go to Thursday boots
Great video as always! Love the information and the editing style!
Really excited for the videos, Duckcember Series, and Black Friday!
Seems like Thursdays with better materials but worse construction. I guess that’s the trade off.
You gotta get some cut resistant gloves, so scary watching you with the knife
Never forgot Oliver Cabell stiffed RosevAnvil on this video
Excited for duck boot series, this channel is lit for people who love shoes!
Instead of pushing all the way through the saw trying pulling it and spreading it apart slightly once you get it started good
For me I would rather go for a Thursday boot with a goodyear welt and a cork filled midsole for just a few bucks extra.
Not evan there the same price so id go thursday all the way
Thinner upper and no leather midsole though
@@ryana6036 but you get a cork midsole witch will form to your foot and make a very good boot
Great to see that they come with a removable insole!
Since they are roughly in the same price range, how would you compare this boot to Thursday Boots? Great channel! Thanks.
he lets off oliver cabell way too easy for this shitty boot because of the sponsorship.
I haven’t cut them apart yet so it’s hard to say but I’m definitely going to do them one day!
@KampKarl the reason why you want a much better upper because it’s the one that can’t be replace. You can just ask a cobbler to do a GYW on these when it’s time to resole them. That’s how they approach it. Which make sense. You’ll get all the downside of Blake construction until it’s time to resole. But you will then have a better upper and GYW. There’s always a compromise.
Thursday’s, Meermin , and Beckett Simonon are better at around same price point...or hell catching red wing 2nds as well
@KampKarl you just said in previous comment that “you be better of using a cheaper leather and a gyw.” Now veg tan from Italy ain’t cheap. That’s why the $200 value is justified regardless of the construction. A more expensive boots will still need to be resole at some point. Thursdays will still need resole in the future. And at that point, OC will have much better value. First purchased, yes, the Thursdays are much better but when both shoes are due for their first resole, the OC wii have much better value. Both will have GYW but one with a much more expensive upper. Don’t get me wrong, I got 3 pairs of Thursdays. But if you think about in the long run, these OC actually make sense. A GYW with veg tan leather runs what 400-500 for a good pair. If you live in a place where it’s not necessary to wear GYW and Blake stitched is sufficient, these would be cheaper option.
I've noticed the harder the rubber the easier it chips on concrete I go through a set of boots every 3 months delivering mail. Currently have a set of African rangers and razorbacks been buying resoleable recently. Would love a set of nicks but the heel is too high and I have a wide foot. Jim greens meets nicks that would be perfect
One key area which is not covered in these videos is the fiber / leather / synthetic reinforcement used in the eyelet / speed lace area. This is a key area and if reinforcements are not used the eyelets and speed hooks can pop out. I would like to see boots torn apart in those areas as well. The technical term is 'Eyestay Reinforcement.
It really is crazy someone would buy these boots. Especially considering Thursday boots is so popular. Compare Thursday to OC.
I feel like Thursday is a better build for the price.
I agree and Thursday's gave issues as well. THese seem like junk
Dissect the golden fox boondockers
Maybe you could try cutting in half Good fellow and co boots , they are good cheap options
you need to do the Caterpillar Men's Second Shift boots
Hey Weston, from that camera sitting on the bandsaw behind you, I am starting to think you are going to review cameras in the near future. I think you will need a better blade! LOL!
considering resoling/repairing is expensive these boots will need to be repaired sooner rather than later. I don't see any savings with this boot. Even though it can be resoled you're better off not. so it becomes a throw away boot
Great looking boots.
Hey Weston man you've got one of the best channels on youtube, I wish there were more folks doing this kind of reverse engineering style of reviewing. I've seen your entire cut in half library now and I am just wondering what you consider to be the best quality as opposed to the best value. Personally I feel like the Nicks and Grant Stone were standouts but I'm wondering what you would buy if price was a non-issue and the only determining factor was high quality materials and construction. Keep up the awesome work brotha, happy thanksgiving!
I would like to suggest you to look up a couple of portuguese boot brand like: oldmulla and urbansheperd. Both great value and traditional.
Glad you seem to be feeling better! Happy Thanksgiving! Cheers!
Nice boot, design is almost identical to the Thursday Captain.
For my money the Thursday is appreciably higher quality for the same money, and all last longer to due easier resole-ability.
Seems like most of the corners cut could be fixed when you go to get these resoled by a good cobbler
@John Smith Why is Thursday better? The goodyear welt is nice, but is it better than the leather midsole and higher quality upper?
Please cut some Kodiak boots in half! They’re made in canada, good year welted and under $200 as well
I like Spanish boots, I have a pair of Berwick’s shell cordovan, they are great quality and stylish, and most importantly it doesn’t cost as much as US made ones
There is a lot to be said for a products designed for a lower price point rather than designing the product first and then make it cheaply to hit a price point.
Please make a video on comparing waterproof boots
I can’t find these boats, at least made like this. When I look them up they don’t offer them with the leather two tone mid soul and heal block.
It’s Blake rapid stitch. You can also have a welt on a Blake stitch. The “rapid” part means it’s easily resoleable
Oops
Hey, that cut was pretty centered! You get a 10 in my book!
8.5 on the centerline cut. Another good video. Thx.
Let's get these boots out onto a tray
Cardboard and glue? Beckett Simonon are a much better value and less expensive with frequent discounts. Although I’d personally just pay up for Grant Stone.
I would love to see a video on different welt constructions and again suggest taking a look at the Red Wing 2233 or 953 with its unique direct attach to welt Supersole construction.
Cut up the brooks brother duck boot,
It’s bison leather which I have no clue if that’s any good but it’s soft. The boot is $198
I’d like to see what’s on the inside?
These are great videos. I never thought I'd binge watch boots cutting until I bought a pair of boots and could barely get them. Louis Vuitton has great boots I would love to see the guts..I WONDER IF THERE IS GOLD INSIDE THEY ALOT.
Plz do Beckett Simonon
We need a Thursday captain cut in half review. They seem to be the best in the price range.
You didn't mention it, but the toe cap also appears to be fake from what I can see (I'm watching on my phone). That's three fake stitches (welt, blake through the arch, and toe cap), and fake nail holes.
These look very nice.
As a casual boot , I like em.
John Doe Shoes next? I won’t stop until it’s done
I would put John Doe way above these and Thursday. The only problem is communication and sizing. I’d recommend a half size bigger and and a wide if you even close to a wide foot. But the build and materials are top notch.
As a matter of fact I contacted Weston above cutting up mine because they were just too small, but he only does it if the factory sends them. I don’t know, legal issues?
I have a pair of Thursday Boots that are amazing, I'm eager to see your review on them plz make it happen.
Looks cool :) thanks for your video
Basically it's a lace-up boot with a typical blake-stitched ‘dress shoe’-like construction. Agreed that it's a decent boot for casual wear.
Most dress shoes are hand welted or goodyear welted.
Please do a review on Silverado boots. Made in USA.
You should do video on Panama Jack. They are also made in Spain and have a pretty good reputation in Europe.
You should cut a pair of helm boots in half!
Would like to see an HR Trask boot cut in two. Like Cabell Trask appears to use high quality uppers, but the construction will more than likely be equal to or less than the componets found in this boot autopsy.
You should check out Becket Simonon Dowler Boots very similar Full-Grain Leather $229 blake stitch
Just an FYI to everyone, I noticed the other day when Kohl's was having the mystery coupon sale day where you can score up to 40% off, it works with Thorogood moc toes. Takes them down to, I think, $135, so keep an eye out for the next mystery sale and sign up all your email addresses to their marketing emails to increase the odds of getting the 40% off.
I understand that a Blake stitch construction provides a more elegant silhouette which is nice for fair weather dress shoes, dress loafers, and dress boots but what is the point of a Blake stitch construction on a casual, heritage, or service boot?
I think you should check out Cebu boots, quality handcrafted in Mexico & highly underrated.
You should update this video. It is not longer valid. They have changed up the materials in the boots. Construction | Blake stitch (resole-able) Upper | Waxed full-grain (fully water-proof) from Charles F Stead, Leeds, England Outsole | Custom water resistant anti-slip studded rubber outsoles from England Footbed | Vegetable tanned leather over removable molded in-sole for comfort (replaceable with orthotics) Lining | Vegetable tanned leather from Venice, Italy Laces | Premium Italian flat waxed cotton laces
Midsole | Natural vegetable tanned leather from Spain (foot forming) Eyelets | Vintage brass eyelets sourced from Spain
Shank | Custom made steel shank from Germany Components | Custom Spanish brass nails Last | 812 Finishing | Hand stitched lasted in Albacete, Spain