I know there’s a wealth of knowledge on Vibergs here, but figured a small writeup and album might be appreciated.
I recently decided that I’d like to add a black boot into my weekly rotation. I was stuck on these Trickers but they’re not avalable in my size, I can’t find a similar makeup anywhere else, and Six Whiting Street didn’t respond to my inquiried about a restock.
First Impressions
Because I don’t wear a lot of black and my style leans nowhere near streetwear, it was important to me that this boot not be “blacked out”, meaning I wanted to make sure the boot had some contrast. I knew I wanted a brown or natural welt, and the fact that CXL isn’t dyed through made these Vibergs a perfect purchase, though I’d have preferred a cap toe.
Construction: I’m impressed. I can almost always find some tiny detail that isn’t quite perfect, but I can’t find any mishaps in terms of construction and attention to detail on these boots. The stitching is clean and consistent. The ONLY thing I’m not overly thrilled about is the clicking on the left boot - it looks like it may exhibit some characters of loose grain. These are Chromexcel after all though, I’ll be wearing them inside until I can get an idea of how these will crease. If it begins to look bad, I’ll likely exchange.
Last & Sizing: The 2030 last is pretty rad and definitely compatible with my feet. I could probably go down .5 size in length if I could go up one in width, but I’m happy with how these fit. Nice and roomy in the forefoot and appropriately thin in the ankle. I’d definitely compare the last to the Barrie, maybe a little bit wider. Fit-wise, it feels quite similar to Alden’s Trubalance last. I wear a 9 in all of the aforementioned lasts.
Leather: As mentioned above. The Chromexcel is a nice weight and mostly well clicked. I’m a little concerned about how the left boot with age (see photos), but I’m not entirely sure. Any thoughts on this? I really enjoy the natural edge of the black CXL with the natural welt.
Sole: It’s a bit too early to tell, but I really like the feel of the Dainite sole. I imagine this will become one of my favorite soles along with Alden’s Commando and Neocork.
Over all, I’m happy with my purchase. This is my first pair of Vibergs, but I don’t think they’ll be my last. That being said, I think I’m done with boot purchases until the end of summer/beginning of fall unless I find a screaming deal somewhere. Next planned purchase: some NEOC blucher mocs, no details yet.