@@willem2099 a lot of the stuff I see advertised repeatedly to me on IG is nonsense masquerading as quality. Lots of fake heritage workwear stuff, cheap mass-produced knives marketed as high-quality Japanese stuff, etc. Basically, it reeks of exactly the same stuff as this: some entrepreneur with no knowledge of the actual product or how to do it right making a start-up direct-to-consumer brand that looks like some respected high-quality item but is really just a cheap knockoff with a big marketing budget behind it.
Straight up dude, initially I had also seen ads for Thursday boots, and was skeptical. Then I heard about the brand from a couple different people online and saw their website looked very professional, ordered a pair of captains and was very surprised. 👌🏼🔥
Hey - Something I can comment on... I interviewed for a position @ Portland Leather earlier in the year. I knew something was up during the second interview when I met Curtis himself because he crashed the interview!! He was incredibly crude, unprofessional, and cocky. He said "We want to get rid of the employees that fucking suck" and it felt super off-putting to hear that in a job interview. He would ask me about my interests and then immediately challenge me on everything I brought up, trying to one-up me at every point. I like basketball? Well he sits courtside all the time. I enjoy live music? He was backstage last week. That kind of BS. When I was shown the Patina line of products, I asked a few basic questions about construction and he became visibly frustrated, took them out of my hands, and left the interview. Funnily enough, I got offered the position by HR, but turned it down because the CEO was so unbelievably unpleasant. Wasn't the kind of guy you want to work for.
Was that here in Portland? Yikes. The guy sounds like a piece of work. Wise move to not take position. I've met the owners of deek & Brian's outdoor adventures and they are pretty cool dudes.
I had a feeling something was off about Curtis. I watched a few podcasts with him as the guest and he seemed to make outlandish claims and to me he seemed disingenuous. I kept wondering if anyone else saw what I saw, because the hosts of these podcasts just glossed over all of it. Anyway, thanks for sharing, it validates how I felt.
I bought Portland Leather boots DAYS before this video came out. I wish I had known! I’m at least comforted in knowing that I didn’t overpay, but I’m disappointed that I spent money on a dishonest company. Thank you for making these videos!
If you haven't gotten them yet, just reject the shipment and have them returned and get your money back. Then look into a pair of Thursdays for not a lot more money and more than twice the quality.
I know you like the boots but I would try to return them and take recs from channels like these to invest in a better made pair of boots. When I was in HS, I bought top of the line motorcycle mid-calf boots that I wore and my mother also wore. She would take them every few years to the shoe cobbler to change the soles. When she passed away, I inherited the boots back and I am wearing them today. She taught me to look for expert craftsmanship in classic styles that you can wear for a lifetime. You can take the $100-150 spent here and buy a higher but better made boot from a reputable company than spending that same amount every couple of years and end up spending more over time. Cost per wear, a very overused concept, but very true in terms of buying more expensive but better made items that will pay for themselves over time. Best.
I've been wearing Portland Leather boots for less than a year and the stitching is falling apart, of all things. My previous boots lasted over five years so this is pretty disappointing.
Great work! Full grain leather is the full hide of the animal and is usually very thick and therefore expensive... and it ages well with a lovely patina (horse saddle for instance). It is a shame that these companies lie about their products and make genuine companies look like they are over charging people. I have $300 full grain boots that are over 15 years old and totally worth it. Thank you for the good work that you do.
I was passed down a genuine leather jacket from my friends mother. The jacket is older than me by about a decade and it’s still looking fantastic. It could use a bit of repair I haven’t gotten around to, but it’s just the lining coming undone and fraying, but the leather itself has absolutely no issues.
Because ultimately you end up paying for advertising and not the quality of the product. I was immediately suspicious of this brand when I was looking for boots, and I know a decent amount about apparel and construction and I could see some red flags right away. They do look decent though. I ended up buying a pair of hari mari on clearance for $100 and they are great. Full leather, no need for a lining. Excellent construction. To be fair the full price was 190 bucks or something, but even at that price they were pretty good deal.
I interviewed for their Shopify developer position back in May and made it through a couple rounds before they went with someone else. They told me all of their products are made in Mexico and were very proud to tell me they pay their workers "higher than normal for the region" which as a Texan I knew meant "way less than minimum wage in America" lmfao not sure why TH-cam recommended this to me I'm a flip flop guy but good video man and glad to know I dodged a bullet
Yeah that's the thing about these "feel good" stories about outright colonialists who say that "well we pay better than the average in this poor country". Paying a nickle over "the average wage" is how these places operate their grifts. Much like the "fair trade coffee" BS and other things that make rich left coasters feel good about exploiting near slave labor.
@@gund89123 what do you mean “better”? Most shoes are mass produced using machines, so any location will use pretty much the same equipment and techniques. It only really matters if it’s an item from a region that has a tradition of crafting that type of item (Irish wool sweaters or Lithuanian linen come to mind) Not sure which region of Mexico they source their labor from but if it is near texas as op implied it could very well be a region that is entrenched in the craft of leather working.
He's not trashing the marketing. He is trashing the customers. Businesses use bee ess to sell because it works. People are gullible and drink the kool-aid.
@jackfalcon5352 I think what they're insinuating is that he's saying the marketing is bad and lies, but the fact that they are successful means that there are people gullible enough to fall for it, and that's an indictment on the consumer. The company makes the bs advertising because it works. Regardless of how scummy we might find it, they wouldn't do it if it didn't work. If consumers on average were more discerning and waited for independent reviews like this one before making bigger purchases, these ad campaigns wouldn't succeed, therefore they wouldn't exist.
you cant expect everyone to know how a boot is made, i am not going to attack the average consumer for falling for IT scams /marketing just because i am a professional.@@paulharling7657
I bought a beautiful leather handbag from Portland Leather about five years ago and still love it and get compliments on it all the time. It's sad to see they're not putting the same quality into their boots.
Same! I was surprised to see the company associated with scams because I REALLY like my purse. I've been using it for 2 years and it still looks great. I'll stick to leather Doc Martins for boots.
I came to the comments to see about their purses and totes. I’m glad to see positive reviews. I am being flooded with their advertising and have considered purchasing one.
I bought one of their totes and had terrible color transfer issues onto my clothes. When I asked them what to do about it, they were completely unhelpful. They just expect us to ruin our clothes to break in a bag.
"...or is it just another case of a brand with a big budget making outlandish claims to sell a subpar product to people that don't know any better." This is exactly why I watch and love this channel. We need this for a lot of different industries.
Just imagine build a product for around 5 dollars, setting retail at $100 and then giving an 80% discount on said product. They'd still be making a $15 dollar profit.
I have relied on boots hunting in extreme weather for decades. Quality and associated price matters when you are miles into the back country in the middle of a blizzard for days. Back in the 70's these were called campus hikers, never used on a trail. My insulated RedWings have never let me down.
I saw your video recommended about the WW1 boots & trench foot so I watched it. I was like "Wow, this guy seems to know an awful lot about boots". I was thinking, "I swear if this man's whole channel is about boots, I have no choice but to subscribe just for the dedication". I opened your channel, & low & behold, it was ALL ABOUT BOOTS lol. I love it. You have a new subscriber & I am enjoying learning more about boots! Thats actually awesome. I didnt know a thing about quality boots prior to today, thanks to you.
Thank you so much for your honest opinions. It is astounding how the marketplace is becoming filled with so many snake oil products. Keep up the great work!
Hey, atleast you're getting actual real leather for less than $100. $500 for a pair of boots is ridiculous and I don't give a shit about the quality, someone is ripping you off
Most already know this, but for the new guys-the disciplines of making bags and making boots are completely different. With bags you have leather and maybe a fabric liner. Any idiot like me can buy some random leather, some basic tools and cobble together a functional bag. With enough practice you might even get good at it, even very good. Shoes, and especially boots, are a whole other animal. Shoes/boots are normally subject to stresses that a bag will never see, or see only sometimes at worst. Also a bag will not normally make you miserable and want to set fire to it, but a badly made or poorly fitted shoe/boot is definitely in danger of arson.
This video is so gratifying. Earlier today, just this same day this video released, I saw Portland Leather's response to a fb comment suggesting they get their boots on Rose Anvil. They said wouldn't happen, because they claim they'd have to pay Rose Anvil money. LIARS!
I've been in the footwear business for over 25 years. This guy knows what he's talking about. Good analysis with step by step (literal) breakdown of the Patina
I've been bombarded by these ads too. I know enough about boots that I was very skeptical, but of course I couldn't know for sure. I think part of what's frustrating is that this product could have some legitimacy if it was advertised as boot looks with sneaker comfort, but instead they go with the scammy "better than $500 boots" angle. Thanks for exposing them.
agreed, these have a place in the market, but instead of owning up to what they are they try to drag down their competitors and lie about their own product. simply shameful.
LOL - thumb rings. Is that a thing? Don't think I've ever seen a guy wearing a thumb ring, but it certainly sounds like it fits with the cheeseball vibe of these boots.
I’m already subscribed. I appreciate the fact that you did not waste time with telling the whole story in one sentence. Letting people decide if they want to hear the details. Most reviewers leave a open ended statement. Thinking a viewer does not know how to skip forward. I will share this video!!! Keep up the good work!!!
I love you. I LOVE that you disclose the lies that permeate the vastness of our shopping experiences. (For this reason alone, I almost never buy retail). THANK YOU!
I saw a facebook post, like so many others have, where someone commented "rose anvil has entered the chat." Portland weirdly responded with, "we tried but it cost money to be featured." Much like their boot claims I assumed this to be lie.
Lol costs what? A cheap pair of boots? The marketing "genius" probably knew Weston would be baited anyway with their shoddy "🤫🤫🤫 Look bro QUICK they don't want you to see this 😱🫣🫨😶🌫️" strategy.
I saw the same post on Facebook. To me it just sounded like they didn't want weston to cut their garbage in half and expose them. Such bs from a bs company
Thanks for this. You're right, the problem isn't that it's a bad product per se, the problem is the false advertising. This company could have chosen a marketing strategy that emphasized that their boots were as comfortable as sneakers, because they're built like a sneaker. Plenty of people would have bought them. But instead they decided to say that they're higher quality than boots that cost three times as much... that's just not true.
Youre right, they appear to have the same outsole as my dude shoes, which are ultra comfy, only shoes i can wear with my sciatica right now. But i would not call my dude shoes high quality shoes like my ultra boosts or ultra bounce adidas. They are roughly 65 dollars a pair and are expected to only last about 6 to 9 months. Had dude done some dumb shit advertising like this company id find another option out of spite.
Portland Leather is DESIGNED in Portland. Made in Mexico and probably India and China. Similar leather companies in the USA sell leather briefcases, travel bags, pouches, cross body bags. When I looked into them I noticed many have the exact same product, but with their brands on them. They are mass made in India and other places... To me they are worth nothing. I would never wear them. On the fair market, they are in the Walmart class, so maybe $40...
And im sure when they say “designed” in portland it’s usually just picking small details like the color of the stitching or the sole etc from the maunfacturers catalog/option. Same thing happens in many industries. Many things are “designed” in the us and made in china, india etc and the manufactures logo stamped on it.
Mexico doesn't have to be bad. I have some Saddleback stuff and its great. I had never last a wallet as long as the one from them. If they're made in India you can calculate the costs of the boots by the fact you can get custom made tailored shoes for 40-50 USD and that might even be a special price only for "rich" foreigners...
When you buy quality you (usually) only cry once. I wore my Whites firefighting wildland boots for 25 years. I just retired and I still wear them. Brushed them, oiled them and sent them back to Whites to have them resoled and never had an issue. They cost about $300 USD back then and about $560 USD today. Having a comfortable boot that lasts along time is worth the money. Great channel and thanks for these honest reviews.
Watching you cut the boot in half gave me the heeby jeebies; 7:33 narrowly avoiding putting your hand in the blade path, 7:35 cutting toward yourself, 7:43 putting fingers in the path of the band saw. I'm glad you're ok.
As someone who used to buy expensive boots that were nowhere near worth the price because I did not know any better: Thank you for exposing these fake brands.
I'm so glad you did this. I have a different Patina boot that this. I gave them a very honest 3 star review. They never posted it. Now I know why all their reviews are only 4 or 5 stars.
I am a tradesman who has bought dozens and dozens of boots over the last three decades. I bought cheap and I bought expensive. When I see the advertisement for these boots, I don't see any tradesmen, I see white collar guys guys going for a certain look. These boots will never be put to the test; they'll never mount a ladder; they'll never walk in mud; they'll never have their toes scraped up when you crawl around on your knees. So I say, for the soy boys who are never going to wear these boots out, they're good enough!
Can't say much about wearables, but have purchased several of their bags for my wife and daughter. They've been very good quality. Thank you for your review.
I recommend Thursday boots for anyone needing good quality, dressier boots that hit higher than $200+ price. I have a pair of their President model. They’ve been great.
Nope, another company that’s intentionally obtuse about where their products are made. They could just say it in the product description, but you have to dig thru their FAQ just to find a wish-washy answer.
Great series. I love me some boots and shoes and there's nothing worse than getting scammed on what you think is a pair of boots that you think are going to last forever. Well done.
I was close to buying a different style last month and remembered that I haven’t worn out my marketplace $40 Red Wings yet. Thank you for the reminder of “if its too good to be true, it probably is.” Cheers.
Thanks for doing this. I keep seeing ads every day and seeing boots “on Sale” for $100 sounds tempting but they definitely didn’t seem right to me. Glad I never tried a pair
Thank you for making this. I've been getting spammed with their ads. And I even saw people asking if they had sent them to you for testing. Their response was that they didn't want to pay you to cut up their boots. Which is funny. Considering how much money they have, whereas small companies like Birchbury are happy to send you their products to demonstrate quality.
I had a chance to review a pair of "Wolf work boots," and while I couldn't go so far as to cut them in half, they definitely gave the same disappointing vibes in the tests I ran. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.
This is why Thursday boots also annoyed me at first... they went too heavy on the online advertising and made me think rhey were just a crap brand, but hey turns out they're actually pretty solid boots
I work for one of the brands you always mention and when customers come into my store asking "Are these advertisement boots any good?" I just show them your videos. It's about educating the consumer but unfortunately some companies prey on the uneducated. You're doing great work!!
Thank you for this. As a recent new resident of Portland, I was caught off guard by the intense in-your-face advertising. I have no money, so it was always on my "maybe someday list".. but not any more :P
With almost every video you make on the new boots out there, I’m very happy to stick with my Danner Workman GTXs from 12 years ago. I’ll keep getting them reworked when necessary for as long as Danner will rework them.
great series, i don't have the budget for a 500 dollar boot at the moment. But thanks to you i bought a pair of Jim Greens, showing that you can get a decent boot for a decent price. I applaud you for showing the real stuff and debunking the scammers.
I think Thursday has found the sweet spot in terms of the minimum price you can charge for decent quality materials and construction. And in my experience they’ve been nothing but upfront and transparent with their customers.
Portland Leather will now probably use an edit in their marketing saying “Rose Anvil placed our boot at the top of the 2023 Moctober leaderboard of leading Moc toe boots*” (*small print: current standing from video 5th October)
You don't always get what you paid for, but getting substantially more than you paid for in a newly designed and manufactured products is extremely rare. Always remember that the more money a brand puts into advertising and/or distribution, the less they can put into the product itself.
I read an article that said everlane was backed by VC's and gave product away at a loss at first. A few years ago, their priced seemed too good to be true; and they were, as the article explained that the strategy was to make little profit for a while while building customer loyalty. Build customer loytalty providing exceptional, silk and cotton value, assume your customers are very dum and will be interested later in paying much higher prices for polyester and viscose XD lmao
A good example of where the strategy was used successfully is Amazon. At first, their prices were very low, and shipping was fast and free, getting lots of people to start buying there. Now, 20 years or so later, their prices are higher, and you can often find better prices elsewhere. Also, Prime keeps going up, and you can no longer get free shipping on small orders, plus returns are more difficult and/or expensive to do. However, people like the convenience and selection, so they continue to buy there, and Amazon has become massively profitable.
@@carlr2837was a regular Amazon shopper until the prices started to climb. Was also tired of the late delivery process and the crushed packages . I'll spend my $$$ elsewhere
The thing that was the most enlightening to me about this video and the comment section is that there are people out there who actually watch ads. Astonishing.
Was literally holding off on these until I heard Weston’s take on these and boy am I glad I didn’t pull the trigger on any purchases 😂 Thanks again Weston!
I am generally skeptical about anything that is advertised as 'special' or superior in some way. It all sounds like a lot of talk to me. Also, thank you for adding a period where it should have been. It's frustrating when companies use paid models to endorse their products and bombard us with their sales pitch.
I have multiple bags and wallets from Portland leather and they are of good quality, especially for the price. The reviews on their website about their Patina line were bad, so I never intended to buy any of those... and glad I didn't! Thanks for the video!
Quality videos you've been putting out Weston! Super value added to the people when brands are exposed for lying and deceiving buyers. Keep holding them reliable for their offerings. For what people are paying for sneakers and boots today, they should not be short on quality.
Blundstones are by far the best boots in existence for the money. I work outdoor construction year round and used to go through even the best work boots in maybe 9 months. Blundstones last me at least 2 years and no replacing laces every few months.
I ordered a pair and instantly sent them back. They were absolutely trash. The liner felt like rubber, they were super narrow, glued soles with fake "stitching" on the top, everything was single stitched. Absolutely garbahge. I ended up with Thursday boots and could not be happier.
Had a fellow worker once laugh that I paid more for my work boots and his were just like mine. About 2 months later when the stitching on his let go and they were going to pieces (literally) I laughed last.
I have bought $50 work boots that were safer than these, in fact its all I wear at work and I can get a couple of years out of each pair. Never had an actual injury despite the amount of things I have dropped on them or stood on and that includes nails sticking out of pallets. These pieces of crap would see me in hospital if I wore them to work.
I was about to say maybe they're at least worth it for the price, and maybe they are--but also... Thursday boots are $200. That's a small step up in price for a huge step up in quality.
I have a pair of $800 boots. They were custom-made to my first. Not only are they super comfortable and durable, but they will likely last longer than I'd be alive. I also have two pairs of Red Wing Heritage boots, and I know they will last. You get what you pay for.
im real stingy with likes. i mean if you give them away all the time what are they really worth? but i hit you with one, without the likes of you we would be fleeced and conned day in day out. like the press, you independent reviewers keep retailers honest. THANK YOU.
Nice work. You really did a good job. I've been bombarded with these ads, too and frankly I was skeptical. They are boots for people who want to look like they do hard work but don't. I'll stick with my Wesco's thank you. My $500 boots have lasted me for 10 years and still are going strong.
I've had the best luck with my Redwings. I paid $300 for the slip-on, steel toe boot with the comfort soles. They feel like walking on clouds, and they take a hell of a beating. I've had this pair for almost two years, and they're holding up very well. They're not pretty anymore, but they're still comfortable as hell and function as new.
Buy some cool leather goods from the Rose Anvil shop right here - bit.ly/44jXLNu
can you review any cole haan boots pleeeease?
Do dr marten steel toe work boots
can you do Tod's sneakers? and Paraboot?
Can you review duradero boots
Do a review of L.L. Bean's "Bucksport" boots.
Brands like this are the reason why basically any product advertised to me via Instagram is probably cheap, fake bullshit.
Same with Facebook ads it seems
That makes no sense. Could you explain that?
@@willem2099 a lot of the stuff I see advertised repeatedly to me on IG is nonsense masquerading as quality. Lots of fake heritage workwear stuff, cheap mass-produced knives marketed as high-quality Japanese stuff, etc.
Basically, it reeks of exactly the same stuff as this: some entrepreneur with no knowledge of the actual product or how to do it right making a start-up direct-to-consumer brand that looks like some respected high-quality item but is really just a cheap knockoff with a big marketing budget behind it.
Idk, my Thursday's are actually a great value and they advertised pretty heavy on those platforms.
Straight up dude, initially I had also seen ads for Thursday boots, and was skeptical. Then I heard about the brand from a couple different people online and saw their website looked very professional, ordered a pair of captains and was very surprised. 👌🏼🔥
Came for carnage and was not disappointed 😂 So glad you're trashing the scammers.
Hahaha
Same :D
I'm inundated with their ads on Facebook. I'm wondering if I can get away with posting this body on their ads.
A bloodbath! Lol
Same 😂😂
Hey - Something I can comment on... I interviewed for a position @ Portland Leather earlier in the year. I knew something was up during the second interview when I met Curtis himself because he crashed the interview!! He was incredibly crude, unprofessional, and cocky. He said "We want to get rid of the employees that fucking suck" and it felt super off-putting to hear that in a job interview. He would ask me about my interests and then immediately challenge me on everything I brought up, trying to one-up me at every point. I like basketball? Well he sits courtside all the time. I enjoy live music? He was backstage last week. That kind of BS.
When I was shown the Patina line of products, I asked a few basic questions about construction and he became visibly frustrated, took them out of my hands, and left the interview. Funnily enough, I got offered the position by HR, but turned it down because the CEO was so unbelievably unpleasant. Wasn't the kind of guy you want to work for.
Smart move! The interview goes both ways. Just like dating!
Dude's a clown, en evil clown like most of the rest of "Rich America".
Was that here in Portland? Yikes. The guy sounds like a piece of work. Wise move to not take position. I've met the owners of deek & Brian's outdoor adventures and they are pretty cool dudes.
Yikes
I had a feeling something was off about Curtis. I watched a few podcasts with him as the guest and he seemed to make outlandish claims and to me he seemed disingenuous. I kept wondering if anyone else saw what I saw, because the hosts of these podcasts just glossed over all of it. Anyway, thanks for sharing, it validates how I felt.
I bought Portland Leather boots DAYS before this video came out. I wish I had known! I’m at least comforted in knowing that I didn’t overpay, but I’m disappointed that I spent money on a dishonest company. Thank you for making these videos!
If you haven't gotten them yet, just reject the shipment and have them returned and get your money back. Then look into a pair of Thursdays for not a lot more money and more than twice the quality.
I know you like the boots but I would try to return them and take recs from channels like these to invest in a better made pair of boots.
When I was in HS, I bought top of the line motorcycle mid-calf boots that I wore and my mother also wore. She would take them every few years to the shoe cobbler to change the soles. When she passed away, I inherited the boots back and I am wearing them today.
She taught me to look for expert craftsmanship in classic styles that you can wear for a lifetime. You can take the $100-150 spent here and buy a higher but better made boot from a reputable company than spending that same amount every couple of years and end up spending more over time.
Cost per wear, a very overused concept, but very true in terms of buying more expensive but better made items that will pay for themselves over time. Best.
Even if you recieved them, you can return if you want to. Usually, there is a 30 day return period. However, every store/brand is different.
Return them. Show them this and say they weren't honest.
I've been wearing Portland Leather boots for less than a year and the stitching is falling apart, of all things. My previous boots lasted over five years so this is pretty disappointing.
Great work! Full grain leather is the full hide of the animal and is usually very thick and therefore expensive... and it ages well with a lovely patina (horse saddle for instance). It is a shame that these companies lie about their products and make genuine companies look like they are over charging people. I have $300 full grain boots that are over 15 years old and totally worth it. Thank you for the good work that you do.
I was passed down a genuine leather jacket from my friends mother. The jacket is older than me by about a decade and it’s still looking fantastic. It could use a bit of repair I haven’t gotten around to, but it’s just the lining coming undone and fraying, but the leather itself has absolutely no issues.
Are they still comfortable?
More importantly imo if you kick something sharp full grain will stop it from slicing your feet and ankles open.
Simple rule - if it's advertised to you a lot, count it against the product/brand
Never thought about it that way, but you have a point.
Because ultimately you end up paying for advertising and not the quality of the product. I was immediately suspicious of this brand when I was looking for boots, and I know a decent amount about apparel and construction and I could see some red flags right away. They do look decent though. I ended up buying a pair of hari mari on clearance for $100 and they are great. Full leather, no need for a lining. Excellent construction. To be fair the full price was 190 bucks or something, but even at that price they were pretty good deal.
Not always true. Big brands advertise alot
They claim to cut out all the cost of the middlemen by going DTC, then spend all that money on social media marketing 😖
Facts
I interviewed for their Shopify developer position back in May and made it through a couple rounds before they went with someone else. They told me all of their products are made in Mexico and were very proud to tell me they pay their workers "higher than normal for the region" which as a Texan I knew meant "way less than minimum wage in America" lmfao not sure why TH-cam recommended this to me I'm a flip flop guy but good video man and glad to know I dodged a bullet
You absolutely dodged a bullet. Absolute trash company.
Yeah that's the thing about these "feel good" stories about outright colonialists who say that "well we pay better than the average in this poor country". Paying a nickle over "the average wage" is how these places operate their grifts. Much like the "fair trade coffee" BS and other things that make rich left coasters feel good about exploiting near slave labor.
Hmm... Did you wear flip-flops to the interview?
Made in Mexico is better than made in china for sure. I would give them some credit.
@@gund89123 what do you mean “better”? Most shoes are mass produced using machines, so any location will use pretty much the same equipment and techniques. It only really matters if it’s an item from a region that has a tradition of crafting that type of item (Irish wool sweaters or Lithuanian linen come to mind)
Not sure which region of Mexico they source their labor from but if it is near texas as op implied it could very well be a region that is entrenched in the craft of leather working.
Marketers getting trashed is why I love this channel.
He's not trashing the marketing. He is trashing the customers. Businesses use bee ess to sell because it works. People are gullible and drink the kool-aid.
@@paulharling7657 huh? he directly trashed the company’s marketing multiple times, he didn’t once criticize the customers.
@@jackfalcon5352 advertising, not marketing.
@jackfalcon5352 I think what they're insinuating is that he's saying the marketing is bad and lies, but the fact that they are successful means that there are people gullible enough to fall for it, and that's an indictment on the consumer.
The company makes the bs advertising because it works. Regardless of how scummy we might find it, they wouldn't do it if it didn't work. If consumers on average were more discerning and waited for independent reviews like this one before making bigger purchases, these ad campaigns wouldn't succeed, therefore they wouldn't exist.
you cant expect everyone to know how a boot is made, i am not going to attack the average consumer for falling for IT scams /marketing just because i am a professional.@@paulharling7657
I bought a beautiful leather handbag from Portland Leather about five years ago and still love it and get compliments on it all the time. It's sad to see they're not putting the same quality into their boots.
Yeah. Tanner Leatherstein has positively reviewed their handbags.
Same! I was surprised to see the company associated with scams because I REALLY like my purse. I've been using it for 2 years and it still looks great. I'll stick to leather Doc Martins for boots.
@@jennamars80 Doc Martins aren't really a reputable brand anymore either. Super uncomfortable and newer models have super cheap soles.
I came to the comments to see about their purses and totes. I’m glad to see positive reviews. I am being flooded with their advertising and have considered purchasing one.
I bought one of their totes and had terrible color transfer issues onto my clothes. When I asked them what to do about it, they were completely unhelpful. They just expect us to ruin our clothes to break in a bag.
On their behalf, they did immediately refund my money when I returned a purse that I felt did not live up to the advertising. No questions asked.
They know many people don’t want to be bothered. That’s how they make the money.
That's not a high bar, I can get my money back for a box of pencils at Walmart.
"...or is it just another case of a brand with a big budget making outlandish claims to sell a subpar product to people that don't know any better." This is exactly why I watch and love this channel. We need this for a lot of different industries.
"Outlandish claims" equals lie..... better an intenali lie(s)! 😮
Weston is doing the Lord's work and keeping leather goods in check.
Sure is! Church!
Indeed he is. The Lord's work is what I exactly tell people what he is doing. Trippy seeing someone else say the same.
In other words their "discounted" $98 boot is in fact a full price $98 shoe.
It is in fact a $35 dollar boots.
Just imagine build a product for around 5 dollars, setting retail at $100 and then giving an 80% discount on said product. They'd still be making a $15 dollar profit.
@leighfoulkes7297 thats how GM sells cars 😂
@@johnwolf1113all companies not just gm
Yeah, theyre leather sneakers pretty much
I have relied on boots hunting in extreme weather for decades. Quality and associated price matters when you are miles into the back country in the middle of a blizzard for days. Back in the 70's these were called campus hikers, never used on a trail. My insulated RedWings have never let me down.
I saw your video recommended about the WW1 boots & trench foot so I watched it. I was like "Wow, this guy seems to know an awful lot about boots". I was thinking, "I swear if this man's whole channel is about boots, I have no choice but to subscribe just for the dedication".
I opened your channel, & low & behold, it was ALL ABOUT BOOTS lol. I love it. You have a new subscriber & I am enjoying learning more about boots! Thats actually awesome. I didnt know a thing about quality boots prior to today, thanks to you.
Thank you so much for your honest opinions. It is astounding how the marketplace is becoming filled with so many snake oil products. Keep up the great work!
Robert Mitchell, I couldn't agree more.
@@zekeyeager1458 In conclusion, nothing is wrong with capitalism except for the things that are wrong with capitalism.
@@zekeyeager1458 😆 Hahaha!
@user-otzlixr You’re overthinking it.
Hey, atleast you're getting actual real leather for less than $100. $500 for a pair of boots is ridiculous and I don't give a shit about the quality, someone is ripping you off
Most already know this, but for the new guys-the disciplines of making bags and making boots are completely different. With bags you have leather and maybe a fabric liner. Any idiot like me can buy some random leather, some basic tools and cobble together a functional bag. With enough practice you might even get good at it, even very good. Shoes, and especially boots, are a whole other animal. Shoes/boots are normally subject to stresses that a bag will never see, or see only sometimes at worst. Also a bag will not normally make you miserable and want to set fire to it, but a badly made or poorly fitted shoe/boot is definitely in danger of arson.
This video is so gratifying. Earlier today, just this same day this video released, I saw Portland Leather's response to a fb comment suggesting they get their boots on Rose Anvil. They said wouldn't happen, because they claim they'd have to pay Rose Anvil money. LIARS!
I love that you tear these BSing companies apart. You have a new subscriber! Keep doing what you are doing. Call out the liars.
I've been in the footwear business for over 25 years. This guy knows what he's talking about. Good analysis with step by step (literal) breakdown of the Patina
I've been bombarded by these ads too. I know enough about boots that I was very skeptical, but of course I couldn't know for sure. I think part of what's frustrating is that this product could have some legitimacy if it was advertised as boot looks with sneaker comfort, but instead they go with the scammy "better than $500 boots" angle. Thanks for exposing them.
agreed, these have a place in the market, but instead of owning up to what they are they try to drag down their competitors and lie about their own product. simply shameful.
If these were being sold in The UK they would be in the "Special Buys" Aldi and Lidl sell that are dirt cheap, maybe.
Simply a fast fashion boot for your local pick-up artist. Pairs well with thumb rings and v necks.
They really make my tribal armband tattoo pop.
Love a good dupe!
LOL - thumb rings. Is that a thing? Don't think I've ever seen a guy wearing a thumb ring, but it certainly sounds like it fits with the cheeseball vibe of these boots.
Im glad I live in the midwest, Ive never seen a man with a thumb ring.
@@flt52890's version of a hipster, only they were more mock "bad boy"
So glad you did this! I keep seeing the ads everywhere too. A fake Goodyear welt makes me angry.
Fangry.
Tam's other half
I’m already subscribed. I appreciate the fact that you did not waste time with telling the whole story in one sentence. Letting people decide if they want to hear the details. Most reviewers leave a open ended statement. Thinking a viewer does not know how to skip forward. I will share this video!!! Keep up the good work!!!
I love you. I LOVE that you disclose the lies that permeate the vastness of our shopping experiences. (For this reason alone, I almost never buy retail). THANK YOU!
I saw a facebook post, like so many others have, where someone commented "rose anvil has entered the chat." Portland weirdly responded with, "we tried but it cost money to be featured." Much like their boot claims I assumed this to be lie.
Laughably bullsh*t.
Well, now you get featured for free, genius!
Even if they had to pay money, with those profit margins there’s now way it’d be too much for them lol.
Lol costs what? A cheap pair of boots? The marketing "genius" probably knew Weston would be baited anyway with their shoddy "🤫🤫🤫 Look bro QUICK they don't want you to see this 😱🫣🫨😶🌫️" strategy.
I saw the same post on Facebook. To me it just sounded like they didn't want weston to cut their garbage in half and expose them. Such bs from a bs company
Thanks for this. You're right, the problem isn't that it's a bad product per se, the problem is the false advertising. This company could have chosen a marketing strategy that emphasized that their boots were as comfortable as sneakers, because they're built like a sneaker. Plenty of people would have bought them. But instead they decided to say that they're higher quality than boots that cost three times as much... that's just not true.
I was thinking as I watched this that they would be a good alternative to sneakers if you are a boot guy
These boots are for the fashion posers who want to look like the men who need real boots.
I disagree. Unless one is wearing actual Crocs, foam rubber soles are trash.
@@johnaaron37 crocs are the shoe choice of those that have given up on life
Youre right, they appear to have the same outsole as my dude shoes, which are ultra comfy, only shoes i can wear with my sciatica right now. But i would not call my dude shoes high quality shoes like my ultra boosts or ultra bounce adidas. They are roughly 65 dollars a pair and are expected to only last about 6 to 9 months. Had dude done some dumb shit advertising like this company id find another option out of spite.
Portland Leather is DESIGNED in Portland. Made in Mexico and probably India and China. Similar leather companies in the USA sell leather briefcases, travel bags, pouches, cross body bags. When I looked into them I noticed many have the exact same product, but with their brands on them. They are mass made in India and other places... To me they are worth nothing. I would never wear them. On the fair market, they are in the Walmart class, so maybe $40...
By "designed" they mean they took crayons and drew a rough stick drawing on a piece of toilet paper and gave it to Mexico to produce.
I said $55 😂 but you’re right. I bet you get better at Payless (are they even still around?).
So they're basically an Amazon FBA brand
And im sure when they say “designed” in portland it’s usually just picking small details like the color of the stitching or the sole etc from the maunfacturers catalog/option. Same thing happens in many industries. Many things are “designed” in the us and made in china, india etc and the manufactures logo stamped on it.
Mexico doesn't have to be bad. I have some Saddleback stuff and its great. I had never last a wallet as long as the one from them. If they're made in India you can calculate the costs of the boots by the fact you can get custom made tailored shoes for 40-50 USD and that might even be a special price only for "rich" foreigners...
When you buy quality you (usually) only cry once. I wore my Whites firefighting wildland boots for 25 years. I just retired and I still wear them. Brushed them, oiled them and sent them back to Whites to have them resoled and never had an issue. They cost about $300 USD back then and about $560 USD today. Having a comfortable boot that lasts along time is worth the money. Great channel and thanks for these honest reviews.
Watching you cut the boot in half gave me the heeby jeebies; 7:33 narrowly avoiding putting your hand in the blade path, 7:35 cutting toward yourself, 7:43 putting fingers in the path of the band saw.
I'm glad you're ok.
Yes! Thank you
I was also a little surprised how clumsy he was with the cutting...darn
As someone who used to buy expensive boots that were nowhere near worth the price because I did not know any better: Thank you for exposing these fake brands.
0lpl
Thanks 4 showing us the fakes out there
I'm so glad you did this. I have a different Patina boot that this. I gave them a very honest 3 star review. They never posted it. Now I know why all their reviews are only 4 or 5 stars.
Wow!
It’s also quite common for companies to pay people to leave fictitious 4-5 star reviews on products. That practice is rampant on Amazon.
I paid just 300 for my Bed Stu boots and they are on the second resole. I couldn't be more happy with them. Keep up the good work
I am a tradesman who has bought dozens and dozens of boots over the last three decades. I bought cheap and I bought expensive. When I see the advertisement for these boots, I don't see any tradesmen, I see white collar guys guys going for a certain look. These boots will never be put to the test; they'll never mount a ladder; they'll never walk in mud; they'll never have their toes scraped up when you crawl around on your knees. So I say, for the soy boys who are never going to wear these boots out, they're good enough!
Tradesmen don’t go out to the movies? Restaurants? Parties? Nightclubs?
The fact they went for knockoff soles is the biggest tell here for me.
It was the welt for me. The stitching looked like there was no tension in the thread, so it couldn't possibly be actually holding anything on.
@@R.J._LewisI think these leather strips come pre-stiched :D
Those soles are offensive.
“””Artisan made””” … then slaps that gaudy sole on it.
Pretty scummy company. Thanks for making this video!
Fitting for Portland Oregon
Yeah, because companies like Langlitz and Wesco are shit? Get real.@@guaporeturns9472
Sir, I appreciate every single one of these videos you do. You have taught me so much about boots and boot construction. Thank you.
Can't say much about wearables, but have purchased several of their bags for my wife and daughter. They've been very good quality. Thank you for your review.
I was tempted to buy the boots on sale and other leather goods... but after your review, you just save me from making a big mistake! 👍 thanks!!
Thank you for singlehandedly changing how i buy footwear. Recently, I have only bought boots based on your reviews and youve yet to disappoint.
Thank you for shining a light on dishonest peddlers of fake products.
I recommend Thursday boots for anyone needing good quality, dressier boots that hit higher than $200+ price. I have a pair of their President model. They’ve been great.
Nope, another company that’s intentionally obtuse about where their products are made. They could just say it in the product description, but you have to dig thru their FAQ just to find a wish-washy answer.
Great series. I love me some boots and shoes and there's nothing worse than getting scammed on what you think is a pair of boots that you think are going to last forever. Well done.
I was close to buying a different style last month and remembered that I haven’t worn out my marketplace $40 Red Wings yet. Thank you for the reminder of “if its too good to be true, it probably is.”
Cheers.
Great report. It's always nice to be reminded just how dishonest most of the advertising that's found on social media is. Thanks!
Thanks for doing this. I keep seeing ads every day and seeing boots “on Sale” for $100 sounds tempting but they definitely didn’t seem right to me. Glad I never tried a pair
Thank you for making this. I've been getting spammed with their ads. And I even saw people asking if they had sent them to you for testing. Their response was that they didn't want to pay you to cut up their boots. Which is funny. Considering how much money they have, whereas small companies like Birchbury are happy to send you their products to demonstrate quality.
I own a single pair of hand made Italian shoes that are worth $600 today and the leather is very very soft. Nothing compares.
I had a chance to review a pair of "Wolf work boots," and while I couldn't go so far as to cut them in half, they definitely gave the same disappointing vibes in the tests I ran. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.
This is why Thursday boots also annoyed me at first... they went too heavy on the online advertising and made me think rhey were just a crap brand, but hey turns out they're actually pretty solid boots
They are, but not the hype people give them. The insole is trash and the leather gets cut up way too easy.
I work for one of the brands you always mention and when customers come into my store asking "Are these advertisement boots any good?"
I just show them your videos. It's about educating the consumer but unfortunately some companies prey on the uneducated. You're doing great work!!
Thank you for this. As a recent new resident of Portland, I was caught off guard by the intense in-your-face advertising. I have no money, so it was always on my "maybe someday list".. but not any more :P
Theyre not even from Portland anymore. HQ is in Texas and theyre made in Mexico. They do have an outlet store in Portland though.
The outsole was a dead giveaway - the fact you tore it off with your hands was a cherry on top.
“Far from the worst but even farther from the best” is an expression I am stealing from this video 🙂
With almost every video you make on the new boots out there, I’m very happy to stick with my Danner Workman GTXs from 12 years ago. I’ll keep getting them reworked when necessary for as long as Danner will rework them.
Thank you, Weston. This needs to be done. Too many brands scam us and it’s becoming a norm. It’s so wrong.
You mean like Timberland?
I absolutely love that you call out the company's crap. Keep it going!
dang. So you're saying I spend $100 and am not getting $500 quality!? Mind BLOWN!
I wore G.I. Combat Boots in both full black leather & Olive Green Jungle Boots.
great series, i don't have the budget for a 500 dollar boot at the moment. But thanks to you i bought a pair of Jim Greens, showing that you can get a decent boot for a decent price. I applaud you for showing the real stuff and debunking the scammers.
I think Thursday has found the sweet spot in terms of the minimum price you can charge for decent quality materials and construction. And in my experience they’ve been nothing but upfront and transparent with their customers.
I love Thursday!!
Unfortunately doesn't exist in Europe
Thanks, never heard of them but I’ll check it out
I love Thursday boot
I was going to ask about that brand. Has this channel done a video about it, yet?
Portland Leather will now probably use an edit in their marketing saying “Rose Anvil placed our boot at the top of the 2023 Moctober leaderboard of leading Moc toe boots*” (*small print: current standing from video 5th October)
god damn that background animation was incredible for a 12 minute video
I just saw on line (multiple sizes available) at wallmart for $39.99 . Black and brown. Cheap price
Really appreciate this! When everything seem to be fake these days, we really need more people like this to call out the BS
You don't always get what you paid for, but getting substantially more than you paid for in a newly designed and manufactured products is extremely rare. Always remember that the more money a brand puts into advertising and/or distribution, the less they can put into the product itself.
I read an article that said everlane was backed by VC's and gave product away at a loss at first. A few years ago, their priced seemed too good to be true; and they were, as the article explained that the strategy was to make little profit for a while while building customer loyalty.
Build customer loytalty providing exceptional, silk and cotton value, assume your customers are very dum and will be interested later in paying much higher prices for polyester and viscose XD lmao
A good example of where the strategy was used successfully is Amazon. At first, their prices were very low, and shipping was fast and free, getting lots of people to start buying there. Now, 20 years or so later, their prices are higher, and you can often find better prices elsewhere. Also, Prime keeps going up, and you can no longer get free shipping on small orders, plus returns are more difficult and/or expensive to do. However, people like the convenience and selection, so they continue to buy there, and Amazon has become massively profitable.
@@carlr2837was a regular Amazon shopper until the prices started to climb. Was also tired of the late delivery process and the crushed packages . I'll spend my $$$ elsewhere
Cheers for exposing these shady business.
If it's advertised a lot, you are not paying for quality, you are paying for advertising.
The thing that was the most enlightening to me about this video and the comment section is that there are people out there who actually watch ads. Astonishing.
Was literally holding off on these until I heard Weston’s take on these and boy am I glad I didn’t pull the trigger on any purchases 😂 Thanks again Weston!
I am generally skeptical about anything that is advertised as 'special' or superior in some way. It all sounds like a lot of talk to me. Also, thank you for adding a period where it should have been. It's frustrating when companies use paid models to endorse their products and bombard us with their sales pitch.
I have multiple bags and wallets from Portland leather and they are of good quality, especially for the price. The reviews on their website about their Patina line were bad, so I never intended to buy any of those... and glad I didn't! Thanks for the video!
Yea I wouldn’t buy shoes from them but I have a wallet and small purse, it’s nice thick pebbled leather and v durable
Yeah, I'm beyond thrilled with my bags and wallets. Shrug. I guess maybe we were lucky? 🤷♀️
I own 3 purses and 3 wallets from them and love them! They are holding up great and I always receive compliments.
I have a couple of smaller items from them (wallet, key chain , purse) have no complaints about the quality of those items. They have held up well.
Most boots you test appear to be junk...it would be good to see more videos about the good products.
You noitce how a lot of these companies claim they are cheaper because they cut out the middle man, when in reality they just cut out the quality.
Thanks again for actually giving people hands on knowledge and testing of products. Keep up the great work!
Here is how good your videos are - I don't really care about boots or leather. But these videos are captivating on so many levels. Keep going!
Quality videos you've been putting out Weston! Super value added to the people when brands are exposed for lying and deceiving buyers. Keep holding them reliable for their offerings. For what people are paying for sneakers and boots today, they should not be short on quality.
Saw these ads everywhere..Had a feeling this was the case. Glad to know it rings true
These are fashion boots not intended for actual working conditions, a person will use them once or twice a week ,rotate with other footwear.
Keep doing what you do dude. The community appreciates you
Thank you for service and your knowledge sharing to the community.
Blundstones are by far the best boots in existence for the money. I work outdoor construction year round and used to go through even the best work boots in maybe 9 months. Blundstones last me at least 2 years and no replacing laces every few months.
"Artisan" means "for the same people who pay $10 for a cup of coffee that costs 25 cents to make". The Patina line of boots is made in Mexico.
I ordered a pair and instantly sent them back. They were absolutely trash. The liner felt like rubber, they were super narrow, glued soles with fake "stitching" on the top, everything was single stitched. Absolutely garbahge. I ended up with Thursday boots and could not be happier.
Love the honest assessments and sound advice, a rare comodity in todays marketplace. Keep protecting decent hard working consumers!
Thank you so much for exposing companies like this!! I love it.
Had a fellow worker once laugh that I paid more for my work boots and his were just like mine. About 2 months later when the stitching on his let go and they were going to pieces (literally) I laughed last.
never had an issue with my second hand army boots i get from army surplus stores. comfortable, strong, last practically forever and cost a pittance
You came out swinging on this one, loved it! I learn so much from these videos, they've really opened my eyes
Worth mentioning -- someone could get injured wearing these as workboots if they fall for the marketing
I have bought $50 work boots that were safer than these, in fact its all I wear at work and I can get a couple of years out of each pair. Never had an actual injury despite the amount of things I have dropped on them or stood on and that includes nails sticking out of pallets. These pieces of crap would see me in hospital if I wore them to work.
Thats why i stick to brands thay are know for work boots lol
I was about to say maybe they're at least worth it for the price, and maybe they are--but also... Thursday boots are $200. That's a small step up in price for a huge step up in quality.
I have a pair of $800 boots. They were custom-made to my first. Not only are they super comfortable and durable, but they will likely last longer than I'd be alive. I also have two pairs of Red Wing Heritage boots, and I know they will last. You get what you pay for.
im real stingy with likes. i mean if you give them away all the time what are they really worth? but i hit you with one, without the likes of you we would be fleeced and conned day in day out. like the press, you independent reviewers keep retailers honest. THANK YOU.
Nice work. You really did a good job. I've been bombarded with these ads, too and frankly I was skeptical. They are boots for people who want to look like they do hard work but don't. I'll stick with my Wesco's thank you. My $500 boots have lasted me for 10 years and still are going strong.
I've had the best luck with my Redwings. I paid $300 for the slip-on, steel toe boot with the comfort soles. They feel like walking on clouds, and they take a hell of a beating. I've had this pair for almost two years, and they're holding up very well. They're not pretty anymore, but they're still comfortable as hell and function as new.
and you can always get them resoled and enjoy them for another x years
This was epic, I love when people call other people out.
I'm not a boot afficionado but I love how you are to the point, honest, and comprehensive in your reviews. Nice work!!
I bought a pair of red wings 2 years ago for factory floor use and wear them daily with no signs of wear. Best boots I’ve ever owned