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Himel Bros. x Viberg Engineer Boots

October 03, 2018 6 Comments

Dave Himel is tough on his footwear. When Brett Viberg, owner of Viberg Boot Mfg. Ltd., saw the brutalized engineer boots Dave was wearing in New York, LA, and Tokyo, he saw the seed of an idea—a pair of engineer boots, made to fit Dave’s hard-wearing, hard-working lifestyle.

Boots made from the toughest leather around—horsebutt—a leather that’s tough to work with, but even tougher to destroy. Not just any horsebutt, either: “warp shoe” or “crust” horsebutt. This American-made, chrome-tanned leather is left in an unfinished state, undyed, giving it unmatched capacity to develop character and patina. They chose solid nickel Japanese-made reproduction roller buckles, in classic Engineer boot style; and a nailed heel, made with custom, solid brass Japanese nails which do not corrode.

Four years ago, Dave’s first pair of Viberg collaboration boots looked like this. Now, after years of hard globetrotting, new soles from the Viberg factory, and being oiled and polished in four far-flung countries, they look like this:

Dave and Brett selected the Horween Crust for exactly this reason: the incredible level of durability of the nearly-raw leather allows for an infinite variety and capacity for character and patina.

These boots have been on hundreds of journeys. They’ve seen woods, streams, snows and cities. That means rain, snow—all weather in all places.

Dave Himel wearing Himel x Viberg boots in Santa Croce, Italy, source of the Himel Bros. Victoria Horsehide.

David Himel wearing Himel x Viberg in Chicago, source of the Crust Horsebutt used in their manufacture.

The Himel Bros. x Viberg Engineer boots three years into their lifespan.

Dave showing off his boots in Himeji, Japan, source of the legendary Shinki Horsehide

Manufacturing:

Horween Crust Horsebutt Leather—tough as nails, and as close to raw as leather gets.
2005 last specifically developed by Viberg for their engineer boots, in use for 40 years. Delivers enough depth in the instep to allow for a pull-on boot. Classic round-toe shape in the forefoot.
Stitchdown construction from the vamp forward—two rows of stitching, the inner row fastening the upper to the midsole; the outer row goes through the upper, midsole, and outsole. Stitched with a vintage Rapid E machine at the Viberg factory in B.C.
Nailed heel—made with solid brass Japanese nails, custom made for Viberg.
Hardware—solid nickel Japanese-made reproduction roller buckles.

The Viberg for Himel Bros. Engineer Boot is available now—preorder it right here.

Nick

November 04, 2022

Would be down for another run…

Camilo Cienfuegos

September 15, 2020

Any plans for another run of horsebutt engineers?

Ben

January 23, 2020

Do another run!!!

Nick

January 03, 2020

Would be down for another run.

Gus

August 04, 2019

Seconded on the second run. I’ve got an old pair of Frye’s I’ve bumped around in for 6 ish years that are coming up on retirement age.

Will

January 09, 2019

Any chance of doing another run of these?

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