Viberg Service Boot BCT

I knew from seeing all the Used Cuoio/Cuoio Vitello Vibergs from the last contest that I was in for a pretty wild ride. The first month or so felt pretty awkward—the in-between stages of patina honestly didn’t look the best—but past that point, these things really started to look incredible. These boots got plenty of wear in the Minnesota winter. They weren’t the wisest choice for cold weather—the unlined calfskin made for a bit of a chilly experience—but regardless, the leather and the boots overall held up quite well against the elements. They rarely ever got soaked through, and when they did, they bounced right back. The road salt really did a number on the edge dressing. There are some faint salt stains on the uppers too, but they’ve blended in quite well. I really enjoy the juxtaposition of the burnt-orange tones of the leather with the almost-black stripes left by my jeans crocking on the boots. Perhaps my most memorable experience in these Vibergs happened right at the end of the contest. I was on a trip to New Orleans in late March when I was suddenly felled by food poisoning, and I was in such a bad state that I went to the emergency room. I had only brought my Vibergs with me on the trip, so that’s all I could put on my feet for the journey to the hospital. I didn’t have the time or energy to throw on my jeans; instead I wore my plaid flannel pajama pants that my parents had gifted me from the Vermont Country Store. So there I was, half-delirious and shivering, wearing Vibergs and pajama pants, and all I could think about was how this was not where I had expected to be on my Dome journey. I took a small comfort in the fact that at least if I looked like shit, my boots looked damned good.