If you were forced to choose only five pairs of boots and shoes for the rest of our life, and had to give away everything else...what would those five be?Because we are masochists, Ticho and I decided to subject ourselves to this horrific—but enlightening!—thought experiment on the most recent Shoecast episode. It was NOT easy. We lost sleep. And we were both sickened by how similarly we thought about building a tight collection. But we did it.And if you feel like driving yourself insane, In strongly recommend you try it too. If you're on Instagram, post them and tag #myonlyfivepairs, @tichoblancoshoes, and @stitchdown— we'll be reposting plenty. This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, where you don't NEED an engineering degree to buy their engineer boots...but it helps. Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

This week, the Shoecast is actually the Larscast, as Ben from @Stitchdown and @tichoblancoshoes spend a whole bunch of time chatting with Lars Jensen, the one-man Norwegian wondermaker who creates—and indeed IS—Østmo boots.Things you should know: 1) Lars is the best. 2) We talk about a lot of boots stuff, including his inspiration, his process for making a pair, and his favorite tool (a gift from none other than @rizkyafnan of @onderhoudhandmade). 3) He reveals the two things in this world that you can give him in exchange for skipping the lottery to get a pair of Østmo boots. 4) According to Lars we’ve apparently all been pronouncing @vibergboot wrong. 5) Lars is the best.All in all it’s a really, really fun episode, and it was honestly a damned honor to have Lars on.This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, where you don't NEED an engineering degree to buy their engineer boots...but it helps. Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

In the last episode of the Shoecast, Ticho and Ben did a birds-eye view of the US handsewn moccasin construction footwear scene: how the shoes are made, and the rise and fall and rise again of the industry behind it, largely in Maine. It's a deeply interesting and often inspiring ride, and you can check it out right here.This week, we go deeper on five brands crafting a truly amazing range of handsewns: Rancourt, Quoddy, Russell Moccasin, Maine Mountain Moccasin, and the most innovative and boundary-pushing of them all, Yuketen. We cover each brand's specific history, and of course, what they make. Also we say some things about Chicago-style hot dogs that will surely get us in trouble with the good people of the Windy City.This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, where you don't NEED an engineering degree to buy their engineer boots...but it helps. Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

Handsewns—boat shoes, camp mocs, ranger mocs, guide boots, penny loafers, and other shoes and boots made with handsewn moccasin construction—are some of the most comfortable, and indeed truly handmade footwear that exists.This week on the Shoecast, and Ticho and Ben from Stitchdown get into how they're made, and how the US industry—based largely in Maine—arose and turned into a powerhouse, then entered a troubling period of decline before being reborn in a legitimately wonderful new fashion over the last couple decades.This is the first of two handsewn episodes; this one is more focused on construction and industry history, while in the next episode we'll get deeper into the USA-made brands we love, their histories, the unique models they make, and plenty more. This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, where you don't NEED an engineering degree to buy their engineer boots...but it helps. Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

It's time for the Shoebag, in which Ticho and Ben answer ANYTHING listeners want to know about. This week we talk about how to ensure you get the best possible patina on your boots, the importance of branding for shoe companies, which price point represents the best value, and plenty more—including why Tichoblanco is even called Tichoblanco. It's a fun one. This episode was sponsored by Grant Stone—we wholeheartedly suggest you check out their lineup right here.Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

Last episode Ben and Ticho took 16 of Alden's best shoes and boots, debated fiercely, and narrowed them down to 8, tournament-style. This time, those 8 become 1—the greatest Alden model of all time. Listen in for the debate, even if it's just to let us know where we were right and wrong. This episode was sponsored by Grant Stone—we wholeheartedly suggest you check out their lineup right here.Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

Alden is the last great American dress shoe maker—and their boots might just be even better. Ticho and Ben take on an impossible task: debating the best Alden model of them all. 16 enter, but only one will win. Get ready for a knock-down, drag-out battle. This episode was sponsored by Grant Stone—we wholeheartedly suggest you check out their lineup right here.Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

Certain great shoe and boot brands are discussed endlessly. And others, well, not nearly enough. This week on the Shoecast, Ticho and Ben get deep into four brands we think deserve a ton more play out there in the conversation—ZEB Shoes, TLB Mallorca, Parkhurst, and J.M. Weston—and get into their histories, unique offerings, value, how to size, and of course, how to get them.Theme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

Exploring the world of made-to-order—or MTO—shoes and boots. How do you figure out what to make? Where do you start? Ticho and Ben break down their approaches and philosophies on MTO, plus which makers you should consider doing MTO with, and how much they cost. Then as always, it's on to the Shoe Bag, in which we answer listener questions ranging from how to care for roughout boots, to the most versatile overall shoe for everyday wear. Shoe/Bootmakers and Shops Mentioned in this Episode:Viberg BootWhite's BootsWesco BootsNick's BootsFrank's BootsDrew's BootsJK BootsMark Albert BootsOnderhoud HandmadeCrockett & JonesSagaraCarmina VassTrumanThorogoodGrant StoneUnmarkedDivision RoadBaker's Boots & ClothingTheme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

While it may take a true boot geek to realize it, Indonesian bootmakers create some of the best values in handwelted footwear—and at their best, they are truly beautiful sights to behold. But how do you navigate Indonesia's dozens of bootmakers? Who to go with? How to order? What are they charging? Ben from @stitchdown and @tichoblancoshoes go deep on Indonesian boot culture and how it arose, plus the makers you should be considering. And like in every episode, your questions about shoes and boots, leather, care, and more are all answered with disturbing accuracy, in the Shoe Bag. Indonesian Shoe and Bootmakers mentioned in this episode:Onderhoud Handmade Benzein ShoesSagara BootmakerTxture Shoe & Bootmaker Winson ShoemakerJunkard Co. BootsProf Barnets SantalumRenav Goods CompanyKabayz CompanyImperium Hidalgo BootsMonroe Heritage Panama Heritage Tahura Boots CompanyHidalgo BootsTheme music: The Road by Punk Rock OperaSupport the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membershiphttps://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/Check out our site!https://www.stitchdown.com/2025 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 3—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/