Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
* See Dave's boots here: oldspeedmfg.com
* Our other video comparing boot soles: leather vs rubber vs crepe? youtube.com/watch?v=g0ZEomtYUUY
* Here are some videos I was showing here:
- Bridlen: Inside India's first Goodyear welted shoe factory youtube.com/watch?v=A2qaqGGcyTo
- How Carmina makes the best dressy Chelsea: youtube.com/watch?v=JsnqE2X2Bus&t=307s
- @TrentonHeath resole my Red Wings: youtube.com/watch?v=yKM3QDFcAyY
- I learned to make boots in Guatemala: youtube.com/watch?v=XCDwistu7jk
If you're interested in boots that will hold up to serious wear, you've probably heard of two kinds of construction: stitchdown and Goodyear welt. Goodyear welts are a lot more popular, so people tend to assume it's the end all be all of the longlasting boot — especially when they learn that you can't get quite as many resoles out of a stitchdown boot.
But there's a lot more to learn here, so I spoke to bootmaker and cobbler David Corey to get an expert's opinion on how the two forms of boot construction differ as far as durability, resoleability, water resistance, and skill. And more!!!
00:00 Who is Old Speed Mfg?
00:53 What is Goodyear welt construction
02:04 What is stitchdown construction
03:06 Why prefer stitchdown over Goodyear welt?
04:34 Can Goodyear welts be faked
05:11 Are stitchdown boots hard to resole?
07:20 Are stitchdown boots higher quality?
08:06 What's more waterproof: Stitchdown vs Goodyear welt
09:32 What's more durable: Stitchdown vs Goodyear welt
10:42 what's more comfortable: stitchdown vs goodyear welt
13:16 The takeaway
* See Dave's boots here: oldspeedmfg.com
* Our other video comparing boot soles: leather vs rubber vs crepe? youtube.com/watch?v=g0ZEomtYUUY
* Here are some videos I was showing here:
- Bridlen: Inside India's first Goodyear welted shoe factory youtube.com/watch?v=A2qaqGGcyTo
- How Carmina makes the best dressy Chelsea: youtube.com/watch?v=JsnqE2X2Bus&t=307s
- @TrentonHeath resole my Red Wings: youtube.com/watch?v=yKM3QDFcAyY
- I learned to make boots in Guatemala: youtube.com/watch?v=XCDwistu7jk
If you're interested in boots that will hold up to serious wear, you've probably heard of two kinds of construction: stitchdown and Goodyear welt. Goodyear welts are a lot more popular, so people tend to assume it's the end all be all of the longlasting boot — especially when they learn that you can't get quite as many resoles out of a stitchdown boot.
But there's a lot more to learn here, so I spoke to bootmaker and cobbler David Corey to get an expert's opinion on how the two forms of boot construction differ as far as durability, resoleability, water resistance, and skill. And more!!!
00:00 Who is Old Speed Mfg?
00:53 What is Goodyear welt construction
02:04 What is stitchdown construction
03:06 Why prefer stitchdown over Goodyear welt?
04:34 Can Goodyear welts be faked
05:11 Are stitchdown boots hard to resole?
07:20 Are stitchdown boots higher quality?
08:06 What's more waterproof: Stitchdown vs Goodyear welt
09:32 What's more durable: Stitchdown vs Goodyear welt
10:42 what's more comfortable: stitchdown vs goodyear welt
13:16 The takeaway
