White's Boots Sizing: MP, 55 Last, Perry and Cruiser Fit

White's Boots run big. The brand's own advice, as widely repeated, is to go a full size down from your sneaker size or half a size down from your Brannock size. A man who wears a 10.5 in sneakers and measures a Brannock 10 would typically order a 9.5 in White's.

The model changes the answer, though. The long, narrow MP last often calls for a size down and a width up, while the rounder 55 last is the safest place to start. Below you will find the rule, a model-by-model table, the measuring process and the fit checks that matter on a hand-lasted boot.

A quick calculation

Begin with a Brannock measurement, not your sneaker size. The Brannock figure is your true foot size, and sneakers typically run about half a size larger than it. White's boots, in turn, fit about a full size larger than your sneakers, which is why the two rules (half down from Brannock, full down from sneakers) land in the same place.

• Brannock 10, sneaker 10.5: order a 9.5.
• Brannock 9, sneaker 9.5: order an 8.5.
• If you already wear a 10D in Red Wing, Wolverine or Grant Stone and that fits well, expect a 10D in an MP model, since White's lists it as equal for those brands.

That last line can look like it conflicts with the first rule. The likely reason is that those other brands are already sized below Brannock, so a number you wear there has been adjusted once. Reports on this are anecdotal, though, and sources do not fully agree. If you do not own boots from those makers, trust the Brannock rule, and if your size in them is a result of guesswork, do not carry it over. Our Red Wing guide shows why those numbers are already lower than a Brannock.

Model-by-model guide

These come from retailer and owner write-ups, so use them as a map rather than a rule. If a model is not listed, ask White's which last it uses and work from the table above.

Why the MP Sherman needs a size down and a width up

The MP last is long, narrow and torpedo-shaped, with extra length out front. Because the space at the toe is generous, you pick up more length than the number on the box suggests, and the width is trimmer than you would expect for the length. That is why a 10.5D in sneakers often becomes a 9.5E in the MP Sherman.

In comparisons with other boots, the MP is described as about half a centimeter longer than the Thursday Captain, longer than the Red Wing Iron Ranger with a snugger waist and heel, and longer and wider than the Wolverine 1000 Mile, with a rounder toe. On the 55 last, owners find it wider in the ball than the Parkhurst Richmond. Chromexcel leather has some give, which helps a bit with a snug fit.

Understanding the lasts

White's uses a long list of lasts, and most are named by number. A few facts help.

• 55: Rounder, roomy toe and ball, medium arch. It is the one most buyers should try first.
• 4811: A high logger-style arch with a snug heel. The Smoke Jumper is based on it, and the 2505 is a square-toe version of the same.
• 5050: Like the 4811 but with a shallower toe box.
• 690 and 695: Cowboy-style, high arch and underslung heel; the 695 has a pointed toe and a 2-inch heel.
• C461: A springy toe curve and a sharp ball bend.
• 54 and 610: Low arch and flatter toe volume.
• W4811 and W895: Women's lasts, narrow with a high arch.

The Arch-Ease name refers to White's arch-support design, trademarked in 1926. A high-arched foot behaves differently from a flat one in these boots, so check the arch height of the last, not just the toe shape. Foot shape and shoe size explains how arch height changes the size you need.

Widths and the chart

Sizes run 7 to 13 in half sizes, in D and EE. The Perry and Fulton extend to 13.5. White's size chart is given in inch ranges, for example 9 7/8 to 10 1/8 for a size 10 D and 10 3/8 to 10 5/8 for a 10 EE, though the chart does not say exactly what is being measured. We therefore avoid turning it into a conversion table.

You need a wider width if your toes feel cramped or your foot spills over the edge of the footbed. You need a narrower one if the foot swims or you have to lace very tight to hold it. For the lettering in a wider context, see our shoe width chart.

Measure before you order

White's process starts with tracings and tape measurements, and the same steps work if you are just buying a stock pair.

1. Wear the socks you will use with the boots.
2. Have a helper trace each foot with a pen held vertically while you stand with your weight evenly distributed.
3. Measure the ball circumference at the widest point, across the joints behind the big and little toes.
4. Measure the instep under the foot and over its highest point.
5. Measure the heel around the back and to the front of the ankle.
6. For tall boots, add the calf at 6, 8 and 10 inches above the sole, and so on.

Measure both feet, since they often differ, and tell White's your usual shoe size and any problems such as bunions, high arches or a length difference. If you are new to this, our guide on how to measure your feet covers the basic tracing.

What a good fit feels like

Standing with full weight, expect about half an inch to three quarters of an inch between your toes and the front of the boot. The ball of the foot should sit in the ball area of the boot, and the fit from the midfoot back should be snug, especially at the arch and heel. The flex point of the boot needs to line up with where your foot bends.

Break-in and small fixes

White's boots arrive flat and stiff, with little flex. Chromexcel softens faster than veg-tan or roughout, and models differ: the Perry is described both as needing little break-in and as taking about a week and a half of daily wear, while the 350 Cruiser needs almost none. Wear thick socks and boots indoors before going outside.

A few remedies owners commonly use are skipping the top eyelets if you have a high arch, a surgeon's knot to hold the heel, and conditioner or low heat from a hairdryer on a tight spot, followed by more conditioner. A cobbler can stretch problem areas for roughly $20 to $30. Avoid relying on break-in to correct a boot that is too narrow, and return boots that are too tight.

Between two sizes

If the calculation lands between sizes, think about what you are fixing. Choose the smaller size when you plan on thin socks, when you have a high arch (which shortens the usable toe length) or when you are ordering an MP model with its extra length at the front. Choose the larger when your feet swell by evening, when you wear thick wool socks or when you use an orthotic. A half size is a small change in length, but in a stiff boot it changes where the flex point falls, so try to settle the question before the boots are worn outdoors.

Hand-lasted and made to order

White's hand-lasts its boots, pulling and tacking the leather over the last, whereas most US boots are machine-lasted. Custom, made-to-order pairs are available from foot tracings, so if a stock size does not fit, that is the next step. The related work boot fit guide lists the checks to run once the pair arrives.

Our recommendation

Order half a size down from your Brannock, or a full size down from your sneakers. Take a size down and a width up on the MP Sherman, a plain half size down on the 55 and MP-M1, and a snug 9 to 9.5 for a Brannock 10 in the Perry. If you cannot get a good fit from a stock size, send tracings.