work boot thread

[rumblecloud]

Got my early Christmas present this morning just in time for wood cutting season:
Men's 8" Tactical Sport DRYGuard Side Zip

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Boots…

Really liked the ones Tractor Supply sold as a house brand for work boots, I was getting about 2 years of use doing construction with them. They were badly in need of new soles and a little repair at that point, the one stitch on the side liked to work apart after a year or so. Not entirely sure what I’m replacing my last pair with yet. Might just see if I can get them fixed because I haven’t really seen anything I liked yet. High top steel toe

Mostly use hiking/6” heel boots anymore. I have an old pair of wolverines that refuse to die, used them for winter ”dress” boots for a few years before they got promoted to regular use after I burned out two newer pairs of wolverine boots. Had a pair of Keens but in less than a year the leather uppers started coming apart. Contacted Keen because they claimed to offer a 2 year warranty at the time, but they refused to honor it, demanding the original receipt and UPC from the box and stuff. I had a picture of the receipt and their site claimed that that would be adequate along with a serial number that was barely legible on the tongue, but that wasn’t enough to actually get them to do anything. Probably will never buy another pair even though they were comfortable. Have a pair of Dr. Martins, they are my winter dress boots currently, but I’m sort of inclined to promote that pair to work use and buy another pair.

Combat boots, I had a pair of Altima years ago, grew out of them before I wore them out. Polished black and all that. They ended up getting replaced when a friend gave me a brand new set of Bates side zips, he ordered the wrong size and decided it wasn’t worth the trouble to ship them back, fortunately they fit me just fine. Loved them, still have them, but the tread is gone. The uppers are perfect. Replaced those with a pair of the “guide gear” side zips from Sportsman’s Guide. They were stiff and clunky and in about a year the leather uppers literally disintegrated. Tread still was almost perfect. Replaced those with Altima side zips and like them about as much as the Bates. Tread seems to be holding up longer too. My favorite “not going to work” boots since it takes about zero time to put them on or take them off, so nice for being in and out of the house a bunch.

Have sandals, but don’t get to wear them enough, I have some nice tan lines as a result. Maybe when I retire I’ll have time to wear them more than a few times a year.

 

[sgtsandman]

My Wolverines are running strong after years of use. I can’t remember how old they are though. They are insulated boots though. So, they don’t get broke out until the temps get in the 20s. The leather has held up well but I do treat them with leather care products every year as well.

Regardless of brand, hiking boots only last about 2 years when the tread wears out. Since the soles can’t get replaced, they either get retired to yard work duty or get tossed.

Sandels are the same story. Tread wears out after two years and get replaced.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I temporarily retired the Bates because the part of the sole that goes over the toe is peeling, and I want tp shoo goo it before it gets worse.

This thread was revived just in time because I do need new boots. My dewalts and carharts are both beat up, and no longer comfortable.

I don't get how some people spend all day, every day, in sandals...or formal dress shoes.

 

[Roert42]

I recently replaced a pair of danner bull run boots, wanted another pair the same because they are very comfortable. The sole was worn smooth after two years.

They were out of stock in their website at the time. I ended up finding a pair of Thurogood boots in a similar style. I like them much better, they have more quick loops and a strap on the back. Makes it much easier easier to take on and off.

 

[sgtsandman]

I temporarily retired the Bates because the part of the sole that goes over the toe is peeling, and I want tp shoo goo it before it gets worse.

This thread was revived just in time because I do need new boots. My dewalts and carharts are both beat up, and no longer comfortable.

I don't get how some people spend all day, every day, in sandals...or formal dress shoes.

Sport sandals designed to give your foot actual support, all day wear can be done. They aren’t cheap though. You get what you pay for.

 

[sgtsandman]

I recently replaced a pair of danner bull run boots, wanted another pair the same because they are very comfortable. The sole was worn smooth after two years.

They were out of stock in their website at the time. I ended up finding a pair of Thurogood boots in a similar style. I like them much better, they have more quick loops and a strap on the back. Makes it much easier easier to take on and off.

I’ve had bad luck with Danner. At least with their hiking boots. I had a set completely separate the sole from the upper on me. I looked at another pair as replacement figuring it might have been a fluke. The arch support was incorrectly installed in one boot and was pushing against my heel.

My combat boots made by them seem to be ok so far but their size runs small and I had to send the original pair back in order to get a pair that fit.

I had no issues with the set of hunting boots from them but they were bought quite some time ago.

I’m not sure I would go back to Danner again in the future.

 

[Roert42]

I’ve had bad luck with Danner. At least with their hiking boots. I had a set completely separate the sole from the upper on me. I looked at another pair as replacement figuring it might have been a fluke. The arch support was incorrectly installed in one boot and was pushing against my heel.

My combat boots made by them seem to be ok so far but their size runs small and I had to send the original pair back in order to get a pair that fit.

I had no issues with the set of hunting boots from them but they were bought quite some time ago.

I’m not sure I would go back to Danner again in the future.

I’ve only ever worn their work boots. A few different styles. I really like the ones that look like loafers and have a super thick foam soul. I’ve never had an issue with their quality fortunately.

 

[sgtsandman]

I’ve only ever worn their work boots. A few different styles. I really like the ones that look like loafers and have a super thick foam soul. I’ve never had an issue with their quality fortunately.

I’m not against giving them another try but I am also close to writing off the brand as far as hiking boots go. I’ll see what I find in the spring when I go to replace my Timberlands due to the soles almost being like racing slicks now.

 

[Ranger850]

I have a pair of "Georgia Boots". They don't see the action anymore and I mostly only wear them to the junkyards. They've held up really well. Better than red wings, that's for sure. They cost around $100, four years ago. Very similar to the ones I pictured below. Water proof, composite toe, and a thick tread that is soft in some areas and stiff in others.

 

[gaz]

I grew up working as a farm hand wearing Sears Roebuck 8" non safety toe. The used to be made in the USA and were tough enough to last more than one season.

I then entered the saftey toe environment and wore substandard boots, replacing them worn out, every 3 months. I just didn't think it was worth pulling the trigger on more expensive footware.

After approximately 20 years of that I broke down and bought a pair of Redwings and a pair of Danners. I wound up wearing the Danners everyday for 10 years. No surprise, I had purchased a Danner model with a molded, no-repairable sole. This was upsetting as I thought that once they did wear out, I would get them resoled, not possible.

Still the Danner experience was the best ever, though I would not BUY A PAIR WITHOUT TRYING them on first as their sizing is affected by a number of factors:
- if they are saftey toe they need to be a larger size
- if the are insulated they may need to be ½ size up
- several of their models are specifically designed to not slip and are subsequently more narrow to grip either the heal or the foot in general.

• saftey toe boots, nothing feels better to me than Danner Centurions with Gortex but uninsulated.
• hiking, Danner Hood Winter Lights, Gortex and 200g thinsulate.
• everyday boot, Danner Fort Lewis, Gortex but uninsulated.

All 3 of those Danner models are recraftable, as the soles are sewn on.

 

[Ranger850]

Have you all heard of the " Boots Theory" ? It's a social economic theory.

"Take boots, for example. He earned $38 a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost $50. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about $10.

"Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.

"But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford $50 had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in 10 years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet."

 

[sgtsandman]

I definitely don't go cheap on foot wear but cheap is also a relative term. Anyway, more and more, molded on soles are becoming a thing unless you go more toward the Whites brand and similar boots. I'm sure they are worth the $600 to the right person who wears them every day but I can't see spending that kind of money. I may have to step up my $150-$200 budget on boots though to get back into a better built boot. My Wolverines have a replaceable sole on them but that was the exception rather the rule in the $150-$200 price range. Everything else, including the combat boots I've bought and bee issued have all had molded on soles ever since we switched from OD fatigues to woodland BDUs in the late 1980s to 1990s.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I had back luck with Keens..majority of the carpenters at work wear Irish setters. The painters wear Hoka. The grips wear Timberlands or Sketchers. I saw some wolverine composite toes that looked good. Im mostly the metal guy at work, considering dedicated welding boots, just worried they will be too heavy and hot. I'm pretty good about not burning my lower half while working.

 

[JohnnyO]

I don't need work boots on a daily basis but I've sworn by Timberlands for ten years. Winter boots when the snow is deep and their hikers that are comfy as heck for daily use in winter.
Daily shoes as a funeral director I wear Timberland waterproof oxfords. Waffle soles for good traction in the winter, they polish up nicely, comfy for being on your feet all day, and waterproof for wet cemeteries and the embalming room (you use a lot of water). I buy a new pair of black and brown each about every year and a half.