Dumb Feet Smart Boots

[Egon]

If ill fitting boots are a major problem look into custom made boots. They will be expensive but should be possible to rebuild them.

 

[RobS]

Sounds like my feet! Like PBinWA, I have always sworn by New Balance casual shoes and Vasque/Red Wing boots. I bought a pair of LLBean "Maine type" boots a few years ago and they were the most uncomfortable things I had. Recently, I bought a pair of Merrill hiking boots. Was very leary as they are only "wide", not my usual EEE. Must run wide as these things are easily the most comfortable shoes I have.

I am disappointed with Skechers lately, the shoes I like for work are no longer made in wide sizes.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've spent a couple grand on boots over the years and have always been disappointed. I've never tried Vasqu, but I have tried the others along with most of the other brands. I've found that if a boot is real comfotable, it doesn't last very long to daily wear. If it's a boot that holds up for long term, it's not very comfortable. After spending $100 to $250 for a pair of boots, I went back to military boots because I rememberd wearing them every day and not haing any issues. That didn't work out as I just couldn't get comfortable in them again and doubt my memory was accurate.

Sometimes with tools, I've found that cheaper is better. Harbor freight stuff works great for disposable and short term projects. I got to wondering about boots and tried a pair of Brahma boots from Walmart. At the time, they were $20 and I bought them on a whim more then anything. Three years later, I'm on my fourth pair!!! They last about 9 months of daily wear. They are comfortable and I don't worry about taking care of them. The last pair cost me almost $30, so price has jumped on them, but still a bargain.

My feed are also wide and I have arch issues. With inserts, the boots fit very nicely.

Eddie

 

[turbo36]

I really like the Wolverine Dura-Shock boots for comfort and support.

Wolverine Boots and Shoes - WORK

Another option is the Bates Military or Police boots - very high performance and light weight.

Bates Footwear

 

[HickoryNut]

I work in a mfg/warehouse environment where all @1000 employees are required to wear safety shoes. We get vouchers every 3 months for new shoes and the mobile shoe trucks line up in the parking lot on those dates offering all sorts of brands and styles.

The office folks wearing casual/dress shoes are split pretty close to 50/50 between Florsheim and Hushpuppy brands.

The blue-collar folks (6"+ boot requirement) that are on concrete or gravel all day can choose freely between at least a dozen of the high-end brands. I'd say at least 70% are die hard Wolverine wearers, maybe 10% wear Timberland religiously, even fewer are Doc Marten fanatics. They still sell many Rocky, Lacrosse, Ariat, and others but they are for hunting, style, or cold-weather use and few actually wear them to work in every day.

I have about three dozen pairs of Wolverine 6" boots. I like the Durashock models much better than the Multishock. The new Compressor models are even better as far as comfort and they've recently changed the lining material in many of their models from Goretex to Drylex and that stuff is so comfy I hate to wear socks. I like them so much I wear them for jogging and basketball, I'd play tennis in them if the club would let me.

And I can't imagine the number of times I've taken pause to be thankfull to have been wearing toe protection here on the farm.

 

[SLOBuds]

The blue-collar folks (6"+ boot requirement) that are on concrete or gravel all day can choose freely between at least a dozen of the high-end brands. I'd say at least 70% are die hard Wolverine wearers, maybe 10% wear Timberland religiously, even fewer are Doc Marten fanatics.

I have a pair of Wolverine Davis shoes that I am trying right now. It is a moc-toe hiker. They are tight across the side of my foot by the toes. I know there will be abrasion and pain after a day in the field.

Now, what I would kind of assume is that the Wolverine Davis widths are cut the same way as the various Wolverine Durashocks. So I'm assuming that I would have the same trouble between those 2 models. Let me know if that isn't the case in your opinion.

I also looked at the Rockys and ordered one pair for trial. They advertise having the largest toe box in the industry. Sounds like exactly what I need. The pictures of that toe box looked massive.

My wife is telling me all through this that shoes are one thing that needs to be purchased in the store. I just can't bring myself to shop at brick and mortar stores anymore. Or at least (for some reason) it's getting to be a big trauma of an experience whenever I do so.

But returning internet-bought shoes over at the post office is traumatic in and of itself too!

Thanks for everyone's feedback.

 

[HickoryNut]

I used to mail-order Nikes, can't imagine buying boots sight unseen.

I try on 3 or more pairs of the same size and model culling the pinchers and the tongues that won't lay right, etc and often end up picking a left from one box and a right from another box. I like my fit extra snug and as a result when I test drive problems are quickly apparent.

Doc Marten boots are noted for being extra roomy in the toes but they're also heavier than most.

*Edit added* I've tried on Durashock models with toeboxes much larger than what I prefer, they are different

 

[RichZ]

I've tried on all sorts of brands of workboots, and most don't feel comfortable to me. Like Eddie Walker, one day I tired the Walmart workboots, and I was shocked that they're very comfortable. So what if they don't last more than a year, for $30/pair, I just get a new pair. Works for me.

 

[SPIKER]

I have similar problems with fat/wide feet. I buy the cheap walmart tennis shoes that usually only last 9 months or so and have tare at the toes where my feet are also very wide. this is an example I bought $22 buck shoes tonight from there they are 9.5" wides while usually it is hard to find wide widths there these were new stocks. I've tried the $30 buck boots while they seem ok for a few days they seem to wear very poorly for me (I have fat middle foot & wide toes and narrow heel) the heels seem to wear out & kill me in a few days as I'm walking (8~12 hrs a day on concrete) so a few years back the factory started offering boots, I got some Wolverine wide width durra-shocks and still have that same pair! Wolverines "the durra-shocks" are great, came with all the ratings but was almost $200 in the 6" high size. I recently got new ones that were not wide and while they should have stretched they simply tore like the cheap wally tennis shoes, These are not the durra shocks but something else that are similar to a hiker boot and they were in-expensive ones at a discount clearance place. I figured that they were wolverines and got them @ $45 bucks but I'm not happy with them at all. I can wear the 8.5" Wides in the wolverine boots vs the 9.5" wide wallymart stuff and keep my socks from wearing out in 2 weeks too... but for a low use boot the wallymart stuff works well for a few months use...

I used to love my ISSUED military boots only after getting to a hot duty station where I got to get non steel toed Jungle Boots which all the leather kept slathered in high gloss kiwi shoe polish made a large difference.

I also have a pair of cowboy boots (doe skin oohh so soft) that I have had re-soled 3 times and needs a new sole again that are now 20+ yrs old
I don't know or remember what brand they were but got them in Whichita Ks back when I was new recruit in AF.
mark M

 

[MikeD74T]

I've been buying from Hitchcock Shoes for several years. Specialize in wide shoes. Hitchcock - Wide Shoes for Men - Mens Wide Shoes, Extra Wide Shoes, EEEE, Orthopedic Shoes MikeD74T