Rocky boot soles

[955er]

I have had the same issues with Rockys. The first pair I bought 10 years ago lasted 2 years before the soles blew out. I took some advice from a friend and mentor, bought Danners for upland and LaCrosse for pac and rubber, and I have not been dissapointed. They are more expensive, but like Lt. Dan said, your'e feet are pretty important.

 

[clemsonfor]

White's boots in Spokane, WA. White's Boots, Hunting Boots, Pac Boots, Work Boots, Outdoor Clothing They are the standard for working in the woods and they have multiple styles for other activities.

One guy on my timber inventory crew bought Danners. They lasted one summer. I bought my first pair of Whites in 1976 and they were still good when I retired 18 years later. They had Vibram soles. No longer fit me because my foot has changed as I got older--it happens to all of us, feet get longer. I did buy a second pair, caulked (the logger boots with the nails sticking out the bottom) boots, in about 1979 and they are also still good.

Whites rebuilds their boots and they come back looking like new for about 1/2 price. You get them rebuilt when the soles wear out and they fix any problems with the uppers at the same time.

My only complaint about Whites is that they didn't keep my feet dry, but I see on their website they now have a waterproof model.

Spendy? Yes, but they are made to measure, so they'll fit right. And they will outlast your foot size.

Also popular in the woods, but a second choice after Whites were boots from West Coast Shoe Company (Wesco). They also custom build. Since my employer finally (after we worked 6,000 acres of blowdown timber where we were walking logs 15-20 feet above the ground) caved and bought us caulked boots & I also have a pair of those. Not as comfortable as the Whites. http://www.westcoastshoe.com/wesco/home.asp

Russel boots and moccasins make custom snake boots and other boots the same as whites. The problem i have with whites, although i dont have any is that huge logger sole for standing on slopes. Well here in the south we dont ahve those and they are heavy as **** and make my back hurt after a long day.

Plus there expensive as **** at like $300-600/pair.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I have a set of Bearclaws that I have worn for about 10 years during deer season. I got too close to a campfire a few years ago and the soles crumbled.

I took them to a local cobbler who put on a new set of soles and they are as good as ever. They aren't Bearclaw soles but my feet don't know the difference.

I recently bought a set of Double H boots that I am using for a weekend work boot. So far, so good with them.

 

[rundogs]

That`s what I probably will do, have them resoled with Vibram soles.

 

[Pilot]

Plus there expensive as **** at like $300-600/pair.

Yup, Whites are expensive, not necessarily as expensive as buying one pair of crummy boots after another. As I mentioned, Danners, lasted one of my guys one summer, Whites I bought over 30 years ago I still have. I did not mention I had a pair of Redwings that lasted 2 years, but they stretched badly and my feet flopped around in them by the time I tossed them. Yes, you can probably pay up to $600 for a pair of Whites, but most are closer to $300 and I see some of the Rocky's are over $200.

It's kind of a matter of how much you will be wearing the boots. If a part time thing, I wouldn't buy the Whites, but if every day, then you want quality, and Whites are quality.

 

[Stormtruck2]

I have had great luck with Corcorans. I wear them everyday for 16-18 hours a day on all types of surfaces. YMMV

 

[dmccarty]

I had a pair of Rocky boots and I had to replace them when the soles "melted" away. "Melted" is a good term. The boots would just leave pieces of the sole when you went walking. The rest of the boot was in perfect shape. The soles were shot. The boots were at least 10 years old and I think the "rubber" compound in the sole just degraded with age.

The boots I bought to replace the melted Rocky's are Timberlands and they have a different sole than Rocky. The Timberlands would blister one ankle. I remembered a TBN conversation about boots, break in, and blisters so I went back and reread the thread. I was able to work out the spot in the boot causing the blister. :thumbsup:

That thread also mentioned White boots. We have a local dealer I found from reading up on White and getting their catalog. My next pair of work boots will be Whites when my current pair wears out. I am really tired of boots that just do not fit.

Later,
Dan