Workboots

[WVBill]

My workboots have "worn out" and I'm looking for a new pair.

Any recommendations for workboots out there? Comfort and durability for weekend tractor/yard/home maintenance work are key. RedWing?, CAT?, any others?

Thanks.

 

[RobS]

I swear by Redwings but mainly 'cause I've got really wide feet (EEEE) and they're the only ones that I can find in my widths. They are very well made and last a long time /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[dmccarty]

WVBill,

I can't think of the brand name of the boots I just bought but I'll tell you what I was looking for in a boot. I think the features are more important anyway. They may have been Iron Age. I think that was the name of the store that sold the boots but I might be wrong. If you really want to know I'll take a look and get the name.

I needed tall boots, 8 inches high so I can wrap ace bandages around my boot tops and trouser legs. This keeps the chiggers and ticks off of me for the most part. I've yet to find a chemical agent that stops these things. The chemicals scare me anyway. Tall boots, long trousers, and ace bandages work just fine.

I DONT like the quick lace eyelets on boots. They are nice when you lace up the shoes but they catch twigs, vines, sticks, etc. when working. Thats a bad thing when working with a chainsaw. I don't want to trip and fall carrying a chainsaw..... I think that would be a bad thing! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Besides you only lace the boots up once a day, so I can spend the extra second or two it takes to lace up.....

If you are going to get a boot with a "steel" toe push around the front of the boot to see how far back that protection goes. Most of the steel toe boots I was looking at only protected a couple of inches at the front of the boot. Not much protection if the chain saw hits the top of my foot or I drop a metal bar in the same place. The cheaper boots usually only had this leve of protection. The boot I ended up getting has protection that extends a good way up the foot. I'm not sure its all metal but there is something very hard that is on the top of the foot. Sure better than just leather.

Get a boot that can be resoled. The cheaper boots are glued on. I have not had any luck regluing the two pairs of cheap boots I have worn out. My dad has a pair of leather boots he bought in the 60's. He has worn them quite a bit and then I wore them working some summer farm jobs over the years. The soles finally wore out so we took it to a cobbler who put on new soles and the boots are as good as new.

Most of the boots seem to be using a Goodyear sole which provides some sort of electrical insulating protection as well as good skid performance. Don't know if its true but a lot of the boots I looked at/read about had the Goodyear sole.

You might also want to check out http://www.rei.com. The stores have a good amount of information on what to look for in hiking boots as well as how to fit a boot. Some of that would apply to work boots as well.

I noticed some online stores selling boots. I was going to do mail order but I really wanted to see the boots in person and try them on. It took three trips to the store before I finally bought the boots! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Check your area for stores that sell safety shoes/boots to companies. This is where I got my boots. They certainly are great quality. But for what I paid they should! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

My requirements may not be the same as yours but at least it gives you some ideas....

Later...
Dan McCarty

 

[DaveM]

WVBill- I think Dan has posted some very interesting points to consider but I'll just give you some feedback on my boots. I have a pair of Redwing "Irish Setter" boots that are 14 years old and still have lots of life left! They were originally bought to use for motorcycle riding and I still use them for that but they've seen many miles of other uses. Once broke-in they fit like a glove. I don't know if they're still making this model.

Long live good footwear!!

Dave

 

[bpence]

My wife gave me a pair of Red Wings 10-12 years ago for my birthday. Best pair of boots I've ever owned.......period. I'd buy another pair in a heartbeat.

Bob Pence

 

[Von]

My wife said I am like a woman when it comes to boots! I have about 7 pairs! She states I need a different pair for every day! I had frostbite when I was a kid and have some nerve damage in the toes, so good boots are a must. With that said, I would look into ROCKY boots, I have four pairs in different weights of insulation and for hunting. They are tuff and they stand by their product. They are not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

 

[john4nh]

Hey do you guys have wolverine brand boots. About 90% give or take out here at the plant (Shell) where this brand boots.. They are very comfortable w/steel toe (required) They have this dura-shock system that I havent found in any other wok boots that compare to the comfort.. They are pricey like Red wings though..

 

[ERNIEB]

WVBill, Whatever the brand, I don't recommend the glued on soles, stick with the sewn on type. The glued on can't be repaired. I had this problem with a pair of Justin workboots.
Speaking of Justin's, I took an old pair of ropers to a boot shop and had work soles put on, neoprene I think. made a great work boot. The sole outlasted the leather. I wear workboots everyday, and I'm kinda hard on them. Right now I have a pair made by Cowtown. They are comfortable and were cheap. I've had them for about 6 months, and they haven't come apart yet.
I avoid the lug type soles such as found on hiking boots. You end up draging mud, cow manure, etc into the house.
Ernie
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ERNIEB on 05/09/01 07:33 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[cowboydoc]

Yep the neoprene soul is the only way to go if you're outside Ernie. I wouldn't recommend the justin workboots either, they are too hard to do if it can be done at all to get them resoled.

 

[GrantMO]

WVBill,

I have a pair of Danner hunting boots that I wore out of the box and put 5 miles on them the first day without a blister. I also just got some Ariat boots to ride in because they were so comfortable to try on. If either of these manufacturers make a work boot I would check it out. They're a little pricey but comfort is worth paying for to me. You also might try Cabela's if there is one near you.

 

[jyoutz]

For someone who really wants a good comfortable pair of boots that last forever, break out the big bucks and order a pair of White's handmade boots (Spokane, WA). You send them tracings of your feet and measurements of your ankle and lower leg, and they make you the best fitting pair you've ever owned. I'm a Forester and wear them everyday, often in awful terrain working wildfires. Never had a blister or been dissapointed. I'm only on my third pair of White's during my 20 year career. For less severe use, they would last nearly a lifetime. Cost? ($300+). When they wear out, you can send them back to White's and they will rebuild them for 1/2 the cost of new.

 

[Harv]

I recently bought a pair of boots specifically to go with my new tractorin' life. It was apparent soon after I got the tractor that I was going to be putting a lot of hard miles on my footwear, wrestling rocks and logs 'n' such.

I did my own research at the local stores and narrowed my choices to Wolverine or Timberland. Both seem more than up to the tasks I would be doing, but the Timberland just felt better on my feet. Super rugged and super comfortable. I got the steel toes 'cuz I just know it's a matter of time before I drop something on my foot.

I can't find the spec's that came with them right now, but they have a great cushion and shock-absorbing system built in. The top few eyelets are the quick-lace kind, but they they're snugged in much closer to the boot than my old ones were. Takes a little more attention to lace, but they're nicely designed to not snag stuff out in the field.

Don't have any technical info on the soles, but they appear to be the glued on rubber kind.

Dunno if I did good or not, but I paid a little over a hundred bucks and my feet have been way happy since I got them. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Grant,
Stay away from Ariats now. You're right they are comfortable but now they went to having them made in China. The last pair I bought fell apart in a month. Took them back and tryed on eight different pairs but couldn't find one that fit the same. The cobbler that I buy them from said they are junk now. Every pair is different and no consistency in the sizes at all anymore. He said before they went to China they were a good boot but now they are junk. He gave me my money back on a pair of justins. Can't believe a company that emphasized quality so much would do a stupid thing like that. I've bought my last pair of ariats!

 

[JayinNH]

WVBill,
I like Danner or LLBean made boots. They have lots to choose from and both have the longest warranty out of the competitors. I have bought both brand name boots at LL Bean and just had my 9 year old 12" high bean boots resoled for 25 bucks. That included shipping! I swear by that company.They might cost a little more but they stand by their products. They offer a 100% satisfaction or your money back warranty for the life of the boot. You pay a minimal charge for repairs due to wear and tear. If you aren't satisfied with anything you buy there you can return it for the full price. Might be worth checking out.
Jason

 

[fishman]

Dave,

I bought a pair of Redwing Irish Setters last year as a matter of fact. VERY comfortable. The only problem I had was that the lace-ups at the top were made of a very thin brittle metal. Two broke off after a few months. The nice thing is that the Redwing store made good and replaced them all free of charge. That reminds me. . . I'm supposed to pick them up . . . last tuesday!/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

I saw that they were still selling the same style, btw. I hope the new lace-ups are more rugged. I'll let ya'll know after I pick them up.

 

[M. Sullivan]

Check-out Redwing logger boots. Mine are 7 years old and as good as new. High top, eyelet laceing except the top 2 which are hooks, great steel toe that goes around top and side, unique heal that allows stabilizing logs (and many other things). They take a beating, and clean-up great--just keep them oiled.

 

[fishman]

The new lace-ups on my Irish Setters are great! About 3 times thicker and made of what appears to be stainless steel as opposed to brass. Point is . . . make sure the hooks are strong if you buy boots with quick lace capabilities. The new Irish Setters I saw for sale still retained the thin, brittle hooks. Otherwise, a great boot.

 

[DaveM]

Thanks for the follow-up! If my pair EVER wears out I'll look at the Irish Setters again!

Dave

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by DaveM on 05/11/01 12:32 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[GrantMO]

Richard,

You're right, I looked on the box and they're made in China. My trouble is I can't get my big flat feet to fit in hardly anything else comfortably. If mine crap out like yours did I guess I'll look at Justins. I usually wear tennis shoes or other work boots because they're easier to fit my feet. Don't work so great in a stirrup though.

 

[TREEFARMER2]

My wife makes fun of my workboots too, but here's what I like: Wet weather - Danner gore-tex work boots that lace almost to the too about 200 but worth it, comfortable and waterproof. Dry weather - Cabela's kangaroo boots about $120, very comfortable little or no break-in. Also Red Wing, very comfortable when broken-in and will last almost forever. I have a pair that lasted for about 10 years. Had them resoled, big mistake. They were "tightened" up when resoled and now they are too small. Had a pair of wolverene (sp?) boots that got wet and actually shrunk from getting wet from dew, not impressed. Also had 2 pair of danner gore-tex boots with nylon sides and ruined them by walking in briars before I figured out what I was doing. The briars were working their way in between the nylon fabric and tearing the gore-tex. Cabelas replaced both (good warranty). Never had the same problem with leather sided boots.