Lets talk about boots

[Evil D]

Yeah...boots. Who here is a boot wearer? This one might be more specific for you military guys out there. I've been a boot guy for years, and i enjoy shining some of them when applicable. I have a pair of Redwings that i've worn for about 10 years and they're ROUGH. They're almost suede looking on the toe. I'd like to get them back to their smooth polished glory. How do i go about getting them smooth again? I expect that some of the deeper cuts aren't going to go away but can i get them back smooth so they'll take a shine again?

[2cha]

I stopped wearing Redwings because they stopped making my boots in size 12 1/2. I still have a few pairs. I never polish them, just use their boot oil--which I'd get from them in quart size bottles.

[Evil D]

I've only ever owned this one pair, because they've lasted so long i haven't needed to buy another pair. Mine are the 607's in black....fantastic boots.

[gunnut35]

I have a pair of jump boots i have worn since 89.

[Pinetreebbs]

When I did field work I used to buy a new pair of Redwing logger vibram sole boots about every two years. I had them resoled after about a year. Climbing on rocks and gunite concrete is hard on boots. They were expensive but they were the only boots I could find that were wide enough for my feet. Very comfortable after a short break in period.

[HotSoup]

I have a pair of Canadian Forces garrison boots with Vibram soles. They've been through two Canadian winters and are showing little wear overall. They have been retired though, since I find them too heavy and clunky now, since my tastes have changed.

I'll probably pick up a pair of Magnums (most goddamn comfortable boots I've ever tried) for duty use next year, after I'm qualified and all that jazz. They don't like us recruits wearing non-issued kit :)

[Leatherneck]

I reckon short of polishing the heck out of them there isn't much you can do to smooth out the rough leather. I wear Redwings at work because the company buys them every 2 years, but when I was still a Lineman I spent my own money on WESCOs. There is a world of difference between a $200 pair of boots and a $400 pair of boots when you wear them all day long climbing poles. Once you wear out the WESCOs you send them in and they rebuild them to brand spanking new for 50% of new price. They are good for at least 3 "rebuilds".

[jah]

"up a pair of Magnums"
I agree, magnums are a great value, and fit great for wide feet.

[Evil D]

I have a pair of jump boots i have worn since 89.

Corcorans? I've been dying to get a pair of Corcoran 978s...i probably will after the holidays.

[dirtpig67]

Having spent a lot of time one the wildland firelines I recommend Nicks & Whites boots. Nothing better when it comes to work boots and for those that spend a lot of time on their feet. I was also in the Army years ago and these boots where infinitely better than any military boots. Expensive - but worth every penny once you get them broken in. I personally favor the Nicks in the low-arch style.

http://nicksboots.com/

http://whitesboots.com/

As for hiking boots, these are the best in my opinion (also make pretty good work boots).

http://www.limmerboot.com/

All of these can be re-soled and repaired so they last much longer than average boots.

[phillipsted]

I've used Raichle boots for almost 30 years - I've worn out and refurbed several pair. The company was recently acquired by another mountaineering firm, Mammut, but still offer some of the most durable hiking boots on earth.

Tough stuff.

TedP

[vampyrewolf]

Just picked up a pair of Dakota at Mark's on friday... Quad comfort, puncure & ESD, with external kick plate on the toe...

Not quite as comfy as my combat boots but still not bad for 14hrs straight

[Evil D]

Who has to wear steel toe? I have the hardest time finding steel toe boots that don't bother my feet. Something about the way i walk, i roll over onto my big toe when i step and it presses into the side of my boot and into the steel no matter how the boot is designed. The only boots i've found that are ok are Hytest Footrests which are very nice. They have the best shock absorption of any boot i've ever worn. I'm pretty sure the tread is made of polyurethane just like performance car bushings.

[O,just,O]

I am thinking of getting some Red Wings. Can any one tell me something about the crepe soles, such as life & durability in general wear.
Looking for maximum life & durability on the soles, while trying to retain some comfort & shock absorbing quality, would I be better to get something like the Red Wing iron ranger with the vibram sole.
Polyurethane shock absorber soles tend to just come apart after time even if only stored in the closet. Does this happen to the Red Wing PU & rubber composite sole ?
There may well be better boots, but here in Aust it is a matter of what is on offer & not everything is.
O.

[Evil D]

My Redwings are 10 years old. For a few of those years i didn't wear them at all so they have at least a couple years of closet time. When i bought them i asked the guy about wearing out the soles and he told me if i wore through the clear part of the tread and into the black part within a year they would replace them for free. I don't know if he was being silly or if that's an actual policy, but after 10 years of on and off wearing them, i still haven't wore through the clear part. I'm pretty good about not dragging my feet though. As for shock absorption they're among the softest stepping boots i've worn, second only to the Hytests i mentioned in my last post. I've been wearing the Redwings now everyday for about 2 years and i basically walk for a living. I've gotten to where i can't really wear regular shoes anymore..i need that heel under my foot.

I would highly highly recommend the 607s...they were the best feeling boot i tried on at the Redwing store and i pretty much went through the whole catalog. I would assume that after 10 years some improvements have also been made so they may well be better than the ones i have but they look the same.

http://www.theworkshoe.com/red-wing/cla ... -boots.asp


Oh, the one thing i will add though, is about sizing. The guy sized my foot and tried to put me in a pair of 12s...but they were just too big. They had a good inch of room after my toe. I've always been told that a good fitting pair of boots should be snug everywhere when you put them on new and you put them on WET so they form to your foot. I basically had to fight the guy to sell me some 10.5's because those fit my foot like a glove. The only problem i had was that the 10.5 insole put the arch support section way off in the wrong place for my foot. The solution was to just swap them out for some 12s...which amazingly fit the boot just fine so i'm not sure how their sizing works.

[rosconey]

i have some redwing steel toes that i like alot-

im a tile setter and epoxy guy -most shoes dont last because the toes wear out pretty fast and chemicals from epoxy reek havoc on leather-

for years i bought 50$ boots because of this-as i got older my feet started to not like me anymore after work-since the redwings they dont complain :) - i buy this sandy epoxy stuff for the toes to help and get about 2 seasons out of a pair-

i actually save a few bucks over 4 pair of cheap boots over 2 years and have happy feet and less back fatigue -

my good shoes are Chippewa loggers-lol- made in the usa also and boy are they comfy-found them at a local army navy store for 69 bucks -i bet they last my lifetime they look so well made

[Evil D]

I tried Redwings steel toe but the cap they use is just too narrow for my Flintstone feet. I've gotta have a big square cap if they're steel toe.

[Joshua J.]

Working in a barn in the summer and driving trucks in the winter puts me at a new pair of boots every year. By the end they usually have several holes in the stitching and/or leather just behind the toe. Stitching is the enemy, anything around the toe tears out first, I won't even look at something that has more than one seam in the whole front half of the boot. Triple stitching is a minimum, quadruple is better.
If the boot does not have a rubber toe already, I glue some on. Leather on the toe doesn't even last a few months (I crawl on gravel and kick a lot of steel).

The leather and stitching on my Canada West boots has actually held up pretty well this year, my first time trying the brand. The rubber toe is tearing out around the stitching though, :mad: you just can't win.

I've heard good things about lineman's boots, so I may have to try some WESCOs or similar and see if they hold up any better, and at least I can get them re-built for the same price as cheaper boots.

[Spydesense]

I have worn Wolverines for the last 12 years. I'm in construction and wear them 6 days a week for 10-12 hrs a day. A pair usually lasts about 18 months on average. I always wear holes on the toe of my boots...then it's time for a new pair. I have never bought Redwings, but Wolverines are a great boot as well.

[Rev. Chuck]

I have this ones, and they are the best working boots I have owned, I went through several red wings until I found the 2246's I work in an argon plant. http://www.redwingshoes.com/productdeta ... rodid=1731