Opinions on Footwear

[Fuddyduddy1952]

That's why we need high tariffs for "Chy-nah".

 

[caver]

crap!

And here I thought Tractor by net would filter out such recommendations.

Carver is on my shjt list!

Oh well!

I never said I had done business with them. ALWAYS do your own research. Glad I made the list. They had a YT video short come up this morning in suggestions but looking into it now they are a scam. BBB even had a report on them.

 

[Oaktree]

Walmart. $5.07
I wear them regardless of what I'm doing, from mucking a horse stable to attending a funeral.
Proud to be "the world's cheapest man" as I've been called.

Meh. Learned my lesson on cheap WM shoes. Don't fit very well, fall apart in no time. I'm cheap too, but you get what you pay for.

 

[Oaktree]

Tony LLama TLX with composite toes for me. I wear these for everything.

In my 20s & 30s I'd wear Frye boots like these. At $500/pair a little pricey for my budget today, especially given how few places I'd be likely to wear them anymore.

 

[lman]

I've been wearing these for a couple years.

https://www.ruralking.com/ariat-mens-groundbreaker-pull-on-boot-brown-10014238-95d-brown

 

[jyoutz]

Meh. Learned my lesson on cheap WM shoes. Don't fit very well, fall apart in no time. I'm cheap too, but you get what you pay for.

If you have feet problems like I do, buying footwear that fits well and I can wear without pain is the top criteria, not price.

 

[RjCorazza]

I was a Redwing diehard for many years, until their boots started falling apart after less than one year. In their defence, the boots falling apart were apparently imported hiking style boots, but they came with a Redwing premium price. I believe their legacy boots (like Pecos) are just as good as they were way back in the day.

I have since switched my boot to HAIX Scouts, which is the same company that manufactured my work boots I wore in a previous life.

 

[5030]

Interesting thread that I'm also late to the party on...

I wonder just how many domestic footwear makers there really are? I bet most import their products from over there and falsely claim made here when in fact they are repackaged with English instructions in a domestically made (maybe) box.

My wife buys the Wallyworld cheap imported shoes for me to bang around in but when it comes to serious foot wear that you don't need to break in and have miserable sore feet that ruins you day or week or whatever, I only have 2 choices, especially when going on hunts that require a lot of trekking on uneven ground or traversing hillsides and those are either Meindl boots or Kennetrec.

I have the Meindl's myself. They are hand made in Germany and have been for over 100 years and I had to try on more than one pair to get a good fit. My hunting buddies wear Kennetrec boots. They are also handmade in Italy and neither of them are sold online (maybe the Kennetrec's are but I would still try on various pairs (Academy) has them and Cabelas has Meindl's. Both come with stitched on Vibram soles and both are made from real leather, not water buffalo pee tanned leather but more importantly, both of them are fitted with replaceable footbeds and I replace the footbeds every year. The footbeds provide the arch support as well as wick away any moisture that accumulates from sweating feet.

Nothing worse than having sore feet on a a hunt where you have to walk a lot and especially side hilling. Both provide excellent ankle stability and protection and you don't have to break them in, unlike Redwings that break your feet in instead. Not made here and certainly not made in Taiwan or in China either and while they are expensive, quality, long lasting footwear is never not expensive.

I don't spend literally thousands of dollars on hunts to have poor fitting boots ruin the hunt and I guarantee, sore feet will ruin any hunt or even your everyday life around the home.

Only Meind's or Kennetrec's are acceptable footwear for me. I've 'road tested my Meindl's over the last 15 years now and they still fit excellent are waterproof and might be scuffed up a bit but a good treatment of saddle soap takes care of the blemishes mostly. Changing out the footbeds returns them to like new inside.

My opinion only but from personal experience. You mileage may vary but I know what my mileage is.

 

[paulsharvey]

"I wonder just how many domestic footwear makers there really are? I bet most import their products from over there and falsely claim made here when in fact they are repackaged with English instructions in a domestically made (maybe) box."

I think there are several several that make some, or their flagship line here, or in "North America", but much if their line isn't. They just use the flagship line to advertise made in USA.

I'm not convinced that made in US is better quality. With shoes/boots, it's really in what you like, and holds up for you, so; I'd rather have my preferred boots, whether made in Vietnam or whatever, over an unknown made in US.

 

[5030]

With me at least, my boots are like my hunting firearms. I don't quibble about cost ever. I'm very focused on what works and what don't.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Cheap tennis shoes I throw in washer every couple weeks, dry on line. They last me a couple years then replace.
Today it's real leather "catfish".
Inserts like this are fantastic & fit any shoe.
For years I wear 1 to 2 sizes too big & never had foot problems.

 

[RandyT]

I was a Redwing diehard for many years, until their boots started falling apart after less than one year. In their defence, the boots falling apart were apparently imported hiking style boots, but they came with a Redwing premium price. I believe their legacy boots (like Pecos) are just as good as they were way back in the day.

I have since switched my boot to HAIX Scouts, which is the same company that manufactured my work boots I wore in a previous life.

You got Redwings to last that long. I normally were the Brahma Bravo from Walmart and get around 6 months out of a pair. I tried Redwings in the early 2000's and went through 3 warranty pair in 4 weeks. Dealer exchanged for a different style, and that pair made it 4 months.

 

[caver]

Home - Gokey USA​

I only learned about them when the Electric Coop magazine did an article on them.
Made in Missouri.

 

[RjCorazza]

You got Redwings to last that long. I normally were the Brahma Bravo from Walmart and get around 6 months out of a pair. I tried Redwings in the early 2000's and went through 3 warranty pair in 4 weeks. Dealer exchanged for a different style, and that pair made it 4 months.

I wear boots all day, every day but it's not very severe service. The Redwings that were falling apart (literally) were glued several times to get to close to a year! They did replace one pair, but the replacement was equally poorly made so I just gave up.

 

[RandyT]

I wear boots all day, every day but it's not very severe service. The Redwings that were falling apart (literally) were glued several times to get to close to a year! They did replace one pair, but the replacement was equally poorly made so I just gave up

The issue I was having was the sole at the toe would delaminate between the inner sole layer and the out sole. The replacement they gave me after the warranty shoes delaminated at the heel.

 

[RjCorazza]

The issue I was having was the sole at the toe would delaminate between the inner sole layer and the out sole. The replacement they gave me after the warranty shoes delaminated at the heel.

That's the same issue I was having across multiple pairs of Redwings. Plus they were far from the advertised waterproof.

 

[5030]

My Meindl's have been through a ton of water crossings, sidehilled in New Mexico and Montana in the mud and no issues at all. Of course when I bought them years ago, they were expensive back then, I believe I paid around 350 bucks for them and I bet today they are over 500.

I full expect them to outlast me and like I said, a pair of new footbeds every year and that restores the 'like new' feel. Never had to break them in either unlike Redwings. Those things are foot killers.

 

[jyoutz]

I was a Redwing diehard for many years, until their boots started falling apart after less than one year. In their defence, the boots falling apart were apparently imported hiking style boots, but they came with a Redwing premium price. I believe their legacy boots (like Pecos) are just as good as they were way back in the day.

I have since switched my boot to HAIX Scouts, which is the same company that manufactured my work boots I wore in a previous life.

The red wing heritage series is made in USA, the remainder is imported.

 

[jyoutz]

I wear boots all day, every day but it's not very severe service. The Redwings that were falling apart (literally) were glued several times to get to close to a year! They did replace one pair, but the replacement was equally poorly made so I just gave up

The issue I was having was the sole at the toe would delaminate between the inner sole layer and the out sole. The replacement they gave me after the warranty shoes delaminated at the heel.

Don’t buy the glued together Redwing imports. Buy the sewn US made heritage series.

 

[m7040]

White or Nicks boots are top notch made in US. I have had a pair of Nicks for 10 years and worn them almost daily They have been resoled once and the heels are showing wear to where they need another resole soon
They are custom fit and are extremely comfortable. See below for a video about White and Nicks