Workboots

[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.