Poll: Most Comfortable Work Boot
JourneymanCarpenterT
| Posted in General Discussion on
What’s the most comfortable brand of work boot you’ve ever worn?
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Here are some brand names to jog your memory:
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Red Wing
Wolverine
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Timberland
Carhartt
Caterpillar
John Deer
Chippewa
Rocky
Danner
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Please include a model number if possible. For example:
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“Red Wing 963â€
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And remember, this is a poll, so please try to keep your posts short.
–T
Replies
I always buy backpacking boots in the $150-200 range at REI. Current boots are Asolo. Have also had Zamberlan, Vasque, and a few others. I get about 2 years out of a pair in daily wear which usually includes an off-trail backpacking trip or two.
I've only worn Timberland
Look ma, no jigs!!!
Hey at your age shouldn't it be TimbAland. ( laughing at myself -know idea if I spelt that right)
yeah, your laughing at yourself, and no one's laughing with you
(lauging at myself -at other's expense) ;)
Look ma, no jigs!!!
Note to self- Andy may bite :)
LOL, people are laughing with you again....
or at you.....? ;)
Look ma, no jigs!!!
I really like my Red Wingshttp://www.josephfusco.org
http://joes-stuff1960.blogspot.com/
Timberland Chukka in brown
Redwing all the way. The last all american made boot. May be a little more expensive but if you take care of them they will take care of you.
A little neatsfoot oil or polish goes a long way into footwear longevity.
Ebe
"Redwing all the way. The last all american made boot."There is a lot to be said for that!Masons used to be All-American too and advertised it so.
Then my last pair I ordered - when they came in, I saw that dreaded "Made in China" tag and promptly mailed off my complaint.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
The last all american made boot.
Not true. The higher priced Wolverines are still made here. And that's what I wear, have been since about 1975."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
then I stand corrected.
Party On!!
Ebe
Also the higher end of the Chippewa is USA Manu.
They have a little flag on the first lace.
Good arch support on the logger style boots and good wide ee sizes.
Not to hijack, but something funny my kid ( age 7) said " dad - I noticed most of my toys are made in China, which is kinda weird 'cuz I'm not even Chinese.
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Edited 4/25/2008 12:02 am by alrightythen
Did you tell him he is authentic American Made?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
He's 100% Canadian boy :) View Image View Image
That's in America, ain't it?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
nope. View Image View Image
Danner, quarry boot for jobsites.
Red Wings for the every day stuff.
I like a 6" boot.
Have a pair of lightly insulated steel toe Rocky's for regular winter work.
have another pair I'm not sure which brand that are well insulated winter hunting boots ... might be Danner ... for cold, deep in the snow / mud jobs.
currently wearing a pair of low top sears brand ... diehards, I think ... also steel toe ... that I got on sale years ago and recently remembered I had. They're heavy but comfy.
I'd list the Red Wings number ... but every time I find a pair I really like ... they discontinue them! Due for a fresh set as we speak.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I mostly wear Redwings and some
Danners, but the most comfortable I've ever had was a pair of Chippawah's that I was wearing when I tangled with a black bear. The boots probably saved my right foot.
I've kept that pair, with the fang holes and the blood stains as a little trophy of that day, though I never wear them.
I've also got a pair of West Coast spring-heal caulked boots that, while they took a long time to break in, are like pillows on my feet when I'm out in the brush and woods.
Converse C4388 Carbon fiber toe, light, comfy, and zero break in.
I paid $89 at Cabela's, ShoeMall has them for 60.99. I think I will pick up another pair or two.
I also have a pair of Danner boots w/air bob soles that I wore out in 6 months. It's $75 for resoling, when they come back I'll reserve them for hunting and hiking.
Jim
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.
- Fyodor Dostoyevski
Without a doubt, my Mason Upland hunting boots. Insulated, waterproof, cushioned insoles.
I have had about four pairs so far now, lasting about two years each.
My RedWings have lasted better and been fairly comfortable, but not as nice as the Masons.
What first turned me onto the Mason shoes was a buddy working in an auto parts store. He was on concrete floor all day long and said that the Masons were the only shoes he could wear and end the day without pain in his feet and back.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I worked for years in the old jungle boot we got in the service.......not too good in Ak though...........still would wear them if I could find a pair of the originals.
I used to swear by Red Wings by my preferred is a pair of Wolverines (with safety toe of course). I also chuck all standard inolses & replace with Super Feet before I start wearing them.
Wolverine Durashocks.
They are expensive but I've been wearing them for years and think they're worth it.
Skechers. Really.
Red Head Bales hiking boot (Bass Pro Shops)
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_50043_500006001_500000000_500006000_500-6-1
Poll smoll.
A La Carte Government funding... the real democracy.
Irish setters by Redwing.
But the're "made in China" *%^^%&^%*(&^$
This will be my last pair of Chinese boots.
I did some research , I'm switching to Danners, probably go with the Ft Lewis leg boot.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein
Need EEEE width; extra wide. It that available?
2E is the best that I could find.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein
Everything is made in China, have you ever noticed that over the years, things have been made in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, etc, etc. and the items made in the U.S. and Canada. are now made in " CHINA" Oh how we soon forget, it does not seem not that long ago when that brave man stood up in front of the tank.
I for one do not like to buy anything from China, but it is very difficult, as I said before every thing seems to be made in China.
As far as the boots is concerned, I have a very hard time wearing boots with steel toes.
Jack
The most comfortable boots? The ones that just wore out!! i hate new boots
Check these out.
http://www.outdoor-headquarters.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=od&Product_Code=dan26057&Category_Code=danner
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein
http://www.justinboots.com/boots/Pull_On.html?424fccf8=8646this is what I wear, its a soft leather.I use to wear Redwing but it take two weeks to break them in, only way was to take a shower in them and walk dry. they never wore out , the leather too thick.
Edited 4/25/2008 8:54 pm by brownbagg
Old favorite is the Redwing 877. But for the last few years I've worn Lowa Renegades which I really like. They fit my foot like a glove and have lasted a long time.
Waterproof Chippewa's. By far the most comfortable boot i've worn. I love my rocky's to hunt & hike in but to work in theese win hands down.
I have had redwing, I have three pair of wolverine, carolina and H&H, but the best boot I ever had and still buy are Justins
Of those listed my Wolverine Durashocks were the best, But I wear Custom made Russell Moccasins now. ML
Ariat 37127. Hard finding boots locally, mail order is no way to buy boots.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
I have to order all
mine due to size
red wings although when framing reebocks
My experience with mail order only runs 50/50. The boots don't fit and I have to pay to send them back. When I go looking for work boots, the first thing I do is check the weight. I don't want heavy boots. The second thing I check is the type of sole. I can't have soles that will track in mud and sand or mark floors. I also want waterproof boots with speed laces. I don't need steel toes. My mother in law was a hand sewer for Bass shoe. My neighbor owned Dexter shoe and my son in law is a graphic designer for Reebok. The Maine shoe companies have all closed. It was a major industry up here. The last time I looked at Redwings, they had tracking soles, no GoreTex and they cost $268. I've had good luck in heavy winter boots through Cabelas. One pair of 800 gram insulate, GoreTex, snow grip soles are going strong after five years. The Ariats I'm wearing now have been very good boots, made in China but much better than Timberlands, Dunhams, Justins, and all the other brands I've tried. http://www.ariatbootstore.com/product/36981Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0014023811302a&navCount=3&podId=0014023811302&parentId=cat601934&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=&catalogCode=IJ&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat601934
Had these for the past six months or so, but mine are the leather and cordura model. I like them because they have the rubber toe cap which is great if you spend time on your knees. I would buy them again in a second. Befor these I had a similar light hiker style from Technica which were great but they are hard to find.
Has anyone tried these waterproof Wolverines’? I’m particularly interested in how breathable the leather is and how cool they keep your feet on a hot summer’s day.
http://www.wolverine.com/Product/Wolverine/6-inch-BOOTS/Mens/Louden-Wolverine-DuraShocks-GORE-TEX-Wtrpf-Non-Insulated-ST-EH-6-inch-Boot.aspx
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Used to be redwing.
Switched to wolverine durashock compressors. I have both 6 & 8" boots.
Best move I've ever made, as I was having some trouble with my feet, previously. Like most here, I suppose, I am in my boots about 15 hrs a day, so they have to be comfortable.
I special order them all, as 71/2 EEE usually isn't in stock. Usually, I pick up 2 pair, and wear them as "dress boots" for a bit. Once they start showing some wear, they become work boots, and they are good and broken in.
Brudoggie
Don't know if they are available in the US....anyway, I always buy Sorel's....these ones are Piledrivers. I always buy 6" boots. Sorels are the only ones I've found where the soles don't wear down quickly.
Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
T-
Timberland.
I usually have several pairs of their boots/shoes in my closet. Depends on the task, what I wear.
They sold me about 8 years ago when I had to buy steel toe boots at the last minute for a job I was doing out of the country. I went to Sears and bought Timberland 6", steel toe, Pro Series boots, literally the day before I left. They were one of the most comfortable boots I had ever worn.
Dunham work boots, made by New Balance and they're comfortable when working on a concrete floor for a 12-hr shift.
Kodiak Pro Worker. The only steel-toed boot I have ever found comfortable enough to wear. Made in Canada, at least my old ones were.
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The Thinsulate insulation is nice in cooler weather, and not a problem in summer. The sole is good and grippy so I don't mind wearing them on a roof while I'm stripping. But I won't wear a heavy, steel-toed boot while laying new roofing on a warm day; they do too much damage to the soft shingles.
And the leather is waterproof. I can go all day in wet weather with dry feet. At least I could, until I wore completely through the toe over the steel cap, LOL. Time for a new pair, I'm afraid (after 10 years!)....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
That sounds interesting to me. New Balance are some of the most comfortable well made sports shoes I have ever had. Don't know If I have seen Dunhams tho.Are they 'Merican made, BTW?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Some are American, some are Chinese, just depends on the style. http://www.nbwebexpress.com is a good site to go window shopping. My wife works for a Pidiatrist & he recommended them for steel-toed shoes.
Thanks - I'll take a look.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
And if your in Boston you can go to their factory outlet and get them a third less.
Actually you can go to most shoe manufacturers and buy blems....blemished products like a scratch and dent sale for appliances and so forth.
Even with Redwings I will save 50-80 dollars.
Ebe
Anybody else have narrow feet?
I can find shoes easy enough @ shoebuy.com, but boots have proven to be a booger to find. I've tried Wolverine and Redwing but they just aren't comfy, and don't feel like they would get that way. I've got a pair of spendy LL Bean hikers that kill my feet if I wear 'em for 8 hours. New Balance sneakers are my mainstay, mostly 'cus they have narrows and I can buy the same ones over and over.
Finding boots is a pain in my a--, I'll spend the $ but don't want closet dust collectors. Any help out there?
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Peter, White's boots are still hand made in Spokane, Washington. D&B is an authorized dealer in the Boise area, they have a store on Glenwood and State Street.
http://www.whitesboots.com/store/sub-category.php?category=Boots&id=Boots%7CWhites+Boots
They are hand made to fit your last. I have a brother who has two different sized feet: the left is a 10-d width with a b-width heel, and low arch, (he broke it once or twice), the right is a 9-b, with a high arch. So, he gets his boots made in order to have them fit. (You have to measure your foot and leg in about twenty places.) But, they are in the $400 plus range for most of their boots. They will rebuild them forever though.
Redwing still makes B widths, in most sizes, and styles. But, unless you are in a well stocked Redwing store, they may have to order them. There are a couple of stores in the Boise area. One is Nafziger's Men's store in Nampa, and there is a Redwing store on Milwaukee, by the mall. Depending on the model/style, they do need to be broken in. The loggers I love, take a month or two to get comfy. The secret is to buy a bottle of their boot oil, and oil them liberally after every wearing for a while. Some of the Redwing stores give free refills, if you buy the pint sized bottle of oil. The one I used to go to in Vegas, gave me free refills, replaced the brush if it needed it, and also gave me free laces.
A different approach, (if you are confident in your masculinity), is women's boots. They are made on a narrower last than men's. I can't remember for sure, but I think the sizes are off by 1-1/2 sizes, (a women's 10 is a men's 8-1/2).
Thanks Jigs, when I was reading your post, I was amazed at your knowledge of the area. Heck, you live in Salmon, we're almost neighbors! I didn't know that.
I've been to the Redwing store near he!! (the mall), tried on a couple of pairs. The guy told me they only have a couple of styles in narrows anymore. So I was trying on those styles in d width and was supposed to imagine what it would be like in B, I guess. If I ordered, I owned...not wanting to waste more boot money on a pig in a poke, I gave up. If the boots had felt good, I might have pursued further.
Nafzigers is still around? I grew up in Nampa.
Been the women's route too, there was something not quite right about the last...shape somehow wrong for my weird foot. Again, I wasn't willing to risk and hope they broke in comfortable.
I told myself after wasting $$ on shoe hopefuls that they had to feel comfy out of the gate, maybe not a fair trial, but I don't need any more closet fillers. Been doing this dance my whole life, B width and flat as a pancake. Someone once told me they looked like flippers :-O
I hadn't thought of Whites, have a friend that wore 'em all the time, literally, I think they were the only shoes he owned.
Someone mentioned Dunham. I have some Dunham shoes I like so I went to the link. They have a sorta hybred boot / sneaker that looks like it may have promise. http://www.nbwebexpress.com/detail.asp?type=DNMFWB&style=MCR826BR&filterSize=10&filterWidth=B
Anybody own those?
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
I grew up out on Hill Road, near the bottom of Seamans Gulch. Got drug off to Wyoming, as a kid, and got stuck in Vegas for thirty years, but Boise will always be part of me.
My daughter lives in Star with her Mom, a brother is in Nampa, and a sister is in Horseshoe Bend. I'm the only one in the family who isn't a Boise State Alumni. Both parents graduated when it was still Boise Junior College, both brothers, and both sister have degrees from there.
I make it over the hills every month or so to visit and shop.
“Wolverine and Redwing but they just aren't comfy, and don't feel like they would get that way.”<!----><!----><!---->
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I find that surprising as I have wide feet and have a hard time getting Red Wings to fit because they seem narrower than most boots – especially toward the front of the foot. I’ve found I need an extra wide when I buy Red Wings, which are designated as EE, or 2-E (pronounced “Double E”). Double E’s are the widest you can get without a special order around here.<!----><!---->
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On the other hand, I can understand your difficulty with Wolverine’s as they seem to be made for a more standard foot size in my opinion.<!----><!---->
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However, . . .<!----><!---->
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“I'll spend the $ but don't want closet dust collectors.”<!----><!---->
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. . . when it comes to certain Wolverine’s and Timberland’s you don’t have to risk wasting your money. Both of these brands now offer a 30 day comfort guarantee on certain models. The manufacturers guarantee is listed right on the price tag.<!----><!---->
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“B width and flat as a pancake.”<!----><!---->
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Seeing as how you also have very flat shaped feet, you might also try placing Spenco arch supporting insoles on top of the manufactured insole. This should fill in the gap on top of your feet and snug up the fit. If your foot’s actual arch is also flat (known as flat feet), then I would recommend you buy the Spenco “orthotic” arch supports.<!----><!---->-T
Peter,
Check out Thorogood boots. American made and available in different widths.
http://www.weinbrennerusa.com/
I buy them here:
http://workingperson.com/
-Rich
try http//workingperson.com and check out the thouroughgoods, i also have narrow feet and am very happy with their "B" widths, but most importantly workingperson.com is free shipping both ways if i am not mistaken, so you can try on several pairs, and keep the ones that fit.
i have also seen boots for sale on ebay, and if you search for a particular size the boots that are that size for sale in the ebay stores will come up as well as those being auctioned by regular folks. i have seen narrow wolverines there, for less than $100.
Where do you purchase the Redwing blems?[email protected]
Eric, try E Bay there are a couple of sellers that have factory seconds,you might have to check every few days until you find what you want. Good Luck Cathy
well mine are the redwing 963.. two pair
thinking on the third pair
after all these years I finally have the boot I knew I wanted
10-1/2 EEEEE
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Danner power foreman.
http://www.danner.com/product/power+foreman+gtx+8%27%27.do?search=basic&keyword=power+foreman&sortby=price&asc=false&page=1
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man, no time to talk. .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy3LM5_-i1Q&feature=related
I rotate three different pairs of Redwing, all different #'s, seams like they change those no.s to often so I dont look for a particular one. None of them steal toed though, had enough of those back in the day, wont wear em again.
Doug
Salomon or Merrill hiking boots historically, but I just bought 6 pairs of Dunhams and New Balance shoes at %50 off. A local shoe store is closing up shop and having a clearance sale. I'll wear the Dunhams on sales calls until they get beat up and then rotate them into the daily grind. The Dunhams are one of the most comfortable shoe I ever wore.
Constructing in metric...
every inch of the way.
I'll have to agree with you about the Salomons, very comfortable and long lasting.
They were worth every cent.
Ebe
Summers: Redwing Loggers, I have three pair and rotate them in sequence, drying them for a day, oiling them, and then wiping them dry, before wearing them again. One of those pairs is 30 years old, and on the 8th set of soles, and probably been reheeled 24 times.
Fall and spring when it is wet, Danner Quarry boots. They have goretex liners, but no insulation.
Winter: Columbia Bugaboots down to zero out; LaCrosse with 1200-gram thinsulate when it is kind of colder (-20 or so); and when it is real cold (-30 or less), I have some Hoffman's Pac boots, with 2000-gram thinsulate liners, that are two sizes too big to allow three pair of heavy wool socks.
People ask me why I wear boots almost all the time. My response, is that my boots are well fitted and broken in. Thus, they are the most comfortable shoes I own, (particularly the loggers).
I wore Red Wings for 20 years.... small boot shop in town has a pool table inside where you can drink a longneck and play a game of pool while you test drive your boots. ( S. La.. go figure)
Switched to Dr. Marten pull on's last year .... most comfortable boot I've ever worn.
Red wing 2156 6" made in USA, very good but expensive, about $200.
Red wing 950 6" made in China, pretty good for about $80.
Both have the smoother soles that dont pick up the dirt or mud like the hiker soles,
I had a pair of Dunhams that were very comfy called Cloud 9 hikers, but they were better for the outdoor work with the hiker soles.
Danner - longhorn slip on, but with superfeet insole.
Also - Keen. Slip on Romeo type thing. Not a 'work boot' really.
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
This place is worth a peek...they seem to have all sizes and widths.
http://workingperson.com/
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BLUNDTSTONE #550
No laces to catch saw dust.
Slip on-off easy for in and out when nasty outside.
Comfy as slippers after a few weeks.
Last long, current pair 2 years now of daily use.
Look dorky as heck with shorts, but...........I'm old and married, so I don't really care.
blundstones are the best boots ever.
here in canada there is a model available with the csa (canada safety assoc?) green flag that is mandatory for work boots- steel toe, steel sole. they are the only footwear i own. check the website.
anyone who still laces their boots, or shoes, is wasting their time.
and i wear mine with shorts all the time. just keep the socks low.
" dorky as heck" LOL
being married DOES have some advantages- there's always someone around to embarass by your clothing choices.
my wife- "you're wearing THAT??"
here
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Wolverines Dura Shocks have been the most comfortable and the full height
wolverine insulated boots. My feet never hurt after working all day in those.
I also wear the Merrill hiking shoes and low top boots.
My only problem with one pair of Dura Shocks is one of the air cushions either broke or got a hole in it so now it sounds like I have an air leak everytime I walk in them!!
It's pretty funny having guys turn around looking for an air leak in their hoses when I walk by!!
Howie
http://workingperson.com/products/22_353_36/1/1472/Thorogood_Boots:_Mens__American_Heritage_Work_Boots_814-4364.html
thoro-goods!!
I've been wearing caterpillar boots for a few years now. Comfortable enough I suppose but more importnatly, longer lasting than others I've tried.
I've always been extremely hard on shoes and these last me a year.... typical boots last less than 6 mos... maybe only 3 mos for some cheapy brands.
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
After 24 yrs in the Navy working the flight deck of MANY aircraft carriers this is by far the most comfortable boot i have ever worn. Soles hold up fairly wel lto the non-skid BUT that surface is pretty brutal.