Best work boots??? (6 Viewers)

[151fab]

Let's here what you think are the best work boots you've ever had. Don't be vague, give me the make, model, and best place to buy them.

I've always used Sears brand. They all last about six months or less and then the in-sole seems to flatten to the point that my feet are killing me by the end of the day. I tried Red Wing because I heard good things about them, but they must have been bought out by Sears as well because they say Craftsman on the side and have the same symptoms as Sears' other models; six months or less before they suck. I tried slip-in insoles and they didn't improve anything. GEL'N; MY AZZ!!! I'm thinking of trying the good old Dr.Martins again, they felt good in the mosh-pits back in the old days, I just don't know how they'd hold up to a full day standing on cement.

I'm tired of getting home at the end of the day and cringing to walk around the house because my dogs hurt so damn bad!

Help me pick a winner.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Go to your local army navy store. They'll tell you what is the best brand.

I just picked up a pair of Chippewa boots, and they are awesome.

 

[3_puppies]

really depends, need high top 6, 8" or higher, steel toe, safety toe, insulated?

best ones I right now are custom mae to my feet, from a local boot maker, 8" safety toe, non insulated.
ran about $400, they fit nice, can be rebuilt several times. similar to Whites but about $100 cheaper.
Seems like alot, but I've got them for 2 years so far, guys I work with go the $50 walmart brand and go thru 2 or 3 a year.
A little care goes along way also. oil them when dry and dry them properly when wet.

 

[sirenmoses]

try searching on here, had a good discussion going round a year ago...

 

[Cookiemonster]

I've gone through multiple pairs of the following:
Red-Wings.....Good inexspensive all around work boot. Just don't get them wet.
Danner's........Great work boot, water not a problem. Most U.S. military men & women wear Danner's.

Only problem with Danner's is you must find a really good shoe repair shop to properly replace the soles when worn out due to the manufacturers midsole not working well with most glues/adhesives used in re-soling shoes.

Vasque........Lousy work boot but good hiking and all around daily boot.

Hawthorn......Great boot sold under White's boots name.
Wesco's....Great work boot/comparable to the Hawthorn & Whites.

White's.......Fantastic work boot, Equal & better than the Hawthorn's. Dri-foot is ok to get wet, other's you want to avoid it. Completely rebuildable by the manufactuerer for a more than reasonable amount. I currently have two pair, one pair of the Dri-Foot, & a pair of Smoke-Jumpers. Both are fantastic.

I would recommend in the following order.
For 100% comfort, quality, workmanship, and long lasting work boots:
White's
Hawthorn
Wesco
Danner's

Then:
Red-Wing
Vasque
pretty much all others.

Good luck.

White's Boots, Hunting Boots, Fly Fishing Equipment, Outdoor Clothing - White's Outdoor - MT

 

[151fab]

Man, all these responses today after I went to Boot Barn and tried on everything they had. I went there because a friend recommended the Georgia boots. They had a nice soft sole but no support around the foot, kinda flat. Then I tried the Cats; no good. The Wolvereen's: nope. The Dr.Martins; flat feel and no quick hooks for the upper laces, nope. Dickie's; didn't even try. Finally, the Timberlands; perfect feel and the steel-toes were even better feeling than the standard boots. I hope they feel this good in a year, then I'll definitly give one of the upper-end boots you guys mentioned a try. I've learned the hard painful way that you can't spent too much on quality footwear when your on your feet all day, working hard.

Is anyone wearing the slip-on, Cowboy style, instead of the lace-ups? Just curious.

 

[bigndn]

Finally, the Timberlands; perfect feel and the steel-toes were even better feeling than the standard boots. I hope they feel this good in a year, then I'll definitly give one of the upper-end boots you guys mentioned a try. I've learned the hard painful way that you can't spent too much on quality footwear when your on your feet all day, working hard.

Is anyone wearing the slip-on, Cowboy style, instead of the lace-ups? Just curious.

You still trying to learn the hardway? Whites or Nicks are the s***. You'll pay for it, but you'll be glad you did. Go with lace to toe smokejumpers, IMO. You'll never waste your money again.

 

[AJP]

Last work boots I bought were called Dakota. CSA approved .. steel cap ... bought them from a "Marks Wear Warehouse" here in Canada ... they were very comfortable for several months of telephone line work (I&R and some cable).. outdoor mostly mixed country and city and some wire centre work were you are on concrete most of the time. They were very good. No complaints .. they have 4 thread construction for the most part and were very solid - still look fine although just used casually now.

Not sure what you mean by concrete..but I was a concrete labourer and a scaler (and some form stripping) as a kid to get through school on larger construction sites - dam construction etc. If you are around concrete pours don't spend too much money on leather boots (eg don't waste money on Whites etc) as the concrete will eat them up. Either rubber boots with good liners or stick with the most comfortable cheap leather boot you can find.

I have a pair of Whites here that belonged to my father when he was timber cruising ... still look pretty good after 70+ years ..course they sit in proper shoe trees

 

[151fab]

You still trying to learn the hardway? Whites or Nicks are the ****. You'll pay for it, but you'll be glad you did. Go with lace to toe smokejumpers, IMO. You'll never waste your money again.

Neither of the boots your referring to were mentioned until after I made my purchase. They weren't offered at the store I went to either. I'll have to wait until these wear out and then I'll check out the Whites, Nicks, etc. By cement I meant that as a machinist I stood around on cement for over nine hours a day. Oil, coolant, steel chips, lugging around heavy loads, etc. On Monday I start a new career as a crane/heavy equipment mechanic, so I'm still gonna see all the abuses as before but I'll be climbing stuff and in the dirt as well.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

 

[Cookiemonster]

You still trying to learn the hardway? Whites or Nicks are the s***. You'll pay for it, but you'll be glad you did. Go with lace to toe smokejumpers, IMO. You'll never waste your money again.

X2

For me I've always looked at it this way. There are two things that you spend more time doing in life than anything else, (at least for me). One is walking/working on your feet. Invest in excellent quality footwear. Second is sleeping, invest in the best matteress you can.

Of course now days I find myself more & more behind the desk with intermitant time in the field, so it will be a good quaility chair before I know it.

 

[Cookiemonster]

Neither of the boots your referring to were mentioned until after I made my purchase. They weren't offered at the store I went to either. I'll have to wait until these wear out and then I'll check out the Whites, Nicks, etc. By cement I meant that as a machinist I stood around on cement for over nine hours a day. Oil, coolant, steel chips, lugging around heavy loads, etc. On Monday I start a new career as a crane/heavy equipment mechanic, so I'm still gonna see all the abuses as before but I'll be climbing stuff and in the dirt as well.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

Very few places offer White's or Wesco's or Nicks. The only way to purchase them is to deal directly with the manufactuerer. These are literally top quality boots that are meant to be rebuilt to new when you need them to be. The initial cost may seem steep, (usually $350-400 new) but they are custom fit, hand built and can be brought back to original status for a fraction of the original purchase price, (usually $100-150)

 

[CruisinGA]

Is anyone wearing the slip-on, Cowboy style, instead of the lace-ups? Just curious.

I've had these goin on a year now:

Top left boot on this page-
10 Inch Plain Toe Pull On Boots by Justin

I don't wear them everyday, so it took a long time to break them in. I noticed when I started wearing them that my feet hurt less at the end of the day. I have several pairs of boots, and unless I am hiking (for which I have a pair of Asolo's) I wear these. I don't see them wearing out within the next 2-3 years.

 

[3_puppies]

Very few places offer White's or Wesco's or Nicks. The only way to purchase them is to deal directly with the manufactuerer. These are literally top quality boots that are meant to be rebuilt to new when you need them to be. The initial cost may seem steep, (usually $350-400 new) but they are custom fit, hand built and can be brought back to original status for a fraction of the original purchase price, (usually $100-150)

X2....last time thru Spokane, I stopped by White's place, kinda like a small, Cabella's store with all the apparel in there, plus the boot department.

it takes aprox. 4-6 weeks from order to delivery, sometimes more if it's mid-summer and a bad fire season. The fire crews took priority on rebuilds.

 

[e rock]

Whites are awesome. Other people on my crews had Wesco and Nicks and I'm sure they're fine as well.

BUT, there is no way I'd recommend a set of smokejumpers to someone that has to walk around on unforgiving flat ground all day. Yes, they'll last nearly forever, and fit your foot perfectly while doing so, but I would want some cushion. I rarely even get mine out of the closet anymore except for elk season.



For an all-around work boot, I think it's hard to beat the Georgia 8340 (at least for my foot and boot needs). I literally hate every other Georgia boot I've ever owned, but I will buy these again if I ever wear out my first pair. For $200, they are as good as it gets for off-the-shelf, IMO.

I've had a lot of Danners, and currently have a couple pairs that I still wear occasionally, but I'm just not a huge fan since their steel toes don't usually fit me very well. I've never tried them since I generally need a lug sole, but there is the Danner Foreman that has a softer sole that may work well for being on hard concrete all day long. May be worth a look. Cabela's -- Danner® 6 Foreman Uninsulated Work Boot

 

[splitshot]

I've had these goin on a year now:

Top left boot on this page-
10 Inch Plain Toe Pull On Boots by Justin

I don't wear them everyday, so it took a long time to break them in. I noticed when I started wearing them that my feet hurt less at the end of the day. I have several pairs of boots, and unless I am hiking (for which I have a pair of Asolo's) I wear these. I don't see them wearing out within the next 2-3 years.

I'm working on my 4th pair of the lace up version, wear them every day at work, and usually get 1-2 years of service out of them even in a wet muddy enviroment. Very comfortable.

 

[AJP]

If you are a big man .. I am not sure if any of the synthetic insoles work for long before being compressed too much.. at least that's they way they used to be...maybe there are some new "wonder materials" that stand up to extended use better now.

Generally a leather sole will absorb shock and be more comfortable over a long day on a hard surface than a fully synthetic sole. The problem is working around heavy equipment can be slippery and a synthetic sole that is resistant to petroleum products is very useful --- I would look for the thickest leather soles with an oil resistant outer sole in your situation - doesn't sound like you will be standing around in water too much

 

[RredFJ40]

I bought a pair of Georgia H4112 off the internet. They're a wellington style so round toe, pull on cowboy style but with a low heel - I was looking for a slip on with a Vibram sole and this had it. They've held up well so far as I build my addition, muck through the field, and were great in the snow last winter. I spent about $70 on them. They're the first slip on work boots I've had and I really like them. Before this I'd always used hiking boots for work.

 

[nspctr1]

I wore redwings forever then switched to timberlands. I like them alot but, if you walk as much as I do you will be replacing them annually. I am an inspector and walk through everything from fresh asphalt, concrete and rebar mats and the boots take a beating. The boot itself holds up well but the exposure to the elements is what shortens the life span. I've never tried the high end boots so not sure how they hold up but, I'd be curious to hear from someone who has had similar experiences with theirs. I'm going to be in the market for a new pair in a couple of months and as mentioned earlier, two things you wanna get right is shoes and mattresses. the wife comes in a close third as you will need shoes to run from her or a good mattress to sleep on when your in the dog house. ha....

Update:

I have a new pair of Ariats and although they are fairly comfortable, they are a bit bulky and heavy. I have had them for 6 months now and the heel is already showing wear.

? Do they make a lace up with an enclosed loop on them so all you have to do is slide your foot in, pull up on the strings and tie? Kinda like my army boots but in steel toe?

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

I've got 4 pairs of Whites, I use a custom built pair; wear them 90+ hours a week when I'm working. This includes a lot of walking on concrete. Have had them for 6 years; great boot. If your going to use them on hard surfaces get them built with the honey vibram sole.

 

[e rock]

If your going to use them on hard surfaces get them built with the honey vibram sole.

Huh. Interesting. When I got mine, I was prepping for wildland fire work and pre-sale timber marking, so I didn't look into any of the other soles. Those sound like they'd be great.

I wonder if my boss will let me save up a few years' worth of boot allowances to get a new pair...