Work Boots!

[mbunimog]

 

[ChevyEFI]

I had an immediate need for steel toe shoes, picked up.the Timberland Pit Pro locally and after 36hrs on concrete this week, they gotta go. They're really stiff, I feel like a bilateral Kerry Von Erich case, and I wake up barely able to walk.

Ordered pairs of Keen and Skechers. Hope they work out. Gonna keep stretching.

 

[Beemer]

top four brands:

White
Limmer
Danner
Wesco

Anything else is second-tier. They are all crazy expensive now. ($519.00 MSRP on the Wesco Jobmaster now.)
I bought mine about... 2000 or 2001 so I could work a gig up at ONP. (Required an 8-inch fire boot.) Had my cobbler put a plate in front of the heel on mine so I don't cut the sole in half kicking a shovel. YMMV.

We no longer tan leather in this country, so OF COURSE they're going to be "made in USA of Imported materials".

I recall seeing the Limmer shop when vacationing in Intervale, NH a few years ago so I just looked them up; they have a 2-3 year backlog wait list for the shop made boots. Wow.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I only know the names Limmer and White from discussion threads on the hiking sites. One of the old members on the local site was from Boston and always raved about Limmers - all custom made, I believe.

First pair of Wescos I bought from my shoe guy on a close-out back in the early 1980s. Paid him $20 bucks. He finally got tired of repairing them after 20 years and told me to go buy a new pair. The pair I posted above were $250 at Swain's in Port Angeles - they were the only place in the state that had a size 13 in stock and I had to have a fire boot to work in the National Park. The prices are scary, but when you figure you're going to get years and years of use out of them.....

I'm on my second pair of Timberlands. The first pair were purchased on a close-out up at Whitakker's (just outside Mt. Rainier National Park) for $10 bucks. I wore them until the soles came unbonded from the upper - shoe guy said not worth fixing.
Found another pair on ebay for about $35 bucks. Brand new.

The Merrels are old-school waffle-stompers. They weigh about 8 pounds - about the same as my Galibier SuperGuides. They were $30 including shipping from Bellingham off a Craigslist ad. Those sneakers never got worn. I think I paid about $25 for them on ebay. They were listed "used" but they were actually new - same deal with the Timberlands.
The pair of Timberlands I'm using now I've been beating the hell out of for about .... five years now. (pictured on table.)(first pair is photo taken on deck - they lasted several years (hundreds of miles) before the soles started coming off. Biggest problem I had with the Timberlands is the type of eyelet they use - I had to have them all replaced on the first pair.

There was a point to all of this rambling:
Check Ebay
Check Craigslist

I ran searches for "boot 13" over and over and over and over until I found what I was looking for, and every time .... with a little waiting ... they were crazy cheap.

 

[neophyte]

What you're describing may be Polyurethane Hydrolysis. It's a common issue and there are lots of discussions about it but here is one article I found quickly. Even if it was actually the rubber outsole that was degrading, it worth noting that PU Hydrolysis is almost an inevitability for boots where the sole is bonded to the boot with a PU midsole. You can delay it with proper care and storage, but not prevent it entirely.

One solution is to look for recraftable boots where the sole is stitched to the midsole/upper with (for example) a welted construction. There are various methods of achieving this most boots marketed as "recraftable" will be able to have the soels replaced many times over the life of the boot.

The drawbacks are that PU midsole does actually add some desirable comfort to a boot, and lacking such a feature, you will need to opt for a softer sole (Christy or similar wedge sole) or add a cushioned insert to achieve similar levels of cushion.

I have some Chippewa boots that use either Vibram Cristy soles, or maybe a similar sole from some other manufacturer.
The soles were comfortable, but durability was way less than the hard black rubber Vibram soles I’ve had on boots in the past.
The durability was lower by years.
I can’t say for certain that the soles were Cristy soles, but they came on USA made Chippewa Heritage line boots, and the parent comoany for Chippewa uses US made Vibram soles on a bunch of their other USA made boots.
The Chippewa “Cristy” wedge soles also sort of sucked for grip compared with Vibram lug soles.
I would not really recommend the soles unless you want to pay for frequent resoles, and don’t mind the lower traction.

 

[Kscardsfan]

I have Nicks boots. On my first resole after 8 years. Use them all my waking hours of the day and they are like new. All I do is clean them with soap and water once in a while and use boot grease and heat gun to soak it in. If I remember right they were around 500 dollars and they sent me a pair of try on boots to test for size and now they have the pattern if I order more

They send you a pair to try out?

 

[GeoBruin]

I have some Chippewa boots that use either Vibram Cristy soles, or maybe a similar sole from some other manufacturer.
The soles were comfortable, but durability was way less than the hard black rubber Vibram soles I’ve had on boots in the past.
The durability was lower by years.
I can’t say for certain that the soles were Cristy soles, but they came on USA made Chippewa Heritage line boots, and the parent comoany for Chippewa uses US made Vibram soles on a bunch of their other USA made boots.
The Chippewa “Cristy” wedge soles also sort of sucked for grip compared with Vibram lug soles.
I would not really recommend the soles unless you want to pay for frequent resoles, and don’t mind the lower traction.

Your observations are exactly correct. Blown rubber soles (the general term for soles of this construction type) have relatively low traction compared to a hard rubber sole (which is why they are not often found on hiking boots), and are fast wearing compared to a hard rubber sole. And yet, they are among the most popular options for work boots, particularly goodyear welted boots.

Why? Because they are light, and comfortable, providing an almost sneaker-like feel underfoot without the requirement for a cushioned midsole. So yes, you will have to replace them more often than a hard rubber sole, but at least you can replace them without replacing the whole boot, which is not always possible for hard rubber soles bonded to a PU misdole (that being another popular option for achieving comfort).

I don't think it's hard to understand that there must be a compromise in durability for comfort. Yes, you can have a leather boot with a leather midsole and leather or hard rubber outsole, but standing on it all day is not comfortable for everyone. However, if you don't spend all day on your feet, or if you are lucky enough to be able to wear a harder wearing sole without discomfort, a blown rubber sole is not for you.

I will say that there are varying degrees of durability among wedge soles based on their composition and construction. For example, I find the Christy sole to be more durable than Vibram's own 2021 wedge sole. I don't have personal experience with many others but there are opinions out there.

Edit: I should have mentioned that there are cobblers who will give you both by installing a wedge sole, sanding off the lugs, and bonding a hard rubber sole to the bottom. This results in a taller stack height than just the wedge and of course it's heavier, but offers both comfort and durability.

Not cheap though!

Here is Fred's take with a Kletterlift.

 

[jskicet]

Try Red Back boots, made in Australia. I have 2 pairs.

Red Backs, Best boots I've ever owned

 

[driftpin]

I have a pair of Georgia Work Boots that have lasted me for probably 15 years. I'm retired now, nearly half that time. I wasn't in the trades, I wore the boots for around the house work, and they were the most comfortable boot, out of the box, I've owned. I can't recall having them re-soled. I usually have done that in the past for my boots. These, I haven't yet. I wore a hole in the leather at the wide part of my left foot. I decided to buy another pair. On the GA Boot website, I found their current version of what I had. They're a couple inches taller, and more eyelets or whatever you call those open cleats. I ordered them and in the same size as what I had. They came promptly, direct from the GA Work Boot factory/distribution location. They are the Georgia Giant 8" Work Boot, now tagged 'made in the Dominican Republic.' Whatever, they are again, comfortable out of the box. They have a more-padded collar than the older ones, and I appreciate the generous rear leather loop for pulling them on, as I'm not as-flexible nor as-strong in my 70's.

Our puppy was very interested in them and all our shoes/boots/sandals, so I gave her baby shark to munch-on while I took the pic.

 

[mbunimog]

They send you a pair to try out?

yes

 

[mbunimog]

They send you a pair to try out?

first Nick sent me a kit on how to measure the feet and trace the foot. After reviewing this they selected a boot that they sent me to try on and then called to work through how it fits. Based on that they finalized the fit and made the boots and shipped them to me.
There are many alternatives to select for soles, insoles, arch height, threads to use and many more
Nick will then keep the fit in their data bases making it easy to reorder same boot or another boot
There is vast difference in all day comfort of the Nicks versus the two pairs of Redwings. The Redwings are back ups now and seldom used except when resoling

 

[Captain Spaulding]

A question for folks: What do you do that you can wear the soles out while the upper stays good enough to consider having new soles put on? I wear work boots daily on the farm. Plenty of time on gravel, but a lot on dirt as well. The uppers on my boots usually give out before the soles. Crawling around or working under vehicles es is pretty rough on mine.

 

[four.cycle]

^ They wear out walking on trail surfaces. I've had my Galibiers re-soled three times now, the Wescos once. The soles just wear off when you're walking and climbing on rock or working on trail.
Galibiers were purchased January 1976 for $125. (Almost a month's rent then.) Good leather and magnificent construction.
Not really suitable as a "work boot", however, as they are engineered to have a fairly rigid sole to help with edging or to be worn with a crampon.

But even the high-carbon Vibrams will wear out after several years of service.

Finally found the second photo taken just after the last resole.

here's where to order

 

[RTM]

What do you do that you can wear the soles out while the upper stays good enough to consider having new soles put on?

Walking my dogs in crappy weather. Wear the heels out at an angle due to bad ? posture? Upgrading to recraftable for my next pair

 

[neophyte]

Your observations are exactly correct. Blown rubber soles (the general term for soles of this construction type) have relatively low traction compared to a hard rubber sole (which is why they are not often found on hiking boots), and are fast wearing compared to a hard rubber sole. And yet, they are among the most popular options for work boots, particularly goodyear welted boots.

Why? Because they are light, and comfortable, providing an almost sneaker-like feel underfoot without the requirement for a cushioned midsole. So yes, you will have to replace them more often than a hard rubber sole, but at least you can replace them without replacing the whole boot, which is not always possible for hard rubber soles bonded to a PU misdole (that being another popular option for achieving comfort).

I don't think it's hard to understand that there must be a compromise in durability for comfort. Yes, you can have a leather boot with a leather midsole and leather or hard rubber outsole, but standing on it all day is not comfortable for everyone. However, if you don't spend all day on your feet, or if you are lucky enough to be able to wear a harder wearing sole without discomfort, a blown rubber sole is not for you.

I will say that there are varying degrees of durability among wedge soles based on their composition and construction. For example, I find the Christy sole to be more durable than Vibram's own 2021 wedge sole. I don't have personal experience with many others but there are opinions out there.

Edit: I should have mentioned that there are cobblers who will give you both by installing a wedge sole, sanding off the lugs, and bonding a hard rubber sole to the bottom. This results in a taller stack height than just the wedge and of course it's heavier, but offers both comfort and durability.

Not cheap though!

Here is Fred's take with a Kletterlift.

It looks nice, but $185 is pretty close to what a new pair of similar USA made boots might cost.

 

[GeoBruin]

It looks nice, but $185 is pretty close to what a new pair of similar USA made boots might cost.

That may be true but I'm not aware of many (any?) factory boots available with a lugsole over a wedge sole. I'm sure you could custom order some from somewhere but now you're talking big money again. Might as well have it done to your favorite uppers that you've already broken in to your preference.

 

[Rusted Nut]

^ They wear out walking on trail surfaces. I've had my Galibiers re-soled three times now, the Wescos once. The soles just wear off when you're walking and climbing on rock or working on trail.
Galibiers were purchased January 1976 for $125. (Almost a month's rent then.) Good leather and magnificent construction.
Not really suitable as a "work boot", however, as they are engineered to have a fairly rigid sole to help with edging or to be worn with a crampon.

But even the high-carbon Vibrams will wear out after several years of service.

Finally found the second photo taken just after the last resole.

here's where to order

My dad had a pair of Galibier Super Guides, talk about heavy and stiff, even by ‘70’s standards. Well built boot though.

 

[four.cycle]

^ It's the boot for Mt. Everest before they came up with the one-piece hard plastic jobberoos...

The SuperGuide and the Makalu both have been on all kinds of 8K climbs (back in the day.) Not so much now. Too damn heavy.

 

[Skiff Builder]

I almost bought a pair of Thorogoods last year just to give them a shot. I've stuck with made in Portland Danner's for almost 20 years for the simple fact that they hold up very well. My favorites are the RAT model and seeing they are surplus you can pick up a pair on Ebay for less than $100. Not bad for a $400 pair of boots.

Got the new Danner R. A. T.'s. Per your suggestion. As soon as I put them on I knew they were keepers. Immediately ordered another pair for $79. That'll hold me for awhile! Thks

 

[Kscardsfan]

A question for folks: What do you do that you can wear the soles out while the upper stays good enough to consider having new soles put on? I wear work boots daily on the farm. Plenty of time on gravel, but a lot on dirt as well. The uppers on my boots usually give out before the soles. Crawling around or working under vehicles es is pretty rough on mine

Clean with some good saddle soap, then oil/shine/polish the leather as appropriate. The bonus to all this is it also increases the water repellent qualities of your leather as well. I can assure you diesel based drilling mud and the soupy red clay dirt and gravel of north Louisiana and the small boulders of granite and chert they built pads with in Oklahoma did not do mine any favors while I was in the oilfield and they are just going strong as ever. Take care of your boots and they'll take care of you.

 

[Rinspeed]

Got the new Danner R. A. T.'s. Per your suggestion. As soon as I put them on I knew they were keepers. Immediately ordered another pair for $79. That'll hold me for awhile! Thks

Awesome to hear my friend. My first pair are ready for new soles but if I can get new boots for less it doesn't make much sense right now. I was thinking after I posted that I really should order another pair soon.

 

[F-22]

Simple and durable work boots for a steal of a price can be had from Jim Green. I have a few various boots. Like my Redwings for sure, and some modern Docs style Solovairs which certainly aren't work boots, but if I should point to a classic durable work boots it's certainly Jim Green. Entirely made in South Africa and mainly targeted at their own need. The traditional South African Veldskoene shoes/boots were bought by Nathan Clark and copied to make the very famous Clarks desert boots.
The African Ranger model is most versatile and very light, they feel almost like sneakers to me. The traditional Vellie is a bit low and very simple. The new Numzaan boot is the most "American" inspired in construction and has a similar or slightly higher quality than a Redwing Iron Ranger (unlike traditional US boots these are fully leather lined - two full layers of leather around your feet, and the stitchdown construction makes them a bit more water resistant). The Baobab is a sleeker and slightly cheaper Numzaan. The Razorback is the design they're most well known for in South Africa and is more like a Danner boot, great for hiking.

Around home I only wear my Stockman boots now. They're the Chelsea work boot style, kind of like Blundstones. Except these are also fully leather lined with stitchdown construction and a rubber lug sole.

Their leathers are awesome. Especially the sanded ones. They just gulp down conditioner and don't form any deep creases. Very pliable and comfy. Also easy to wax if you want them more waterproof but just a thick conditioner is usually fine for me.

My African Rangers are my go-to regular casual shoes when I go about. The African rangers are unlined so they're very air-y and light and soft. Still very durable boots and well reinforced at the toe cap and heel.

 

[PhantomEB]

Don’t mind my Helly Hansen ultralights but hell why couldnt they make it in a 6” version. The 8s hurt my calves And is not a requirement at work.

 

[tiredoldironworker]

US Army Gore-Tex on Ebay are great! NOS usually around 40 bux.

 

[4x4Pete]

Kodiak brand, I buy the ones on sale when I'm shopping. I need rubber caps over the toes. They are pretty much worn out in a year. The uppers are just as worn as the bottoms, not really worth having them resoled.

 

[F-22]

Hey, a bit of a follow up. I have 7 pairs of Jim Green now. Visited South Africa in December and decided to buy two more pairs... One is a one-off custom Chelsea style stockman (cost me around 140$) and the other is a pair of Numzaan boots which cost me around 160$ in South Africa.

The Numzaan are a beast of a boot, they are made of partially veg tanned uppers that I assume will age into a beautiful patina, they are fully lined with calf leather, everything is triple stitched, and there is a massive slab of thick veg tan leather for the lasting board. For what I paid in South Africa, it feels like a steal. For sure the stitch lines aren't as straight as one might assume they'd be from really pricey brands, but the quality is just about as good as it can be.

Wanted to post some photos but the wifi right here is too bad. I just watched a new video from Jim Green and it makes me proud to support this brand, the director is just such a cool person and a stark contrast to the fast fashion disposable world we live in today.

 

[Tundra1]

Hey, a bit of a follow up. I have 7 pairs of Jim Green now. Visited South Africa in December and decided to buy two more pairs... One is a one-off custom Chelsea style stockman (cost me around 140$) and the other is a pair of Numzaan boots which cost me around 160$ in South Africa.

The Numzaan are a beast of a boot, they are made of partially veg tanned uppers that I assume will age into a beautiful patina, they are fully lined with calf leather, everything is triple stitched, and there is a massive slab of thick veg tan leather for the lasting board. For what I paid in South Africa, it feels like a steal. For sure the stitch lines aren't as straight as one might assume they'd be from really pricey brands, but the quality is just about as good as it can be.

Wanted to post some photos but the wifi right here is too bad. I just watched a new video from Jim Green and it makes me proud to support this brand, the director is just such a cool person and a stark contrast to the fast fashion disposable world we live in today.

Alright.... So what are the economics I can come up with to justify a trip to South Africa and convince myself it practically paid for itself in savings in boots....

 

[F-22]

Alright.... So what are the economics I can come up with to justify a trip to South Africa and convince myself it practically paid for itself in savings in boots....

Trip is worth it, the nature is spectacular, the people overall are quite kind. Their biggest banknote is worth 10$, so practically everything is considerably cheaper than in the US or in Europe even when you go to pricey places.

Plus the wines of the Stellenbosch region are world class. They've got a wine tram that takes you through the vineyards for the whole day with wine tasting included with the ticket.





They make some Gedore tools there. I took a 10mm wrench as a souvenir. The quality is sadly not that great, even a bit worse than what I expect from German Gedore, but it is the same name (not red).


I wanted to grab the acetate handle Wera screwdrivers that are also made there, but I didn't see them in any stores and didn't want to pay for shipping. Those seem seriously cool.

 

[Tundra1]

Trip is worth it, the nature is spectacular, the people overall are quite kind. Their biggest banknote is worth 10$, so practically everything is considerably cheaper than in the US or in Europe even when you go to pricey places.

Plus the wines of the Stellenbosch region are world class. They've got a wine tram that takes you through the vineyards for the whole day with wine tasting included with the ticket.





They make some Gedore tools there. I took a 10mm wrench as a souvenir. The quality is sadly not that great, even a bit worse than what I expect from German Gedore, but it is the same name (not red).


I wanted to grab the acetate handle Wera screwdrivers that are also made there, but I didn't see them in any stores and didn't want to pay for shipping. Those seem seriously cool.

Wow! Sounds incredible! You already had me convinced at the low cost boots.

 

[ecotec]

Do the Jim Green Stockman boots have the big logo on the back?

That is what has stopped me from buying the Shoelies. I really dislike big logos on shoes.

Years ago I had a Tucker Gunleather holster, belt, and magazine holster made without logos. He got a bit fussy about it.

 

[bdbecker]

Hey, a bit of a follow up. I have 7 pairs of Jim Green now...

I've had my eye on a pair of the barefoot rangers (bronco) for awhile now and am going to place an order. A question for you - do you use the leather insoles in any of your boots? If so, are they worth getting right away, or do you think it'd be worth seeing how the boots fit first?

Footbeds - Leather Lined - JG/STC Last - Jim Green

Styles of boots to use with the JG/STC Footbeds/Insoles Standarn African Rangers Barefoot African Rangers AR8 (All Styles) Tyre Wedge Numzaan boots Barefoot African Trooper Rugged African Trooper Standard Stockman Barefoot Stockman Vellies Barefoot Shoellies Razorbacks

jimgreenfootwear.com

Thanks!

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Timberland PROS, $200+, save your feet. If you do decent DIY amount of work outdoors and concrete replace them every 2 years, if professional construction work probably lasts 1 year.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I wore some Belleville desert boots for several years but it got to the point that the sole was just too damn hard.

I bought a pair of Georgia boots with a really soft sole. Wore out the soles in 6 months and the local cobbler wanted as much for resoling as the boots cost new.

From there, I went to the different style of Georgia boots, brown leather, uninsulated, 8" with a lug sole. On my second pair after I wore down the heels and began to hurt my lower back/hip areas. Again, cheaper to buy a new pair than have resoled..

Now for duty boots at the FD, I try to stick to around $100-120/pr.

 

[Rinspeed]

I wore some Belleville desert boots for several years but it got to the point that the sole was just too damn hard.

You can buy Danner RATs for cheap and they are way better than Belleville.

 

[NUTTSGT]

You can buy Danner RATs for cheap and they are way better than Belleville.

I about bought a pair once till my buddy showed me his pair. His son had bought him a set while stationed at Camp Lejuene.

My buddy is the one who took me to the bus station when I left for Basic, he was home on Recruiter's Assistance.

 

[LopezBart]

I wear tall Danner RATs w/ steel toes when I drive the tow truck at Burning Man; these were 12 hour shifts (changing to 8 next year, yay!) so all day comfort is important. They weigh a lot, but they're great protection working with dubious disabled vehicles and tow hardware full of playa dust. I have a another pair that needs to be resoled/reconstructed w/o steel toes; they're quite comfortable as they're well-broken in and have a softer sole than the steel toed version. Both were bought on sale.

 

[bcschief]

Red Wings were my favorite while I was working as a heavy truck mechanic.

 

[yooper876]

I love my Wesco boots also have and like my whites and hoffman.

 

[F-22]

Do the Jim Green Stockman boots have the big logo on the back?

That is what has stopped me from buying the Shoelies. I really dislike big logos on shoes.

Years ago I had a Tucker Gunleather holster, belt, and magazine holster made without logos. He got a bit fussy about it.

Yes regular Stockman boot has a logo on the back. If you get the fudge version and put mink oil (or neatsfoot oil) on them they get so dark that it is hardly visible at all.

However I see the regular Stockman is ~180$ on the US site and if you order a custom one it is 205$ with basic leathers. If you order a custom one, you can also choose any of the leathers and it costs the same (the only one that is more is the buffalo leather). If you ask them, they remove the logos on the custom ones. They can also do three lines of stitching, extra toecaps (leather or steel) etc...They have a "custom boot builder" thing on their webpage. Downside is that you can't do returns. I did it in South Africa, ordered the Stockman with no branding and in the walnut veg tan leather with a full leather midsole, on a different than standard last and I think the cost was still under 140$ there (cheaper than the Numzaan that is 150$).

I've had my eye on a pair of the barefoot rangers (bronco) for awhile now and am going to place an order. A question for you - do you use the leather insoles in any of your boots? If so, are they worth getting right away, or do you think it'd be worth seeing how the boots fit first?

Footbeds - Leather Lined - JG/STC Last - Jim Green

Styles of boots to use with the JG/STC Footbeds/Insoles Standarn African Rangers Barefoot African Rangers AR8 (All Styles) Tyre Wedge Numzaan boots Barefoot African Trooper Rugged African Trooper Standard Stockman Barefoot Stockman Vellies Barefoot Shoellies Razorbacks

jimgreenfootwear.com

Thanks!

As mentioned above, I have those custom Stockmans and they came originally with these leather insoles. They are nice quality, squishy and with leather on top. But I do not use them - they are too tall and it makes the stockmans too tight for me (on ASHM last). I think it would work for me on their standard JG last.

So it depends on how tight of a fit they are on your feet. If you have enough space I think they're well worth it, otherwise you need something thinner.

 

[F-22]

Finally remembered to take a photo of the custom stockmans