Work Boots!

[Nobody-named-Olli]

On this side of the big pond, I rely on boots (high/half; S3 safety features) by Elten. https://elten.com/en/ Nothing but stellar experience with them. The very first time I got a pair, is still the most rememberable to me. Got them back in the day from my former employer. Went to a customer’s site for a meeting and site visit, popped into our office on site, got my boots there. Put them on, had the meeting and then the site visit. Hours of walking, stair cases, slopes … I felt right at home in those boots, they treated me & feet well. Loyal Elten customer ever since, although on ‘my dime’ these days. I still have that first pair.

For lows, I still go with S3 type safety features, but these I buy from whichever industrial/trade supplier has a fit & style I like best when I need a new pair.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[F-22]

On this side of the big pond, I rely on boots (high/half; S3 safety features) by Elten. https://elten.com/en/ Nothing but stellar experience with them. The very first time I got a pair, is still the most rememberable to me. Got them back in the day from my former employer. Went to a customer’s site for a meeting and site visit, popped into our office on site, got my boots there. Put them on, had the meeting and then the site visit. Hours of walking, stair cases, slopes … I felt right at home in those boots, they treated me & feet well. Loyal Elten customer ever since, although on ‘my dime’ these days. I still have that first pair.

For lows, I still go with S3 type safety features, but these I buy from whichever industrial/trade supplier has a fit & style I like best when I need a new pair.

Kind regards,
Olli

We use Elten and Cofra at work. The turkish and asian production is a bit worse, but some that are made in germany (I think elten) and Italy (cofra) are quite nice.

However apples to oranges compared to Jim Green. After getting used to classic solid leather boots the foamy elten or cofra never feel as secure to me. And I don't mean the chelsea style in my previous post, but more like the JG Numzaan. Way more support and it grips the ankle properly.

We get new shoes every year at work. They last well enough but they wouldn't last two years.

 

[Mandres]

So whatever happened with the OPs thoroughgoids? Those are Goodyear welted and any competent cobbler should be able to glue on a new sole. It's not hard to diy either if you're so inclined.

 

[kylexj88]

German made HAIX boots are excellent,seems the brushfire community loves them. says alot about them. bring your wallet.

Keen mid height with composite toe proudly made in Beaverton,OR they are some of the most uncomfortable boots I've ever owned, even with 2x pair of insoles in them they are hard as a rock. Ironically all the negative reviews were about the leather splitting near the toebox. I work on trucks and trailers without a lift daily, I kneel and bend these things 20+ times a day...the toebox IS NOT the issue.

Timberland full heights because they went cheap on an auction deal, normally 170+ I paid 70. They are comfy, they flex well, they are extremely warm......they are probably the heaviest boot I've ever strapped to my foot. Far worse than winter boots or even snowmobiler boots. After 10 hrs you feel like you are in chain and shackles.

Altama's good luck with the complete lack of padding & aggresive tread on stairs

Redhead used to make some of the most comfortable and light hikers, went to the dogs

Hi-tec was great when they were new to the US, bought a pair at big 5 sporting goods on a vacation & they lasted through years of carpet cleaning and flood restoration abuse (many miles)

Bravi boots, paid $25 for them @ colemans military surplus. threw a set of insoles in and had a great pair of boots for over a year, they were subjected to daily pressure washing for hours at a time, 5-7miles a day, oil,grease,hydraulic oil, you name it.....Never once cleaned or cared for them. possibly best cheap boot to date

North Face boots, looked to be a good solid winter pair to keep the feet dry on the really nasty winter days. think their take on the famous LL Bean duck boot. leaked water via a crack in the sole in under 3mo

Merrel, some genius decided to make the eyelets for the laces out of thinner than lace material. warming up my feet by the shop heater I suddenly feel the laces loose tension. they had burned off the boot rendering them into the worlds most uncomfortable slipper. Zip tied them on for the rest of the workday threw them out and swore off them for good.

Georgia boot was recomended to me via a retired concrete guy who worked his *** off, he had a pair that seemed to hold up extremely well

Merrel the inhereted set from my Dad, resembled the duck boots with the complete rubber toebox. not the prettiest boot, but the most warm,breathable,comfortable,easy to slip on, and form fitting boot. I was extremely sad the day these died, 5-6x pair of boots have died in the same span of time as that one pair, and of course they are discontinued.

Jim Green Razorback's are next on my list, simply because I cannot justify the money for a set of redwings or equiv. & I hear the break in period on some of those boots is pretty brutal.

 

[F-22]

Jim Green Razorback's are next on my list, simply because I cannot justify the money for a set of redwings or equiv. & I hear the break in period on some of those boots is pretty brutal.

Depends on the leather choice. The nubuck (crazy horse and huston leathers from them) is quite soft from the start and gets super soft with some conditioning. The veg-tan is on the other end of the spectrum.

Compared to my Redwing heritage moc toes, I'd say the "hardest" Jim Greens are still way more comfy right from the start. More comfortable lasts and softer leathers. Redwing uses thick leather, while it depends from boot to boot with JG (some are thicker), but most are fully lined so overall they are much thicker. But it seems two layers are still softer than a single thick layer from Redwing.

Big difference is also in the lasting board and midsole. If they're leather (their premium offerings), the boots will be considerably heavier and stiffer than the regular resin board like on the Razorbacks.

 

[jhendric]

So, what changed with boot making? In 1986 my dad bought me a pair of Timberland Boots before I left for college in the mountains. In 1986 they cost $80. I slathered a thick layer of Sno Seal on them and wore them every day in the winter walking to class in the snow. I also wore those boots hiking and doing maintenance work for a property rental company in the summers. Those boots lasted me 15 years of not every single day 365 of use, but significant use and abuse. The knobby tread was worn smooth on parts of those soles. Now I have some Redwings which are great but cost me >$400, (the jury is still out on longevity on them) and I wear Keen or Ariat pull ons for sporadic use, I also had Keen hiking boots for hiking. I found that the Ariat and Keens last about 2 years before the "rubber" starts to pull away from the "leather". Clearly a longer lasting boot can be made. Is this just a matter of the market expects to replace shoes every 2 years max?

 

[F-22]

80$ in 1986 adds up to 231.88$ today when adjusted for inflation. Not that far off of those Redwings, and those were already more expensive than Timberlands in the 80's too.

It puts them right into the range of brand new classic Thorogood boots. Those are decent quality today, and made in USA.

By the way, you were likely lighter back then too. Extra weight adds a lot of wear on the outsoles. Kids usually don't wear out boots as fast if the outsoles are made from the same materials.

I think there were less options back then, but you were more likely to find something of decent quality for the money. The options today are endless, but most of it is **** unless you put in a bit of research.

 

[jhendric]

Yeah, good points F-22, you could count my ribs back then, being fat makes everything a little harder.