Work Shoes?

[nitrohog]

Search has failed me (or I failed at it) but alas I am looking for good advice on a nice, comfortable, long lasting, and most of all comfortable work shoe for everyday use. I'm on my feet all day, constantly walking, jogging, jumping, climbing, etc.. I don't really have the need for steel toes, boots, or aggressive treads but the Vans shoes I have been wearing are breaking down too fast on the inside and the leather isn't holding up like it used to. Any advice from the almighty GJ gurus would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Pro-Painter]

I just ordered this pair a couple of days ago. They are almost 1/2 price for $66 with free shipping, and "take20sale" gets you 20% off that.
They are light weight, composite toe, heavy padded, with chemical resistant soles (important to me). And you can't beat the price!

This will be my 2nd pair of them. The first pair lasted me 2 years before they got so covered with gel coat that the strings won't tie. But they never wore out.


http://www.dmusastore.com/p-766-7a66-5-eye-shoe.aspx

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

For home/non steel toe purposes I have a pair of Skechers "Tone ups" that are extremely comfortable and just will not die. I've got plantar fasciitis and they are bar none the most comfortable shoes out there for it.

 

[rt dak]

Thorogood postal service certified. I wear these but they sell a shoe version. Mailmen are on their feet all day so you know their shoes have to be comfortable.

http://www.weinbrennerusa.com/dspNavCategory.cfm?rootID=2&catID=37&prodid=329
http://www.weinbrennerusa.com/dspNavCategory.cfm?rootID=2&catID=96&prodid=48
http://www.weinbrennerusa.com/dspNavCategory.cfm?rootID=2&catID=96&prodid=178

 

[bart1]

Check out the Australian boots like redback or Rossi.

 

[phansen39]

Non steel toe. Most of the stuff from new balance. Steel toe work boots. Red wings

 

[timbitca]

Steel toe'd boots for me whenever I'm around anything remotely heavy that I may (very likely) drop on my feet. I could very well have 'clumsy' as my middle name, so I'd rather not chance it

Right now I have a pair of Dakota's from Mark's Work Wearhouse and while I love them they seem to have sprung a leak in the sole of one. But they are super comfortable, just wish they had lasted longer for the amount of money I paid for them and the relatively small amount of time I used them.

 

[nato]

Check out the Australian boots like redback or Rossi.

Ditty. I know you plainly said you're in the market for work shoes, BUT,,,,one word..., well, two technically.....RedBack.

My testimony: I tell you what, my long story short, I paid $200 for them and waited nearly two full months to have in my posession via my late ****** Matco dealer, but they were worth it!!! I've had them about 1.5 years this past summer and I have yet to have a pair of work stand up to my auto shop environment as well as these have. Sure, they have been marred and beat the f*ck up, covered with all sorts of chemicals and let me tell you, the soles are near bullet proof. NOTHING has had any adverse effects on them, aside from the occaisional torched fastener that you may step on and possibly melt your sole, but other than that, they're pretty sick. They're light also. The soles are durable, yet more along the lines of a softer hiking boot. Not your typical "construction/logger" boot style sole. The leather is TOUGH, yet supple, soft and extremely comfortable. Once broken in (about a month), they flex and move with my foot as if they were my Saucony running shoes. They are also by far, the most comfortable boot I've ever had on my feet. They way their soles are designed, positions most of your vertical body weight up onto the middle & front sections of your feet, thus eliminating back/heel pain. With my custom Red Wing insoles and these boots, my previous lower back and knee pain totally diminished. $200 is well worth every second of comfort when you're on your feet 8-10hrs daily.

I will definitely consider getting another pair whenever these wear out. I have the Crazyhorse style (slip on) and I think getting the laced version next time might be the way to go. Don't get me wrong, slip on boots that FIT are awesome, but I like the extra added structure of laced boots. Hope this maybe opens upa new option because I have yet to actually see reviews online of work SHOES that last past one year. I'm not saying they don't exist, but with the amount of money that a supposed "good" pair of work shoes costs (about $100 from what I would ever consider buying), I'll pay the extra for a nice , lighter set of boots. And yes, I feel your pain of trying to find that perfect pair of occupational footwear

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

+1 on the Redbacks

 

[bart1]

Note that crazy horse is a color.

I have been wearing Aussie boots for years. Have had Blundstone, Redbacks and Rossi. Blunnies are made in the far easy now, bit the other two are still Aussie.

 

[nitrohog]

I'm sure the Redbacks are amazing but they look a little clunky and are a bit out of my budget at the moment. Something like the Doc Martins or Sketchers might work better. Thanks for the suggestions guys keep em coming!

 

[davesnothere]

I switched from boots to nikes a year ago, and my feet are happy.

 

[trexdoink]

Funny, I switched to a High top Nike boot a year ago. They have held up pretty well for $75, lightweight and water resistant.

I switched from boots to nikes a year ago, and my feet are happy.

 

[Pointsnorth]

Im on my 3rd pair of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U0OQ6S/?tag=atomicindus08-20 and I bought another pair to have in reserve for when this pair wears out.

 

[Quick01GT]

I wear red wing 877 boots, best boots made but you will spend for them ($250)

 

[Tavy]

Belleville combat boots. Always. Toe still gets chewed up from kneeling a lot, but they last longer than any other boot I've owned (6months longer than Red Wings) and are a hell of a lot comfier.

 

[housey]

I have a sort of related question/problem, how do you guys break in your boots?

My old workboots were a pair of used blundstones that I got from my old man which were nice and comfy, but I have been told they starting to look scrappy and was issued a new pair by work.
With my new boots I am getting pains in my knees and especially my foot arches, and also seem to get persistant (every 10-15mins) foot cramps if I drive whilst wearing them.

Its been almost 2 weeks now and they aren't showing any signs of breaking in. I'm not the biggest guy in the world at 60kgs which probably isn't helping me to wear them in either

 

[MattPersman]

I am trying redbacks right now 3rd week with them. Price was way high hopefully they will last and be comfortable. I was using snap on shoes made by coastal boot but decided to try these this time I am hard on shoes for some reason.

 

[Steevo]

My feet hurt badly if I stand on hard floors in poorly fitting shoes or shoes with poor support.

I tried dozens of "quality" work type shoes on at a half dozen places, and then decided I was just going to bite the bullet and go to Red Wing.
I tried on most of the shoes and ankle-boots they had at the Red Wing store, and ended up with a pair of Keene work shoes.
Wearing them, I can stand/walk around on concrete all day, climb ladders, etc. with no foot pain at night. I love them.

Mine look like these, but are brown leather:
http://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/product/shoes/men/blvd/ontario lace/slate black

 

[JonBoy81]

For several years I was buying Irish Setter moose horn GT mid boots from bass pro. No break in, lighter than full on work boots and all day comfort. I have worn justin boots that fit like a glove but lacked support. Until the moose horn gt was replaced by a similar model I was buying a pair a year. I would wear them 16 hours a day 7 days a week, and until I wore through the soles, the goretex never failed me. That being said.... there are few work boots or shoes worth more than $100 to me with today's costs of resoling

 

[bobcatdan]

USA made redwings. Most boots last me 6 months before they are shot. I use to wear timberline pro, rockys and the worst were cats. Over one year on the redwings and they are holding up great. Just wore threw the leather on the toe, but the soles are still 80%. Hoping for another year and I will be pretty even on cost. $120-150 every 6 months or $250 every two years.

 

[Yojinbo]

Keen shoes - Findley is the type I think. These are so light - I have socks that weigh more then they do. They are great for my big, broken and badly healed toes.

Danner boots - not light like the keens but comfy and well made in Portland. Mine are GTX or somesuch desert boots. Not steel toed. I got them as factory seconds.

 

[twistedchief]

i use http://www.wolverine.com/US/en-US/P...ine-Peak-AG-WP-CT-EH-6-inch-Boot?dimensions=0

 

[mofo62]

.

I recomendeted CAT.

V!​

 

[lennoxlennox]

i used to use redwing shoes... but they are nothing but ****... tired of them wearing out quickly and then they wouldn't honor their warranty - i'll never by their pos again

bought some doc martins.... very happy with them... got a $20 off coupon and free shipping and bought them from online shoes

http://www.onlineshoes.com/mens-dr-martens-hawk-sd-4-eye-shoe-black-industrial-greasy-p_id253555

they have a 25% off (ends sat) if you sign up for their email newsletter - might pay to phone them and mention you want that deal, if you are interested in this shoe

 

[greasemonkey44]

im wearing carolinas; this is their first month in service but they are comfy
i had some wolverines before them; i got 9 months out of them; they were pretty good
the soles did wear our
i have been through tons of boots and so far the carolinas are the best
but for the price i could buy alot of wolverines

 

[74craig]

I've worn nothing but Red Wings for 21years.Very comfortable and i always get two to three years out of a pair. I'm on my feet at least 14hours aday.

 

[twangnut]

Danner

 

[zuk123]

Terra, made in Canada. Most comfortable work shoes I've ever worn. Steel toes, Static dissipative, shoe and boot styles. The shoe style I like is heavy but is comfortable and supportive, and good looking.

Unfortunately the styles available in the US are limited.

zuk

 

[jeffws]

I've worn nothing but Red Wings for 21years.Very comfortable and i always get two to three years out of a pair. I'm on my feet at least 14hours aday.

X2

 

[lennoxlennox]

X2

you guys get 2-3 years out of redwings?

i can't even get 6 months. The leather on the toe gets shot to hell... they made me buy that crappy resin which i applied to the torn up leather and it makes your shoes looks ridiculous

the heels wear out at the top and slowly splits/frays apart and the seams rip on the sides not to mention what happens to the insoles

i dunno what you are wearing but i've never come across anything that disintigrates so quickly... this has happened on every pair... never again

not only that the red wing shoe store i bought these from wouldn't even lodge a warranty claim, because I applied the resin he told me to apply!?

 

[bustdknuckle]

I used to wear woverines then went to the fire lines and went through a pair of danners and a pair of red wings in one season then smarted up and bought a pair of whites well worth the money had the whites rebulit once and been wearing them in the shop for the last 2 years.

 

[74craig]

you guys get 2-3 years out of redwings?

i can't even get 6 months. The leather on the toe gets shot to hell... they made me buy that crappy resin which i applied to the torn up leather and it makes your shoes looks ridiculous

the heels wear out at the top and slowly splits/frays apart and the seams rip on the sides not to mention what happens to the insoles

i dunno what you are wearing but i've never come across anything that disintigrates so quickly... this has happened on every pair... never again

not only that the red wing shoe store i bought these from wouldn't even lodge a warranty claim, because I applied the resin he told me to apply!?

Currently I have the 2408 steel toe and the 964 non steel toe.All i do is oil them regularly. On the steel toes i started putting Kg's boot guard on them.Might be ugly but really helps.

 

[Super Scout]

If you don't need steel toe boots, or work boots in general than I would suggest Merrell Hiking boots. By far the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. I have owned T pros, Carolinas, Kodiaks, Rockys, Redwings and none of them can hold a candle in comfort. They have serious traction, Vibram soles, Goretex, the whole 9 yards. They are light weight, fairly durable, (not as well built as a work boot but the comfort trade off is worth it.) I just got a new pair last night, Merrell Chameleons, my feet are so happy lol.