Shoes

[SouthCentralUS]

The leather care products used for baseball gloves will work for boots. You might look there.

 

[Peanut]

I was going through a new pair of cheap boots each year here on the farm up until 2011. They'd just fall apart. Then I found some by Meindl. Expensive but great boots, my fist pair lasted several years. On my second pair now. I've had them about 6 years and they still look and wear great. Of course we're out of the peach and cattle business and don't nearly as much farm work.

They are pricey but I was spending $100 a year on cheap boots. I've bought 2 pairs of Meindl's in a decade ($600). So I've actually saved about $400 over those 10 years.

https://meindlusa.com/collections/mens-collection/Men's

 

[Spikedriver]

I do often. Rarely wear woman’s shoes/boots. Mens hold up so much better and seem far more comfortable. It is a challenge to find the right size though often

If you go to a Red Wing store they should have the 4402 in stock. They probably won't have them at a farm store or other shoe store. I highly recommend them. I get one and a half to two years out of them, then I retire them to wearing occasionally around home and get another year. This is the pair i have now, they are 14 months old and the soles are still good...

 

[Double R]

If you go to a Red Wing store they should have the 4402 in stock. They probably won't have them at a farm store or other shoe store. I highly recommend them. I get one and a half to two years out of them, then I retire them to wearing occasionally around home and get another year. This is the pair i have now, they are 14 months old and the soles are still good...View attachment 79393

Wow! That’s impressive!
I’ve already brought them up on their website. Will look and see if they have any around “here” before ordering. Appreciate the insert information too.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Being a Po' Country Boy, I stay in the $130-$150 range. I can't afford $300+ for boots.
For me, this is Wolverine or Georgia Boot.
Yes, they are made off shore. China for the Wolverines, Dominican Republic for the Georgia Boot, but before i retired i was spending 10+ hours a day on concrete warehouse floors, and the Wolverines held up.
I'm only part time delivery driver now, and the Georgia Boot is the most comfortable I have ever worn.

 

[joel]

My company would pay 50% of a work shoes every year.
Later they paid 100% every two years for work boots.
I wore the same pair for five years & still have used boots I do not wear.
I got a pair of 10,000 volt shook proof boots, for my son, they went over $200.00 limit & cost me $25.00. I had to change boots, because the steel cup in the toe was wearing a hole in my socks.

 

[Spikedriver]

Being a Po' Country Boy, I stay in the $130-$150 range. I can't afford $300+ for boots.
For me, this is Wolverine or Georgia Boot.
Yes, they are made off shore. China for the Wolverines, Dominican Republic for the Georgia Boot, but before i retired i was spending 10+ hours a day on concrete warehouse floors, and the Wolverines held up.
I'm only part time delivery driver now, and the Georgia Boot is the most comfortable I have ever worn.

I used to wear Wolverines both on the railroad and back when I worked in the window factory. I found them to be quite comfortable and they did hold up ok on the concrete. But on the railroad I would get 6 to maybe 8 months out of them and then the soles would come apart. The soft Durashock sole that made them so comfortable on concrete just wasn't up to the challenge of the ballast rock out on the tracks. I should note that I have worn Rocky, Timberland, Keen, Wolverine, and Red Wing on the tracks. Only Keen and Red Wing lasted a year, and the Keens barely lasted that long.

If I was ever to go back to factory work, I would probably wear Wolverines or Justin Lacers, which I wore in my 20s. Not sure if the Justin's are still as good now as they were back then. I think since Buffet bought them out they've moved a lot of their factories to China...

 

[Peanut]

Take most boots "off road" these days and they just can't stand up. Had a pair of red wings when I welded. They stood up to 3 years building freight cars. Looked rough but still had more life in them. Not going to find that these days without paying through the nose.

 

[Spikedriver]

Take most boots "off road" these days and they just can't stand up. Had a pair of red wings when I welded. They stood up to 3 years building freight cars. Looked rough but still had more life in them. Not going to find that these days without paying through the nose.

The one boot that everyone raves about is White's Smoke Jumpers. They're $500 and they weigh about as much as a Honda Civic, but they're fully rebuildable. You get your feet measured and then they build them for you. I would try them out but no way am I spending 500 on boots...

 

[rice paddy daddy]

I patronize Bailey's Chainsaw a bit, enough that they send me an email every day touting some new sale.
They also sell work clothing, for real working men and women.
They have a line of logging boots called Red Dawg.
I'd like to give them a try, but they seem to all run $300+.

 

[INresponse]

@INresponse I've got a pair of Oboz. They were one of those pairs of shoes that I really liked in the store, but when I got out in the world and wore them for several hours straight they made my feet hurt. I don't think they're bad, just not right for my feet. I bought them for light trail hiking but I can't use them for that, so they're gathering dust...

I have found the Oboz run a bit narrow, probably to hold your feet better while walking on rough ground. I have a narrow foot, usually wear a D width and they are still usually loose around the arch and toes. After a couple months I realized that every time I tied them tight the arch and toe area got tighter and eventually too tight so I loosened up the laces all the way down and made them just snug enough but at the second eyelet from the top I tied a knot on both sides so everything from there down couldn't get any tighter, then when I tie the shoes the only part that gets tighter is the top cross of the laces. The shoes are still comfortably snug everywhere but the top holds my foot in place.
Perhaps that might help you depending on how they actually fit you.

 

[Spikedriver]

I have found the Oboz run a bit narrow, probably to hold your feet better while walking on rough ground. I have a narrow foot, usually wear a D width and they are still usually loose around the arch and toes. After a couple months I realized that every time I tied them tight the arch and toe area got tighter and eventually too tight so I loosened up the laces all the way down and made them just snug enough but at the second eyelet from the top I tied a knot on both sides so everything from there down couldn't get any tighter, then when I tie the shoes the only part that gets tighter is the top cross of the laces. The shoes are still comfortably snug everywhere but the top holds my foot in place.
Perhaps that might help you depending on how they actually fit you.

It might help, thank you. My feet are a little narrow, but tall from the arch to the top so I'm hard to fit. I'll try the loose lace trick.

Do you notice that the laces come untied really easily? I have to double knot mine or they'll be untied in 10 minutes. I'm about to throw the stock laces away...

 

[Patchouli]

Couldn’t find shoe polish last week either, @hashbrown . Not too surprised. People aren’t wearing nice leather shoes or boots anymore. I’ve got a couple pair of leather clogs that need a polish, one pair is reddish brown. Still haven’t looked online. Yeah, I always used kiwi brand too. I got rid of our old “family” wooden shoe shine kit before we moved. Thing must have been from the 1950s.
My husband wore Red Wing boots for his job more than 30 years. He had an allowance for it too. He’d switch brands once in awhile but preferred them. He was in printing.

 

[Morgan101]

Have you tried the shoe department at Wal Mart? I have always gotten shoe polish, laces, water proofing, anything I need at Wal Mart. I bought polish there just a few weeks ago. In our store it is an end cap in the Shoe Department with all the supplies.

 

[Mountain trapper]

First off it pays to buy quality footwear. Your feet will thank you for it when you get old. I never "polish" my boots, but a couple times a year I put snow seal and/or neatsfoot oil on them. I've got Whites, Redwing and Filson boats, all made in the USA. Most are over 25 years old and still look like new. Back in the old days when I was welding I'd get several years out of a good quality pair of boots. Just had to make sure there was no stiching on the top of the boot and use leather laces.
I wear Sorals mostly during winter now. They used to be made in Canada, not sure if they still are.

 

[INresponse]

It might help, thank you. My feet are a little narrow, but tall from the arch to the top so I'm hard to fit. I'll try the loose lace trick.

Do you notice that the laces come untied really easily? I have to double knot mine or they'll be untied in 10 minutes. I'm about to throw the stock laces away...

I don't have a problem with the laces. Maybe every hour or two they do loosen up but not untied. The only time that gets annoying is if I go for a hike or do something strenuous like trying to push or pull something heavy.
They are designed different that most other brands, but I think we just got used to wearing lousy shoes and now that there is something made to fit they seem different.

 

[backlash]

Do you notice that the laces come untied really easily? I have to double knot mine or they'll be untied in 10 minutes

You need to tie a square bow knot. If you tie a granny bow knot they will come loose. Try it and you will not have that problem.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Keeping the laces oiled will help to keep them tied.

 

[Spikedriver]

Keeping the laces oiled will help to keep them tied.

Oil on slick nylon?

 

[Mountain trapper]

Oil on slick nylon?

Oh...I only use leather laces.

 

[Camalot]

When I worked on drilling rigs I wore Redwing, steel toe, pull ons. When I worked as a boilermaker I wore Wolverine vibram sole. Zamberland is the best boot I have ever owned for hiking. Damn things are insulated which makes them winter wear only or otherwise I'd probably never take them off.

 

[Heartbroken]

Got my first ever pair of workboots when I turned 10 and got big enough to drive the tractor. Nice pair of Red Wings that lasted a long time. I had no idea they still made them, haven't seen them around here in years. Can't get anything that fits me at the local marts, I have a wide but short foot, they carry nothing for women and the men's don't fit, so I've had to go up to Jay's Sporting Goods and spend 150 on a pair of Keens. (Which to me was outrageous, can't imagine shelling out 300!) When I was doing rougher field work I'd get a year out of them; now in the newer job fieldwork is a few times a month instead of every day and a lot easier, so the current pair is about six years old. Now that I know there are still Red Wings out there I may have to do some searching when it's time for a new pair.

 

[Double R]

@Heartbroken Welcome to the forum!

 

[Weedygarden]

Got my first ever pair of workboots when I turned 10 and got big enough to drive the tractor. Nice pair of Red Wings that lasted a long time. I had no idea they still made them, haven't seen them around here in years. Can't get anything that fits me at the local marts, I have a wide but short foot, they carry nothing for women and the men's don't fit, so I've had to go up to Jay's Sporting Goods and spend 150 on a pair of Keens. (Which to me was outrageous, can't imagine shelling out 300!) When I was doing rougher field work I'd get a year out of them; now in the newer job fieldwork is a few times a month instead of every day and a lot easier, so the current pair is about six years old. Now that I know there are still Red Wings out there I may have to do some searching when it's time for a new pair.

Welcome Heartbroken! This is a great place to be. Will you please go to the introduction section and introduce yourself?

 

[Morgan101]

Got my first ever pair of workboots when I turned 10 and got big enough to drive the tractor. Nice pair of Red Wings that lasted a long time. I had no idea they still made them, haven't seen them around here in years. Can't get anything that fits me at the local marts, I have a wide but short foot, they carry nothing for women and the men's don't fit, so I've had to go up to Jay's Sporting Goods and spend 150 on a pair of Keens. (Which to me was outrageous, can't imagine shelling out 300!) When I was doing rougher field work I'd get a year out of them; now in the newer job fieldwork is a few times a month instead of every day and a lot easier, so the current pair is about six years old. Now that I know there are still Red Wings out there I may have to do some searching when it's time for a new pair.

Good Morning, Heartbroken. Welcome from Eastern Missouri. Good to have you with us. Here you go. Maybe you can find a store near you.

https://www.redwingshoes.com/

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Walmart or Target here never have anything!

You probably don't know where to look.
Don't waste your time asking anyone younger than 25, because they won't know.
Ask the real old timers where those items are.
And not usually in the shoe department either.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

You know what else I miss? A nice, simple seamstress shop. Nothing fancy, just basic tailoring and repair. There are times when I need someone with more skills than me to make a repair - not to mention that detail work gets harder as I get older. But the last seamstress shop I knew of closed several years ago.

So often clothes could be repaired rather than tossed, but people just toss and buy another.

I retired last year from doing just that.
Sorry.

 

[Camalot]

Got my first ever pair of workboots when I turned 10 and got big enough to drive the tractor. Nice pair of Red Wings that lasted a long time. I had no idea they still made them, haven't seen them around here in years. Can't get anything that fits me at the local marts, I have a wide but short foot, they carry nothing for women and the men's don't fit, so I've had to go up to Jay's Sporting Goods and spend 150 on a pair of Keens. (Which to me was outrageous, can't imagine shelling out 300!) When I was doing rougher field work I'd get a year out of them; now in the newer job fieldwork is a few times a month instead of every day and a lot easier, so the current pair is about six years old. Now that I know there are still Red Wings out there I may have to do some searching when it's time for a new pair.

th

Lol. Your story reminds me of when I was 9 years old my youngest sister and I were watching cartoons on a Saturday morning and Dad came through the house and said he wanted me to go to town with him. I was immediately suspicious because Dad didn't talk to kids. lol. We drove to town and went to the hardware store. We went inside and Dad bought me a True Temper, black handled, $35, hammer. Just like his. And this was in 1970. I thought to myself, "Self I think you've just joined the work force."

 

[Neb]

I dont know the brand name of my work boots but there are on the third set of soles. I keep them shined up and apply water prof to them each time. The Princess takes them to a cobbler in Jamestown NY for the new soles.

The dress shoes I used to wear before I retired are sporting the fourth set of soles. Because I took care of them. Shoe polish is within reach of my favorite chair.

Ben

 

[Spikedriver]

I dont know the brand name of my work boots but there are on the third set of soles. I keep them shined up and apply water prof to them each time. The Princess takes them to a cobbler in Jamestown NY for the new soles.

The dress shoes I used to wear before I retired are sporting the fourth set of soles. Because I took care of them. Shoe polish is within reach of my favorite chair.

Ben

I have a pair of Sharkskin boots. They were a graduation present from my grandmother in 1991. I wore the hell out of those boots for 30 years. 4 sets of soles and had both heels re-stacked. The last cobbler told me they couldn't be resolved again because the leather soles were getting wore out. They finally blew out last year and are retired, but I'm never getting rid of them because they were from grandma. I think I'll be buried in them...