Desert boots??

[Badluck Brody]

...

I came across a couple pairs and use them for campwear and also for lite duty around the house!

One pair is from Clarks, the other is from American Outfitters???

What is the timeline for the style???

 

[Alan Eardley]

The problem with petroleum and mineral oil is that it degrades (in extreme conditionsm dissolves) the material from which the soles are made. The British military went to a DMS (direct molded sole) in the 1960s to counter this problem.

The only downside to moving production to China is that whole streets full of loyal company workers in Street, Somerset lost their jobs.

Alan

So, I learned a valuable lesson: Do not walk in gas or oil in shoes having plantation crepe. Or, let dad fill up the tank!

Interestingly, my next pair came with a tag that said to not walk in petroleum distillates. Apparently, I was not the only customer who'd had such a problem.

I found that old English-made pair up in the attic recently and compared them to a new pair made in China. The quality is exactly the same as it always was, and they look virtually identical.

 

[Smithy]

The only downside to moving production to China is that whole streets full of loyal company workers in Street, Somerset lost their jobs.

Alan

Similar must have happened I imagine when Doc Martens moved offshore.

And HP Sauce is no longer made there anymore, what on earth's happening to Blighty eh?!

 

[Alan Eardley]

Like many other religious employers, the Clark family who set up the shoe business in the 19th Century were Quakers and as such had strong ethical principals. They built a village, established schools and introduced a health and welfare service. In return they expected loyalty, good work and temperance from their employees. Whole families in Street had worked for Clarks for 4 generations or more when the factory closed.

Cadbury at Bournville in Birmingham is the only equivalent I can think of now and that's going through some bad times.

That's OK - we can all work in nail bars and tanning parlours...

Alan

Similar must have happened I imagine when Doc Martens moved offshore.

And HP Sauce is no longer made there anymore, what on earth's happening to Blighty eh?!

 

[Widebrim]

Have used both

This looks like the cold-weather boot that we Cavalrymen were issued in Iraq. I preferred the warm-weather ones with nylon siding (sort of a desert version of jungle boots), which were lighter and less bulky. I wear a pair of the latter from time to time with my jeans; very comfortable.

 

[MrBern]

seconds?

Thank Mike and Jack. Yes, the Maruaders are very nice boots. I have a pair of Corcoran Field Boots that I like very much, but I really like the classic lines and lacing of the jump boot. Plus I found a guy selling 2nds for $39

WHERE?
Ive been craving a pair of Desert Corcorans.
I have corcoran jump boots in black & brown & they really are a pleasure.

 

[John in Covina]

I have an inexpensive pair from these guys:
http://www.altama.com/Tp1/search_bycategoryInner.aspx?code=Deserts

 

[Spitfire]

Clarcks are the only true desert boots.
All the rest are boots - maybe or maybe not - worn in a desert.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Maybe, I will get a pair of classic desert-boots, the next time. Seemingly nobody wants them, in Germany, and sale offers them for 99 EUR and so on.

What would you choose as the best compromise on robustness and comfort? Crepe-sole, rippled training-sole or simple flat-sole?

 

[Trenchfriend]

Can anyone tell me, how stabilizing classic velour-leather desert boots are? Or ist the velours too soft, to stabilize really?

 

[shadowrider]

Trenchfriend, I would say go for suede (if that is what you mean by velour). The inside of the shoe will be smooth leather and will feel very confortable. And it's not thin suede, so they will hold their shape fine.
As for soles, I've only had them in crepe, and would recomment it, if only because it's more "iconic" than the others.
Also, I recommend you buy your regular size. For some reason (this happened to me when I bought them in Italy around 2010), stores push you to go half a size down, saying that the shoes will "mold" to your feet. They felt a little snug, but I trusted them, only to have to give them away after a couple of months.
As an alternative to Clarks, maybe you check out veldskoen, a type of South African shoes that is apparently what Clarks desert boots were designed from.

I have been wating to buy a new pair of desert boots myself, actually. Will probably buy them online from the UK this time, as this seems to be a cheaper option than local stores. I should actually hurry up, as I don't know if/when we'll have to start paying customs again for British imports.

German stores seem to be quite expensive too. Last time I was in Germany I went to a Birkenstock store to get a good deal on a pair of sandals, only to find that they offered the same price as their online store (or even higher).

 

[shadowrider]

Those are pretty cool, Alz.
I saw Palladium boots in store about two years ago. They looked great, but there was a detail I really disliked: that is the stitching on the top of the outsole. Upon close inspection, I found it was "fake", just pressed in the sole rubber.
Apparently Timberland boots feature this as well. My guess is that older boots used to have a real stitching, while new boots try to mimic that by molding a fake one in the rubber.
I am not sure if that applies to all Palladium boots (Timberland Pro line boots have real stitching, for example), but this picture I found online shows what I am talking about.

 

[prairieschooner]

I have had a pair off and on and always like them. Lived in them in college. The last pair I bought came from LL Bean and never fit me right; I finally returned them under their life-time satisfaction warranty. Thanks for reminding me; I might think about getting a pair this fall.

 

[Trenchfriend]

I will wear my simple Timberland "Brooklyn Park Oxford" suede-boots today. They are seemingly retracted, now.

I got size german 42 and they are 41,5. But I think, this could be better than 42, which would be more worn out after some time. We will see.

PS:
But my favorite kind of shoe is still the versatile, modern lightweight-hiking boot, the great fusion between lightweight and damped training-shoes and "mountain-boots".