Feet Up! The Work Boot Thread

[Ernest P Shackleton]

7

Have to pass. Thanks, though.

 

[TLW '90]

Have to pass. Thanks, though.

No problem, not a lot of small guys like me around I suppose.

 

[TLW '90]

They never look great after work, but a stiff brushing then onto the Pete dryer they go.
That keeps them semi presentable, as much as they can be I suppose.

 

[dh66]

Just over 9 months from the time I ordered them, these new Wescos showed up today. The fit is amazing. They are some substantial boots. The leather is thick but not overly stiff, and just one of these is heavier than the pair of Fryes that I am finally replacing. I got a good 10 years out of those. These ought to hopefully last me twice that.

 

[Bfd70]

My Redwing moc toes. 15 years old. 3rd soles. Mostly for working around the house and yard these days. I wanted to post these because I’ve read a few Boot articles that have disparaged Red Wing lately. I feel the criticism is largely inaccurate due to a sort of apples/oranges way of thinking. Redwings, even the heritage line, are at the end of the day work boots. At around $300 they are priced fairly and will last longer than 3 $100 pairs. They are not $600 whites nor $1,000 Lofgrens and they don’t need to be. Will you find a wonky stitch or other? Sure. Anything that will affect durability? Not often. Most people don’t actually work in pricier boots. Do some people? Sure, but I’d argue to greatly diminishing returns. If you’re going to tell me you saw $500 boots at an actual construction site I’m gonna need pictures.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

A lot of line workers, loggers, and forest firefighters wear $500 boots. Nicks. Whites. Wesco. Viberg. Some have work allowances where the company works with discounts or the laborer is reimbursed, at least partially. It's sort of part of the old world, but it does still exist in certain trades. I doubt you'll see too many on home building sites, but the needs and demands aren't the same.

 

[Bfd70]

A lot of line workers, loggers, and forest firefighters wear $500 boots. Nicks. Whites. Wesco. Viberg. Some have work allowances where the company works with discounts or the laborer is reimbursed, at least partially. It's sort of part of the old world, but it does still exist in certain trades. I doubt you'll see too many on home building sites, but the needs and demands aren't the same.

Yes, I thought about those trades and didn’t include them, though should have. I was just thinking about construction.

 

[DaveProc]

View attachment 378360 View attachment 378361
My Redwing moc toes. 15 years old. 3rd soles. Mostly for working around the house and yard these days. I wanted to post these because I’ve read a few Boot articles that have disparaged Red Wing lately. I feel the criticism is largely inaccurate due to a sort of apples/oranges way of thinking. Redwings, even the heritage line, are at the end of the day work boots. At around $300 they are priced fairly and will last longer than 3 $100 pairs. They are not $600 whites nor $1,000 Lofgrens and they don’t need to be. Will you find a wonky stitch or other? Sure. Anything that will affect durability? Not often. Most people don’t actually work in pricier boots. Do some people? Sure, but I’d argue to greatly diminishing returns. If you’re going to tell me you saw $500 boots at an actual construction site I’m gonna need pictures.

I mostly rotate two pair of 10+ year old Iron Rangers and a couple other assorted RW heritage boots that get far less foot time.I work for my State's Department of Transportation. One pair is in it's 3rd re-sole, the other on its 2nd. I wear them in the office and on job sites. They take everything I throw at them. They fit my feet perfectly. In my opinion, you can't beat them for what I wear them for.

 

[Blackadder]

A lot of line workers, loggers, and forest firefighters wear $500 boots. Nicks. Whites. Wesco. Viberg. Some have work allowances where the company works with discounts or the laborer is reimbursed, at least partially. It's sort of part of the old world, but it does still exist in certain trades. I doubt you'll see too many on home building sites, but the needs and demands aren't the same.

Not to mention the fact that the firefighters don't buy the 500-600 White's with leather mid sole and CXL leather.
https://www.nationalfirefighter.com/white-s-boots-explorer-fireline-10-lace-to-toe-boots.aspx

 

[Blackadder]

View attachment 378360 View attachment 378361
My Redwing moc toes. 15 years old. 3rd soles. Mostly for working around the house and yard these days. I wanted to post these because I’ve read a few Boot articles that have disparaged Red Wing lately. I feel the criticism is largely inaccurate due to a sort of apples/oranges way of thinking. Redwings, even the heritage line, are at the end of the day work boots. At around $300 they are priced fairly and will last longer than 3 $100 pairs. They are not $600 whites nor $1,000 Lofgrens and they don’t need to be. Will you find a wonky stitch or other? Sure. Anything that will affect durability? Not often. Most people don’t actually work in pricier boots. Do some people? Sure, but I’d argue to greatly diminishing returns. If you’re going to tell me you saw $500 boots at an actual construction site I’m gonna need pictures.

View attachment 378360 View attachment 378361
My Redwing moc toes. 15 years old. 3rd soles. Mostly for working around the house and yard these days. I wanted to post these because I’ve read a few Boot articles that have disparaged Red Wing lately. I feel the criticism is largely inaccurate due to a sort of apples/oranges way of thinking. Redwings, even the heritage line, are at the end of the day work boots. At around $300 they are priced fairly and will last longer than 3 $100 pairs. They are not $600 whites nor $1,000 Lofgrens and they don’t need to be. Will you find a wonky stitch or other? Sure. Anything that will affect durability? Not often. Most people don’t actually work in pricier boots. Do some people? Sure, but I’d argue to greatly diminishing returns. If you’re going to tell me you saw $500 boots at an actual construction site I’m gonna need pictures.

USD 300 may be a fair price but a lot of the heritage models available overseas cost way more, putting them into the vintage fashion category which is why they are compared to other vintage fashion brands. Take the RW 9062 for example, defective pairs are being listed for USD 468 on ebay by US sellers. They are not available in the US. It is apples and oranges but that is partly RW's own doing.
RW has repositioned the heritage line. Take a look at RW's wesite and their store location in for example Hong Kong, you will see that they are no longer targeted at workers. I doubt RW would charge a work boot price when their flagship store in HK is located at an upscale shopping mall. Same goes for the Japanese market where the RW store is located at the Harajuku fashion district.
https://www.redwingshoes.com/oof/outoffashion.html
It could be the same apples and oranges when you compare RW with White's, White's Hathorn line don't cost USD600, they cost USD 300-400. The USD 600 White's have leather mid sole etc that you do not need on a pair of work boots.

 

[Bfd70]

Another fair point as i was only considering US sales where Whites are twice the price. Are they 2x the price in HK? Fwiw I’m buying a pair of Whites today and wore RW last night on a date not a construction site.

 

[Blackadder]

Another fair point as i was only considering US sales where Whites are twice the price. Are they 2x the price in HK? Fwiw I’m buying a pair of Whites today and wore RW last night on a date not a construction site.

I don't think so. I bought mine a few years ago thru the HK dealer. I paid around USD 570 for my CXL Bounty Hunter which at the time would have cost close to USD 500 (including shipping) if I order from Baker.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I absolutely agree with you BFD70. For 90% of my life and working times, Red Wings - of the general type have been fully sufficient for nearly everything I have needed to do. In fact my first "quality" pair of Red Wings (bought for dress, not for physical work) were the Iron Rangers in 2013 while on a business trip in Seattle. I needed a pair of black, semi-casual "dress shoes" and the old black Florsheim's I was trying to wear were literally killing my feet. I gave those IR's the hardest, most agressive break-in ever, waliking 6-7 miles a day for 5 days in the Seattle area, standing for 9-10 hours in between all those steps. My only "wish" then was for an arch support of some type, the IR's simply do not have any.

As for work-oriented, simple Red Wings, they have recently crept up some more in price. It's around $200+ now for a US-made version of any style, but they are good, solid boots. My work requires Meatarsils in the factories now, and for those I chose the Goodyear welted - Hawthorn (White's) "Electrical Hazard" high arch external met boots ~ 5 year back. They were $375 and have been worth every penny.

 

[Modified_last_call]

Love my Wesco Jobmasters.
Built like tanks and can still look good in casual settings.

 

[dh66]

Love my Wesco Jobmasters.
Built like tanks and can still look good in casual settings.

View attachment 379336

The cap toe looks good on 'em

 

[Bushman]

I don't know how it happened! I might as well have bought a pair of rabbits!

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I don't know how it happened! I might as well have bought a pair of rabbits!

I dig what you did with the jump boots.
B

 

[AeroFan_07]

I don't know how it happened! I might as well have bought a pair of rabbits!

\
Yes, very typical of both rabbits & boots. They seem to multiply...

 

[Hitchet]

I don't know how it happened! I might as well have bought a pair of rabbits!

Very nice boots, I especially the first and last ones. What brands/models are these?

 

[Cornelius]

Very nice boots, I especially the first and last ones. What brands/models are these?

I recognize the first as a pair of Corcoran jump boots, as I wear the same for work myself (love the Munson last, as the ball of my foot is wider than most Americans, it seems). The pair pictured here appear to have had the rather ugly painted finish stripped off. #2 are L.L. Bean hunters' boots, but #3 & 4 are a mystery to me.