Let's be honest here.....

[cptjeff]

I was told that it is better for our feet to run barefoot than to wear shoes.

Modern running shoes. Something like Chucks that provides traction and protection, and perhaps just a little padding, will work just fine without killing proper running technique and control.

You can take it to even more of an extreme and buy those 5 fingers things that are basically a protective sole for running barefoot.

 

[Lou]

And I liked them a lot better than the new style, like these

I had a pair of those when I was in the Air Force. I noticed them in the BX one day, was a bit surprised that they were permissible to wear in uniform, and tried them on just to see if they were as comfy as they looked. I thought they were and bought them. Although they were advertised as being within regs, I was still wary about running into an officer who would object to them. That never happened. In fact, a colonel who was well known for being a uniform stickler asked me where I got them and complemented their comfortable appearance.

I agree that shoe comfort is a personal thing. I know people who can wear CT's all day and be perfectly comfortable. My feet demand more orthotic coddling.

 

[feltfan]

Recently I have come to appreciate the subtle pleasure of
leather shoes and boots. I have tried over the last couple of
years to find a temperature-cool boot. I tried "hybrid" boots like
the modern ones pictured in this thread (Bates Enforcers). Yes,
comfortable and great grip in the rain. But not so temperature
cool (though not bad) and, well, they just don't last very long.
Not as cool or as durable as my 1958 combat boots (no, I am
not that old, but I found two pairs a while back). But more
acceptable at work, as they appear more like tennis shoes.

It's not clear to me what is meant in this thread by "vintage".
I suppose what is being implied is rubber vs. leather/gumshoe sole.
Surely no one would argue against the fine leather uppers on a pre-70s
dress shoe? Leather breathes. Leather looks great. Leather lasts.
One can always add rubber pads inside our outside a leather sole.
But I am coming to very much enjoy the leather soles of my combat
boots, Florsheims, vintage cowboy boots, and other older shoes.
I have not found a problem
with the "personalizing" of a used shoe described by another poster.
Surely anything can be corrected by a new heel and a bit of wear?

The more I think about it, the less I like synthetic uppers. Ugly certainly,
often garish. Hot, and do not breathe. Even a lot of the
meshes (New Balance, Bates Enforcers, etc) don't breathe much.
Recently purchased Keen hiking boots. But for weight, I'd always prefer
my 70s leather Vasques.

Probably the last great innovation in shoes was the Vibram sole.
Rubber I know, but one of the only ones I like, and which lasts worth a damn.
If only 10 EEE/EEEE vintage footwear were easier to find!

 

[BinkieBaumont]

In my rather humble opinion rather "Boring"

 

[andy b.]

I definitely agree that for any activity involving running or jumping or anything else putting stress on joints or your back, a good pair of footwear with modern cushioned soles or insoles is better for you (and also more comfortable). For normal walking around, I am not sure the modern footwear provides much advantage.

Over the years I have owned many pairs of workboots, combat boots, and general non-athletic footwear, and all of them have benefited from having a good set of cushioned insoles put in them. For example I have owned several pairs of Red Wing workboots (one pair I still have that are 15 years old, up to a new pair of Iron Rangers I recently purchased thanks to the Lounge and I have to post photos of ), they all were made much more comfortable with a pair of cushioned insoles.

My opinion was that modern non-leather soles were the way to go, and I would always just have to put some cushioned insole in the shoe to make them easier to wear. That is until very recently. Several months ago I bought a pair of White's Original Packers. I have wanted a pair for a LONG time (maybe eight years or so), and finally decided to purchase them. As far as I can tell, the soles and arch support on White's boots are all leather, except for any Vibram outersole option you may request (mine have the mini-lug sole option). You can go to White's web site to see a cut-away view of their soles. I figured their "arch-ease" sole was basically a gimmick, but I had never read any bad reviews about it, so I wanted to try a pair for myself. Well the first evening when they arrived I wore them about two hours walking around my house. My initial thought was, "there is no way these things are ever going to mold to my foot and in a week or two I'll be auctioning them off." If you ever see a pair in person, the arch support is about 1" thick, and VERY stiff. I tried to put an insole in them, but they are sized so snugly that there was no way to even fit my foot into the boots with the thinnest insole available. Over the next few days I wore them longer and longer. After about two weeks they had molded so closely to the shape of my foot that I think I could go hiking in them without laces and they wouldn't shift on my foot as I walked. They are now the most comfortable pair of boots I own, and probably the most comfortable pair of footwear period. I wear them almost every day to work, and many times just out and about on days off.

I fractured my ankle when I was younger, and certain shoes will sometimes make my ankle sore when I wear them all day. This never happened with the White's boots. I guess what I'm saying is that modern cushioned soles have a place, but there is no reason a quality pair of leather soles won't be every bit as comfortable and supportive as any modern sole you'll find. You probably won't find it in a pair of $40 shoes though.

As for upper material, leather all the way, baby!!!! lol As I mentioned, I have a pair of 15-year-old Red Wings that I bought to work in the maintenance department in a bakery I was employed at, and I still wear those boots whenever I have real work to do. They have just recently started cracking where the toe flexes, but they have been warm and waterproof as long as I have owned them. I'm not sure how long something like Goretex and nylon boots will hold up.

Well, this post was a bit longer than I anticipated. Maybe I should have broken it into four or five posts to get to that magic 15 sooner.

andy b.

 

[Edward]

I'm a leather sole guy through and through, though I do have a couple of pairs with a rubber / synthetic sole that I would tend to reach for on wet days. when my leather soled shoes go in for their first reheeling, I always ask for a rubber overly on the sole - just a very, very thin piece that dosn't make much difference in the way of grip, but stops damp transferring through the sole on a wet day. In terms of comfort, well.... I now buy exclusively vintage-style shoes, more or less, and I've never experienced any drop in comfort as compared to modern shhoes such as running shoes or HiTech Magnum boots (the rubber soled, leather and cordura style combat boot, as pictured above). I'm neither a gym bunny nor a runner, though, so I make no claim as to sporting activity.

It's been probably three or four years sice I last wore a pair of training shoes (I must replace my old Chucks I do like those, though one reason i haven't bought any for so long was looking for an acceptable substitute for Converse, they being a no-no since the Nike buyout). I do have a pair of fairly 50s style Pepes in the wardrobe, I've had them quite a few years, just never gotten aroud to wearing them. Never felt serious discomfort in a pair of good leather dress shoes. Actually, just recently I realised I'd had a pair of Loakes on from 7am that morning - at 11pm, still fine. My Caterpillar work boots (a repro of an early 1900s style) are so comfy I put them on just Friday morning at 8am, fell asleep at 11pm on the sofa, still wearing them, woke up late Saturday morning and my feet still felt great. I adore these boots. GBP200 new, and that would be well worth paying.... fact that I got them as an 'end of line', £50 on eBay (new, unworn) makes them even better!

 

[Edward]

I personally never touch vintage shoes- if they are used, you tend to take on the imprints left in the footbed. Try putting on another person's shoes sometime, you'll be amazed that this person can even walk. That's how different each person's feet are!

I once "inherited" a pair of DMs from little brother.... they definitely did feel very, very different to me. Still, after a week they had bedded into my foot shape and were fine.

 

[IndigoFanatic]

Over the last year or so my footwear choices have narrowed to minimalist or leather soled.

I've done a lot of reading on walking/running (including scientific publications) and how to do it properly, and so I've gone entirely to shoes with as little structure/support as possible. Over the past year I've been working my to wearing such things exclusively, as it takes a long time for the foot to re-strengthen after being encased in and assisted by shoes for years. For me the decision was made through simple logic/reasoning, and reading the book "Born to Run" didn't hurt either...

In any case, I do have a pair of the Vibram FiveFingers shoes that were mentioned earlier which I use for exercising (running and weight lifting) and have found them to be perfect for such usage. I routinely run for several miles at a time, followed by lifting free-weights, and haven't had the slightest issue, and have even noticed my legs getting much stronger and my balance improving as a result (additionally, I feel like I stand taller).

For general walking around, I have a pair of Vivo Barefoot shoes which look very normal for being minimalistic. For dressier occasions, a pair of leather soled AEs which I've found to be fantastic and provide no soreness (until the end of the day) despite occasionally walking for miles in them.

That being said, I do have a pair of NewBalance shoes for such things as raquetball, and there is something incredibly appealing about a pair of White's Semi-Dress boots though I've never had the resources to try a pair.

My 2 cents, minimalistic footwear seems to be best. I'd do the running barefoot if it weren't for all of the inconsiderate people breaking glass bottles...

 

[JimWagner]

Well, how about these Maine hunting shoes (boots really) from L.L. Bean?

They've been made like this since about 1912. That would make them a vintage design still being produced. I have a pair of these and they are truly comfortable, have great traction, and are roomy enough for nice thick wool socks.

These (mine) are 16 inch but they're available in 10 inch as well.

They aren't really appropriate as work boots where you need safety toes though. The rubber part is too soft for that.

 

[John in Covina]

The ability to make a top quality shoe is actually a vintage thing using the materials available.

The first and greatest concern was that the shoe or boot fit properly when matched with the correct socks. Today many makers are dropping the different widths and making only a M medium width others have M and W and the Wide is as wide as it gets straight to EEE (Triple E width) so the ability to get a proper fit is not like in the past when they had all of the variations C, D, E, EE, EEE etc.

I have short toes so the widest portion of my foot is more forward than the average so I have to try on a variety of shoes to find the right fit. Sneakers tend to be difficult as my favorite New Balance model has been dropped.

In the end older shoes and boots may benefit from modern insoles, that can help with the comfort level a bit, but good fit is first.