Work boots.

[drbitboy]

I would go for a comfortable fit first, durability (leather) second. Only after that would I consider brand and reviews.

Most times I have bought shoes, of any type, I just try on pair after pair until I find that pair that fit my feet (hopefully your feet have, and the quality control on the boots ensures, symmetry). Any time I have not done that, they never come out of the closet.

I have a very old pair of steel toes from my father in-law that I have used for ages that happen to fit my feet well; one of our dogs chewed one of the tongues, the soles are smooth but even on a roof they have the best footing of any footwear I have; I love 'em. The only problem I had was a 20mi hike with Boy Scout eagle candidates hike where halfway though I changed to dry socks but stupidly over-tightened the laces - I had a toenail go black for six months.

 

[tlf30]

I work in the oil patch, and here almost everyone uses Keen. I personally use the Keen Davenport They are composite toe, water proof, breathable, insolated, have electrical isolation, anti-skid traction for both oil and ice. Oh, and they are very comfortable.

Men's Davenport 6" Waterproof Work Boots - Insulated & Composite Toe | KEEN Footwear

Rugged, all-leather, and insulated, this waterproof boot stands up to cold conditions, inside or out—and a KEEN.POLAR TRACTION outsole grips icy surfaces.

www.keenfootwear.com

 

[Maintenance Man]

I wore Red Wings working offshore (that's what the company provided). I had the slip-on rubber boots for working on deck or under the deckplates in the engine room (often standing in seawater or oily bilge water) and the slip-on leather boots otherwise. They both held up pretty well, but they were never super comfortable. I used the slip-ons so they were easier to take off if I ended up in the water. Never really trusted that the work vest would keep me afloat while wearing all my stuff.

I've also tried some Wolverines (don't remember the model; it's been a while). They were ok but didn't stand out as great. Now, my go-to is Timberland Pro. I've been re-buying them about every 1.5-2 years or so. They're Electrical Hazard rated and comfortable out of the box. I'm on concrete floors all day and end up walking through coolant and hydraulic fluid occasionally. With all of my work boots, the "wear-out" point is when the soles start to get smooth and hard. The leather is dirty but fine.

Thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate it

 

[Maintenance Man]

I would go for a comfortable fit first, durability (leather) second. Only after that would I consider brand and reviews.

Most times I have bought shoes, of any type, I just try on pair after pair until I find that pair that fit my feet (hopefully your feet have, and the quality control on the boots ensures, symmetry). Any time I have not done that, they never come out of the closet.

I have a very old pair of steel toes from my father in-law that I have used for ages that happen to fit my feet well; one of our dogs chewed one of the tongues, the soles are smooth but even on a roof they have the best footing of any footwear I have; I love 'em. The only problem I had was a 20mi hike with Boy Scout eagle candidates hike where halfway though I changed to dry socks but stupidly over-tightened the laces - I had a toenail go black for six months.

Thank you.

 

[joseph_e2]

I would go for a comfortable fit first, durability (leather) second. Only after that would I consider brand and reviews.

Most times I have bought shoes, of any type, I just try on pair after pair until I find that pair that fit my feet (hopefully your feet have, and the quality control on the boots ensures, symmetry). Any time I have not done that, they never come out of the closet.

This. Once I think I settle on a "model" of shoe, I try on several copies of the same one to get the most comfortable. A bunch of times one pair of the bunch (same size, same everything) fits way better than the rest...or way worse. There's apparently a lot of variability in shoe manufacture....

 

[Maintenance Man]

Hi to all, hope everyone is having a good day. I am asking for everyone's input on work boots. I work in the electronics department in an industrial plant on cement floors. Like many of you, I spend hours on a lap top troubleshooting or tweaking programs next to machines. I want to get good comfortable work boots that will last. I have tried Avenger. I don't mind paying over $200 us dollars. I!m thinking of Red wings. What has worked for you guys doing the same work I am? I want something that will be comfortable and last. Thank you all for your help.

Thank you everyone for your excellent advice and help. After thoughtful consideration, I narrowed it down to red wing boots. I talked with a boot repair shop and they recommended Red wings or Throughgood boots. I found out that the Red wing store cleans, oils and replaces shoelaces for free. It's a good deal. I appreciate all your suggestions. Hope you all have a wonderful day

 

[5618]

The only pair of Red Wing I ever bought were terrible. Not particularly comfortable and the side blew out in a couple months. I usually wear some $35 steel toe sneaker-ish shoes from Wal-Mart that I like. For that price, I can can have several fresh pairs for the price of one so expensive, I'll wear them until they're super funky.

A particularly positive boot experience: my employer recently partnered with a new supplier, Saf-Gard. I went to the local store and tried on a few pairs I thought looked nice. None of them fit, too narrow, too much arch, etc. The excellent sales person took in all I was saying and asked if she could pick a pair to try. Sure... While not particularly good looking boots, the fit was perfect and as comfortable as a boot can be. A good sales person who knows their product is more valuable than a brand name.

After buying shoes at Saf-Gard, I get a pack of Hytest branded socks with the remaining allowance. They are much better than any department store socks I've had, thick and durable. They definitely add to the comfort. This year those comfortable boots are discontinued. I plan to buy the cheapest boots required and get several packs of socks to fully change out my sock supply to Hytest.

 

[pondscum]

Chiming in to say I absolutely ADORE my Blundstone extreme series work boots (#990). Just a few weeks ago there was an incident where I spilled 90%+ sulfuric acid on the boot and there was no damage at all. They look really nice and I love slipping them on and off quickly. I wear them every day even if I'm not on the floor.

 

[Foleyk]

I have been using Bass Pro Red Head for the past several years. RedHead Blain Steel Toe Waterproof Work Boots for Men. We manufacture bakery equipment. Although I am not always on the shop floor, I do find these very comfortable.
They are light weight, Steal toe, and I can stand for the majority of a 12 hr shift with no issues. I did purchase a good quality work boot insole seperately. The price is very good at about $70. Hope this helps.

 

[dummy_bit]

Timberland Pros. I got them because they offer slip resistance and composite toe protection. In the $140-$170 range. Worn for over a year and haven't had any stitch rip or sole separation at all.

 

[padees]

I am partial to Wolverine myself.

If you are going to buy OSHA rated foot wear for your particular job application, there will be a code inside, or associated with, you can look up to see what the protection levels are.

 

[imtiredboss]

Rockport, timberland, and Keen are my goto.

 

[hardaysknight]

I looked at some Irish setter boots at the Red wings store yesterday. I was not sure if they were good as Red wings. Is yours holding up ? I also was measured for the insoles. Kind of pricey insoles. Might get some good Red wings or Irish Setter then maybe later get their custom insoles. How long have you had your boots? Have you had good luck with the Iris Setter brand lasting over an year? Thank you for your help. I greatly appreciate it.

I've had these for probably 3 years now. They've been covered in every type of oil imaginable and they're still fine.

 

[Maintenance Man]

The only pair of Red Wing I ever bought were terrible. Not particularly comfortable and the side blew out in a couple months. I usually wear some $35 steel toe sneaker-ish shoes from Wal-Mart that I like. For that price, I can can have several fresh pairs for the price of one so expensive, I'll wear them until they're super funky.

A particularly positive boot experience: my employer recently partnered with a new supplier, Saf-Gard. I went to the local store and tried on a few pairs I thought looked nice. None of them fit, too narrow, too much arch, etc. The excellent sales person took in all I was saying and asked if she could pick a pair to try. Sure... While not particularly good looking boots, the fit was perfect and as comfortable as a boot can be. A good sales person who knows their product is more valuable than a brand name.

After buying shoes at Saf-Gard, I get a pack of Hytest branded socks with the remaining allowance. They are much better than any department store socks I've had, thick and durable. They definitely add to the comfort. This year those comfortable boots are discontinued. I plan to buy the cheapest boots required and get several packs of socks to fully change out my sock supply to Hytest.

Thank you for your response and help. I am definitely going to get some good socks. I have been told that cotton socks are not as good as wool or mixed material.

 

[Maintenance Man]

You might consider moc toe wedge style sole as opposed to a logger style (Big lugs) sole for work on concrete. 1 minute Youtube tells you the difference:
Why do Iron Workers Wear Wedge Sole Boots?

I had a pair of Irish Setter's that lasted 5 years of daily wear. They didn't owe me anything. I was disappointed I couldn't buy the same model.

I look for boots with all leather uppers, instead of those with strips here and there of the artificial running shoe material that sneaks in on a lot of 'work' boots because the fake material doesn't old up like leather. It pays to clean your boots, inside and out, to let your dry (good idea to alternate boots and let a pair dry out for a day), and to oil them on occasion to keep the leather moist.

Thank you for your response and good insight on caring for boots.