RE: O/T Shoe Survey

[Lew Hodgett]

A little survey.

I need a good pair of work shoes.

I wear them about 4-6 hours/day, 7 days a week.

In the past, have spent what I consider to be some serious money for work shoes.

Have purchased variou

[RonB]

I took a clue from my son who religiously buys the heavy Red Wings. He is a heavy construction superintendent who spends 8-10 hours a day on construction sites. Super or not, he still gets into shin-deep concrete and other grunge. He hoses them off as needed and keeps going.

With that said, he goes through a set of Red Wing boots every 4 to 6 months but says nothing else will come close. Years ago he started with a set of "street-hikers" that lasted about two weeks.

RonB

[Dave Hinz]

Well, concrete is hard on anything, leather included. I very much like my redwing safety shoes & boots.

[Lew Hodgett]

A little survey.

I need a good pair of work shoes.

I wear them about 4-6 hours/day, 7 days a week.

In the past, have spent what I consider to be some serious money for work shoes.

Have purchased various brands in the past such as Red Wing & Leigh.

Regardless of the brand purchased, after about 6-8 months, shoes are beginning to show real wear.

If they last 12 months, it's a miracle.

Is this typical life for good work shoes or is it just me?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Lew

[Leon]

When I started working and standing on concrete day after day about 18 years ago nothing worked for me except Rockport shoes. I now buy Rockport HIKING water proof shoes and can wear them daily for about 4 years before they poop out. Well I don't usually wear them on weekends but all of my shoes are Rockport.

[Swingman]

Ditto ... but here lately, with all the walking I do on these aging dogs they're really starting to bark, I also buy a pair of ortho inserts and put them in immediately, _in addition_ to the Rockport's OEM inserts.

I used to not have to do that.

[bsa441]

Read once that men buy two pairs of shoes per year, on average. So I'd guess that one pair of work shoes a year is pretty good.

I've had my Red Wing Irish Setters for about 20 years now, and they are still going strong. Of course, I only do yard work, but they've really held up.

On the other hand, my brother, the machinist, usually buys the cheapest comfortable boots he can get because those metal shavings slice cheap or expensive leather just the same.

[Leon]

For yard work I use a 14 year old pair of Rockport pro walkers. The soles were worn slick about 12 years ago as prowalker soles only hold up about 2 years on concrete. Any way the slick bottoms are great for yard work as they clean easily when you happen to step on a land mine. ;~)

The Rockport hiking shoe soles seem to never wear out.

[Andy Dingley]

Not work boots (no toecaps) but I still have a '92 pair of Timberlands, made in New Hamsphire. They're worn out now, but I was pretty impressed with them. The (Chinese made ?) Timberlands I bought last year are cheap rubbish in comparison.

Do Timberland still manufacture to their old standard ? Can I still get a "real" pair of them? Price pretty much no object.

I'd second the Ecco recommendation too. I don't wear them myself (I get many of my shoes hand-made - it's cheaper long term) but many of my friends do, and most who have one pair then wear almost nothing else.

[Allen Epps]

I wear my Browning Featherweight Kangaroo skin bird hunting boots. I swear they less than my running shoes. The uppers simply do not wear out. I've hunted and worn these around the shop for ten years in these and they've been through four sets of soles and the uppers are still in great shape. Here's what they look like.

you blanch at the price check the Cabela's bargain barn or some other discount outfitter. You should be able to find them for about $120.

Allen

[Andy Dingley]

I just like the idea of boots that are illegal in California. Why is that ? Kangaroo problems?

[Allen Epps]

I have no idea! I don't recall that years ago when I got mine. Might just be roo skins got caught up in some sort of typical CA ban on something else. Any of our down under members ought to be able to verify the things are not endangered.

Allen

[John B]

They're not endangered, they're thriving. Greenies and Animal lib nuts would like us all to think otherwise. John

[Rick Samuel]

I disagree, I too am a machinist, Red Wing are the ONLY shoes I buy for the last 6 yrs. Have two pair, alternate each day. The soles look almost new after a couple of years.

[Duane Bozarth]

Allen Epps wrote: ...

I don't know--when was the last wild one spotted in CA? :)

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Just a guess, but the leather may have been tanned using chemicals that cause cancer in California. Or the lining is made from baby seals.

[John B]

G'day all, I wear Blundstone, laughing side boots all the time for work. The current pair I've had for 4 or five years and they haven't been treated kind. ;) Wear em shooting, gardening, and of course down the shed. If memory serves me correct (It Rarely does:)) they cost about $75.00. RM Williams are my "Sunday Go To Meeting" boots and I've had those for

10 yrs or more, laughing sides with a leather sole. A bit of Dubbin every now and then and they never want to wear out. Both brands are old Aussie Co's and are .... wait for it Sit down. STILL MADE IN OZ.

Have a good one John

[sawdog]

Greetings! I wear "White's" Smoke Jumpers (The "Lace to Toe" style).

wear them firefighting, Backpacking, and, in general, constantly! It's been 5 years so far, and they're still going strong. They're a little on the expensive side, but (imho) well worth it.

Hal

[Robert Allison]

Combat boots, jungle boots have lasted the longest for me. I have tried Redwing, Rockports, Caterpiller and none of them last very long. Combat boots outlast everything else by a factor of 3-5 times.

For a comfortable steel toed work shoe that is not expensive and lasts a while, I have a pair of Stanley workboots that impressed me. Bought them at Payless shoe store for about 40 bucks.

[Patriarch]

John B wrote in news:52iEe.59311$oJ.44148 @news-server.bigpond.net.au:

Translation, please: Laughing side boots?

Patriarch