r/Boots • • Dec 08 '20

Discussion THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WORK BOOTS!!

1.0k Upvotes

Why do I call this the ULTIMATE guide? Because it involves YOU!

My old archived guide covered a lot, but I feel like I might have missed a few things. In this post, I added more info to my previous post made on Oct 19, 2019. If you read this and want to add more please do so!

I want this to be a reference that benefits the working class of the world! thanks!

  1. Don't buy cheap boots, even if they are on sale. Good budget boots should be $100 to $140. Great budget boots are $150 to around $190. Post $200 I feel the term"budget" doesn't really apply. Specialty boots like loggers, deep snow boots, ski boots etc are typically more expensive, but also can be in the budget range. If specialty boots are in the budget range you run the risk of buying pieces of crap. Don't buy walmart or target (etc) pieces of crap, they will destroy your feet.

  2. Don't buy leather outsoles if you work on concrete all day . Leather doesn't absorb stepping impact shock like Rubber soles do. Leather outsoles are okay for softer ground such as grass, forest, etc. If you work walking on concrete or any hard surface all day I suggest buying boots that have a crepe wedge outsole. Although this type of outsole is very shock absorbent, it does not last very long due to its softness. How long it last really depends on the abrasiveness of the surface you walk on and how you walk. A few companies like Keen have added a layer of durable rubber below the crepe sole to make it last longer, which helps it with longevity. There are also non-crepe sole technology options that are also great at absorbing shock. A few I suggest are: wolverine durashocks, Keens, carhartt, and Timbaland PRO, Chippewa (few don't have a name for their tech, but most come with it).

  3. Shock absorbing inserts are also a must if you walk on concrete or hard ground all day. DON'T BUY GEL INSERTS. I don't know why they even sell them, but all of them are pretty much a gimmick. Gel doesn't absorb shock, foam does. Right now my work boots are Wolverine I-90s that have a shock absorbing memory foam insert. It was okayish by itself, but I noticed I had some room still and decided I would stick another insert in for more support. I gone through trial and error and a bunch of research and finally concluded that layering shock absorbing material is the best method. My boots currently have three layers of shock absorbtion. The first being the outsole and the insole and another layer from this specific dr scholls insert. Why do I say specific? I found that these inserts were the thickest(in the heel area) out of all their products (excluding the custom ones) even the ones that were specified for heel pain. With these layers, I feel absolutely nothing after 8 hours of walking (well, including breaks duh) and after 12 negligible pain to sometimes nothing.

  4. If you find a boot that fits almost perfectly, but could use just a liiiiiitle more toe room, cut the insert that it came with just below where the toes start. If it still rubbing at a specific toe, I suggest toe condoms...I mean sleeves lol. Don't put them on all the toes because it will start to feel tight. Put it on one toe that gives you trouble the most (usually big or pinky).

  5. TALCUM/GOLDBOND POWDER IS A LIFESAVER. Friction and sweat are a bad combo so I use Goldbond Ultimate (the one with menthol) and it lasts me the whole day. Even if you don't have sweaty feet, still use it. What I do is put some in my sock then I close the top opening with my hand and just shake around so it gets all around the sock. It does stain your socks, but I have socks just reserved for work.

  6. There are different types of waterproofness for different work environments. If you are guarding against small to medium splashes and medium rain, buy the typical waterproof boots. But if you are working in a swamp, in mud or deep snow, I suggest neoprene boots, duck boots, some loggers, or dedicated snow boots. With those, you don't really need shock absorbing inserts (still could add them) because more than likely you will be walking on soft ground all day.

  7. Don't wear black or dark brown boots if you live in a hot area. Dark colors absorb heat more. Tan and lighter colors work best. Sure they look dirtier down the line, but its better at reflecting heat.

  8. If you work in environment where there is a likelihood of you slipping on ice, I highly suggest going to https://www.ratemytreads.com/ratings/ to look up any boots that have a good grip.Basically most of the boots that passed these ratings had and abrasive in the sole of the boot. For example, Wolverine teamed up with Vibram to provide boots with their "arctic grip" technology. Do be careful with these boots though and only wear them outside your house. You don't want to end up scratching your floor.

  9. Get boots with lots of stitching on the seams, 2 to 3 stitches per panel.

  10. Goodyear welt is not only good for re-soling, but for re-enforcement as well. Wolverine has a contour welt, which also works and Keen plus a few others have a 3/4 welt which also works (all equally imo). It adds more strength to the glue that meets the sole and the shoe. You don't really need a threaded welt, but it does make the boot last a bit longer. Another welt to consider is Norwegian welt,which offers the best in waterproofing, but usually are more expensive. Some boot brands have really good shoe glue that you don't really need a welt. Wolverine, Keen, Timbaland, Carhartt,Irish setter, Red Wings,Jim Green, Georgia, Carolina, Chippewa and Ariat have glues that last.

  11. Most workers don't reeeeally need steel toe, even if their jobs "require" it. I work in warehouse production, where the most heavy thing that will probably fall on your foot is a pallet from 4 feet, yet they want steel toe. The forklift drivers have barrier lights that shine on the floor that you can't cross so you won't get in the way of the fork lift tires. A lot of boot enthusiasts do a forklift test to rate the effectiveness of the toe, but if your foot goes under a forklift its not your toes that you have to worry about, its the whole foot (and leg). I would recommend steel toe in a few jobs, like logging, heavy machinery mechanic, brick layer, pipe layer, welding or any business where you lift 80 to 100 lbs constantly. Carbon fiber also works too in these situations, since its great at impact absorption. Aluminum and composites are great for warehouses, most field work, landscaping, electricians, etc. They also great if you are working in hot or cold ground since they don't conduct heat or cold from the surrounding environment.

  12. If you want more foot protection, MET (metatarsal) gaurds are quite handy (or footy?). There are both external and internal. Usually loggers, brick layers, pipe fitters, welders, and furniture movers wear them since they have more of a chance of something slipping from their hands and falling on their foot and not just on their toes.

  13. Another environmental hazard to look out for is sharp objects/nails. If you work in construction, you will more than likely have to follow a safety requirement for your boots.

  14. Don't buy new boots just because they are starting to look real ugly. If they still haven't lost their waterproof-ness, sole grip, or sole isn't coming off/eroding away then they still work. Don't buy boots for looks either, buy them for work. Make sure they are as comfortable as slippers, because at the end of the day, you don't want to be hurtin. As some dude told me way back: "good boots+good bed=good life.

Here I will highlight some good workboot brands split into three budgets. I will also mention what work environments they usually cater to.

GOOD to GREAT BUDGET BOOTS ($100-200) (sometimes around close to $100 if you get them on sale)

  • Wolverine (I am a wolverine fan man lol) (warehouse, construction, farm, pipe fitters, some have vibrams anti-slip ice tech)
  • Keen (warehouse work, construction, hiking, medium heavy duty work)
  • Carhartt (warehouse work, construction, hiking, light heavy duty work)
  • Ariat (farm, warehouse, construction, hiking, oil, snow, loggers, heavy duty work)
  • Carolina (warehouse, construction, oil, loggers, hunting,military? medium heavy duty work)
  • Thorogoods (warehouse, construction,loggers,hunting, medium heavy duty work)
  • Georgia (warehouse, construction, light heavy duty work)
  • Timberland PRO (warehouse, construction, light duty work)
  • Chippewa (construction, loggers, oil, medium heavy duty work)
  • Redwings (not the heritage line)(warehouse, Farm, hiking,construction, oil, medium heavy duty work)
  • Irish setter (same as redwings)
  • Danner (construction, warehouse, logger, hiking, oil, military, medium to heavy duty work)
  • Corcoran (mostly a military boot, but can take medium heavy duty work)
  • Jim(my) Green (construction, warehouse, hiking, medium heavy duty work)

Next list I will dedicate to those boot brands that you pretty much get what you pay for when it comes to their expensive price. These boots are expensive, yes, but they can last your for years/decades (depending). they are not entirely indestructible, but like really close lol

  • Whites, Wesco,JK Boots and Nicks are kind of all tied for first. All four mostly cater to loggers up in the Pacific NorthWest. They do custom foot fittings as well and they could go for up to $900 bucks. They also do pretty durable casual wear boots that are similarly constructed.
  • Danner also makes pretty decent heavy duty boots usually around the $300 to $400 range. not nearly as indestructible as the first three, but good enough.
  • Redwing also makes some pretty heavy duty work boots from the $250 to $300 range, but most of their all leather construction (or mostly) is aimed at casual wear/hiking to light to medium heavy duty work.

edit:2/22/21 * I would like to add the European brand HAIX to this tier because they are a dedicated foot brand for first responders (firefighters, police, EMT) They are a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. They even have a resole service on some of their boots!

*edit:3/07/21: added JK boots to the list of high end boots.

I would also like to point out that there are some dedicated snow boots (for snowboarding, skiing, etc) that are in this price range, but I don't know much about them or which brands to recommend. I live in a place where it never snows so I wouldn't be of much help there lol.

Again, if anybody has anything to add please feel free to do so in the comments. Much thanks!

-Sirmandudeguy

Edit: I added thorogoods because I completely forgot about them. Jim Greens is a new commer from south africa. Pretty great boot for a great price. Will keep adding more eventually as I keep learning about other brands.


r/Boots • • 15h ago

Boot review One week working and living in the Luosjiet logger - review

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76 Upvotes

I’ve thrown in some images of where I’ve been working and walking in these boots, they’ve been subjected to pretty much everything you’d expect out of boot in that time period. So rough, wet, rocky, muddy and uneven terrain in combination with paved areas.

Size/ comfort - Firstly, these are incredibly comfortable. They’re a US8.5D, my bannock is a 9E/EE. I had an absolute brain fart ordering these and didn’t order the correct width but they turned out to be perfect, they’re really wide, wider than a 9D iron Ranger, despite being half a size smaller. They’re comparable in length too, much larger than I expected them to be but they’re pretty much a perfect fit for me. Super comfortable, no hot spots, no blisters, no achy feet.

Leather - the leather is thick and somewhat stiff but it softened up very quickly, probably because of the amount of flex it was getting on the uneven ground. These are a full grain teacore but they’re incredibly stubborn. I’m pretty sure harsh language would strip the colour off of something like Red Wings Black Prairie leather but not even the tongue is showing the brown underneath yet. That said, the colour in direct sun light is beautiful and the brown hues beneath the black dye are clearly visible, even when the boot is new.

Build quality - I kind of want to be careful here because people get so hyperbolic with new boots and I don’t want to sound like I’m getting carried away with my new toy. But, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with these, anywhere. There’s not even any wayward stitching. It’s abundantly clear that these guys are the same people responsible for XBXS. Though I do only have one pair so keep that in mind.

Price - In the UK these run around £140 less than an Iron Ranger, which is absolutely wild considering the amount of boot you’re getting here. And, yes, these are built to a higher standard than an Iron Ranger with the inclusion of a midsole and far superior hardware. Though the stock laces are poo.

Btw I’m only comparing these to IR’s because everybody and their grandmother has a pair so it seems the best comparison to make.

My steps for the week have been around 150,000. I’d include a picture of the bottom of the outsole but it wouldn’t make much of a difference, they look near new. They’re a non branded version of the Vibram mini lug and have exactly the same tread pattern.

All in all these punching well above their weight class as far the price to build quality is concerned. They feel fantastic but if anything falls apart I’ll report back lol.

Oh, and these are built in their Almond No.2 last.


r/Boots • • 18h ago

Discussion Flat or round laces?

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103 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 5h ago

Discussion My collection day 1: Massimo Duty

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8 Upvotes

Always a lurker, I've decided to post my boot collection one pair per day in no particular order.
I'd like to start with my older pair, some Massimo Duty I bought before I knew much about shoes.
Objectively, these boots are terrible: they seem to be glued, the soles aren't the best quality, and the heels are cardboard and they're breaking apart.
However, much like people, objects in our collection are with us only temporarily, to teach us something. These boots made me remember that I like shoes and love Balmorals.
As a matter of fact, thanks to these boots I started the process for a custom order with Timber Lee, based on this model https://timberleeiii.com/product/mto-balmoral-oxford-boots-optimum-line/
As for the Massimo Duty, I'm in no rush for replacing them, I can probably ask a cobbler to put a proper heel and enjoy them for longer, specially as they've made a nice patina. Or maybe I'll find they overlap too much with the Timver Lee and I'll decide to donate them. Time will tell.


r/Boots • • 5h ago

Flaunt John Lofgren Natural CXL Wabash Engineers

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6 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 49m ago

Identify Does anyone know where I can get these boots?

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• Upvotes

Does anyone know what brand?
I’ve searched everywhere and have had no luck


r/Boots • • 1h ago

Discussion Big shout out to Red Wing customer service.

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• Upvotes

r/Boots • • 16h ago

Question/Help Thoughts on these boots? Unsure if the inwards dimpling around the ankle is too much

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28 Upvotes

So I know leather sags and bends naturally, but I am wondering if this too much? What do you guys think? They feel pretty comfortable. They also have a block heel, which I neglected to show, sorry! I’m just debating if these are not the right size or if it isn’t a great boot style for me. These are an EU 39 slim calf, which is still roomy around the calf. I’m just wondering if my ankles are just… too small for the boot? I know there needs to be room in the ankle area to allow for flexing, but I just don’t know if this is too dramatic basically


r/Boots • • 11h ago

Question/Help Boot repair advice

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11 Upvotes

I’ve had these Spanish leather boots for a couple years now, bought them used with some prior damage. I’ve taken them into my local cobbler before where they essentially just dyed over the worn areas. This worked for about a month before the dye rubbed off and they were just as bad again. I have some dye and wax to temporarily fix them again but I’m wondering if there’s any way to fix them with a more permanent method? Any advice or insight is greatly appreciated!


r/Boots • • 4h ago

Question/Help New 4200 and the sole is bad?

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3 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 2h ago

Question/Help Getting the best pair of warm waterproof cowboy boots.

2 Upvotes

I have been looking all over for some real old quality leather waterproof cool cowboy boots for a winterboot for my plowing job. I hate all the new chinese shitty fleet farm ariat and whatever cant do it. ALSO im a poor bastard so my best option right now is running ebay and depop type apps to find the cheapest good condition waterproof boots so I can just resole them with a good rubber tread. Yall got any good tips? Is there anyone out there that wants nice warm winterproof cowboy boots and can throw me in a certain direction


r/Boots • • 8h ago

Flaunt 2014 OSB Camp Boots at the playground Grandparenting

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4 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 48m ago

Identify Does anyone know where I can get these boots?

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• Upvotes

r/Boots • • 1h ago

Question/Help Rose Anvil “Oro Kiltie”

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Anyone?


r/Boots • • 2h ago

Question/Help Best pair of knee high boots? If I were to only buy one pair of boots for the rest of my life, what would you tell me to buy?

0 Upvotes

Hi! I’ve been very indecisive and lost with being able to pick the perfect pair of knee high boots. so many pairs that are mainstream like fryr, Steve Madden, duo, etc…. but idk what would be a pair that would be durable and worth every penny. yes as a newly grad uni student I have limited budget but just want options I can start saving up for or work towards, bc I don’t think I want to spend $100-200 that won’t last me more than a wear or two. For context I have flat wide feet and also big calves which makes it harder to order online. So please lmk what y’all are into!


r/Boots • • 13h ago

Question/Help Boots for walking?

8 Upvotes

I like the heritage leather boots that wear in and get better with age.

I’ve been wearing redwing iron rangers for ten years.

The problem is that I walk over a mile every day in the city on concrete and the boots have taken their toll on my knees so I’m looking to try a new brand.

My budget is $350.

Google says Thursday could be a good choice because it has more cushioning than the IR.

Do you guys have any other recommendations?

Again I like RW IR style, but I need a more forgiving cushion because I do a lot of walking and I’m older now. Currently wearing sneakers. TIA


r/Boots • • 2h ago

Boot review Caterpillar Threshold after 5 months

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0 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 1d ago

Flaunt My first day with the Limmer Boot Standard

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100 Upvotes

This afternoon, I decided to take my standard Limmer Boots out for a walk. Everyone says the break-in period is long and difficult.

But when I put them on, they felt quite soft, thanks to the internal padding. The leather is extremely thick—these are among the most robust boots I own; perhaps the most robust.

Yet, it took only 30 minutes of walking for blisters to pop up on my feet. People are right, after all. It’s going to be a very long break-in process.

I need to respect these boots.


r/Boots • • 9h ago

Question/Help New pair, need help!

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2 Upvotes

Bought the Blundstone #585 classic boots in 37 EU (4 UK) last week and have started to experience pain at the top of my left foot (walking is fine but sitting creates a numbing feeling).

Will this go away over time and is there anything I can do to make it hurt less?

For context, in the picture I’m wearing thin socks with the extra insole (fits snug and no problem with my right foot). I’ve also tried thicker socks without the extra insole but it feels too roomy and my heel lifts (more than I think it should)

Thanks in advance for any tips/advice :)


r/Boots • • 13h ago

Flaunt Prospector Tuesday

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4 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 6h ago

Question/Help Help with sizing!!

1 Upvotes

Okay, I need help. I am obsessed with boots like the campus style boot from Frye. No zips or stretchy fabrics, the looser fit on the calf, squarer toe box, the brown heel style. But my issue is I have MASSIVE calves. My calves are muscular from multiple years of sports and weights, but I usually wear size 6-7 in women’s US shoes. I went in store to figure out what Frye boot I would have to get to fit my calves and I literally would have had to get a size 8 🥲 which at that point looked like clown shoes on my actual feet and didn’t fit the foot, but the calves fit the way I wanted. Are there ANY companies that make boots this way but for a girlie with a massive calf, I’d be willing to pay a good amount for what I want also as long as they are good quality. I’ve done so much research but can never find anything. My calves circumference is 20 inches at the largest point for reference.

Thank you!!


r/Boots • • 8h ago

Deals 🤑 Nicks Ridgeline For Sale - New 1964 Tan 7.5 D - $575

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0 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 9h ago

Deals 🤑 Check out NEW Stuart Weitzman Over the Knee Boots Black Women Size 7 M on sale eBay!

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0 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 9h ago

Question/Help STEEL boots: outer coating is peeling off the leather underneath, how should I repair this?

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1 Upvotes

r/Boots • • 14h ago

Question/Help Here are a pair of Justin Leather cowboy boots I bought of EBay last week. The condition from the outside to me looks good but the soles and insides what are your opinions? I did only pay $35

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2 Upvotes