Work Boots

[FartingMonk 3608]

Looking at new work boots.  Any recommendations?  Only requirement is 3/8 heel and steel toed. 

[tx 3 putt 76988]

I like my timberland pro lace ups, very comfortable 

[jimmyjazz 45971]

Red Wing for me.

[deadshank 24653]

Red Wing Irish Setter steel toe (western or lace up)

Twisted X are verruh comfy (my daily boots)

Ariat

 

[cactusflinthead 27601]

George Boot Muddogs if chemicals or lots of mud is a constant issue. 

[Errestaurants 2570]

I just bought some Ariat Workhogs at Atwoods. They were $169 and so far pretty nice.

[TwiceHorn 31495]

Thorogood for old school laceups.  Cheaper than Redwing and not giving up much.

[Parliament 14260]

Redwing lacers.  Don't make this a thing.

[Wally Fairway 5550]

you cannot go wrong with Red Wing, I've tried others but the most consistent fit and wear are Red Wings

[deadshank 24653]

1 hour ago, cactusflinthead said:

George Boot Muddogs if chemicals or lots of mud is a constant issue. 

Soles fall off. Bad glue.  Get your epoxy out when it happens. 

[Kennythetiger 9389]

I have pretty good luck with Danner.  I have an all-leather set of boots that I use for hiking/casual, and a tougher pair with some sort of synthetic covering that I wear around oil, diesel, and cow manure.

[Parliament 14260]

My Danner Pronghorns took FOREVER to break in.  Like I almost gave up.  Now that they finally are, I love them.

[Duke Silver 191]

Ariat Workhog square toe steel toes are the way to go.

[luke duke 6413]

[jimmyjazz 45971]

4 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Thorogood for old school laceups.  Cheaper than Redwing and not giving up much.

If I could find them in all black I would give them a try.  I'm pretty much rounded steel toe 6" lace-ups, black on black, for 20 years now.  Most good boots I find either have a moc toe, some kind of stripe running around the sole, contrasting seam threads, etc.  Just not my thing.

[RDCanecutter 26447]

12 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Red Wing for me.

Ditto twice. Last forever, and with minimum maintenance you can wade around in muck and keep your feet dry (mine are not lace ups.)

[cactusflinthead 27601]

4 hours ago, deadshank said:

Soles fall off. Bad glue.  Get your epoxy out when it happens. 

These have held up well so far. It's time to replace them though. 6 months max if you are going to work them hard. I think it was twisted x that was previous to this one and it blew out the seams at the welt in a couple of months. Wolverine was ok. Same deal, eventually it gets a blow out somewhere or you've ground down the soles. I agree that there is extraneous bs inlays in the sole on the Muddog. Who gives a damn about extra colors on a work boot sole? Don't create weak points for appearances sake.

[El Diablo 4232]

I'm a Red Wing guy too but don't recall the make and model. I just know that I stepped in some sort of solvent at some point and it ate into the sole and I was tracking black spots around forever. Other than that no issues and the fit and durability are great.

[Lat22 4015]

3 hours ago, Duke Silver said:

Ariat Workhog square toe steel toes are the way to go.

This.

[RMac5 1551]

7 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Thorogood for old school laceups.  Cheaper than Redwing and not giving up much.

This is my recommendation as well, I prefer them over the Red Wing boots. They have a much better arch support and last just as long. I buy the regular toe not steel toe.

Edited March 6, 2019 by RMac5

[Whatever 700]

My Danner Pronghorns took FOREVER to break in.  Like I almost gave up.  Now that they finally are, I love them.

Sounds like they were able to take the length.

[fattyflattie 4639]

I’d guess over 95% if our field crews wear thorogood. They are in it everyday so I would take that as good pub.  I’ve had good luck with Justin.  Roper toe for years and squared now that I don’t have to work in Mexico anymore.  My experience with redwing was hard to break in and good,  but too much $$ for what you get. Good but not that good. 

[jimmyjazz 45971]

I take my Red Wings in every 6 months or so for a free polish & new laces.  Do other brands offer that?

[deadshank 24653]

5 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I take my Red Wings in every 6 months or so for a free polish & new laces.  Do other brands offer that?

You polish redwings?  Your supposed to oil them.  Sam's Safety Equipment on Hempstead Hwy still has a boot oiling stand for just that purpose. 

[jimmyjazz 45971]

Probably a poor choice of words on my part . . . I take them in looking kinda skeezy and a week or so later I pick them up and they have new laces and look pretty good.  

[Upgrayedd 5814]

Just now, jimmyjazz said:

Probably a poor choice of words on my part . . . I take them in looking kinda skeezy and a week or so later I pick them up and they have new laces and look pretty good.  

They do that gratis? Hmmmmm

[jimmyjazz 45971]

6 minutes ago, Upgrayedd said:

They do that gratis? Hmmmmm

Yep.  Is it worth paying probably 80% more than some of the other boots on this thread?  I can't say for sure.  I mean, I can buy laces and oil, but the fact is their customer service is top notch and their boots last forever.

I might try some of those Thorogoods, though, especially since it seems Red Wing has discontinued my preferred boot (2223).

[Parliament 14260]

1 hour ago, deadshank said:

You polish redwings?  Your supposed to oil them.  Sam's Safety Equipment on Hempstead Hwy still has a boot oiling stand for just that purpose. 

Bro, do you even Mink Oil?  The salt in the liquid fertilizer I used to work with is MURDER on leather.  They guys in Dalhart would wash their boots real good, let them dry all the way, warm them a bit in the oven, then rub this stuff on them:

(Make sure you get all the seams good.)  

It's the consistency of hard butter, but the warmth of the leather makes it melt...like butter.  

[deadshank 24653]

12 minutes ago, Parliament said:

Bro, do you even Mink Oil?  The salt in the liquid fertilizer I used to work with is MURDER on leather.  They guys in Dalhart would wash their boots real good, let them dry all the way, warm them a bit in the oven, then rub this stuff on them:

(Make sure you get all the seams good.)  

It's the consistency of hard butter, but the warmth of the leather makes it melt...like butter.  

Yes.  I do.  Just did 2 pair of snake boots after a long deer season.    The leather was sucking down the mink oil.   

[TwiceHorn 31495]

Sno Seal is pretty good shit too and less hard on the stitching than a lot of formulations of mink oil.

[52-80 19162]

52 minutes ago, Parliament said:

Bro, do you even Mink Oil?  The salt in the liquid fertilizer I used to work with is MURDER on leather.  They guys in Dalhart would wash their boots real good, let them dry all the way, warm them a bit in the oven, then rub this stuff on them:

(Make sure you get all the seams good.)  

It's the consistency of hard butter, but the warmth of the leather makes it melt...like butter.  

that stuffs great for frying potatoes

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

On 3/6/2019 at 6:16 AM, deadshank said:

Red Wing Irish Setter steel toe (western or lace up)

Twisted X are verruh comfy (my daily boots)

Ariat

 

I'll vouch for Twisted X.   I've had a pair for five years that I've used for daily wear and they are champs and they are my go to if I don't have to "dress up" for the day.   

[TwiceHorn 31495]

19 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

that stuffs great for frying potatoes

You pass the taters, I pass em right back.

[deadshank 24653]

 

[tx 3 putt 76988]

how long are you keeping your work boots ? I don't keep mine much longer than a year or so. 

 

anyone else use super soles ? that is  must 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

Yeah, I go through a pair of work boots every year, and the best I've tried are Double H for a combo of durability and comfort.

[RDCanecutter 26447]

6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

how long are you keeping your work boots ? I don't keep mine much longer than a year or so. 

About a decade. I "work" barefoot inside. Boots are for rare muck-stomping now, but were daily wear when I was on two wheels. Figured the Redwings would do a magnificent job preserving my foot if it ever got severed from my leg.

[Chico_SA 521]

Honest question, If you our are having to replace them every year, do they belong in this conversation? Depends on the work?  I love my Red Wings, but they aren’t daily wear for me. I feel like they hold up well, and I plan to use their refurbishment options. 

 

Edited March 9, 2019 by Chico_SA

[Parliament 14260]

If you're wearing them 5-7 days a week in the dirt, mud and grease; getting less than a year is not out of the question at all.

[Kennythetiger 9389]

Finally checked my models. The really comfortable ones are Danner Pronghorn and the tougher, less comfortable ones are Danner Trakwelt. I respectfully disagree with the guys about replacing boots every year. I go through soles about once a year and usually some other patching/maintenance, but man, I shoot for several years per pair. 

[Parliament 14260]

My Redwings (don't remember the model) didn't have replaceable soles.  Can you replace the soles in a Pronghorn?

[VirginiaLonghorn 4777]

On 3/6/2019 at 10:45 AM, luke duke said:

Gotta ask ... how did he get over the fence without breaking his neck?

[Dewey 3286]

Construction, I get about 2 years out of a pair of redwings, then they get retired to the paint booth. I hardly ever oil, will change out broken laces when they break a second time. Solid boot imo.

 

Will add that I have tried other boots, looking for a cheaper option and they held up for a year, bout what I paid for.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

10 hours ago, Chico_SA said:

Honest question, If you our are having to replace them every year, do they belong in this conversation? Depends on the work?  I love my Red Wings, but they aren’t daily wear for me. I feel like they hold up well, and I plan to use their refurbishment options. 

 

If you aren't having to replace them every year then you probably aren't doing enough work in them to really be able to comment on which ones are good.

[SHOOTER12 8810]

On 3/8/2019 at 4:42 PM, tx 3 putt said:

how long are you keeping your work boots ? I don't keep mine much longer than a year or so. 

 

anyone else use super soles ? that is  must 

I wear mine until they fall apart.  The last 2 pair I've bought were Durango Rebels. Pretty inexpensive at around $129 and from my experience durable as hell.  Continual exposure to concrete, drilling mud, grease and oil. Also, I never oil or condition the uppers and I still get 2+ years out of them.  They have some type of rubber composite soles that still look damn near new when I have to retire them. Also very comfortable from the get go.

[SHOOTER12 8810]

On 3/8/2019 at 11:22 PM, RDCanecutter said:

About a decade. I "work" barefoot inside. Boots are for rare muck-stomping now, but were daily wear when I was on two wheels. Figured the Redwings would do a magnificent job preserving my foot if it ever got severed from my leg.

...and then the damned doctors cut them off prior to surgery anyway. 

[Kennythetiger 9389]

On 3/9/2019 at 9:03 AM, Parliament said:

My Redwings (don't remember the model) didn't have replaceable soles.  Can you replace the soles in a Pronghorn?

You're completely right.  I was thinking of my more generic boots.  I'm not sure if you can or not.  I try to be pretty careful with my Pronghorns, so hopefully this will never be an issue.  I save my other ones for work around barbed wire, chemicals, corn stalks, and cow manure.

[Rougarou 594]

I was re-gifted a pair of Justin work boots, the guy giving them to me said they sucked. The tag says they aren’t even leather but 100% man-made material. I’ve had them a year and still not broken in; I wear them once a week.

[52-80 19162]

On 3/9/2019 at 4:22 PM, VirginiaLonghorn said:

Gotta ask ... how did he get over the fence without breaking his neck?

you just hook the tip over the ledge for support

[JSB 677]

Last pair of my shit kickers were Double H, which I had for 5 years until they fell apart. I wear them 2-3 days a week. 6 months ago, I went with Ariat, and I fucking hate them. I keep waiting for them to break in, but after 6 months, my right foot still hurts after a full day of wear. Eventually I will give up and get something else, but it just sucks pissing away money.  They do look great though, for what its worth.