Posted: 4/14/2010 1:26:21 PM EDT
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Who makes some good steel toe boots? I'm doing some construction work this summer and need a good pair. Can someone suggest good ones that are made in the US?
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Ya know, if you would've asked me a month ago, or a year ago, or even 5 or 10 years ago I would've said Redwing, but I'm really starting to wonder. I have a pair from 6 years ago that I rarely use that are falling apart. I'll give them that one because they're 6+ years old, but still a quality boot should no be coming unstitched.
My cousin has a pair that is 4 months old that he's had to duct-tape the soles back onto because they came off. The local Redwing store won't do anything about it. I told him to try calling Redwing, I haven't talked to him since then so I don't know if they've taken care of the problem. But the point still stands that their quality has REALLY dropped off in the past few years. I was going to get a new pair of Redwings in the next couple months, but I just don't know if I can justify it anymore. I think I'm going to follow this thread closely for suggestions. |
| Rocky makes a decent boot for the money. I used to wear and recommend Danner but the last pair I bought wore out in no time. They are made in China now and you can tell. Rocky is made in China too but they seem to be holding up much better than the Danner's did. I have tried Wolverines but they were uncomfortable and wore blisters on my hell. That may have been the particular boot I had but I won't give them another chance. |
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Danner made in China!!!!????
My first pair of Wolverines (~11 years ago) was a nice sturdy pair of boots.....I've had a number of others since...........I had to buy a new pair last minute recently and bought another pair of Wolverines (made in China). They are NOT the same quality as that first pair. I've also had Chippewas, Timberland, Red Wings, and I forget what else.........The Red Wings are on the bottom of the list.........Timberlands were the most comfortable, but every pair I've seen lately are made in China. |
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Quoted:
Ya know, if you would've asked me a month ago, or a year ago, or even 5 or 10 years ago I would've said Redwing, but I'm really starting to wonder. I have a pair from 6 years ago that I rarely use that are falling apart. I'll give them that one because they're 6+ years old, but still a quality boot should no be coming unstitched. My cousin has a pair that is 4 months old that he's had to duct-tape the soles back onto because they came off. The local Redwing store won't do anything about it. I told him to try calling Redwing, I haven't talked to him since then so I don't know if they've taken care of the problem. But the point still stands that their quality has REALLY dropped off in the past few years. I was going to get a new pair of Redwings in the next couple months, but I just don't know if I can justify it anymore. I think I'm going to follow this thread closely for suggestions. Some Redwings are made in China now. Check the tags. |
| I have a pair of steel toed boots (look like black GI boots) made by "Cove Shoe Co.", that I've had for 20+ years (not sure if they were surplus or not). I got them for a job (required steel toes) many years ago. I've worn the hell out of them and while they weren't the most comfortable boots I ever wore (best I could find on my very limited budget at the time) when I got them, after this many miles they feel pretty good and have held up very well considering I bought them during the Reagan years (I think). |
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Danner made in China!!!!???? Last time I looked for a new pair of boots every pair of Danner boots I picked up were "Made in China". Maybe not every boot they make but the everyone I looked at was. Funny thing is the price hasn't seemed to have come down. It's a shame, I used to wear nothing but Danner but no longer. |
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Quoted:
Who makes some good steel toe boots? I'm doing some construction work this summer and need a good pair. Can someone suggest good ones that are made in the US? Thanks "limmer standards", not steel tipped but you would never know the difference. i had an 800 pound steel block fall on my boots yesterday. they held their shape and protected my foot and ankle. made in new hampshire. |
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Wolverine!
I've been wearing Timberlands, because they're light weight, but I don't know where they were made. I'd been a long time Doc Martens user, but, not American. I've got Bellevilles that I wear hunting, and those are American, so I'd recommend them. |
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Quoted:
I have a pair of steel toed boots (look like black GI boots) made by "Cove Shoe Co.", that I've had for 20+ years (not sure if they were surplus or not). I got them for a job (required steel toes) many years ago. I've worn the hell out of them and while they weren't the most comfortable boots I ever wore (best I could find on my very limited budget at the time) when I got them, after this many miles they feel pretty good and have held up very well considering I bought them during the Reagan years (I think). Cove shoes is the parent company of Matterhorn and Corcoran: http://www.coveshoe.com/ |
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Quoted:
I have a pair of steel toed boots (look like black GI boots) made by "Cove Shoe Co.", that I've had for 20+ years (not sure if they were surplus or not). I got them for a job (required steel toes) many years ago. I've worn the hell out of them and while they weren't the most comfortable boots I ever wore (best I could find on my very limited budget at the time) when I got them, after this many miles they feel pretty good and have held up very well considering I bought them during the Reagan years (I think). Cove shoes is the parent company of Matterhorn and Corcoran: http://www.coveshoe.com/ How 'bout that? Learn something new every day.... Good catch Chairborne. In any case, my steel toed boots have served me well. It's been a long time since I worked a job that required such things, but I still wear them occasionally anyway and they're still comfortable. |
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Quality US-made work boots are not cheap.
One of my all time favorites are the Redwing 2292s. But they are an insulated boot, which would probably be uncomfortably warm in NC. Right now I am wearing a pair of White's Smoke Jumper boots. These boots are hand made to specific measurements of your feet. They've been kind of a bitch to break in, but they are getting a lot more comfortable. It will be a while before I have a final opinion of them. Most everybody ends up swearing by them, though. |
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Best work boots ever made:
http://www.onlineshoes.com/mens-dr-martens-8836-6-inch-steel-toe-boot-gaucho-volcano-p_id190 been wearing them for 10 or so years now, depending on your work environment they will last about a year |
| redwings suck because they take forever to break in. Wore redwings for years tried the Danner Quarry and would never go back. Goretex very comfy from day one. On my feet every day and I get about 3 years out of a pair. Redwings would only last a year for me. $170 but worth it. I know made in china sucks but oh well. |
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Quality US-made work boots are not cheap. One of my all time favorites are the Redwing 2292s. But they are an insulated boot, which would probably be uncomfortably warm in NC. IMO these Redwings. I have got two pair. I cycle them out. Yes, they are expensive, but you can have them re-soled. Mine would have to be rebuilt after about two years on construction sites. Take them back to the Redwing store and for about $75.00 they rebuild the boot. The upper of the boot will last for about 3 or 4 rebuilds. New soles, new eyelets (if needed), new laces, new insoles, and any other repairs which need to be taken care of. Redwings are the only steeltoe workboot I could seem to find which was comfortable to me. I wear a 13EEE and there is plenty of room in the steel toe for me. I could literally stand all day in them and while I would be tired when I got home, my feet never hurt from the boots. I have moved on to a new profession, but I will absolutely not get rid of my Redwings. |
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My current pair or Redwings are nearing a year and half old. The leather is holding up pretty good (especially since I they get subjected to a lot of lime while working on the treatment system). The tread is getting thinned in spots. My biggest issue with them is that the insoles have thinned a bit which is causing me to wear holes in my socks. I plan to correct this by ordering a new set of insoles. I will be purchasing a new pair of Redwings this year as an alternate pair of boots. Though my main reason for going for Redwings for my work boots is because my company has an alliance with Redwing. I get a discount and we have a form we use to buy them that makes it so that I only have to pay the difference if I go over the $125 boot allowance. |
| I have been wearing Rocky's for a couple years now. On concrete and scaffolding 16-18 hours a day. The guys on the crew used to wear Redwings but are saying the same about the quality dropping. I cleaned my Rocky's every weekend and the leather wore fine, I just wore the soles and insides out of them. I have went against my better judgement and bought a pair of steel toes based on a magazine review (can't remember which magazine). They recommended the USMC desert hot weather boots by bates. I got a pair and aside from the tough break in (expected), they are great so far. Very comfortable. I don't know about durability but if they are half as good as the boots I had in the Corps, then they'll be tough enough. |
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Quick update on my current pair of Redwing boots My boots are between 1 to 1 1/2 years old and I just found out the waterproofing gave out on my left boot around Friday. We had some pretty heavy rain overnight and while out collecting samples for the Water Lab, I stepped in a puddle getting out of my work truck. The puddle was on a few inches deep, but I could almost immediately feel the water hit the sock on my left foot. My boots typically get covered in lime since we mix lime and water into a slurry for neutralization in our system, and additionally my boots have the potential of coming in contact with sulfuric, phosphuric, sulmafic, nitric and hydrochloric acids. So, my boots aren't exactly subject to an "safe" environment, but I take them in about every month and a half to the local Redwing store to be oiled. Between the heavy tread loss, the way the insoles have worn down making the boots feel loose inside (contributing to rapid wearing on my socks) and now the loss of waterproofing on my left boot, I am now having second thoughts where to go through with buying another set of Redwings this year. I get a $125 yearly boot allowance. The things that make the Redwings appealing are being able to take them in every 30 days to be oiled (and having laces replaced when worn) for free, Corporate has a deal with them giving us a 15% discount, and if I go through a Redwing store, I have a form that I use so I only have to pay anything over the $125 allowance. I can still use my boot allowance at other stores, the difference though is having to pay out the full amount upfront then having to submit an expensive report to get reimbursed. How quickly my boots have went down hill, I am considering trying either Wolverine, Rocky or Georgia Boots. |
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I've been wearing a pair of Belleville 790 STs for about two years now. They are abused on a daily basis; corrosive stripping chemicals, 15+ miles of walking on concrete and gravel, kicking heavy machinery/freight until it works or moves (  ), etc etc, 5 days a week, 10 hours a day. They then get worn for everything outside of work, including some part time landscaping on the weekends. Never had a single blister, even while "breaking them in", never had them feel overheated in 90+ degrees.
I don't "rotate pairs" like a lot of people recommend. I don't do any sort of cleaning/upkeep/treatments on them like recommended. They're dirty and stained, but sure as shit they are still waterproof, have plenty of traction left, and still feel like a pair of sneakers. They only thing I do is change out the insoles every 3-4 months and be a little picky about socks (cheapo synthetics from Sam's Club are great daily wear. Gold toe I think?). I know I'm sounding like a commercial, but I really couldn't ask for anything more out of a pair of <$200 boots. |
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Quoted: I just googled those boots and they are pretty nice looking. I like the tread pattern. How does the tread hold up? I at the plant, I am on many different surfaces (tile in the maint. shop, grave in the BTS area, pavement, concrete, and then metal grating over the water and at our groundwater redemption plant.I've been wearing a pair of Belleville 790 STs for about two years now. They are abused on a daily basis; corrosive stripping chemicals, 15+ miles of walking on concrete and gravel, kicking heavy machinery/freight until it works or moves ( ), etc etc, 5 days a week, 10 hours a day. They then get worn for everything outside of work, including some part time landscaping on the weekends. Never had a single blister, even while "breaking them in", never had them feel overheated in 90+ degrees.I don't "rotate pairs" like a lot of people recommend. I don't do any sort of cleaning/upkeep/treatments on them like recommended. They're dirty and stained, but sure as shit they are still waterproof, have plenty of traction left, and still feel like a pair of sneakers. They only thing I do is change out the insoles every 3-4 months and be a little picky about socks (cheapo synthetics from Sam's Club are great daily wear. Gold toe I think?). I know I'm sounding like a commercial, but I really couldn't ask for anything more out of a pair of <$200 boots. |
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I just googled those boots and they are pretty nice looking. I like the tread pattern. How does the tread hold up? I at the plant, I am on many different surfaces (tile in the maint. shop, grave in the BTS area, pavement, concrete, and then metal grating over the water and at our groundwater redemption plant.
I've been wearing a pair of Belleville 790 STs for about two years now. They are abused on a daily basis; corrosive stripping chemicals, 15+ miles of walking on concrete and gravel, kicking heavy machinery/freight until it works or moves ( ), etc etc, 5 days a week, 10 hours a day. They then get worn for everything outside of work, including some part time landscaping on the weekends. Never had a single blister, even while "breaking them in", never had them feel overheated in 90+ degrees.
I don't "rotate pairs" like a lot of people recommend. I don't do any sort of cleaning/upkeep/treatments on them like recommended. They're dirty and stained, but sure as shit they are still waterproof, have plenty of traction left, and still feel like a pair of sneakers. They only thing I do is change out the insoles every 3-4 months and be a little picky about socks (cheapo synthetics from Sam's Club are great daily wear. Gold toe I think?). I know I'm sounding like a commercial, but I really couldn't ask for anything more out of a pair of <$200 boots. Only thing I don't know is about the metal grating, I imagine that's going to be hard on any sole. I work maintenance retail, so my time is all over a paved parking lot, laid concrete backroom, gravel back area behind the store, and the tile sales floor. Most of the discoloring is from the stripping solution we use to redo the wax on the floor which I pretty much do every other night. Dunno what it is, but it definitely has a burn to it if you get it on skin; not to mention it's extremely slippery on the floor, and I'm the only one who can get away without using the little traction footies. And the occasional super-duper-mega-concentrated floor soap that occasionally gets dumped around. SOP when the pallet lifter, floor scrubber, or tow motor takes a dump is to kick the crap out of it
The 15 miles a day isn't an exaggeration, either, I was curious and wore a pedometer one day, very rarely am I just standing around 
And I wear them just about everywhere else for life outside work, including some time for landscaping on the weekends, which is pretty self describing. What they look like after two years of constant use (this July, actually). 
Still very comfortable, never had so much as a slightly damp sock (though, like I said, the right socks help a lot in my experience ETA: in regards to overheating, though, I never had a problem with it since these are technically hot weather boots. No leakage from anything that didn't go above the boot itself ).
YMMV and all that, but I'm sold on them and will definitely get another pair when these eventually kick the bucket. |