Steel toe boots

[Magicman]

Recently a log fell across my foot and the steel toe cap cut through the leather on my Danner boots.  I know that the split would be a sawdust collector, so I ordered a new pair.  They were waiting for me when we got back from the Pig Roast.  The leather seems much better on these new Carhartt boots.



I'll squirt some Goop in the old ones and make farm boots out of them.

[sawguy21]

You were wise to replace them. Once broken in, those new Carharrts should be very comfortable.

[Paper Maker]

   I've never tried carhartt boots, but I'm sure there a good wearing boot. I have to wear steel toe boots on my job. After 20 years and at least 12 hours a shift sometimes 16 hrs. Your feet start to feel the pressure. I've tried several brands and makes, But I always go back to the Timberland Pro Titan. If you get a chance try them sometime. Your feet will thank you.

[WildDog]

MM the leather in those boots does look good. I am padantic when I buy leather work or dress boots, I open a few boxs of the same boot/size and inspect the leather on each one, sometimes you will get different grades of leather in a pair or other faults. I get strange looks from the sales assistant but don't really care, if I'm paying I want the best.  

[Ianab]

Worth spending the money on good boots. 

Most of my day job is office stuff, but you can end up on construction sites, sawmills, oil rigs etc.  So I wear steel toe "hiking boots", comfortable and dressy enough for all day wear in the office, but gets you into the OSHA "workplace" scene with no issues as well.

Got some Aussie "Redbacks" for real work boots though.

Ian

[WDH]

MM,

Good thing that you were wearing those steel toes or you might be a unicycle  ;D.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Hope you have better luck with the Carhartt boots than I did. I bought a pair a few years back and within a few weeks the stitching was coming apart in places, and within a year they were in the trash. Hopefully I just had a bad pair and you don't have any problems.

[scsmith42]

MM, I wear steel toed boots every day; alternating between a pair of Carharts and a pair of Redwings.

The Redwings are slighly more comfortable, but they have not held up as well as the Carharts (stitching coming apart on the sides).  Every night I put that day's boots on a Peet boot dryer, and take the other set off and stage them to be worn the next day.   I've been getting 2 - 3 years or so out of 2 pair of boots this way

[Magicman]

It is just a chore finding a good boot.  The soles actually rotted off of my Redwings.  The Danners had soft leather.  I'm hoping that these will hold up.  It looks like "Made in China" is the normal now.   :-\

[Ron Wenrich]

Some of the Redwings are made in the USA.  Just bought a pair a couple of weeks ago.

[tyb525]

The GOOD redwings are made in the USA, and they will last a long time. They now also have a "cheaper" line that is made in china, or some foreign country, and they don't last, however they are still priced through the roof.

I like Wolverine boots, the first pair I bought had soft rubber soles, and steel toes. they had awesome grip, but at the time I was on concrete frequently at work, and wore through the soles quickly (6 months). The leather is still in great shape, but resoling them would cost as much as a new pair.

My second pair I am still wearing every day 8 month later, and they are holding up well. The soles are a much harder rubber, and they are not steel toed.

I have a pair of insoles I put in my boots, even if they already have them. This makes wearing them all day no problem.

[Magicman]

I hope that these Carhartt's do well.  I will start finding out today.

[JHBC]

For the leather boots I wear (all my boots a steel-toed), I use Viberg brand, caulk or rubber sole.  They will hold up for many years.  I never dry them, wear them wet if I have to, but grease them like mad, usually with Huberds grease.  I'm wearing my second pair of leather corks in fifteen years.  Pricey, but indestructable.

[clww]

Lynn, I want you to start wearing a suit of armor anytime you are within 50 yards of a tree and 20 feet of your sawmill!

[Magicman]

I wore those boots all day yesterday.  No "break in" necessary.     My feet felt fine at the end of a long day.   

[celliott]

Magic man, were those Danners the Roper GTX? they look exactly like a pair I had.  Wore them out in one summer on a backcountry trail crew.  Figured they ought to have lasted longer than that for Danners, and they had a year warranty so I sent them back and they gave me $180 credit towards a new pair of Danners.  Got the "good ones" the higher grade rainforest boots that actually are still made in Portland, unlike china for the ropers.  They've lasted very well for me, although I havent used them like I did that summer.  Most companies have multiple grades of products like this.  I have a pair of Chippewa boots that look very similar to other Chippewas, except these have a little red white and blue flag   8) and cost about 40 bucks more than the other china made boots.

[Magicman]

I have no idea because after a while the box goes into the trash.  They were really comfortable wearing boots, but the leather was kinda soft.  Anyway, it wasn't the boot's fault that a log dropped and the steel toe cap cut through the leather.  I'm very pleased with these Carhartt's and I also now have a "new" pair of farm boots.   

[tonich]

I wore those boots all day yesterday.  No "break in" necessary.     My feet felt fine at the end of a long day.   

Those Carhartt have been made by Red Wing Shoes in the USA for quite some time now.
However, they are now moving into Black Diamond production, which would suggest higher end footwear:
http://www.dbusiness.com/DBusiness/May-June-2011/Carhartt-Announces-Black-Diamond-Group-As-New-Footwear-Licensee/

You all will be seeing more and more footwear made in China on the local market in the future. Get used to it! 
My personal pair is made by Terra in Canada. ;)

[Burlkraft]

I have a pair of American Redwings with the non-steel safety toe. What a difference in the winter time!

Even standing in my shop on cement all day they feel real nice.

I think they were in the buck fifty range, but well worth it I think.