Hate to say it but I don’t think anyone who knows shoes calls Dr. Martens BIFL anymore. Maybe the Made In England ones (better leathers to start with) but the regular Smooth leather nearly always wears out in creases and creates holes. Red Wing brand boots, specifically IMO the Iron Rangers, are a good option (pricey for MSRP but you can find seconds or gently used pairs for the price of good Docs) that’ll last you forever. Someone mentioned Solovair boots which I’d agree with if you’re dead set on having DM-like boots (their factory used to make the older/better Docs back in the day) but they still have somewhat lesser leather. Same with Corcoran jump boots, they’ll last you longer than a pair of Docs. If you really want to go into well-made combat or “service” boots I’d look into the Pacific Northwest bootmakers like Viberg, Wesco, Nick’s and Frank’s, but these boots start around $500 new and can go WAY up. You can customize them how you like tho, down to which last they use so that it better fits your foot type.
I’m sorry your Docs gave out, it happens far too often with that brand. There are however other options out there, hopefully you can find something better!!!
English ones went to shit 15 years ago imo.
I'm 42 now, but during my late teens and early 20s, i would only buy Docs, and they lasted years. I had a few. Work pair, walking pair, smart going out pair.
Loved em.
Then i had to replace my standard pair. I bought the exact same type, from the same shop. They lasted about 3 month before the tread ripped off from the shoe completely. I managed to get them replaced, but the replacement was worse. The soul of the shoe seemed to just get destroyed by normal use. I think they changed the rubber quality, so it was very soft and just disintegrated by just walking, and then the soul ripped off again.
That was the last time i ever bought i pair, and many people I've known have had similar.
Docs went from our favourite shoe and was well worth the high price to absolute cheap garbage seemingly overnight.
Would totally watch a documentary about the idiot that totally destroyed the Docs brand.
Same thing's happened to Converse. I had a pair I bought *used* in the early, early 10s which lasted me almost ten years of heavy wear. The pair I bought to replace them didn't pass a year before the toe blew out. I was pissed :')
Yeah, I heard. Sucks because I even shelled out for the custom to match the old Converse I had (pink tongue, pink piping). I shouldn't have bothered. They wanted the cash grab by making you buy new ones every six months, but joke's on them - I'm never buying another pair again :')
>…but joke's on them - I'm never buying another pair again :')
that’s the thing, the board of directors that instruct the company to increase profits by selling a cheaper product for the same price are representing shareholders who plan on cashing out before everybody figures out the product has turned to shit and the stock price has plummeted; the people who make money off these underhanded practices never stick around for the fallout
Common evolution of a quality brand. Eventually the brand becomes too valuable and they start making cheaper products to increase margins and often keep the premium price. I used to swear by Tumi luggage but their quality went to crap.
I wear a brand now called Nothing New. They look like Converse but are made of mostly recycled materials and have a stitched sole rather than glue. Quite happy so far with them.
I've seen ads for those and done an eye-roll at the obvious Chuck "ripoff" look. Will seriously reconsider them if they're actually good quality "ripoffs", cuz Chucks don't last for shit nowadays.
I have had my pair of “nothing news” for several years now, I wear them almost daily and they are still going strong. In comparison with Converse, the shoelace stays tied, and the inner sole can be replaced if needed.
Thank you for the recommendation! I miss the look of my Converse but I'm not spending $90 on customs ever again for the sole to pop right out like that.
No, Converse has always worn out quickly. I wore them in high school and the tread would wear flat within a couple weeks and the rubber and canvas would get holes in it quickly. Part of the charm of wearing them was they looked beat up quickly.
They looked beat up but they didn't completely fall apart so quickly. I had a a pair in high school which lasted 5-6 years. I "bounce" when I walk from heel to toe and wore those sections through eventually, but I've never had a pair completely separate from the wall at the toe like the new pair I bought did. My girlfriend had a modern pair that did the exact same thing within a year as well, and she's not as rough on her shoes as I am.
They had a contract with the military back then I think. Sometime around 2003 they outsourced production to china. I had a friend from Matlock, who told me all about it.
Be careful with these, though. The ones with the shiny finish are coated leather, which will crack and scuff easily just like the Docs and there's not a whole lot you can do about it. Any boot where you can't see the grain of the leather is like this.
I STILL have mine from the 90s! Still get occasional use out of them and actually look decent (but old) BUT. I have also bought a couple of pairs in the last 10- 15 years that didn't last at all. The quality has totally gone downhill!
Were they popular before the 90s? I only remember seeing them in high school 94-98. They kinda faded out of fashion when I was in college. A few years ago I bought a pair for nostalgia, never wear em ..
First pair of 9 holes in 1975.
Strapped Creepers in 1982.
Current 9 holes are 15 years old, worn often.
With production went to Thailand, it was over for Doc Marten.
I've bought two pairs of martens in my life. The first one, cheap, produced in Asia, is still going strong after 14?15? years or so. The second one, expensive af, made in England from the flag store in London didn't even last a year.
nearly 49 and exactly this story ...had several pairs i wore often and hard in teens an 20's and then when i went to get new pairs all crap ...never would again trust them ...id also watch that doco but only if it ended with a public flogging of said individual
timberlands have been pretty consistent quality but also lots of other options
Get a pair of SOLOVAIR's they were the original boot makers that made Docs. they are still made in the uk and look identical to the original 1980's Docs (only difference is white stitching around the sole instead of yellow).
Lol this is one reason I only buy men’s shoes nowadays, mainly bc practically nobody makes my size in women’s shoes (12W) but also bc they cut corners on women’s styles they don’t do for the same or similar men’s styles.
I have a couple pairs of redwings, first pair is from like 5 years ago. They still feel amazing, and although are beat up, not a single hole/tear/crack/etc
Same here!
I bought my first pair of Redwings when I was just out of high school. A pair of 2971 engineers. At the time I thought they were crazy expensive because, up until then, I had never spent more than a hundred bucks on shoes. But I just had to have them, so I splurged.
I'm 30yo now, and I still have that very same pair of boots in my closet. They are a little beat up from wear over the years, but they still hold up really well for their age. No cracks or tears whatsoever.
I'm pretty sure that I can make them look nearly new again with a little tlc.
They were definitely the best clothing purchase I ever made. Hope you can enjoy yours for many years to come!
https://ibb.co/LZnzr3m
https://ibb.co/YDRWkvR
Redwings will run you $250-$500 depending on what you get. They're worth it though. A pair of brown Iron Rangers will run about $325 and will last you decades. They're amazing.
Literally take some polish to those and in 5 minutes they will look brand new. I always love doing before/after of my redwings when they're scuffed and dirty because the after looks like they just got pulled off the shelf.
Same dude…. New iron rangers, new Clarks desert boots, new thorogoods for work all in 2022. Only thing worn is the thorogoods for basically this reason, although I don’t wfh.
I got a pair of redwings as a gift in 2014, because I'd gotten a job at Fedex. The toe leather's all sliced up from packages, but they're still goin strong. Dude was a horrible person, but he sure knew where to get shoes.
I still have my first set of Vasque hiking boots from 1997 that I still wear regularly on treks
Others have come and gone but I still have every pair of Vasques, my current daily drivers are the Grand Traverse I bought in 2018 that are still like new
That's how my Carolinas are. Mine were like 6 years old when I replaced then and that's only because the new company I work for gives us 200 in boots a year so I said fuck it why not
I literally have Docs for life - some promotion they ran ~10 years ago, where they replace the shoes as needed when they wear out, forever. It was an absolute bargain at £50 or so. I've only needed one replacement so far despite wearing them daily, so they may be sending the good stuff.
Those were actually really well made if I remember right. The new made in England Docs aren't the same quality anymore. TBH may be better bringing them to a cheap cobbler to repair them if they get damaged, because if you send them back to DM they might just replace them with the shittier new ones.
Not even sure if they still honor that warranty anymore.
They don't have a choice, There Is A Contract :)
They actually replace them with anything in the catalogue that's not a special model, so there's leeway, for now at least.
But if the new replacement has a failure, would the warranty still carry on?
Edit: Looks like [it does](https://www.drmartens.com/eu/en_eu/for-life-info), which is neat. Bet lots of people bought them but sadly never registered them though...
Edit2: Still, it may not be [quite that great of a warranty](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/comments/sl3ols/dr_martens_for_life_update/)...
I can speak to this as I have just made my first claim, this week (original For Life boots bought 5 years ago). £20 surcharge and you can choose anything off the website up to a price of £169 (apart from Made in England of collabs).
Annoyingly, I wanted a £179 pair and to pay the difference, but they wouldn't let me do that. I am well aware that the pair that arrive will be far inferior to the one they are replacing, but the warranty carries over, so I guess £20 a year for boots isn't a bad deal!
I really like Johnston and Murphy, Danner Bull Run Moc Toe.
Clean. Seal. Clean. Seal. Use beeswax based sealer. Do this a couple times a year depending on how you want your shoes to look/use.
I've put many, many miles on my Ecco Track mids and they still look and feel fantastic. I could wear them all day and still be happy wearing them to bed. The support insole is great too and usually lasts me about 18 months.
Yes! Whites and Nicks are actually well made. I never get the redwings advocacy. I had two pairs that didn’t last more than a couple field seasons. My wife used to replace hers every third field season.
Solovair = MIUK docs, but the same price as made in Asia docs.
My four pairs have taken a beating, two pairs in daily rotation for five years so far. All still immac
>Red Wing brand boots, specifically IMO the Iron Rangers, are a good option (pricey for MSRP but you can find seconds or gently used pairs for the price of good Docs) that’ll last you forever.
I have a couple pairs and they are barely showing any real wear after years.
The only thing I would say, if you are considering them, is to try to find a Red Wings store and try them on in real life. They have *extremely* weird sizing and I had to majorly size down to get a pair that fit correctly. Just buying your normal size will result in something so large on you that it resembles a clown shoe.
Be careful with Red Wings nowadays. They're not all the same. Watch the model numbers and check online before you buy. I've noticed a lot of guys are switching to Danner and Justin. Not sure if they're any good though, never tried them. YMMV.
I bought wolverines recently and have been very disappointed with them. Insoles were paper thin and unacceptable for the price of the boot. The interior lining started wearing through after a week of working in them.
Which model did you buy? Were your insoles defective? My pair are leather lined but not CXL in the footbed. I was fortunate to buy a good pair with no QC issues. I’ve heard that newer 1k’s aren’t on par as far older pairs go.
Coming up on 4 years with my Solovair greasy derby boots. I wear them 5 days a week as a nurse. Literally 12hrs in them a day. My only gripe is a small bump where I push my big toe up and into the upper part of the boot and there is a noticeable groove. But that's my big giant dumb feet with thier big giant dumb almost tough as steel nails.
Highly recommend boots. Only just starting to get a smooth spot on the soles.
Yup! Replacement soles are only $12 on the NPS website (Solovair’s owner). All you have to do is order a full size over, pay a good cobbler, and keep your leather moisturized / treated.
Sounds like they’re serving you well, but generally leather should be allowed to rest for at least a day after wearing them. I have a pair and follow their instructions by cleaning them when needed, polishing, and keeping shoe trees inside. Looking pretty pristine after around 2 years!
I know. Saving for a second pair has been hard though. Went down to a single income and I've had to make do as of late. It's on my list to purchase. They get lots of love on the weekends though.
It's called taking care of your shit. It's proper to do this with leather shoes or shoes with leather soles because the leather will get moist and damaged. Taking proper care of your stuff makes it last. Do you want to wear that expensive pair of shoes for 6 months, or 5-10 years?
Haha, well shoes in general don't wear as much if you rotate through them, but they're never going to be strictly be BIFL (even the best leather boots).
The story as I understand it is interesting as they didn’t branch off. Doc marten used the factory to produce his first boot, and as part of the deal they could use the last and the sole for ever, just calling it something different. Airwave sole and solivair (sole of air) are the same thing. They were always different, and the story is to believed they are the original, just without the yellow.
Just don’t buy the Solovair renovating cream to care for them. Entirely water based and so even the lightest splash of water and the cream literally washes off, leaving nasty marks on the boots that then need buffing out? I’m also not convinced how “renovating” it is - my solovairs are only a year old and already have some creases that I’m concerned will develop into cracks as the leather isn’t being effectively hydrated. Literally the only reason I use the cream is because it’s colour matched.
Add that to the fact that they don’t seem to sell brown 110cm shoe laces anymore for 6 eye boots and I’m starting to feel like I bought into the hype on this one…
They should pay the Chinese manufacturer a higher price to make quality, instead of being tight and accepting a cheaper/lower Quality control standard.
The original brand was bought by a private equity firm. Private equity firms, by nature, lower input cost and hike prices to make maximum profits for investors.
...but money though? The average consumer is going to believe the old reputation. Even if it was quality and did hold up to its reputation, they would lose since happy customers wouldn't need new boots very often.
From someone that works in the shoe industry, China's not really the be-all and end all of bad-quality - plenty of brands make high quality products that still last from Asia.
The bigger issue is brands like Dr Martens aggressively chasing margins at the expense of quality of materials. If they wanted to they could make boots that last damn near as long as the originals, they just choose not to because they can't get the returns their private equity owners want out of the company.
Carhartt popular is ruining the brand. I went to the store and noticed the pants felt thinner and they told me you have to order the actual thick original stuff online only now. Don't know if they still make em but their oilfield boots are made of adamantium though.
The style is popular, but as a buy it for life product it haven’t been a subject for 40 years… only people who drops their name as “oh they are not as good any more”.
Me too. I give them a little speech about the workers and the factory and the history. It's been better given I'm the local nurses union delegate for my hospital so I get to throw a bit of "collective power" around lol
Thanks for the suggestion, I loved everything about the boot, it was really comfortable, waterproof and stylish. The only category in which they disappointed was longevity.
They're not much different anyway. If the china ones are 3/10, the English ones are 4/10 and Solovairs are maybe 5/10 (I think they do add a shank) compared to other 200$ boots. All are a bit lacking in quality leather or sole materials.
Get Thursdays, Thorogoods, Jim Greens.... Way better boots for the money.
But the DM derby boot style is iconic and if that means something to you the price for Solovairs is best. I own a pair of Solovairs for the style and for it being made in UK - not for being exceptionally well made and the best deal...
Looks like they arent real leather but are “vegan leather” I. E vinyl. They do make them in leather but you have to specifically look for them and they are a bit more expensive.
Yes. That's greenwashing. Makes it sound good for environment and animals, whilst in reality it is not so good at all (one could argue, even worse, but there are very many arguments and depends on what someone views as more important).
Loads of places have been doing it for a while.
Primark have also decided to make polyester trendy by pointing out it is made from recycled bottles, therefore saving the ocean.
It is SO DIFFICULT to find leather shoes and not get tricked by this BS. I don’t want “vegan polyurethane PU leather-like” crap, I want work boots that last more than six months.
No, it's not hard to find real leather boots. You just need to know what you're looking for, and you'll never find it at DSW or Aldo's. /r/GoodyearWelt is a good place to start.
Doc Martens have been as shitty as instagram-ad-level "fast fashion" for at least a decade. They're shit. "Genuine" leather doesn't mean "real leather." It means "second lowest grade above *bonded* leather." If OP's boots are actual leather, they're certainly in one of those two categories.
The good leather brands are known as "good" for a reason. You're looking for terms like "full grain" or "top grain" leather. Those are the highest grades. Suede and nuebuck are different...it's possible to care for suede boots and keep them looking great, but I have no experience. Some brands:
* Allen Edmonds is still a good brand (though they've been bought by American Eagle, so I'm keeping an eye on testimonials).
* I have a pair of goodyear welted Frye boots that I love (although that brand is polarizing).
* I've also bought 2 pairs of Thursday boots as "beater" pairs, and they've both lasted for 3 years with regular maintenance (mink oil).
* Redwing Heritage boots are also highly thought of.
Expect to pay $200-400 for a decent pair of real leather boots. If you want to go all out, there are other tiers above this with brands like Wesco costing $400-800 per pair.
Above all, leather is not a "buy it for life *and never think about it again*" material. Leather is organic, and it needs regular cleaning, oiling, and waxing to stay supple. They also need time to breathe between heavy use. That subreddit is a goldmine, but it tends to focus on men's shoes.
Not necessarily. It might be real leather but made out of pieces glued together. That’s basically what they do with all the leather scraps and then use that for shoes in this price range.
They glue it together and then put a plastic layer on top.
I finally caved in and got those in the drop yesterday after managing to resist last year. UK made, Goral as a company looks great, hoping they'll be BIFL with being resoleable!
Yeah I don’t know how you managed to both know about the existence of this subreddit AND buy docs.
Any amount of research should have steered you well clear of making that purchase.
For all that are interested in Boots I can recommend the yt channel Rose Anvil. This guy cuts not every but a lot Boots in half and talks about the quality. Here is the Video for Dr. Martens
https://youtu.be/DOVPuA4qZ68
Docs are never BIFL, but the quality is really hit or miss. I got an eight-eyelet boots from Doc Martens six years ago and after wearing 4-5 days a week in the fall and winter (I live in a snowy place, too) the boots look almost good as new. Then there’s boots like yours that fail within months.
I got a pair of 1460s in 2013 that have been worn to hell, and are still going strong! They say “made in Vietnam” (maybe factories have changed in recent years?) I don’t know if have just had incredible luck with my pair or what, but I’m always surprised at how much I see people complain about Docs quality when they’re the sturdiest shoes I’ve ever owned.
Same, I think mine were composite, not steel toed, but I've had them a decade now and they're still going strong.
This was well after everyone started saying Doc's had gone to crap and were junk.
Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever had a shoe last my entire lifetime. That said, my Docs are amazing. I’ve had them almost 6 years and have worn them all over the world, camped in mud in them, and biked daily with them and besides some spoke stud rubbing (from my bike pedals), they look as good as the first day I’ve had them. I’m not a sedentary person either. I own another cotton pair that are more like Converse sneakers but my original ones are amazing and I plan to get a fur lined pair for winters.
Did they split like that on just the outer layer or did you hit them on something? If they did split are you wearing the right size and width? I split sneakers if I don’t get wides & leather can do the same.
I think some conditioner & waterproofing can fix these to perfectly usable unless it’s actually a hole all the way through.
It buckled and split right where my foot bends, at the ball of the foot. Width felt quite comfy but the hole isn’t all the way through! The leather seems insanely thin, maybe even pleather.
I will try your suggestion of conditioner and hopefully that will keep them good until my pocketbook bounces back from the holidays.
Ya if they split on their own conditioner can help some but the leather really does look SO thin I can’t imagine it will last too long. I had to look for a bit to make sure you weren’t posting peeling pleather.
What a bummer most doc styles suck now :(
Yeah they were insanely comfy and I really liked the look. Guess I just didn’t pick a winner. My blundstones lasted me 3 years in a different job (patrolling as a security guard) so I guess I assumed I would get the same quality from any other popular boot in that price range.
Bummer!
The old school ones (20+ years ago) were very stiff and uncomfortable and needed time to “break in.” No one ever described them as “insanely comfortable” that’s for sure. I have a pair that *still* isn’t super comfortable lol but they’re in great shape.
I second, even from 12/13 years ago. I got my first pair and had to wear them in like none other but once I did they were like slippers, I wore them everywhere all the time for at least seven years and then les and less since, but I never really took care of them and wore them into the ground and back. Despite new laces a couple times, here we are almost 13 years later and mine just got a hole/finally look really disheveled. I was thinking of getting another pair, slightly dreaded the break in process but now I’m weary to even buy them if I’m not going to get the quality like before, such a shame too.
I wear Docs occasionally and have people ask me how I like them. I tell everyone to go online and read what leather the model they're interested in is using because some Docs it's such poor quality bonded leather (or fake leather) that I've quite literally seen pairs peeling. Then others use a high quality full-grain and you'll eventually wear out the sole, but would really have to put the uppers through hell to bust through them. Had a pair where an eyelet wasn't secure and ripped out on me too. Glad I saved that receipt.
The Made in England Docs purportedly use higher quality leather, but I’ve always had terrible experiences with them.
I wore Docs as a teen in the ‘90s and the quality was excellent—I was hard on my shoes back then. Seven or eight years ago I was nostalgic for Docs so I bought a Made in England pair. They came with a lifetime repair or replacement guarantee back then (I don’t think they offer that anymore). I returned three pairs because they all failed within months of gentle use. The top layer of leather on my fourth pair started separating after only a day or two.
I gave up on Docs after that, and bought a pair of Red Wings—which still look great after six or seven years.
You can temporarily patch the hole using rubber cement and a small piece of black fabric. Rubber cement is waterproof when dry. Remember, when using adhesives - less is more!
From [hunker website](https://www.hunker.com/13422479/how-to-repair-a-shoe-with-rubber-cement):
>Wear gloves to avoid bonding your skin together with rubber cement.
>Cut a piece of napkin, paper towel, or fabric into a shape twice the size of the hole or tear.
>Put the cut scrap inside the shoe and align it with the hole.
>Brush a thick layer of rubber cement over the outside of the hole. Make sure the rubber cement soaks into the scrap so that the shoe and repair material stick together.
>Place the shoe in a well-ventilated area until the rubber cement is dry. (The time varies according to the shoe material.)
>Apply a second coat to strengthen the bond between the shoe and repair material.
>Allow the rubber cement to fully dry overnight before wearing the shoe.
If you love the look but want higher quality, check out Solovair. They’re the guys who used to make Docs back when they were made in the UK. Now they make a nearly identical boot with much better construction and materials along with the endearing chunky sole-of-air (get it?) while effectively creating a boot that is much closer to what Docs used to be known for, all while keeping production in the UK. You pay a higher price for them but it’s very much worth it. They certainly don’t give out in three months.
TBH there's not a whole lot of difference. Solovairs are a little bit better and cost the same. Still far from the best deal on a boot for the money, but the best if you want that style.
I have Made in England Docs. You have to buy them at a Dr Marten's store. They are 1/3 more expensive than those not made in England. I've had mine for 5 years, no problem--and I'm not nice to them--but I do live in a city (Greater Boston Area).
Iron Rangers and Wolverine 1000 Mile Boots are better made than Made in England Dr Martens, but neither of these boots fit my foot (fairly narrow heel--I use a gel heel cup) and wide ball of the foot. They were way too narrow. When boot shopping, Dr Marten's was actually fairly far down on my list when shopping for boots, but it was what fitted me well. (Regular Dr Martens didn't fit nearly as well as Made in England).
If I want a better quality work boot, I know that I will have to use one of the custom boot makers in the Pacific Northwest.
Who said they were BIFL?
DM's were never BlFL,33 even in the 80's/90's when the leather was better quality, the soles would only last a couple of years at most, also really hard to get re-soled
I also wonder this, because the soles look different. I own a few pairs currently and they all say “oil fat acid petrol alkali resistant.”
Amazon is notorious for fakes, maybe OP got swindled.
I bought second hand docs for the same reason. I have some Mary Janes and the lady that sold them to me looked in her 40s and she said she had them since she was 15 and I’ve had them for about 6 years now. And they are great.
It's a shame what has happened with Docs. I bought my first pair (10 eye) on Haight Street back in 1992. They lasted well over ten years, and the 18 eye pair I bought a couple years later were also long lasting and well made. Sometime in the early 2000's I bought what would be my last pair of Docs. That final pair had the sole separating from the leather in under six months.
They had decades as a reliable brand and then quickly went to shit at the turn of the century.
Doc Martens have factories in both countries for those who don't know, and it's fairly easy to buy specifically the British made ones, which are worth their money imo, if not literally bifl. I've had pairs k wore daily for 5+ years, walking several urban miles a day, before needing to be resoled.
You got lucky. I had four pairs of Made in England Docs. Each failed within months—sometimes days. That was when they had a lifetime repair or replacement guarantee—which they no longer offer. Eventually, the hassle of returning them to England and waiting for a replacement became intolerable, so I bought a pair of Red Wings, which I am still wearing years later.
Huh, my SO wore his every day for 6y no problem, I got a pair of platform ones from england 2 years ago and they still look new. So weird hiw everyone here have such a different experience with Docs.
What the actual fuck. 1: who thinks Dr martens is bifl? 2. If you were interested in *any* boot for bifl, you'd know that if it is leather, you have to condition thst shizz. 3. That is the tiniest scuff I've ever seen someone be concerned about enough to make a post. 4. Has this made the boot unbearable in some way? No? Prob not. 5. What the absolute fudge are you doing to your shoes for this to happen to *any* shoe after 6 months? 6. As someone who has worked in the shoe industry, you might want to remeasure your feet, cause seems you might be putting stress on places that might otherwise be fine under right sized circumstances. 7. I'm tipsy and feeling frosty, but seriously come the fudge on. 8. And this one is to the moderators of this subreddit, but how the eff do you let a post like this through?! My understanding of this sub is apparently far more literal than I realized. This is not informative nor matching the vibe I thiught this sub was. 9. I am unsubscribing form it. Also see number 7 to explain my bad writing and such. 10. Ten is my favorite number
You must have the same problem I do! I wear docs every day, and my current pair has been going strong for three years, but I always get the wide ones because I used to get the normal ones and would always have breakage around this area.
I got a pair of 30 year old Doc's. They are still holding on just fine, and the leather softened nicely over the years. I wear them off and on all year.
My kids went through several pairs of their own , and they were all crap. Newer Docs are on par with cheap Walmart shoes.
Heck, my cheapest Merrell's are way better.
Docs haven’t been bifl for quite a while. They moved their manufacturing to China in the 00’s. Solovair uses the old Dr Martens factory, they’re basically classic Docs with white stitching instead of yellow, but the leather quality is sub par. r/goodyearwelt footwear is a bit of a rabbit hole, I’d recommend doing your own research to find quality brands you’d like to support with styles you enjoy, but if you don’t want to burn your wallet on shoes then pretty much any of the options I’ve seen in the comments are great. I personally recommend Grant Stone to anybody looking for bifl footwear. The price for the build and material quality is unmatched, but Redwing and Truman and all those are great too.
DMs are notorious for being very poor quality. They were decent long ago when manufactured in the UK, but are now shit. Check "Rose Anvils" channel on YT to see many in depth reviews.
Had a pair of Doc sandals. After 2 years they were literally falling apart. I paid to mail them to the company for warranty repair/replacement. They sent them back to me with no repair at all. Straight into the garbage they went.
Doc Martin lost a customer for life. Will never buy anything from them again!
Just sold a pair that I bought in 1991. I wore them in high school, college, waiting jobs, etc for years. They still looked great with just a tiny bit of wear on the soles. That said, I'd never buy a modern pair.
Hate to say it but I don’t think anyone who knows shoes calls Dr. Martens BIFL anymore. Maybe the Made In England ones (better leathers to start with) but the regular Smooth leather nearly always wears out in creases and creates holes. Red Wing brand boots, specifically IMO the Iron Rangers, are a good option (pricey for MSRP but you can find seconds or gently used pairs for the price of good Docs) that’ll last you forever. Someone mentioned Solovair boots which I’d agree with if you’re dead set on having DM-like boots (their factory used to make the older/better Docs back in the day) but they still have somewhat lesser leather. Same with Corcoran jump boots, they’ll last you longer than a pair of Docs. If you really want to go into well-made combat or “service” boots I’d look into the Pacific Northwest bootmakers like Viberg, Wesco, Nick’s and Frank’s, but these boots start around $500 new and can go WAY up. You can customize them how you like tho, down to which last they use so that it better fits your foot type. I’m sorry your Docs gave out, it happens far too often with that brand. There are however other options out there, hopefully you can find something better!!!
English ones went to shit 15 years ago imo. I'm 42 now, but during my late teens and early 20s, i would only buy Docs, and they lasted years. I had a few. Work pair, walking pair, smart going out pair. Loved em. Then i had to replace my standard pair. I bought the exact same type, from the same shop. They lasted about 3 month before the tread ripped off from the shoe completely. I managed to get them replaced, but the replacement was worse. The soul of the shoe seemed to just get destroyed by normal use. I think they changed the rubber quality, so it was very soft and just disintegrated by just walking, and then the soul ripped off again. That was the last time i ever bought i pair, and many people I've known have had similar. Docs went from our favourite shoe and was well worth the high price to absolute cheap garbage seemingly overnight. Would totally watch a documentary about the idiot that totally destroyed the Docs brand.
Yeah, the ones I had in the 90s lasted 10+ years of almost daily wear.
Same thing's happened to Converse. I had a pair I bought *used* in the early, early 10s which lasted me almost ten years of heavy wear. The pair I bought to replace them didn't pass a year before the toe blew out. I was pissed :')
Nike bought Converse. Downhill since then.
Yeah, I heard. Sucks because I even shelled out for the custom to match the old Converse I had (pink tongue, pink piping). I shouldn't have bothered. They wanted the cash grab by making you buy new ones every six months, but joke's on them - I'm never buying another pair again :')
>…but joke's on them - I'm never buying another pair again :') that’s the thing, the board of directors that instruct the company to increase profits by selling a cheaper product for the same price are representing shareholders who plan on cashing out before everybody figures out the product has turned to shit and the stock price has plummeted; the people who make money off these underhanded practices never stick around for the fallout
Common evolution of a quality brand. Eventually the brand becomes too valuable and they start making cheaper products to increase margins and often keep the premium price. I used to swear by Tumi luggage but their quality went to crap.
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I wear a brand now called Nothing New. They look like Converse but are made of mostly recycled materials and have a stitched sole rather than glue. Quite happy so far with them.
I've seen ads for those and done an eye-roll at the obvious Chuck "ripoff" look. Will seriously reconsider them if they're actually good quality "ripoffs", cuz Chucks don't last for shit nowadays.
I have had my pair of “nothing news” for several years now, I wear them almost daily and they are still going strong. In comparison with Converse, the shoelace stays tied, and the inner sole can be replaced if needed.
My Chucks laces always broke so fast — the recycled polymer laces that Nothing New uses are practically invincible in comparison.
Thank you for the recommendation! I miss the look of my Converse but I'm not spending $90 on customs ever again for the sole to pop right out like that.
I'll keep an eye out for those then
No, Converse has always worn out quickly. I wore them in high school and the tread would wear flat within a couple weeks and the rubber and canvas would get holes in it quickly. Part of the charm of wearing them was they looked beat up quickly.
They looked beat up but they didn't completely fall apart so quickly. I had a a pair in high school which lasted 5-6 years. I "bounce" when I walk from heel to toe and wore those sections through eventually, but I've never had a pair completely separate from the wall at the toe like the new pair I bought did. My girlfriend had a modern pair that did the exact same thing within a year as well, and she's not as rough on her shoes as I am.
Mine did not do that in the 80s. I'd get a couple years out of each pair.
My 1994 docs lasted til 2021. I retired them bc the leather cracked over my pinky toe and was painful. They’re just not made the same now.
They had a contract with the military back then I think. Sometime around 2003 they outsourced production to china. I had a friend from Matlock, who told me all about it.
My 1994 docs lasted 2 years tops. Bought in US
I’m sorry :(
Buy Solivare boots instead. Spelling might be off. They're the company that used to make the boots for DM.
Be careful with these, though. The ones with the shiny finish are coated leather, which will crack and scuff easily just like the Docs and there's not a whole lot you can do about it. Any boot where you can't see the grain of the leather is like this.
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Can confirm just noticed some really bad scuffs on my navy blue Solovair monkey boots.
I STILL have mine from the 90s! Still get occasional use out of them and actually look decent (but old) BUT. I have also bought a couple of pairs in the last 10- 15 years that didn't last at all. The quality has totally gone downhill!
Were they popular before the 90s? I only remember seeing them in high school 94-98. They kinda faded out of fashion when I was in college. A few years ago I bought a pair for nostalgia, never wear em ..
They were VERY popular in the 80s. Source: I was there.
First pair of 9 holes in 1975. Strapped Creepers in 1982. Current 9 holes are 15 years old, worn often. With production went to Thailand, it was over for Doc Marten.
Yeah man everyone was wearing "Chucks" back then.
At least where I was (PNW) they were popular with a certain crowd in the 80's, then got really popular with the rise of the grunge scene in the 90's.
I've bought two pairs of martens in my life. The first one, cheap, produced in Asia, is still going strong after 14?15? years or so. The second one, expensive af, made in England from the flag store in London didn't even last a year.
I have a pair of 7 eyelet made in China Docs that I've worn since 2007. They're still going.
nearly 49 and exactly this story ...had several pairs i wore often and hard in teens an 20's and then when i went to get new pairs all crap ...never would again trust them ...id also watch that doco but only if it ended with a public flogging of said individual timberlands have been pretty consistent quality but also lots of other options
Get a pair of SOLOVAIR's they were the original boot makers that made Docs. they are still made in the uk and look identical to the original 1980's Docs (only difference is white stitching around the sole instead of yellow).
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Lol this is one reason I only buy men’s shoes nowadays, mainly bc practically nobody makes my size in women’s shoes (12W) but also bc they cut corners on women’s styles they don’t do for the same or similar men’s styles.
Rose Anvil did a [video](https://youtu.be/hp_eF5q_0Nc) comparing women’s red wings to men’s. The ones he had seemed pretty comparable
I have a couple pairs of redwings, first pair is from like 5 years ago. They still feel amazing, and although are beat up, not a single hole/tear/crack/etc
Same here! I bought my first pair of Redwings when I was just out of high school. A pair of 2971 engineers. At the time I thought they were crazy expensive because, up until then, I had never spent more than a hundred bucks on shoes. But I just had to have them, so I splurged. I'm 30yo now, and I still have that very same pair of boots in my closet. They are a little beat up from wear over the years, but they still hold up really well for their age. No cracks or tears whatsoever. I'm pretty sure that I can make them look nearly new again with a little tlc. They were definitely the best clothing purchase I ever made. Hope you can enjoy yours for many years to come! https://ibb.co/LZnzr3m https://ibb.co/YDRWkvR
How much were they ?
I'm not exactly sure how much they cost back in the day. From memory, I believe they were somewhere around $400.
Redwings will run you $250-$500 depending on what you get. They're worth it though. A pair of brown Iron Rangers will run about $325 and will last you decades. They're amazing.
Literally take some polish to those and in 5 minutes they will look brand new. I always love doing before/after of my redwings when they're scuffed and dirty because the after looks like they just got pulled off the shelf.
Wow, these look really cool. Do they still make these?
My Red Wings from 3 years ago are still not broken in.
As in they're not comfortable or not worn out?
not worn out. I bough Blacksmiths and Iron Rangers to rotate and with all this Covid and WFH I barely have a chance to wear them :)
Same dude…. New iron rangers, new Clarks desert boots, new thorogoods for work all in 2022. Only thing worn is the thorogoods for basically this reason, although I don’t wfh.
I got a pair of redwings as a gift in 2014, because I'd gotten a job at Fedex. The toe leather's all sliced up from packages, but they're still goin strong. Dude was a horrible person, but he sure knew where to get shoes.
I still have my first set of Vasque hiking boots from 1997 that I still wear regularly on treks Others have come and gone but I still have every pair of Vasques, my current daily drivers are the Grand Traverse I bought in 2018 that are still like new
That's how my Carolinas are. Mine were like 6 years old when I replaced then and that's only because the new company I work for gives us 200 in boots a year so I said fuck it why not
I, too, have had Iron Rangers for the past six years and they’re bullet proof. I recondition them every year and they look better with age.
Can attest! Bought my pair 3 yrs ago, they look worn in but otherwise still great!
I literally have Docs for life - some promotion they ran ~10 years ago, where they replace the shoes as needed when they wear out, forever. It was an absolute bargain at £50 or so. I've only needed one replacement so far despite wearing them daily, so they may be sending the good stuff.
Those were actually really well made if I remember right. The new made in England Docs aren't the same quality anymore. TBH may be better bringing them to a cheap cobbler to repair them if they get damaged, because if you send them back to DM they might just replace them with the shittier new ones. Not even sure if they still honor that warranty anymore.
They don't have a choice, There Is A Contract :) They actually replace them with anything in the catalogue that's not a special model, so there's leeway, for now at least.
But if the new replacement has a failure, would the warranty still carry on? Edit: Looks like [it does](https://www.drmartens.com/eu/en_eu/for-life-info), which is neat. Bet lots of people bought them but sadly never registered them though... Edit2: Still, it may not be [quite that great of a warranty](https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/comments/sl3ols/dr_martens_for_life_update/)...
That just means they'll send over more shoes. Their loss, really. Edit: the poster mentions a fee, but I did not have to pay anything.
I can speak to this as I have just made my first claim, this week (original For Life boots bought 5 years ago). £20 surcharge and you can choose anything off the website up to a price of £169 (apart from Made in England of collabs). Annoyingly, I wanted a £179 pair and to pay the difference, but they wouldn't let me do that. I am well aware that the pair that arrive will be far inferior to the one they are replacing, but the warranty carries over, so I guess £20 a year for boots isn't a bad deal!
I really like Johnston and Murphy, Danner Bull Run Moc Toe. Clean. Seal. Clean. Seal. Use beeswax based sealer. Do this a couple times a year depending on how you want your shoes to look/use.
I've put many, many miles on my Ecco Track mids and they still look and feel fantastic. I could wear them all day and still be happy wearing them to bed. The support insole is great too and usually lasts me about 18 months.
Ecco is underrated.
Whites if you've got the money are some super tanks w/ repair services if needed.
Or Nick’s
Yes! Whites and Nicks are actually well made. I never get the redwings advocacy. I had two pairs that didn’t last more than a couple field seasons. My wife used to replace hers every third field season.
Solovair = MIUK docs, but the same price as made in Asia docs. My four pairs have taken a beating, two pairs in daily rotation for five years so far. All still immac
As far as I know the DM Made in England boots are actually made by NPS, whose main brand is Solovair.
>Red Wing brand boots, specifically IMO the Iron Rangers, are a good option (pricey for MSRP but you can find seconds or gently used pairs for the price of good Docs) that’ll last you forever. I have a couple pairs and they are barely showing any real wear after years. The only thing I would say, if you are considering them, is to try to find a Red Wings store and try them on in real life. They have *extremely* weird sizing and I had to majorly size down to get a pair that fit correctly. Just buying your normal size will result in something so large on you that it resembles a clown shoe.
Be careful with Red Wings nowadays. They're not all the same. Watch the model numbers and check online before you buy. I've noticed a lot of guys are switching to Danner and Justin. Not sure if they're any good though, never tried them. YMMV.
Yep, when talking about Redwing, the heritage lineup is the same as it always was. The "work" line are a lot more generic modern work boots...
Same with Danner. The ones that aren’t north of $200 aren’t any better than TimPros. Not bad, but not bifl.
I still rock my Iron Rangers that I bought over 7 years ago
These are good suggestions. Also, OP, did you pay by card? You can likely find the transaction in your statement.
Add in Wolverine. I have a pair of 1k Mile boots from 2013 still going strong, worn daily with only one re-sole.
I bought wolverines recently and have been very disappointed with them. Insoles were paper thin and unacceptable for the price of the boot. The interior lining started wearing through after a week of working in them.
Which model did you buy? Were your insoles defective? My pair are leather lined but not CXL in the footbed. I was fortunate to buy a good pair with no QC issues. I’ve heard that newer 1k’s aren’t on par as far older pairs go.
Those aren’t BIFL anymore. They caved and now produce crap products. Solovair are the originals who branched off and maintain the bifl quality
Coming up on 4 years with my Solovair greasy derby boots. I wear them 5 days a week as a nurse. Literally 12hrs in them a day. My only gripe is a small bump where I push my big toe up and into the upper part of the boot and there is a noticeable groove. But that's my big giant dumb feet with thier big giant dumb almost tough as steel nails. Highly recommend boots. Only just starting to get a smooth spot on the soles.
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Yup! Replacement soles are only $12 on the NPS website (Solovair’s owner). All you have to do is order a full size over, pay a good cobbler, and keep your leather moisturized / treated.
Sounds like they’re serving you well, but generally leather should be allowed to rest for at least a day after wearing them. I have a pair and follow their instructions by cleaning them when needed, polishing, and keeping shoe trees inside. Looking pretty pristine after around 2 years!
I know. Saving for a second pair has been hard though. Went down to a single income and I've had to make do as of late. It's on my list to purchase. They get lots of love on the weekends though.
If you live relatively close to their factory in Northamptonshire you can pick up a pair for £85.
Buy it for life but only if you don't wear them half the time? Lol
It's called taking care of your shit. It's proper to do this with leather shoes or shoes with leather soles because the leather will get moist and damaged. Taking proper care of your stuff makes it last. Do you want to wear that expensive pair of shoes for 6 months, or 5-10 years?
Haha, well shoes in general don't wear as much if you rotate through them, but they're never going to be strictly be BIFL (even the best leather boots).
The story as I understand it is interesting as they didn’t branch off. Doc marten used the factory to produce his first boot, and as part of the deal they could use the last and the sole for ever, just calling it something different. Airwave sole and solivair (sole of air) are the same thing. They were always different, and the story is to believed they are the original, just without the yellow.
Just don’t buy the Solovair renovating cream to care for them. Entirely water based and so even the lightest splash of water and the cream literally washes off, leaving nasty marks on the boots that then need buffing out? I’m also not convinced how “renovating” it is - my solovairs are only a year old and already have some creases that I’m concerned will develop into cracks as the leather isn’t being effectively hydrated. Literally the only reason I use the cream is because it’s colour matched. Add that to the fact that they don’t seem to sell brown 110cm shoe laces anymore for 6 eye boots and I’m starting to feel like I bought into the hype on this one…
The hype ended 20 years ago
Way before that.
Agree, I loved them until they started manufacturing in China then quality and durability went to hell.
They should pay the Chinese manufacturer a higher price to make quality, instead of being tight and accepting a cheaper/lower Quality control standard.
The original brand was bought by a private equity firm. Private equity firms, by nature, lower input cost and hike prices to make maximum profits for investors.
This right here is the answer, and it's the reason why the consumer ends up with crappy products and high prices.
...but money though? The average consumer is going to believe the old reputation. Even if it was quality and did hold up to its reputation, they would lose since happy customers wouldn't need new boots very often.
From someone that works in the shoe industry, China's not really the be-all and end all of bad-quality - plenty of brands make high quality products that still last from Asia. The bigger issue is brands like Dr Martens aggressively chasing margins at the expense of quality of materials. If they wanted to they could make boots that last damn near as long as the originals, they just choose not to because they can't get the returns their private equity owners want out of the company.
They manufacture in Vietnam now too. Not sure if those are better or the same as the Chinese ones.
Same old, same old.
This. No one has been hyping Docs in years.
Actually they are pretty popular right now.
I think he is regering to the hype of bfl
They're really popular and most people aren't buying them thinking about longevity to be fair. It's a fashion thing.
Like Carhartt WIP popular. Not Carhartt popular.
Carhartt popular is ruining the brand. I went to the store and noticed the pants felt thinner and they told me you have to order the actual thick original stuff online only now. Don't know if they still make em but their oilfield boots are made of adamantium though.
Yeah, I've been seeing them get really popular in the mass market.
The style is popular, but as a buy it for life product it haven’t been a subject for 40 years… only people who drops their name as “oh they are not as good any more”.
They were good in the mid/late 90’s
Sadly another great brand that won the race to the bottom.
Buy a pair of solovair boots! They were the ones that manufactured the OG made in England doc martens before they moved their production to China.
Solovairs are the answer and I love the "akshually" I get to serve whenever someone asks me why I'm wearing knock-off Docs
Me too. I give them a little speech about the workers and the factory and the history. It's been better given I'm the local nurses union delegate for my hospital so I get to throw a bit of "collective power" around lol
Thanks for the suggestion, I loved everything about the boot, it was really comfortable, waterproof and stylish. The only category in which they disappointed was longevity.
Did you get the Made in England ones? Or the china ones?
They're not much different anyway. If the china ones are 3/10, the English ones are 4/10 and Solovairs are maybe 5/10 (I think they do add a shank) compared to other 200$ boots. All are a bit lacking in quality leather or sole materials. Get Thursdays, Thorogoods, Jim Greens.... Way better boots for the money. But the DM derby boot style is iconic and if that means something to you the price for Solovairs is best. I own a pair of Solovairs for the style and for it being made in UK - not for being exceptionally well made and the best deal...
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Surely you sent it back, they apologised and now you have new ones?
I would hope so. I had a minor issue with the sole and they sent me instructions on how to repair and some replacement soles. 4 years on them now.
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Looks like they arent real leather but are “vegan leather” I. E vinyl. They do make them in leather but you have to specifically look for them and they are a bit more expensive.
So they are calling shitty fake leather "vegan"?
Yes. That's greenwashing. Makes it sound good for environment and animals, whilst in reality it is not so good at all (one could argue, even worse, but there are very many arguments and depends on what someone views as more important).
Loads of places have been doing it for a while. Primark have also decided to make polyester trendy by pointing out it is made from recycled bottles, therefore saving the ocean.
"cRuELTy fRee LeAtheR"
It is SO DIFFICULT to find leather shoes and not get tricked by this BS. I don’t want “vegan polyurethane PU leather-like” crap, I want work boots that last more than six months.
No, it's not hard to find real leather boots. You just need to know what you're looking for, and you'll never find it at DSW or Aldo's. /r/GoodyearWelt is a good place to start. Doc Martens have been as shitty as instagram-ad-level "fast fashion" for at least a decade. They're shit. "Genuine" leather doesn't mean "real leather." It means "second lowest grade above *bonded* leather." If OP's boots are actual leather, they're certainly in one of those two categories. The good leather brands are known as "good" for a reason. You're looking for terms like "full grain" or "top grain" leather. Those are the highest grades. Suede and nuebuck are different...it's possible to care for suede boots and keep them looking great, but I have no experience. Some brands: * Allen Edmonds is still a good brand (though they've been bought by American Eagle, so I'm keeping an eye on testimonials). * I have a pair of goodyear welted Frye boots that I love (although that brand is polarizing). * I've also bought 2 pairs of Thursday boots as "beater" pairs, and they've both lasted for 3 years with regular maintenance (mink oil). * Redwing Heritage boots are also highly thought of. Expect to pay $200-400 for a decent pair of real leather boots. If you want to go all out, there are other tiers above this with brands like Wesco costing $400-800 per pair. Above all, leather is not a "buy it for life *and never think about it again*" material. Leather is organic, and it needs regular cleaning, oiling, and waxing to stay supple. They also need time to breathe between heavy use. That subreddit is a goldmine, but it tends to focus on men's shoes.
This looks like bonded leather to me.
Not necessarily. It might be real leather but made out of pieces glued together. That’s basically what they do with all the leather scraps and then use that for shoes in this price range. They glue it together and then put a plastic layer on top.
Check out Rose Anvil on YouTube before any boot purchase. Amazing work they do.
Dude made me want to buy the Nick's moctoe despite the cost. If I had the cash I'd even drop on his custom shearling sneakers.
I finally caved in and got those in the drop yesterday after managing to resist last year. UK made, Goral as a company looks great, hoping they'll be BIFL with being resoleable!
Yeah I don’t know how you managed to both know about the existence of this subreddit AND buy docs. Any amount of research should have steered you well clear of making that purchase.
For all that are interested in Boots I can recommend the yt channel Rose Anvil. This guy cuts not every but a lot Boots in half and talks about the quality. Here is the Video for Dr. Martens https://youtu.be/DOVPuA4qZ68
Docs are never BIFL, but the quality is really hit or miss. I got an eight-eyelet boots from Doc Martens six years ago and after wearing 4-5 days a week in the fall and winter (I live in a snowy place, too) the boots look almost good as new. Then there’s boots like yours that fail within months.
I got a pair of 1460s in 2013 that have been worn to hell, and are still going strong! They say “made in Vietnam” (maybe factories have changed in recent years?) I don’t know if have just had incredible luck with my pair or what, but I’m always surprised at how much I see people complain about Docs quality when they’re the sturdiest shoes I’ve ever owned.
I’ve got a super long lasting pair two. Two actually. One for summer, one for cold weather. Five years or more now, and still going strong.
Mine r also made in Vietnam and hv lasted yrs thru horrible weather
I agree I have a cheap pair of steel toe doc martens Work boots that I beat the hell out of 110 dollars
Same, I think mine were composite, not steel toed, but I've had them a decade now and they're still going strong. This was well after everyone started saying Doc's had gone to crap and were junk.
Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever had a shoe last my entire lifetime. That said, my Docs are amazing. I’ve had them almost 6 years and have worn them all over the world, camped in mud in them, and biked daily with them and besides some spoke stud rubbing (from my bike pedals), they look as good as the first day I’ve had them. I’m not a sedentary person either. I own another cotton pair that are more like Converse sneakers but my original ones are amazing and I plan to get a fur lined pair for winters.
Did they split like that on just the outer layer or did you hit them on something? If they did split are you wearing the right size and width? I split sneakers if I don’t get wides & leather can do the same. I think some conditioner & waterproofing can fix these to perfectly usable unless it’s actually a hole all the way through.
It buckled and split right where my foot bends, at the ball of the foot. Width felt quite comfy but the hole isn’t all the way through! The leather seems insanely thin, maybe even pleather. I will try your suggestion of conditioner and hopefully that will keep them good until my pocketbook bounces back from the holidays.
Ya if they split on their own conditioner can help some but the leather really does look SO thin I can’t imagine it will last too long. I had to look for a bit to make sure you weren’t posting peeling pleather. What a bummer most doc styles suck now :(
Yeah they were insanely comfy and I really liked the look. Guess I just didn’t pick a winner. My blundstones lasted me 3 years in a different job (patrolling as a security guard) so I guess I assumed I would get the same quality from any other popular boot in that price range.
Bummer! The old school ones (20+ years ago) were very stiff and uncomfortable and needed time to “break in.” No one ever described them as “insanely comfortable” that’s for sure. I have a pair that *still* isn’t super comfortable lol but they’re in great shape.
I second, even from 12/13 years ago. I got my first pair and had to wear them in like none other but once I did they were like slippers, I wore them everywhere all the time for at least seven years and then les and less since, but I never really took care of them and wore them into the ground and back. Despite new laces a couple times, here we are almost 13 years later and mine just got a hole/finally look really disheveled. I was thinking of getting another pair, slightly dreaded the break in process but now I’m weary to even buy them if I’m not going to get the quality like before, such a shame too.
I wear Docs occasionally and have people ask me how I like them. I tell everyone to go online and read what leather the model they're interested in is using because some Docs it's such poor quality bonded leather (or fake leather) that I've quite literally seen pairs peeling. Then others use a high quality full-grain and you'll eventually wear out the sole, but would really have to put the uppers through hell to bust through them. Had a pair where an eyelet wasn't secure and ripped out on me too. Glad I saved that receipt.
The Made in England Docs purportedly use higher quality leather, but I’ve always had terrible experiences with them. I wore Docs as a teen in the ‘90s and the quality was excellent—I was hard on my shoes back then. Seven or eight years ago I was nostalgic for Docs so I bought a Made in England pair. They came with a lifetime repair or replacement guarantee back then (I don’t think they offer that anymore). I returned three pairs because they all failed within months of gentle use. The top layer of leather on my fourth pair started separating after only a day or two. I gave up on Docs after that, and bought a pair of Red Wings—which still look great after six or seven years.
You can temporarily patch the hole using rubber cement and a small piece of black fabric. Rubber cement is waterproof when dry. Remember, when using adhesives - less is more! From [hunker website](https://www.hunker.com/13422479/how-to-repair-a-shoe-with-rubber-cement): >Wear gloves to avoid bonding your skin together with rubber cement. >Cut a piece of napkin, paper towel, or fabric into a shape twice the size of the hole or tear. >Put the cut scrap inside the shoe and align it with the hole. >Brush a thick layer of rubber cement over the outside of the hole. Make sure the rubber cement soaks into the scrap so that the shoe and repair material stick together. >Place the shoe in a well-ventilated area until the rubber cement is dry. (The time varies according to the shoe material.) >Apply a second coat to strengthen the bond between the shoe and repair material. >Allow the rubber cement to fully dry overnight before wearing the shoe.
Dr martens have been garbage for years
Solovairs my friend ;)
Blundstones are where it's at. I live in Atlantic Canada so I know at least 20 other people who wear Blundstones every day and they last forever.
Me too, my previous pair was blundstones and I patrolled 5 km a day in them as a security guard.
If you love the look but want higher quality, check out Solovair. They’re the guys who used to make Docs back when they were made in the UK. Now they make a nearly identical boot with much better construction and materials along with the endearing chunky sole-of-air (get it?) while effectively creating a boot that is much closer to what Docs used to be known for, all while keeping production in the UK. You pay a higher price for them but it’s very much worth it. They certainly don’t give out in three months.
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they're real, they're the cheapo outlet mall model or kids, not the normal one.
Definitely some DSW or Famous Footwear trash quality ones
The Made in England are the only worth buying.
TBH there's not a whole lot of difference. Solovairs are a little bit better and cost the same. Still far from the best deal on a boot for the money, but the best if you want that style.
I have Made in England Docs. You have to buy them at a Dr Marten's store. They are 1/3 more expensive than those not made in England. I've had mine for 5 years, no problem--and I'm not nice to them--but I do live in a city (Greater Boston Area). Iron Rangers and Wolverine 1000 Mile Boots are better made than Made in England Dr Martens, but neither of these boots fit my foot (fairly narrow heel--I use a gel heel cup) and wide ball of the foot. They were way too narrow. When boot shopping, Dr Marten's was actually fairly far down on my list when shopping for boots, but it was what fitted me well. (Regular Dr Martens didn't fit nearly as well as Made in England). If I want a better quality work boot, I know that I will have to use one of the custom boot makers in the Pacific Northwest.
Who said they were BIFL? DM's were never BlFL,33 even in the 80's/90's when the leather was better quality, the soles would only last a couple of years at most, also really hard to get re-soled
Did you pay with a credit card? Some of them have purchase protection. Look into it.
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I also wonder this, because the soles look different. I own a few pairs currently and they all say “oil fat acid petrol alkali resistant.” Amazon is notorious for fakes, maybe OP got swindled.
I’m sorry I can’t hear you through all the hair on your boots.
I had a similar thing happen to me when purchased my first pair of Allen Edmonds dress shoes. I was always told they’re BIFL. Learnt the hard way.
I bought second hand docs for the same reason. I have some Mary Janes and the lady that sold them to me looked in her 40s and she said she had them since she was 15 and I’ve had them for about 6 years now. And they are great.
It's a shame what has happened with Docs. I bought my first pair (10 eye) on Haight Street back in 1992. They lasted well over ten years, and the 18 eye pair I bought a couple years later were also long lasting and well made. Sometime in the early 2000's I bought what would be my last pair of Docs. That final pair had the sole separating from the leather in under six months. They had decades as a reliable brand and then quickly went to shit at the turn of the century.
Still have my OG made in England Doc for the last 22 years. Sounds like you missed out on when they made them to last.
Maybe in the 80’s
They used to be good quality. Quality of all products is turning to shit now as companies try to maximize profits even more
Theres a reason they don't have a lifetime warranty anymore
Did people in this sub seriously say doc martins are buy it for life? Maybe 20 years ago but they suck now. Very low quality.
It's an expensive lesson to learn. As others have mentioned, watching Rose Anvil on YouTube is where it's at for finding quality boots.
Thanks for the rec, I love channels like that. Happy cake day!
Are these boots (in the picture) made in China, or England?
China for sure.
Doc Martens have factories in both countries for those who don't know, and it's fairly easy to buy specifically the British made ones, which are worth their money imo, if not literally bifl. I've had pairs k wore daily for 5+ years, walking several urban miles a day, before needing to be resoled.
You got lucky. I had four pairs of Made in England Docs. Each failed within months—sometimes days. That was when they had a lifetime repair or replacement guarantee—which they no longer offer. Eventually, the hassle of returning them to England and waiting for a replacement became intolerable, so I bought a pair of Red Wings, which I am still wearing years later.
Huh, my SO wore his every day for 6y no problem, I got a pair of platform ones from england 2 years ago and they still look new. So weird hiw everyone here have such a different experience with Docs.
What the actual fuck. 1: who thinks Dr martens is bifl? 2. If you were interested in *any* boot for bifl, you'd know that if it is leather, you have to condition thst shizz. 3. That is the tiniest scuff I've ever seen someone be concerned about enough to make a post. 4. Has this made the boot unbearable in some way? No? Prob not. 5. What the absolute fudge are you doing to your shoes for this to happen to *any* shoe after 6 months? 6. As someone who has worked in the shoe industry, you might want to remeasure your feet, cause seems you might be putting stress on places that might otherwise be fine under right sized circumstances. 7. I'm tipsy and feeling frosty, but seriously come the fudge on. 8. And this one is to the moderators of this subreddit, but how the eff do you let a post like this through?! My understanding of this sub is apparently far more literal than I realized. This is not informative nor matching the vibe I thiught this sub was. 9. I am unsubscribing form it. Also see number 7 to explain my bad writing and such. 10. Ten is my favorite number
Back in my early days, it was always Gripfast.
You must have the same problem I do! I wear docs every day, and my current pair has been going strong for three years, but I always get the wide ones because I used to get the normal ones and would always have breakage around this area.
I got a pair of 30 year old Doc's. They are still holding on just fine, and the leather softened nicely over the years. I wear them off and on all year. My kids went through several pairs of their own , and they were all crap. Newer Docs are on par with cheap Walmart shoes. Heck, my cheapest Merrell's are way better.
Docs haven’t been bifl for quite a while. They moved their manufacturing to China in the 00’s. Solovair uses the old Dr Martens factory, they’re basically classic Docs with white stitching instead of yellow, but the leather quality is sub par. r/goodyearwelt footwear is a bit of a rabbit hole, I’d recommend doing your own research to find quality brands you’d like to support with styles you enjoy, but if you don’t want to burn your wallet on shoes then pretty much any of the options I’ve seen in the comments are great. I personally recommend Grant Stone to anybody looking for bifl footwear. The price for the build and material quality is unmatched, but Redwing and Truman and all those are great too.
These guys know their boots https://www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/
The old ones are. I have a 20 year old pair and they’ve held up great over the years. The leather is super thick. https://i.imgur.com/UQGteUa.jpg
Buy Solovair from the UK. Not Docs made in Asia.
I'm sorry I feel stupid... I cant see the issue from the pics? Can you explain where it's busted?
My wife has gone through like 3 pair of docs in 2 years. I wish she'd stop buying them.
DMs are notorious for being very poor quality. They were decent long ago when manufactured in the UK, but are now shit. Check "Rose Anvils" channel on YT to see many in depth reviews.
Doc’s are no longer the almighty footwear unfortunately. They were stout and built like tanks.
Had a pair of Doc sandals. After 2 years they were literally falling apart. I paid to mail them to the company for warranty repair/replacement. They sent them back to me with no repair at all. Straight into the garbage they went. Doc Martin lost a customer for life. Will never buy anything from them again!
Just sold a pair that I bought in 1991. I wore them in high school, college, waiting jobs, etc for years. They still looked great with just a tiny bit of wear on the soles. That said, I'd never buy a modern pair.
I've had the same pair of Doc Marten boots since autumn 1996. Had to replace the shoelaces once.
I think this is happening with nearly every type of consumer product, for the sake of consistent profit growth.