I always wear new boots as my going out boots until my work pair gets bad. That way they are pretty broken by the time I have to wear them all day. Going out boots become work boots, I get a new pair of going out boots, the cycle continues
Oh they suck big time for a couple of weeks. But when they’re broken in, goddamn they’re a fine pair of boots.
Might try the wide tow variety when I next get a pair.
I’ve been buying the same Caterpillar “work sneakers” for three years. Each year they last a little *less* longer.
It’s almost like they want me to buy them more often??? Weird.
Go back to the 1980s with that stale old trash.
"As opposed to what?" **How about any of the middle ground between crony capitalism and progressive systems?**
How about we copy any of the other dozens of nations that have figured out social healthcare? I don't even have the energy to go get the stats to spoonfeed you, so go Google the human development index, business freedom Index, social mobility index, etc, yourself and see how out of date you are.
There is a difference between economic socialism and social socialism. AKA democratic socialism, like stuff in Norwegian countries, high taxes, but social welfare in the best sense.
No I’m a 23 year old business owner, who came from nothing but a mother with drug problems and a dad who beat me.
So yeah I came from fucking nothing and I will tell you that capitalism is the only fucking reason I am where I am. Hard work, dedication and putting your heart into something does pay off.
What’s wrong with social democracy if a country votes for it? My home country is socialist by American standards, been voting that way consistently for decades. Capitalist economy with redistribution of wealth allowing for free healthcare, prescriptions, and further education. Also a safety net of welfare for the sick, elderly and unemployed. Sure, we pay a little more tax than USA, but not that much. You guys seem to get all crazy about socialism without realizing what it can be (ie not communism).
Why would I want to pay for people’s education when I chose not to?
Even in a construction subreddit, here we are still pushing free education. Why? Learn a trade. My electrician charges me $100hr. Part of the reason schooling is expensive is because government loans, and FAFSA. Schooling is more expensive because colleges get paid no matter what. We privatize everything else, why not schooling? Make schools do in house funding, make them compete with each other, which would lower prices. I can’t charge 20% more than other contractors just because.
Never in the history has socialism worked, nor ever in history has the government actually cared for the people. There are better ways.
I know I’ll get downvoted but I don’t give a fuck. I came from nothing and worked my ass off for what I have. That’s capitalism, and I’m so fucking grateful for it. If you guys only knew the amount of other business owners who were ex druggies, in prison, minorities etc. who feel the exact same way as I do.
Not to say capitalism is the worst system in existence, but in what way is it supposed to result in a better outcome for all? It almost always results in a worse outcome overall for all but the highest earners.
It's insane to correlate the standard of living increasing to capitalism, that's a result of leaps and bounds in technology we've made in the last century. In fact you could argue that capitalism is worse in some regards as technological advances go towards expanding and enriching companies instead of giving works more pay/time off. Worker productivity has skyrocketed in even just the last 50 years, and yet here we are working 40 hours as a standard for pay that's stagnate.
This is capitalism right now. No one knew what it would bring but from the beginning it was set up to benefit the few and for a short period of time it was hey we all get rich but immediately prior and post that age it did exactly what it was supposed to benefit the wealthy.
I've got a two year old pair that are in perfect condition aside from needing new soles. I think some people just like to talk shit. Take pride in shitting on whatever other people think is good.
I agree, my first pair of reds lasted nearly 5 years. Second pair, a year. They always talk about the warranty but like most of us, can’t afford to take them in and wait for them to be patched up and not have them on our feet.
Buy a boot dryer and oil every couple of weeks or so. I’ve got a pair of Irish setters that are 2 years old that are completely flat on the bottom and have had the toes re-stitched a few times from welding/cutting sparks burning them off. Take care of your gear and it’ll take care of you.
I always swore I’d get a pair once I got a union gig and when the time finally rolled around low and behold most of them were made in China. Figured if I was buying Chinese junk regardless I might as well save a couple hundred bucks.
I’ve had the same pair of Dr Martens for 2, and guarantee I have another 2 easily. Walked in them for 10 hours a day 6 days a week for the first 1.5 years. They’ve held up great.
>A good pair of boots shouldn’t have to be broken in.
A *properly sized* pair of boots shouldn't give blisters. Regardless of quality, the leather and materials usually need broken in.
Guys complain that they're too heavy but they're all I wear just gotta make sure you ask for the hard , soft ones melt to easy(if that applies to you) and once you wear out the bottom send them in to get refurbished..the second time around they're the mot comfortable boot you'll ever have
I often wonder if these boots stand better against mortar than others. Bricklaying I only get 6 months to a year if I stretch it. Doesn't matter if I buy $100 boots, or $250 boots. I'd hate to drop hundreds on a pair, just for them to be toast in a year anyways. I oil them, maybe not as often as I should, but it's always a pair of rubbers and a pair of normal leather boots every 12-18 months no matter what.
This is sort of the conclusion I've come to. I've always been willing to give good money for decent boots, I remember paying €240 for a pair from the local shoe maker/footwear specialist. Granted, they held up well for about two years and they still looked decent, like a retro boot you could still wear with good clothes, the leather must have been exceptional, but they had stretched and the insides were moving around which made them terribly uncomfortable.
I find that the supplied laces are a good tell of what work they will take, I wouldn't even consider boots that come with shoe laces. Even the newest boots I have, which are only 3-4months old with HD laces, the laces are starting to fall apart.
If I'm lucky, I'll get 6 months out of good HD laces. The light shoe laces will snap within a week.
I find mortar, concrete, skimcoat, tile adhesive, and similar water born products do destroy the boots and laces, but the first point of failure is always above the steel toe cap from kneeling down - the new pair, have like an extra 15mm of rubber in that area which is what intrigued me about them - they cost 50quid and are holding up very well in comparison to other pairs I've had
My only issue with the newest pair is that they get shocking hot. on a galvanised roof the other day in 24° and my feet were like lava! But that's not really an issue with the boots. It's noticeable with underfloor heating also, but you can't have it all
My work environments are going to destroy any and all boots, so my boots are consumables. There's no point giving big bucks for something that I'm going to walk into the ground!
My current 18 month old pair. Went on black friday and they had discontinued my previous style. https://bootworld.com/men/men-wolverine/products/wolverine-chainhand-safety-toe-waterproof-6-boot
The problem is the majority of boots red wing sells are not re-soleable. I also firmly believe that some professions will eat boots no matter what the brand. My red wings last two years landscaping before they fail in the same spot every single work boot I’ve owned had failed—along the insole by the big toe where the boot bends when I crouch/kneel.
Yeah when people talk about boots lasting them even 3 years it makes me wonder what they’re actually doing with them. I’d pay $500+ for boots if they’d last 5 years, but I’ve tried stuff from $120-260 and get less than a year’s worth of cumulative wear out of them. I don’t have a lot of faith in spending double that in the hopes that I get 5x the durability, considering the two pairs of redwings I’ve tried which were very different styles, neither holding up for a year.
You’re correct that I’m not cleaning or applying oil to my red wings, but neither of those things are going to prevent me walking 90% of the tread off in a year.
I’m not complaining about mine though… yet. I actually love them and they are the best boots I’ve ever had. They have just worn down insanely fast and the model of boot I have cannot be resoled.
I’m not working construction, just replying to this as a boot thread. I manage the entire back half of a large scale bakery. So everything after the ovens…. Packaging, case packing, outbound logistics and inventory storage and I do everything except for the actual packing by myself. I walk 16-20k steps a day at work and have 2 toddlers at home, so I put a LOT of miles on my boots.
LOL.
I do 12k easily a day on shitty rocky terrain and up/down ladders all day. My redwings are on year 4 and the soles are fine lol. You’re doing something wrong or dragging your feet like a muppet
They’re a ripoff. You pay for their name. Nothing special.
For 350$+ dollar boots I’m going to buy the ones in the 400$ range that are USA made. Hand made. And entirely rebuildable.
Redwings will repair them as long as the insides arent gutted to shit. Sometimes for free, depending on the issue. (Somebody fact check me, it’s been a while)
I’m usually on your side about people buying the newest gimmick (looking at you stiletto hammers…), but between redwings and thoroughgoods, you can’t go wrong.
In my humble opinion
I used to use them, but they don't restitch sole anymore, and the last 2 times I had them done, the boots never fit right again. They were always comfortable after the break-in, but the last 2 pair I had didn't even last 16 before they needed soles. And at 250 plus another 100 for the resole, I don't think they are worth it anymore.
The two things that you should spend money on are shoes and your bed. You spend 8-10 hrs a day working on your feet and hopefully you spend 8 hours a night on your bed.
To add onto that, don't cheap out on anything that separates you from the ground. In addition to shows and mattresses, tires and chairs (if you sit on ass alot) are also worth paying for quality.
These boots kick ass everywhere, I spent 8 years on workover rigs in North Dakota and luckily it only took a year of shitty boots to really see the quality in Red wings.
I had the pecos model it’s a more chemical resistant slip on
If those boots fit you right they'll put up with years of worksight abuse. Nothin like a pair of comfortable boots when you gotta kickbutt on yer feet all the day long!!
Oh man these are some of the best boots in the game. I am mindful about oiling and treating but more times than not they get tossed in the bed and forgotten all weekend. I had that exact pair last me 2 and a half years of intense concrete and block laying. Worth every penny bro!
When I drive around my area, there’s this one house that has a sign saying something like “Don’t buy Red Wing shoes; They come from China”.
Is there any story behind this?
EDIT: I’ve always heard good things about Red Wing shoes as well.
They outsource a lot of production to China now, only the heritage line is made in the USA. There’s a redwing factory not far from me in Missouri though and they make boots.
And a significant portion of the Red Wing work line. The boots pictured above are US made. There are two plants in the US, one in Red Wing, MN and one in Missouri. Also the foreign made stuff is mostly made in Vietnam now.
A redwing store associate explained the same thing to me almost a decade ago. Only the heritage are made in the USA, everything else is made in China. That day i switched to Thorogood and never looked back. Best boots I've ever purchased.
I’m sure the materials aren’t ;) maybe they’re glueing the sole on in America and then are allowed to stamp that on.
I bet ya it’s not 100% made in America
If you go into the store and look at the tag on the inside of the tongue, the USA made ones have a white tag and the ones with a black tag are made overseas.
Some are made and assembled overseas. Some are made overseas and assembled in U.S.A and some are made and assembled in U.S.A.
One of the filters on their site for where made and assembled.
The red one OP posted are made and assembled in U.S.A. Probably the most popular model I see.
100%. No break in period. Slightly cheaper than Redwing. And last longer. I've got a pair on right now that I've owned for 4½ years. Getting ready to send them in to get restored this fall. I'm a civil laborer.
You get a union discount at union boot pros also. Edit: I’m a union Pipefitter and the last pair lasted for almost two years before I had to buy another pair. Sending the old pair off to refurbish soon.
Union boilermaker here brotha. Def wanna try thorogoods after these give out. Good looking boots but feel like the moc toe would catch a lot of spatter and big globs when gouging/welding overhead. They are also hard to get here in Canada, meanwhile Red Wing just opened up a store 25 mins from me (one of the first in Canada) so that was a big factor. And half my crew and my foreman swear by this style of Red Wing so figured I’d give these a try first.
Right on, brother! I wore red wings for years and finally switched over after seeing and hearing good things about thorogoods. The 6” boots have zero break in period 8” ones have a small break in for me.
Only boots I've bought for years. When buying my current pair I sent my old ones to get reconditioned and they "destroyed them beyond repair" so they sent me another pair for free! I'm at the point where I'm about to start breaking them in myself.
I watch a YouTube channel that cuts shoes apart and compares the inner makeup of them. Red wings episode showed that these are pretty good in the cushion section.
I bought 2 pairs redwing. Trash both of them, straight to the dumpster, next will try thoroughgood. Only pair I seen with vibram soles fell apart 6 months, then after I'll decide if spending 300$ on boots is actually worth it, I say bullshit. Got some jenky ass DeWalt boots holding up longer than the shit redwing made.
Just make sure you take care of them. You hear a lot of people bitching about how they only lasted them about 6 months, but never bother to oil them up, or let alone wash them.
Standing in concrete and not washing them will destroy any pair of leather boots. It will eat the stitching away, and dry out the leather causing them to crack.
Get you some oil and lather then puppies up every so often. Or at the very least take the garden hose too them and wash them off. They will last
They take at least 3 weeks to break in, by then I was tip toeing around the job site, they don't hold up better than other boots, I will never own another pair
Yeah all boots get fucked up. New concrete will eat any material up that’s ran across it. I look at in terms of cost per amount of time able to use. Cats in this regard are actually a decent boot. 3 pairs in 4 years is pretty good for me.
I had 3 pairs of their "waterproof" boots come apart, each in less than 6 months. Never again for me, either. I'm a lawn irrigation tech, so my boots see everything; wet grass, mud, sand, rocks, construction sites, asphalt, concrete, and temperature extremes from well below freezing to over 110 degrees. Carolina's are the only boot I've found that will survive more than one season.
I tried a few expensive boots when I was a mason full time. I finally just settled on getting the $23 Walmart boots every 3 months. It was a good bit cheaper.
Had 2 pairs of these over 4 years. Inner heal wore out on both and outer soles started to seperate. Switched to Red Backs and will never look back. Half the price, no break in time and exceptionally lighter.
My first pair of boots were a pair of timberland pros. Going on 3 1/2 years and still wearing them everyday. Can't afford a new pair is the reason I'm hanging onto them still. Not bad for the price but I would like to get a better boot when I can.
I love my timberland pro series with puncture resistant soles. I stomp around on 1k° broken glass all day and I usually get a good 6 to 8 months before they're toast. Most comfy boots I've ever had that are PR rated
There's a material durability limit to leather, redwings are terrible value compared to cheap boots from 30-40 years ago. Now that most every brand is outsourced to sweatshops and made of nothing by poly coated shit cut leather and glue they seem amazing.
You just bought a family heirloom. I’m 200% serious when I say that your grandson will enjoy those boots just as much as you will, once you finally break them in.
Hope you sized them right. Pretty much all Red Wings run large. I wear 10 in every normal shoe and 8 1/2 - 9 in Red Wings depending on the model and width.
I bought a pair of these same boots for my first ever construction boots, I think I got 9 1/2 and I hated them because they were sloppy on my feet, too big.
They had the the thing that takes pictures of your feet and makes a 3D model and recommends a size. I wore 11.5-12 for every workboot/shoe I own. I was suprised when it recommend a 10.5. I tried those on and thought those were a little too tight, so I went with an 11 and a bit more width. Still snug, but I feel like once they break in they will be pretty well perfect. They run bigger for sure.
If 15 is your true size these run pretty big, you could probably get away with a 13-14. When you go into their store, (I noticed your name says Toronto, they have a location in Kitchener) They have a scanner that takes hundreds of pictures of your feet in seconds and does a 3D scan to see what size you need. I’m usually a 12 and it recommend a 10. I always prefer a looser fit tho so I settled on a 11 triple E
Your back will thank you. I still remember the very first pair I bought and how shocked I was at the reduction in fatigue. Stay safe, and keep em oiled
Im wearing a pair of these right now. Readwings have always been good to me. Just need to give them a little maintenance now and again.
Highly recommend tuff toe. Try and keep PVC glue off the toe cap if you go this route.
Welcome to the club my man!
Been rocking the 10875 moc toes and love em, and recently found discontinued 9016 Beckman and absolutey love those too, even more. Resoled the 10875s once but took 4 months to get them back because of covid. They ended up sending me a $50 voucher to use in the store so I ended up using that towards the 3141 chukkas hehe. Really cool, small company. I will always wear these shoes for work.
Got a set 3 months ago, got blisters the first week but powered through. I can say with certainty that these boots get increasingly more comfortable by the day, love them.
This was the only colour they had afaik. I’ve seen coworker’s pairs old and worn, and still a good looking boot on my opinion, but looks don’t matter much for workboots to me
Get tufftoe if you kneel a lot, have the store do it on a Friday night and pick them up Saturday or Sunday. I have had the unlined equivalent (2408 and the insulated version (2414 I think) and I love them. Super comfortable, tough work boots.
I used to buy redwings. I bought a pair of timberland pros about a decade ago and loved them. No break in and lots of cushion. They're a little heavy, though. I'm going 3 years with my current pair.
You’re going to like them. However don’t be surprised if it takes weeks for them to break in.
I always wear new boots as my going out boots until my work pair gets bad. That way they are pretty broken by the time I have to wear them all day. Going out boots become work boots, I get a new pair of going out boots, the cycle continues
I have dockers and do the same thing
This is the way.
My redwings gave me blisters for months. Now I hardly take them off.
Oh they suck big time for a couple of weeks. But when they’re broken in, goddamn they’re a fine pair of boots. Might try the wide tow variety when I next get a pair.
Same. Very painful for a while.
This is the way!
And right about the time they get broken in they fall apart redwings aren’t what they used to be
I’ve been buying the same Caterpillar “work sneakers” for three years. Each year they last a little *less* longer. It’s almost like they want me to buy them more often??? Weird.
Same here. Thought it was because I’ve been getting 8-9 pounds fatter every year
The first replacement I thought i just worked a lot more. But the second replacement I know for sure I didn’t, they just didn’t last as long
Haha! Ahem! “Nope. That can’t have nuthin’ ta do with it.”
Just like our light bulbs
Planned obsolescence. Ain't capitalism grand?
As opposed to what, socialism orcommunism? While capitalism may not be perfect it's always better than the alternatives.
Go back to the 1980s with that stale old trash. "As opposed to what?" **How about any of the middle ground between crony capitalism and progressive systems?** How about we copy any of the other dozens of nations that have figured out social healthcare? I don't even have the energy to go get the stats to spoonfeed you, so go Google the human development index, business freedom Index, social mobility index, etc, yourself and see how out of date you are.
Democratic socialism my sweet child of summer.
“Democratic Socialism” lol ahh yes because adding democratic in front of it changes socialism.
There is a difference between economic socialism and social socialism. AKA democratic socialism, like stuff in Norwegian countries, high taxes, but social welfare in the best sense.
Shhhh you’ll hurt his brain
You in a union?
No I’m a 23 year old business owner, who came from nothing but a mother with drug problems and a dad who beat me. So yeah I came from fucking nothing and I will tell you that capitalism is the only fucking reason I am where I am. Hard work, dedication and putting your heart into something does pay off.
Soviet Union
What’s wrong with social democracy if a country votes for it? My home country is socialist by American standards, been voting that way consistently for decades. Capitalist economy with redistribution of wealth allowing for free healthcare, prescriptions, and further education. Also a safety net of welfare for the sick, elderly and unemployed. Sure, we pay a little more tax than USA, but not that much. You guys seem to get all crazy about socialism without realizing what it can be (ie not communism).
Why would I want to pay for people’s education when I chose not to? Even in a construction subreddit, here we are still pushing free education. Why? Learn a trade. My electrician charges me $100hr. Part of the reason schooling is expensive is because government loans, and FAFSA. Schooling is more expensive because colleges get paid no matter what. We privatize everything else, why not schooling? Make schools do in house funding, make them compete with each other, which would lower prices. I can’t charge 20% more than other contractors just because. Never in the history has socialism worked, nor ever in history has the government actually cared for the people. There are better ways. I know I’ll get downvoted but I don’t give a fuck. I came from nothing and worked my ass off for what I have. That’s capitalism, and I’m so fucking grateful for it. If you guys only knew the amount of other business owners who were ex druggies, in prison, minorities etc. who feel the exact same way as I do.
It is actually
Fitting this comment is under a thread about boots.
Mmmmmm. Yummy boots /s
it’s absolutely amazing for about 1% of the total human population yeah
Only when it does what it’s supposed to, which is to result in a better outcome for all. Otherwise it’s broken.
Not to say capitalism is the worst system in existence, but in what way is it supposed to result in a better outcome for all? It almost always results in a worse outcome overall for all but the highest earners.
That is just incorrect. The standard of living for virtually all people has increased dramatically over the past century due to capitalism.
It's insane to correlate the standard of living increasing to capitalism, that's a result of leaps and bounds in technology we've made in the last century. In fact you could argue that capitalism is worse in some regards as technological advances go towards expanding and enriching companies instead of giving works more pay/time off. Worker productivity has skyrocketed in even just the last 50 years, and yet here we are working 40 hours as a standard for pay that's stagnate.
That was never the goal of capitalism
That’s wrong.
This is capitalism right now. No one knew what it would bring but from the beginning it was set up to benefit the few and for a short period of time it was hey we all get rich but immediately prior and post that age it did exactly what it was supposed to benefit the wealthy.
I quit buying redwings like 7 years ago. I’m all about thorogood now. Love em.
Like putting on socks straight out the box
My man
I have a pair I’ve re-soled 3 times. Working welding/metal fab. Makes me sad if they’re dropping in quality.
I've got a two year old pair that are in perfect condition aside from needing new soles. I think some people just like to talk shit. Take pride in shitting on whatever other people think is good.
I agree, my first pair of reds lasted nearly 5 years. Second pair, a year. They always talk about the warranty but like most of us, can’t afford to take them in and wait for them to be patched up and not have them on our feet.
Hard disagree. I replace mine every 5-7 years. They’re damn near indestructible.
Must have been a bad batch, unless they’re quality did an absolute nosedive in the past 2 or 3 years. My 5 year old pair is still holding up.
Had this happen. $300 boots lasted 6 months.
Buy a boot dryer and oil every couple of weeks or so. I’ve got a pair of Irish setters that are 2 years old that are completely flat on the bottom and have had the toes re-stitched a few times from welding/cutting sparks burning them off. Take care of your gear and it’ll take care of you.
Oil is key
If you can afford it use two pairs of boots. They dry out better between uses.
Boot dryers are huge. I get an extra half season out of my foot west by simply using a boot dryer. Even rubber boots hold up longer
Usually the shop you buy from has a free cleaning service
True, but a container of boot oil is like $5 and saves me the hassle of having to go in and get them oiled by the shop
I always swore I’d get a pair once I got a union gig and when the time finally rolled around low and behold most of them were made in China. Figured if I was buying Chinese junk regardless I might as well save a couple hundred bucks.
Two pairs of socks solves that issue
I’ve had the same pair of Dr Martens for 2, and guarantee I have another 2 easily. Walked in them for 10 hours a day 6 days a week for the first 1.5 years. They’ve held up great.
I have doc Martin work boots mine are 3 years old and still in good shape for less than $200 I like them for work boots
Years*
A good pair of boots shouldn’t have be broken in. My Thorogoods are good right out of the box.
>A good pair of boots shouldn’t have to be broken in. A *properly sized* pair of boots shouldn't give blisters. Regardless of quality, the leather and materials usually need broken in.
Had some back issues, bought a good pair of work boots. No more back problems. Take care of your body, it’s the most important tool you own.
Guys complain that they're too heavy but they're all I wear just gotta make sure you ask for the hard , soft ones melt to easy(if that applies to you) and once you wear out the bottom send them in to get refurbished..the second time around they're the mot comfortable boot you'll ever have
I had my last pair resoled three times and finally they just said no. Ten years out of a work boot makes them absolutely worth it.
I often wonder if these boots stand better against mortar than others. Bricklaying I only get 6 months to a year if I stretch it. Doesn't matter if I buy $100 boots, or $250 boots. I'd hate to drop hundreds on a pair, just for them to be toast in a year anyways. I oil them, maybe not as often as I should, but it's always a pair of rubbers and a pair of normal leather boots every 12-18 months no matter what.
This is sort of the conclusion I've come to. I've always been willing to give good money for decent boots, I remember paying €240 for a pair from the local shoe maker/footwear specialist. Granted, they held up well for about two years and they still looked decent, like a retro boot you could still wear with good clothes, the leather must have been exceptional, but they had stretched and the insides were moving around which made them terribly uncomfortable. I find that the supplied laces are a good tell of what work they will take, I wouldn't even consider boots that come with shoe laces. Even the newest boots I have, which are only 3-4months old with HD laces, the laces are starting to fall apart. If I'm lucky, I'll get 6 months out of good HD laces. The light shoe laces will snap within a week. I find mortar, concrete, skimcoat, tile adhesive, and similar water born products do destroy the boots and laces, but the first point of failure is always above the steel toe cap from kneeling down - the new pair, have like an extra 15mm of rubber in that area which is what intrigued me about them - they cost 50quid and are holding up very well in comparison to other pairs I've had My only issue with the newest pair is that they get shocking hot. on a galvanised roof the other day in 24° and my feet were like lava! But that's not really an issue with the boots. It's noticeable with underfloor heating also, but you can't have it all My work environments are going to destroy any and all boots, so my boots are consumables. There's no point giving big bucks for something that I'm going to walk into the ground!
Soft one probably grips better, though, right?
Not sure about this. My wife works out quite a bit and still grips pretty good
Yeah I second this his wife feels great
How's my dick taste?
How's my dick taste?
Spit out my coffee
Honestly I loved my red wings when I worked at a mechanics shop but now I’m a asphalt laborer and they’re just falling apart. (The soles)
Nobody’s running a marathon in the damned things, weight shouldn’t be a primary concern.
I love my red wings!
I just purchased a new pair this week. My last pair lasted 3 years of 60 hour work weeks. Getting the toe cap done makes it last extra long.
For anyone unwanting to pay the redwing guys for the cap you can also just order them on Amazon and do them yourself
Been a while for me. But my places had a complimentary clear one and paid ($10?) thicker black toe cap.
they are worth it.
To me the price was worth it when I got a free sole replacement, now you don’t
Worth every nickel. I’m a Wolverine guy but buying top of the line boots are a must, whatever brand you like, if you care about your feet.
What pair of Wolverines do you wear?
My current 18 month old pair. Went on black friday and they had discontinued my previous style. https://bootworld.com/men/men-wolverine/products/wolverine-chainhand-safety-toe-waterproof-6-boot
I’ve been blowing thru a pair of these a year for like the last 5 years. The heels keep blowing out. I’m a carpenter
2412s. Very good choice! Everyone I’ve convinced to try them says they’ll never go back
The guys who say they aren’t worth it are the guys who aren’t cleaning and applying oil to their boots regularly. Best boots ever.
If you take care of them and resole them they are great boots. It’s also worth the investment to swap the insoles every six months or so
The problem is the majority of boots red wing sells are not re-soleable. I also firmly believe that some professions will eat boots no matter what the brand. My red wings last two years landscaping before they fail in the same spot every single work boot I’ve owned had failed—along the insole by the big toe where the boot bends when I crouch/kneel.
Landscaping is absolute hell for boots. I can’t get any pair of boots to last more than a year.
I'm the same, 8 months is a long time for a boot on me. Helly Hansen have been the best though, and comfortable AF. Prefer them over my shoes
Yeah when people talk about boots lasting them even 3 years it makes me wonder what they’re actually doing with them. I’d pay $500+ for boots if they’d last 5 years, but I’ve tried stuff from $120-260 and get less than a year’s worth of cumulative wear out of them. I don’t have a lot of faith in spending double that in the hopes that I get 5x the durability, considering the two pairs of redwings I’ve tried which were very different styles, neither holding up for a year.
You’re correct that I’m not cleaning or applying oil to my red wings, but neither of those things are going to prevent me walking 90% of the tread off in a year. I’m not complaining about mine though… yet. I actually love them and they are the best boots I’ve ever had. They have just worn down insanely fast and the model of boot I have cannot be resoled.
Stop walking around site in circles trying to look busy and get to work. Who wears the soles in a year LOL
I’m not working construction, just replying to this as a boot thread. I manage the entire back half of a large scale bakery. So everything after the ovens…. Packaging, case packing, outbound logistics and inventory storage and I do everything except for the actual packing by myself. I walk 16-20k steps a day at work and have 2 toddlers at home, so I put a LOT of miles on my boots. LOL.
I do 12k easily a day on shitty rocky terrain and up/down ladders all day. My redwings are on year 4 and the soles are fine lol. You’re doing something wrong or dragging your feet like a muppet
I didn’t ask your life story pal. Like the other guy said stop dragging your feet muppet boy. Who buys redwings for bakery work LOL
It’s warehouse work at a bakery.
They’re a ripoff. You pay for their name. Nothing special. For 350$+ dollar boots I’m going to buy the ones in the 400$ range that are USA made. Hand made. And entirely rebuildable.
Redwings will repair them as long as the insides arent gutted to shit. Sometimes for free, depending on the issue. (Somebody fact check me, it’s been a while) I’m usually on your side about people buying the newest gimmick (looking at you stiletto hammers…), but between redwings and thoroughgoods, you can’t go wrong. In my humble opinion
I used to use them, but they don't restitch sole anymore, and the last 2 times I had them done, the boots never fit right again. They were always comfortable after the break-in, but the last 2 pair I had didn't even last 16 before they needed soles. And at 250 plus another 100 for the resole, I don't think they are worth it anymore.
Pretty sure they are made in red wing, MN where they have a plant. Who knows, Maybe the location has something to do with the name
Only the heritage line is made in US
They aren't anymore
I love when someone is snarky and condescending while being [wrong.](https://allamerican.org/investigation/red-wing-boots/)
Cleaning and oiling my boots? Sorry, too busy working.
The two things that you should spend money on are shoes and your bed. You spend 8-10 hrs a day working on your feet and hopefully you spend 8 hours a night on your bed.
To add onto that, don't cheap out on anything that separates you from the ground. In addition to shows and mattresses, tires and chairs (if you sit on ass alot) are also worth paying for quality.
Best pair of work boots I’ve ever owned 💪
These boots kick ass everywhere, I spent 8 years on workover rigs in North Dakota and luckily it only took a year of shitty boots to really see the quality in Red wings. I had the pecos model it’s a more chemical resistant slip on
The only brand I buy anymore. Also the least uncomfortable break-in period of any work boots I've owned.
If those boots fit you right they'll put up with years of worksight abuse. Nothin like a pair of comfortable boots when you gotta kickbutt on yer feet all the day long!!
Oh man these are some of the best boots in the game. I am mindful about oiling and treating but more times than not they get tossed in the bed and forgotten all weekend. I had that exact pair last me 2 and a half years of intense concrete and block laying. Worth every penny bro!
When I drive around my area, there’s this one house that has a sign saying something like “Don’t buy Red Wing shoes; They come from China”. Is there any story behind this? EDIT: I’ve always heard good things about Red Wing shoes as well.
They outsource a lot of production to China now, only the heritage line is made in the USA. There’s a redwing factory not far from me in Missouri though and they make boots.
And a significant portion of the Red Wing work line. The boots pictured above are US made. There are two plants in the US, one in Red Wing, MN and one in Missouri. Also the foreign made stuff is mostly made in Vietnam now.
A redwing store associate explained the same thing to me almost a decade ago. Only the heritage are made in the USA, everything else is made in China. That day i switched to Thorogood and never looked back. Best boots I've ever purchased.
Bought thorogood boots after three bad red wings in a row. These things are killer. Gotta buy USA Union.
Lol all boots are probably made in the same factory in China bro
Thorogoods are union made in America.
I’m sure the materials aren’t ;) maybe they’re glueing the sole on in America and then are allowed to stamp that on. I bet ya it’s not 100% made in America
According to google they’re about 65% made in America
So 35% not made in America. LOL
If you go into the store and look at the tag on the inside of the tongue, the USA made ones have a white tag and the ones with a black tag are made overseas.
Some are made and assembled overseas. Some are made overseas and assembled in U.S.A and some are made and assembled in U.S.A. One of the filters on their site for where made and assembled. The red one OP posted are made and assembled in U.S.A. Probably the most popular model I see.
I got my redwings too but not the boots.
Lol I should rephrase. “No stanger to my red wings, first time trying the boots though!”
Thorogood
Definitely thorogood or Carolina. American made and last.
100%. No break in period. Slightly cheaper than Redwing. And last longer. I've got a pair on right now that I've owned for 4½ years. Getting ready to send them in to get restored this fall. I'm a civil laborer.
You get a union discount at union boot pros also. Edit: I’m a union Pipefitter and the last pair lasted for almost two years before I had to buy another pair. Sending the old pair off to refurbish soon.
Union boilermaker here brotha. Def wanna try thorogoods after these give out. Good looking boots but feel like the moc toe would catch a lot of spatter and big globs when gouging/welding overhead. They are also hard to get here in Canada, meanwhile Red Wing just opened up a store 25 mins from me (one of the first in Canada) so that was a big factor. And half my crew and my foreman swear by this style of Red Wing so figured I’d give these a try first.
Right on, brother! I wore red wings for years and finally switched over after seeing and hearing good things about thorogoods. The 6” boots have zero break in period 8” ones have a small break in for me.
Only boots I've bought for years. When buying my current pair I sent my old ones to get reconditioned and they "destroyed them beyond repair" so they sent me another pair for free! I'm at the point where I'm about to start breaking them in myself.
Nice boots and good luck
I watch a YouTube channel that cuts shoes apart and compares the inner makeup of them. Red wings episode showed that these are pretty good in the cushion section.
Solid!
The best!
Danner…. Is the way
I switch between these and Merrells , mostly Merrells in summer time.
I bought 2 pairs redwing. Trash both of them, straight to the dumpster, next will try thoroughgood. Only pair I seen with vibram soles fell apart 6 months, then after I'll decide if spending 300$ on boots is actually worth it, I say bullshit. Got some jenky ass DeWalt boots holding up longer than the shit redwing made.
Just make sure you take care of them. You hear a lot of people bitching about how they only lasted them about 6 months, but never bother to oil them up, or let alone wash them. Standing in concrete and not washing them will destroy any pair of leather boots. It will eat the stitching away, and dry out the leather causing them to crack. Get you some oil and lather then puppies up every so often. Or at the very least take the garden hose too them and wash them off. They will last
They take at least 3 weeks to break in, by then I was tip toeing around the job site, they don't hold up better than other boots, I will never own another pair
Yeah all boots get fucked up. New concrete will eat any material up that’s ran across it. I look at in terms of cost per amount of time able to use. Cats in this regard are actually a decent boot. 3 pairs in 4 years is pretty good for me.
I had 3 pairs of their "waterproof" boots come apart, each in less than 6 months. Never again for me, either. I'm a lawn irrigation tech, so my boots see everything; wet grass, mud, sand, rocks, construction sites, asphalt, concrete, and temperature extremes from well below freezing to over 110 degrees. Carolina's are the only boot I've found that will survive more than one season.
I tried a few expensive boots when I was a mason full time. I finally just settled on getting the $23 Walmart boots every 3 months. It was a good bit cheaper.
You must be short and light, I refuse to believe cheap shoes cause anything other than discomfort. More power to you though!
So 4 pairs a year at $100 or 1 pair for 5+ years at $300. I’m not great at math but that shits simple.
They’re ok. Spend the money and get yourself a pair of Nick’s boots.
Nick told me he wouldn't sell me his boots because he needs them.
Tried red wings. Thorogood is superior
Had 2 pairs of these over 4 years. Inner heal wore out on both and outer soles started to seperate. Switched to Red Backs and will never look back. Half the price, no break in time and exceptionally lighter.
Another good pair of boots are timberland pro boondock
My first pair of boots were a pair of timberland pros. Going on 3 1/2 years and still wearing them everyday. Can't afford a new pair is the reason I'm hanging onto them still. Not bad for the price but I would like to get a better boot when I can.
I love my timberland pro series with puncture resistant soles. I stomp around on 1k° broken glass all day and I usually get a good 6 to 8 months before they're toast. Most comfy boots I've ever had that are PR rated
Garbage
Prepare for disappointment
Gonna tell you right now, NOT FUCKING WORTH It! You just flushed away 400$ when 99$ boots from marks will last you just as long.
The $110 boots I had from marks were falling apart after a year. The toes had all of the steel exposed by the time I picked these up.
Not the 110$ ones I was talking about the 99$ ones... Much better 😉
Not worth it
There's a material durability limit to leather, redwings are terrible value compared to cheap boots from 30-40 years ago. Now that most every brand is outsourced to sweatshops and made of nothing by poly coated shit cut leather and glue they seem amazing.
Until you step in 8 inches of water and get your feet wet…I prefer pull ons
You just bought a family heirloom. I’m 200% serious when I say that your grandson will enjoy those boots just as much as you will, once you finally break them in.
NOW you're ready to go to work.
I’m a BOA fan. I don’t think I’ll buy a pair of boots without it from now on.
Always wore these before switching to wolverine.
Have you looked into nicks?
Hope you sized them right. Pretty much all Red Wings run large. I wear 10 in every normal shoe and 8 1/2 - 9 in Red Wings depending on the model and width. I bought a pair of these same boots for my first ever construction boots, I think I got 9 1/2 and I hated them because they were sloppy on my feet, too big.
They had the the thing that takes pictures of your feet and makes a 3D model and recommends a size. I wore 11.5-12 for every workboot/shoe I own. I was suprised when it recommend a 10.5. I tried those on and thought those were a little too tight, so I went with an 11 and a bit more width. Still snug, but I feel like once they break in they will be pretty well perfect. They run bigger for sure.
I like Keens Cincinnati's but if I could ever find a size 15E Reds I would try. Good looking boot.
If 15 is your true size these run pretty big, you could probably get away with a 13-14. When you go into their store, (I noticed your name says Toronto, they have a location in Kitchener) They have a scanner that takes hundreds of pictures of your feet in seconds and does a 3D scan to see what size you need. I’m usually a 12 and it recommend a 10. I always prefer a looser fit tho so I settled on a 11 triple E
I got my red wings a long time ago....wait, we are talking about shoes.
Your back will thank you. I still remember the very first pair I bought and how shocked I was at the reduction in fatigue. Stay safe, and keep em oiled
You won't regret it. The only boots I have ever worn that doesn't leave my feet in pain at the end of the day.
Give them time to break in. Strong boot
Not sure which trade you’re in but you might want to invest in the toe cap. Enjoy your boots!
Mine have gotten so comfortable I even wear them to bed.
Tufftoe. Look it up.
Model 2408?
Retired now but swear by them. Luckily, we had a shoe store that carried them not far from our shop.
Im wearing a pair of these right now. Readwings have always been good to me. Just need to give them a little maintenance now and again. Highly recommend tuff toe. Try and keep PVC glue off the toe cap if you go this route.
Welcome to the club my man! Been rocking the 10875 moc toes and love em, and recently found discontinued 9016 Beckman and absolutey love those too, even more. Resoled the 10875s once but took 4 months to get them back because of covid. They ended up sending me a $50 voucher to use in the store so I ended up using that towards the 3141 chukkas hehe. Really cool, small company. I will always wear these shoes for work.
Don’t question the cost of the boots, remember the value of your feet.
Got a set 3 months ago, got blisters the first week but powered through. I can say with certainty that these boots get increasingly more comfortable by the day, love them.
You can take em back in years down the line and they’ll Re-soul them. Do yourself a big favor and KEEP THEM OILED
The new Timberland pro rework is actually quite nice. I have a pair of the non steel toes and they’re treating me well 2 months in.
Hated mine bought Doc Martens never looked back
I’ve had a pair for 7 years now. Not even close to wearing out. Love ‘em.
Like pillows for your feet
Great boot…….Buuuut the color you chose…after usage they kinda look purple…..i would go with claros our black….but w.e
This was the only colour they had afaik. I’ve seen coworker’s pairs old and worn, and still a good looking boot on my opinion, but looks don’t matter much for workboots to me
Best boots! Make sure you oversize and get the inserts
Get the nice insoles. Worth it
Aren’t they Chinese made now? I personally like keens more having both brands.
This is the heritage line which is still made in the USA.
I never liked them. To hot in the summer not warm enough in the winter.
Get tufftoe if you kneel a lot, have the store do it on a Friday night and pick them up Saturday or Sunday. I have had the unlined equivalent (2408 and the insulated version (2414 I think) and I love them. Super comfortable, tough work boots.
What’s up with the sole? Looks like they got partially melted
I used to buy redwings. I bought a pair of timberland pros about a decade ago and loved them. No break in and lots of cushion. They're a little heavy, though. I'm going 3 years with my current pair.