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I want a new pair of do it all boots, and by do it all I mean anything from going to the pub to dog walking to moderate working boots. Anything up to the point where I'd just put my steel toecap wellies on.
Doc Martens with the cleated sole seems the obvious choice, but given the price of them these days and reports about reduced quality now a lot of production is overseas, is there anything better value? Happy to pay that price, or even a bit more for something that will last a good while and is repairable.
I'm a fan of my Berghaus walking boots, and Salomon for day-to-day hooves, but really the answer is "whatever you find comfortable." We don't have your feet, go try some on.
Dr Martens make boots for wimminz too though 😉 .
What sir needs is a pair of Clarke’s boots. Had these ones for a few years;
worn very frequently for dog walks / kicking about in and smart enough to wear to the office. Tried side by side to DM’s and these were of better quality.
I picked up a set of KEEN Karraigs for scruffing about in,they might fit the bill. They are a bit closer to walking boots than Docs and can feel a bit clumpy but I like them.
Link
What about a pair of ex MOD Altberg boots? Cheap as chips, tough as, well , old boots , and a British company with at least one UK manufacturing facility.
I've had a pair for a few years for gardening / snow, and theyre comfy, light for what they are, with a decent sole.
I'm very happy with my (knockoff) pair of classic Timberland boots. They do everything 'outdoorsy' except running and they age really nicely.
What about Solovair? I believe they are essentially Doc Martens but without the cheapening/outsourcing to China.
many consider Solovair the real Dr. Martens because when Dr. Martens moved most of their production to Asia, cutting ties with Solovair, Solovair didn’t stop manufacturing boots. They used their facility to make boots that are extremely similar to the Dr. Martens they used to make, but started selling them under the name of Solovair.
https://stridewise.com/dr-martens-vs-solovair/
I have some Chippewa American workwear boots I love, but they were a bit spendy - similar kind of thing to RedWing.
Monkey boots, if that's your thing.
Para boots. Solid and lasting.Usually about 40-50 quid on ebay.
Those monkey boots - er, wow, they's ugly
do it all you say - RM Williams - still got mine going strong after 13 years - dress boot, dog walking (when i had one), pub shoe all sorts.. bit spendy though..
https://www.ahume.co.uk/rm-williams-dynamic-flex-comfort-craftsman-boots-p408#attribute%5B1%5D=66
Saw some proper Timberland boots available at TK Maxx for £79 last Thursday. Think the largest size was 10.5 UK, 45 EU or 11 American. If I were going to get new boots I would give them a try. The leather is rather thick and the quality is good.
Those Fagiano boots are nice. In a similar price bracket/style Danner boots look really good.
Thanks all, some good suggestions I'd not known of.
Silovair, yep, I'll look at them. I'd already looked at the HebTroCo Moto's, but the company that make those are about £100 cheaper for very similar boots.
Marvelous, cheers.
+1 for RM Williams.
Alteratively https://www.jeffery-west.co.uk/jefferywest/product.asp?item=rochester-acid-trip-zip-boot-30-2440
my all purpose boots are a pair of vintage german para boots (mk1), they are so comfy and well made and for all intent and purposes waterproof.
I'm on my 3rd pair of Timberlands in 18 years having worn them most days. They were my first choice the moment I tried them on and wore them every day when I worked in bike shops so was on my feet all day, every day. Never got uncomfortable in them
Those Jeffry West boots aren't QUITE what I was thinking of, but spectacular nonetheless. 🤣
Paraboots as suggested a few times, certainly look a good value proposition. Hmm, definitely worth thinking on.
Bit surprised no one has mentioned Blundstones, the definition of all purpose, do everything, fit and very hard to wear out.
Palladium
Fracap or Danner 👍🏼
The German Para boots I had were very very well made, thick quality leather and made , I think , by Haix. Very nearly waterproof with a massive padded tongue .Trouble is the sole was a bit non grippy in snow and ice and on wet river stones, and they weigh an absolute ton compared to other issue boots , especially if youre walking over clay, the sole pattern seems to be a magnet for it.
I needed an unlined boot with a bellows tongue. The uk made boot manufacturers don’t do bellows tongues. Unforgivable.
Anyway I found these. I don’t really get on with the barefoot thing so have specialized bike insoles in them. Loads of room for your toes , super soft and weigh next to nothing.
https://www.vivobarefoot.com/uk/gobi-ii-mens
A wee safety bit of advice , don't do what I did a few years ago ie leave the last four hooks for the laces unused giving you larger hoops in your laces
I wear work boots every day so very used to them but one day I was lazy never tied the boots up properly as above and bumped into two women walking towards us and massive stumble as fell in to the lap of one bringing us both to the ground
I got away with just a good swearing in my ear and a laugh, no one hurt just my pride
I pretty much live in some Site Mudguard boots from Screwfix.
They're steel toes, but I honestly find them really comfortable all the time.
Even done some decent walks in them but try not to wear thin socks.
About £40
In Canada Blundstone are the ubiquitous go-to choice for this brief. Slip-on, mostly waterproof, fairly inconspicuous and suitable for most settings.
Personally I went for these - basically like a Timberland, waterproof, warm, fairly hard-wearing
https://www.kodiakboots.com/classic-boots/mens-kodiak-magog-waterproof-boot/MAGOG.html?dwvar_MAGOG_color=BlackMatte#sz=24&start=1
I wear Meindle Desert Fox boots most of the time, all ex-Army issue, and incredibly comfy, I don’t think I paid more than £38 for any of mine, and they retail for about £170! Three of the four pairs I have were pretty much unworn. I’ve got a pair of German para boots, same as the ones Klunk posted above, which I had resoled after the foam midsole disintegrated, which I keep for wet winter weather. Seeing those, perhaps I ought to be seriously thinking about another pair, they’re perfect for crappy weather. I use Renapur wax on mine, it gets the leather really soft and flexible, and helps with the waterproofing.
I’ve thought about Dr Marten’s, but I’ve never heard of the Solovair boots, and they’ve got me thinking now - I hadn’t realised the Doc M’s can’t really be resoled, whereas the Solovair boots can, which is well worth knowing. I like the rough wax finish ones.
I ordered some of the German Para's in the end. Resoled rather than just as they come, £50. I was going to go for some William Lennon's, who are in Hope and make the HebTroCo boots, but they quoted me 20 weeks to make them to order due to material and staff Covid shortages!
Will update when they arrive. 👍
I ordered some of the German Para's in the end. Resoled rather than just as they come, £50. I was going to go for some William Lennon's, who are in Hope and make the HebTroCo boots, but they quoted me 20 weeks to make them to order due to material and staff Covid shortages!
Will update when they arrive. 👍
A wee safety bit of advice , don’t do what I did a few years ago ie leave the last four hooks for the laces unused giving you larger hoops in your laces
Ahahaha.
I once entered the office horizontally after a site visit have undone my laces by unhooking them for the drive back. Quickly unpacking the car I didn't think and grabbed a box of kit and ran into the office. Lace hooked from one boot hooked the hooks of the other and I supermanned through the open door hitting the door handle with shoulder. It was spectacular apparently.
Embarrassingly though.... I've done it twice...
Many years -11 - ago I got recommend a pair of the chunkier Merrills on this very basis. Although I felt they were expensive at the time, I still have them and use them, and they are looking like they will wear quicker from the inside out!
Meindle Desert Fox
there's a reason there's a lot of those boots around cheap, they all fell apart after constant wearing, the soles would often delaminate when you really didn;t want to. During 2008 an UOR (urgent order Request) was put in by the infantry to swap them all out with Lowa's. People initially had a choice and went with the meindles becuase they were light and comfy out of the box (i did to), but got caught short on patrols and had to gaffer-tape/ziptie them together.
That's not to say they are good for outside of their intended use, because they clearly have a place in less rugged conditions. I've still got a completely unused set myself that i may use at some point.
Love my Danner Bull Runs.
Edit - triple post. 🤷♂️
Having found my Timberlands are now too narrow for my feet (apparently they get wider if you don't wear proper shoes for the best part of a year.)
I had a look round and tried to get hold of some Redwings/Thorogoods/Danners but stock/returns were an issue at the time.
I ended up with a cheaper pair of Eastlands from Zalando and to be honest for wet dog walks and general Autumn Winter wear they have been great. So good in fact I bought another pair in another colour.
For what the OP is asking I reckon a pair of Redwing Rough Necks would be perfect assuming you get on well with the fit.