Quality boots for work or dress down?

Submitted by kaosburn t3_y37201 in BuyItForLife

Did a quick search in the forum but didn’t find anything matching specifically… I am looking for a quality leather pair of boots that I can resole and will last a long time. Something I can wear to work or for a night out or a casual setting. To give an idea, been looking at Thursday Captain Boots, Allen Edmonds Higgins Mills, etc. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Have Clark’s Horween Wallabees and beeswax desert boots but looking for something nicer.

[edit] You are all awesome! Definitely given me a start on where to direct my research. Thank you!

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shannon_g t1_is7avyw wrote

RM Williams

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akohhh t1_is81w1n wrote

Another vote for RMs. I destroyed one pair through a decade of horse riding; routine mud, dirt, sand, sweat, snow, the works and they looked great until very near the end. I have a couple of other work pairs that look fantastic even after 5+ years of alternating near daily wear. I’d recommend the comfort versions with rubber soles though, the riveted leather soles look great but I find them much less comfortable walking a lot on pavement/asphalt.

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blackfadesunset t1_is8he5j wrote

RMs definitely fit the bill, had my black pair for about 10 years, at least 7 of those I wore them 5+ days a week including time on the motorbike and they held up great.

Only recommendation is go for the comfort or super comfort.

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kaosburn OP t1_is7hj0g wrote

Will give them a look!

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whitdawg91 t1_is7k4yq wrote

2nd vote for RMs - they are expensive but I’ve worn my pair nearly every workday for 7 years and they are still in great shape. Would be in even better shape if I actually looked after them too

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Loves2Spooge857 t1_is8gn3g wrote

Curious what you do for a living? My boots get absolutely fucked up.

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whitdawg91 t1_ise5rbn wrote

I work in a hospital so they do loads and loads of steps but don’t get bashed up like they would if I worked outside

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trev_or_trevor_ t1_is8t2wc wrote

You are dead on; I never knew how nice shoes could be until I got mine.

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zaebis13 t1_is8tr8d wrote

+1 for RMs.. however

As someone who has a collection of good year welted leather boots and shoes, RMs are a good "easy" choice - there are better choices out there but it'll take a lot of research, comparison, finding available stock, etc.

Personally I think after owning a pair of RMs they are a little expensive for what they are, I recommend searching for an outlet store, I paid about 40% less than retail at a local outlet because they had small scratch on the toe which a) I covered up with a bit of polish b) is in a spot which gets hit/scratched all the time anyway.

The only alternative I suggest are Barker shoes, they offer good quality boots that are good year welted and can be found online for much less than retail. I have a pair going on 4 years that I've absolutely smashed and tbh the leather is tougher and more resistant to permanent damage than my RMs, which after 1 year have a permanent cut on one side from an office chair of all things.

Afaik the leather RM uses is in the "Top Grain Leather" or possibly even "Genuine Leather" category, whereas the Barkers I bought (for $100 less) use "Full Grain Leather" which is significantly stronger and resistant to cuts/scratches.

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codytheflash t1_is7thol wrote

Redwing blacksmith or rangers

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tombradysitstopee t1_is94ctr wrote

7 years, 20-something countries & 1 resole on my rangers. Best boots I’ve ever owned.

Edit: they still look like they are brand new. Mink oil every couple of months and proper storage/rotation they’ll last a lifetime.

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SensitiveTree3 t1_is7mi86 wrote

Nicks boots, white's boots and wesco boots are all bifl quality. It doesn't get much better than that, you can probably find something that's more casual looking in their repertoire, they are quite expensive though.

Alternatively Rose anvil is probably a good resource, he's a youtuber who cuts shoes and boots in half, you can get a good sense of how good a boot is from that.

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kaosburn OP t1_is7mlg3 wrote

Awesome, will check out his videos

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Milleniumgamer t1_is8o5aa wrote

Imma tell you this right now as someone who writes about these types of shoes- look at the guts of the boots, but do not trust anything that comes out of RA’s mouth.

What’s your budget, and your brannock size? If you take those two bits with pictures of your brannock over to r/goodyearwelt and post in their daily questions thread, you’re going to get a lot of answers that’ll vary on your use case.

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RunningOnPunkTime t1_is8s47k wrote

I've come across some of his videos. Is he a paid shill?

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Milleniumgamer t1_is90bqz wrote

I’m not going to go so far as to call him a paid shill, but his information is just inconsistent and borderline untruthful.

He made one video claiming that chrome tan leather is worse than veg tan leather (it’s not by any inherent means) and realized that he can rage bait views by saying controversial stuff. Since then he’ll just randomly flip flop on wether or not a specific component is good or bad, while promoting his own collaborations.

The information you can glean from his videos is good if you know what’s what, but the information he gives you is not well informed. Ironic, given that he also operates a leathercraft business.

He’s a nice guy and all, just not a compendium of accurate knowledge.

My main issue is that he won’t actually correct any of these statements, look into them before he says them, or substantiate them after he puts them out into the world. Meanwhile I’m seeing other business owners have direct negative impact as a result of his misinformation. For someone looked to as an authority figure, I sure wish he respected that position more.

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Hessarian99 t1_is8zft6 wrote

Kinda. He doesn't really criticize anyone paying him

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Hessarian99 t1_is8ze8j wrote

Careful, Weston is bought and paid for by sponsors

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PibDib788 t1_is7v9kk wrote

Those are the best names for boots in the trades. They’ve been tried and tested over and over again and will hold up. Nicks has the best quality imo

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Raseri_ t1_is8u88q wrote

I’ve got 3 pair of Nicks on rotation. They are some of the best boots I’ve ever owned

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hasbeenneverwas t1_is7qkz5 wrote

Blundstones

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bellsbliss t1_is872cp wrote

Can’t resole them.

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hasbeenneverwas t1_is88e3e wrote

The heritage series can be

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bellsbliss t1_is88rgf wrote

Ah my mistake then. I didn’t see anything for men when I looked though, seems only for women now on the canada site.

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philomathie t1_is9wq5e wrote

That's great to know, I love their style but couldn't bear to buy any more boots I can't repair (looking at your Timberland)

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rext12 t1_isb05ez wrote

Solovair dealer boot is a resoleable alternative

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LowGradePlayer t1_is6y10n wrote

Red Wing Iron Ranger.

Your search stops here.

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magus-21 t1_is6ya70 wrote

He wants "night out" boots. I'm presuming that means slimmer, dressier boots. Iron Rangers are not that.

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benauna t1_is70wii wrote

How is that not a night out boot?

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magus-21 t1_is72bky wrote

I mean you can define what it means for yourself, but the fact that he cited Thursday and Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill suggests to me he's not looking for a classic "work boot" style with that bulbous steel toe.

EDIT: Iron Ranger isn't a steel toe boot

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ssj4kevin t1_is7kwsz wrote

I get what you're saying (Iron Rangers are a heritage work boot, so not what I think of as a night out boot), however they are not steel toe boots. They're cap toe boots where there is an extra piece of leather on the toe.

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magus-21 t1_is7qggy wrote

Oh, I always thought it had a steel toe. Good to know, thanks.

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benauna t1_is7a8z0 wrote

Okay fair enough, I didn’t even realize they were steel toe lol. I’ve got Thursday presidents and love em

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magus-21 t1_is7az8r wrote

No worries, and yeah, I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on some Captains, too. I'd go for the US-made Thursdays, but they don't come in wide sizes

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Joaquox t1_is74xbc wrote

It has a toe box like a fucking clown shoe compared to any European dress boot. Stop acting like IR is a good looking shoe, it's really not.

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ssj4kevin t1_is7laik wrote

It's a good looking boot in certain contexts. If the outfit is a rugged look that's inspired by classic workwear then it looks great.

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LowGradePlayer t1_is6yf8x wrote

Bradley Cooper wore them to the Oscars,is that dressy enough?

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magus-21 t1_is6zw2p wrote

Bjork wore a pelican around her neck to the Oscars. So the answer is no, being worn to the Oscars doesn't make something "dressy."

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sweetestlorraine t1_is8yr5k wrote

I remember the host Steve Martin saying he would have worn his swan, but it was so last year. I laughed till I cried.

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Luigi156 t1_is7u1dk wrote

I respect anyone willing to show up at a date with a pelican around his/her neck tbf.

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kaosburn OP t1_is6z0wk wrote

Just looked these up. Definitely could work for what I’m looking for. Fits business casual and casual. Might not be “night out” but if that’s the only con, I can work with that.

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CMYKoi t1_is700nz wrote

Go Thorogood friend. CSA, made in USA, very affordable. Apparently, avoid the midnight series, my mistake on that, but it would still be fine if you aren't kicking everything around all the time.

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kaosburn OP t1_is70x29 wrote

Thanks for the tip! They were another brand that I kept coming across in my research. Will check those out as well.

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magus-21 t1_is78ww3 wrote

You need to try them on and see for yourself. I lusted after Iron Rangers until I got them on my feet. IMO they're way too chunky for the office.

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Hemayat t1_is8sh6h wrote

The Redwing Blacksmith is a dressier version of the Iron Ranger

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FeloniousFunk t1_is7rpdz wrote

Red Wing ain’t what they used to be, at least that’s what I hear.

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LowGradePlayer t1_is7t2mh wrote

When did you get your last pair?

I got mine six weeks ago.

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FeloniousFunk t1_is7ujqw wrote

I’ve never bought a pair, based on the advice from this sub I believe.

IIRC they started outsourcing so they’re not 100% US made anymore and QC has declined along with modifications to their warranty/repair system.

You can read a lot of mixed reviews by searching this sub for Red Wings, and a couple more over at /r/goodyearwelt (although they tend to discuss the US-made Heritage line mostly). Every old-timer seems to swear by them though.

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SantoElmo t1_is759wu wrote

Alden is a classic step up from Allen Edmonds. With AE's modern mass production, it's probably now two steps up.

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kaosburn OP t1_is7heie wrote

Thanks, will have to check them out!

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node_strain t1_is75io4 wrote

I have some Captains. I’ve been wearing them for a month or so, so I can’t necessarily speak to durability yet, but they look great and are very comfortable

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cultofwacky t1_is81ooa wrote

Have some captains that are a few years old worn pretty often. They have held up decently well, though the outsole on the toe has become separated a few times, it’s an easy fix (think I may drag my feet sometimes). I’m pretty hard on things, but the leather is genuinely tough and high quality (I have a rugged and resilient pair iirc)

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iamthelouie t1_is8gjvi wrote

I’ve had my vanguards for a year on my feat as a teacher. They’re solid.

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Abd124efh568 t1_is79d5h wrote

I love me AE shoes , but when it came time for some nice boots, I decided to step up and get a pair of Edward Green Ambleside boots. I was surprised at how much higher the quality seems to be from the stitching and general feel of the materials.

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ABMMS t1_is8vs42 wrote

Got any pics of them on or more to say? They must be so new that there are hardly any reviews or pics online (including Instagram hashtags). I’ve got a pair of Galways, rosewood country calf on 64 last, and have been looking at the Ambleside 72 last in iron or storm waxed suede!

Edit: OP, Edward green gets my vote as well. I feel like a million bucks in mine and everything else in my rotation now feels lower quality and has less class.

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Scary-Ad5147 t1_is7m8wb wrote

Viberg or JM weston if u want to break the bank but have em look good for 20 years

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change_your_ending t1_is7fz51 wrote

You can also give Solovair a look, I just got mine and love them

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kaosburn OP t1_is7hkgg wrote

Sweet, will check them out. Thanks for the input!

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Beckerbrau t1_is7t4ej wrote

What do you do for work? A lot of these suggestions are ok, but if you work a job that’s going to beat the shit out of your boots, you’d be hard pressed to find a pair that’s good for both. Thursday boots are nice, but they won’t hold up on a construction site.

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kaosburn OP t1_is8240u wrote

Good point… mostly office work so no need for anything like steel toe etc.

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GandalfTheBored t1_is7u64f wrote

Grab the redwing blacksmiths. If you treat em right, they should be great for what you are asking.

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WhereAreMySaxophones t1_is70e4r wrote

I’ve had the Thursday captains for 5 years now, everyday use, and love them, as long as you take decent care of them they’ll last, I wear them to work, dates, and bars, they look good with everything

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kaosburn OP t1_is70oms wrote

Great to hear! Quality/durability was my concern since they’re a relatively newer company.

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Argentius99 t1_is7u49k wrote

You're in luck, we can all celebrate the return of boots.

I've a pair of Allen Edmonds Dalton boots, they've been worn quite a bit over, what, 8-10 years, I think they'd fit the bill.

Standard double oak soles, blucher wingtips with a lot of broguing mean they dress up or down nicely. Worn with trousers, you wouldn't know they were boots, but with cuffed jeans they stand out.

The Higgins Mills you mention are a nice all-purpose old school workboot, but speed laces, a broad last, and simple design means they would look out of place dressier than jeans and flannel -- depending upon what work and night out is, this might not be what you want.

AE actually makes a bal boot now which is pretty cool, but that would have the opposite problem for you and so not the right idea.

Enjoy!

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bbergan0409 t1_is8ew4y wrote

Anyone suggest the Grant Stone diesel boot yet? Would definitely fit what you're looking for.

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Elkhair_ t1_is9rshk wrote

Love these boots. Very high quality. They are a bit heavy and are not the slimmest boot because of the last they use. Thick leather which took a long time to break in.

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Wizzerd348 t1_is7pazr wrote

Canada West boots maybe?

https://www.canadawestboots.com/mensmoorby

They make some dressier ones in this line.

I have 2817s and am very happy with them, especially considering the price

If you start get above the $300 USD range, custom, made to order boots will be the best thing.

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bellsbliss t1_is86zwd wrote

Alden indy are the best. Red wing iron rangers or Wolverine 1000 mile are also good.

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jewski_brewski t1_is87o2f wrote

Truman boots

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cuyahoagie t1_isc8uga wrote

Not OP but, Wow, these look stunning. They don’t seem to come in my size though.

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jewski_brewski t1_iscjaf0 wrote

They are phenomenal, both quality and looks. All handmade. Check their website for upcoming releases, or reach out to them about making a custom pair for you.

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ballbusta-b t1_is8hqqc wrote

Frye Campus Boots. Bonus; you can often find them used at reasonable prices on apps like Poshmark. I have 3 pairs (in different colors). Wear to both work and casual. I always feel like a total badass in them too

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onizeri t1_is9xfu7 wrote

Scrolled to make sure Frye was mentioned. I've had my campus boots almost 20 years. Find someone that can resole them properly, they'll last forever

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NerdyOutdoors t1_is6zvd8 wrote

I have Grenson “Fred” wingtip boots, pricey as heck but resoleable and gorgeous

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kaosburn OP t1_is70qwb wrote

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll do some research on them!

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LiveLearnCoach t1_is7q6g4 wrote

IIRC, way, way, way back when I bought a pair of leather timberlands. I don’t even know if they make those anymore.

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Prior-Egg9489 t1_is7si2x wrote

I'm a woman so my options for such a GW boot are more limited but I live close enough to Carmina in NYC I went to the store to try on shoes there. I tried on multiple styles there and settled on the jodhpur boots and love them. They were quick to break in and so comfortable they are the only shoes I wear out at night anymore but I can still wear them in the daytime with a more casual outfit. They are also the first pair of shoes that I actually get compliments on from random men lol.

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BarLiving t1_is7wg7h wrote

I bought some brown Doc Martens in an oxford shoe style for work. A little unconventional, but I liked that the look worked for work with slacks and could also go with other things too.

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Ligma_D t1_is8hwcr wrote

I just wear black timberlands to work and everywhere else

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PennyGgg t1_is8r5em wrote

I invested in a pair of pikolinos. Mine are black with brown and they go with everything and I get comments on them all the time.

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Run6Run t1_is8vb9d wrote

Chippewa service boots. Tough as nails and can be dressy.

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Hessarian99 t1_is8zcoc wrote

The Higgins Mill is currently on sale.

Get the one in Brown CXL (also called Chromexcel)

Parkhust is another great choice as are Oak Street Bootmakers

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Current_Variety_9577 t1_is93mzm wrote

I’ve had a pair of Frye Harness boots for 12 years and they’re still great. I’ve also had a pair of Blundstones for 7 years and they’ve been perfect—comfortable and durable.

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nyderscosh t1_is9600h wrote

I alternate between my Trickers and Iron Rangers. One is definitely town, the other country.

Trickers are not cheap but they are a British classic

Trickers

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pmghoney333 t1_is97hsa wrote

I’ve got a couple pair of red wings that I love, but for the price and comfort I love my red backs.

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Affectionate_Bus_884 t1_is9cucl wrote

What line of work are you in?

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kaosburn OP t1_isaekhc wrote

Hospital system project management… so office setting, but some brief site visits, usually after TCO. No steel toe, etc.

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Affectionate_Bus_884 t1_isasi25 wrote

I have had a pair of Thursday Captains for about six months. I’ve been very happy with them. Quality is on par with my Allen Edmunds. They are very comfortable for a business casual type of boot with a solid shank and good structure. They look fantastic and definitely draw attention without being overstated. 10/10 would by again.

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onomatopoetix t1_is9jm5q wrote

The brand may not matter, but chelseas can be both formal and casual by properly matching or slightly mis-matching them. By contrast oxfords are never informal, they're always strictly formal.

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Thenoisygiraffe t1_is9tteu wrote

I would recommend Brunt boots. I shifted to them a few months ago and love mine. There’s a couple good videos on YouTube. One guy cuts them in half to compare quality to a much higher end brand.

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philomathie t1_is9wo4v wrote

Solovair get my vote :) RM Williams look great, but I just couldn't justify spending that much on boots.

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edcculus t1_isa03tv wrote

Alden Indy’s fit that bill well. They work well at work unless you need to wear a suit. They work well with jeans erc in the weekends and nights too .

Also- bonus, they are the boots Harrison Ford wore as Indiana Jones (hence Indy).

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natiusj t1_isahbsm wrote

Look at Wesco Boots, Nick’s Boots, Whites Boots. Lots of great options.

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mashupbabylon t1_isdosom wrote

Golden fox boots have been my favorite for years. The boondocker is really comfortable and they last for a long time. I've never thought to resole them but mine get destroyed with paint.

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Available_Owl5210 t1_isgiu0q wrote

I wear thorogood moc toes. I work at a dusty ass power plant doing electricial work and walk like 5 miles a day.

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anti_ideophobia t1_ish0ubc wrote

Start watching Rose Anvil reviews on youtube. He runs through the anatomy of popular leather boots and shoes, and shows which brands skimp out vs which ones are truly solid. He goes from pure work boots all the eay to super fine vibergs.

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outlook-yahoo t1_ismjfwn wrote

Check out Grant Stone boots. Very high quality boots Goodyear welted boots with great Customer Service. They have some dressy options.

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