Submitted by [deleted] t3_zw8ksx in BuyItForLife
Muncie4 t1_j1xhx9s wrote
You need to read more online as what you've posted so far shows a lack of research. One example: Timberland. Timberland makes over 100 different types of footwear for men. Some of them are terrific. Some of them are normal and are meant to be tossed after say a year. People often disparage brands such as this because they purchase the on sale $50 Timberland glued construction boots and expect the lifespan of the $250 Timberland PRO goodyear welt construction boots. Repeat this with other brands like Red Wing, Allen Edmonds, etc. There are many footwear ignorant people on the internet.
Here is your help and please listen with an open mind as I know stuffs:
- You don't know your shoe size. You need to correct this or you will fail hard. https://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-NBUS-NBCA/default/dwc8bbcac1/pdf/Womens_Printable_Sizing_Tool.pdf is one method, but you should use a Brannock Device for best results. You will find out that you have, say, 10EE feet. EE is important as there is not such thing as "wide" as that varies from maker to maker with no solid size. And many quality shoemakers make 10EE boots which will be 100% better fitting than a nebulous "wide".
- The hallmark of BIFL footwear is goodyear welt construction so you can have them resoled later. You must know this as part of the looking process. And know that not all makers make 100% quality footwear. For example: Timberland and Red Wing make super quality BIFL boots and they also have some normal boots which are not super quality. If you buy without knowing if they are goodyear welt construction....you may step in the bear trap.
- Know your men's size. As part of item 1 above, perhaps measure with the men's Brannock and write this down. This expands the pond of purchase as, generally, there are more men's boots than women's....and respectfully, since you have large feet, this works greatly in your favor!
- Lastly budget. $800 boots are a thing and we don't know your budget. For some $800 is a yawn figure, for others its a hard pass. So we can't recommend without this metric. Very generally BIFL boots start at $200ish and anything south of that should be looked at hard, unless there is a terrific sale.
- Since you are in 'Merica, the easy button is to walk into a Red Wing store and get a real fitting from Al Bundy in the store via a Brannock Device and tell him your budget and you only want to see goodyear welted non-safety toe boots.
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