Red Wing boots

[Puff Daddy]

Been wanting a pair of these for years but couldn't justify shelling out $300 for boots that I was going to destroy at work. Good boots last a couple years at best in my environment (concrete construction), chain store cheapos last a year, maybe. I usually spent about $100 on boots every year. Couldn't see going higher. I'm just going to destroy em! I once spent a hundred and a half on a pair of Justins, logger boots as I recall, they didn't even last 9 months.

I started having foot problems a few years back, doc said get good boots. I'm stubborn. Watched a couple other guys at work shell out for Red Wings and they praised em, but I'm stubborn. Well, this last union contract we got a $200 per year boot allowance for 8 inch leather steel toe work boots. Hello Red Wing store

So I'm still spending $100 ( a bit over with tax) out of my pocket, but I'm sporting made in the USA Red Wings. These boots are unbelievably comfortable given they are big, heavy and super durable. The leather is amazingly thick but comfortable. I'm extremely impressed with the fit and finish of them. I got a gore tex lined 400 gram thinsulate pair and next summer I will get an unlined pair for the hot months. Wth two pairs, they should last me a while and I'll just keep buying my yearly pair (one year lined, one year unlined) and stashing them. Even with replacing them as they wear out, I'll probably be sitting on several brand new pairs when I retire

 

[Dutch]

I've got 3 pair of Red Wings, in 3 different styles. One pair of steel toe hikers, one pair of steel toe wellington style, and one pair of black 8in steel toe lace ups wih a puncture resistant sole.

I always drop an extra $40 for the best foot beds they sell, because I spend most of my time in a shop on concrete. Also, when wearing the wellington style pullons, I always wear the Red Wing white knee high socks. Any other style socks, always end up down in the boot. :lol:

If you don't damage the all leather models, a good shoe store can resole your boots for cheap compared to a new pair.

Not taking care of your feet when you are young, especially for tradesmen, can be a huge mistake. Like the old muffler commercial, "You can pay me now, or pay me later."

 

[sisyphus]

I used to wear Chippewas and thought they were good boots. I've been using the Matterhorn 12299 my last two pair, and I'm real happy with them.

 

[Puff Daddy]

I'd have preferred the Red Wing Heritage Iron Ranger, more my style, but didn't meet the specs required. That boot has style. The boots I got are utilitarian but bullet proof. Super sole, puncture proof, prolly used half a cow to make one pair :lol:

 

[scotties22]

I used to work at a rail yard doing Intermodal work. I was a Checkpoint supervisor and on my feet, on concrete and or asphault, all day. My Red Wings were my savior. My feet never hurt at the end of the day. I still have that pair of boots. When I quite the RR I turned them into my riding boots for my motorcycle.....figured at least I knew my feet would be safe.

 

[Ocelot55]

I don't do heavy work or stand on a lot of concrete, but I own two pairs of redwings. The oldest pair is 8 years old, the newest is 6. They still look great feel great and I wear both several times a week, in fact I wear nothing but those two pairs 90% of the time. I will never hesitate to buy redwings.

 

[shootist51]

I wworked in factories for 20 yearson concrete, broken concrete, standing water, cold hot and everything in between and found long ago to find a boot that is comfortable and buy 2 pairs. Trade them out every day, so they have plenty of time to dry and keep them clean and polished and they will last forever.

As stated, a leather sole can be replaced for a fraction of the cost of a new pair adding just that much more life to the boot.

 

[Dutch]

I wworked in factories for 20 yearson concrete, broken concrete, standing water, cold hot and everything in between and found long ago to find a boot that is comfortable and buy 2 pairs. Trade them out every day, so they have plenty of time to dry and keep them clean and polished and they will last forever.

As stated, a leather sole can be replaced for a fraction of the cost of a new pair adding just that much more life to the boot.

Speaking of drying time, I should have mentioned my Peet boot dryer. I paid $30 back in 1998 for my boot dryer, and it is the best $30 I have ever spent. Drying your boots and shoes every time you wear them, extends the life of the leather, and the footbed. It also cuts down on bacteria growth, keeping the boots smelling a lot more user friendly.

Here's one up for bid on ebay, exactly like the one I use.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PEET-TRANSPORTER-BOOT-SHOE-GLOVE-DRYER-BRAND-NEW-NEVER-USED-IMMD-SHOP-/300801883544?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4609307d98

The newer models have attachments for gloves, waders, and even motorcycle helmets, if you ever need to dry those additional items. Next time, I will buy this model, so I can dry additional accessories.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PEET-Dryer-Advantage-M07F-4-Shoe-Shoes-Boots-Electric-Express-Dryer-NEW-/300797897057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4608f3a961

 

[Hermit]

I mostly wear house slippers, but I buy em myself, not no damn union. :evil:

 

[IndySmoker]

A pair of these are actually on my "need to buy" list hat I keep putting off, and I have a RED WING store 30 minutes from me so have no excuse.

 

[Puff Daddy]

I mostly wear house slippers, but I buy em myself, not no damn union. :evil:

Interesting comment. Funny how unions are perceived in different parts of the country. Out here if you do what I do and are union, you make what amounts to a standard middle class wage with medical insurance, a couple weeks of vacation, and a pension. If you're non union you make squat, you're probably a mexican or russian citizen, and you get your medical from the state because your kids get welfare aissitance and food stamps from the govt.. I wonder which you see as the bigger burden on you? I wonder if people like to group you into an unfair classification and heap scorn on what you do so it can make them feel better about how hard they work?

I don't know about the south, but out here the unions protect middle class jobs that corporations would gladly get rid of just to raise their profits with no concern for the health of the middle class that carries this country, or the subsequent burden on the state from bringing in low paying jobs and putting earners out of work. I work in a pretty dangerous job and my union brothers perform our jobs with extremely low accident and injury rates compared to the scabs, because we are skilled professionals who were trained properly, take pride in our jobs and show concern for those working along side of us, unlike the non union idiots who aren't even allowed on most jobsites because they don't have a clue what the hell they're doing.

And I buy my own goddamned boots. Every penny of my wage is part of a collective bargaining agreement that defines my salary, none of it is a gift. Whether it's my hourly pay or my pension contribution or my boot allowance, I earn every damned cent of it every time I'm headed out onto some highway bridge in the middle of the night or some busted up levee that's sloughing off into the river or some excavation site that is littered with hazards.

How many clueless asshats make stupid comments about where you got the money for your comfy little slippers?

It amazes me how many people like to think that their existence is justifiable, but their hard working neighbors isn't because it's not the way they like to see things done. I pay plenty in taxes, contribute more of my time to needy children and to local children's programs than you could possibly know, have children serving in the military protecting this nation, and work extremely hard at my profession building roads, bridges and dams that people rely on for their safety. But I'm lower than some slipper wearing dickhead who wants to make snarky comments about my compensation because I'm affiliated with a union? If that's the American conservative position I'm thrilled to be considered a liberal.

 

[Simple Man]

If that's the American conservative position I'm thrilled to be considered a liberal.

It's not every conservative American's opinion.

 

[George Kaplan]

...unions protect middle class jobs that corporations would gladly get rid of just to raise their profits...

Hey now! Corporations are people, too. Or at least they have the same rights now. :evil:
Seriously, though PD, well put.

At the risk of getting back on track, I just wanted to cast my vote for Redwings as well. (since my Detroit Red Wings are still on strike :x ) My 9" Logger/Linemans have served me without fail in the log yard, the saw mills, the office trailers and wherever else I've needed 'em. Worth the cost, IMHO.

 

[sisyphus]

I mostly wear house slippers, but I buy em myself, not no damn union. :evil:

Interesting comment. Funny how unions are perceived in different parts of the country. Out here if you do what I do and are union, you make what amounts to a standard middle class wage with medical insurance, a couple weeks of vacation, and a pension. If you're non union you make squat, you're probably a mexican or russian citizen, and you get your medical from the state because your kids get welfare aissitance and food stamps from the govt.. I wonder which you see as the bigger burden on you? I wonder if people like to group you into an unfair classification and heap scorn on what you do so it can make them feel better about how hard they work?

I don't know about the south, but out here the unions protect middle class jobs that corporations would gladly get rid of just to raise their profits with no concern for the health of the middle class that carries this country, or the subsequent burden on the state from bringing in low paying jobs and putting earners out of work. I work in a pretty dangerous job and my union brothers perform our jobs with extremely low accident and injury rates compared to the scabs, because we are skilled professionals who were trained properly, take pride in our jobs and show concern for those working along side of us, unlike the non union idiots who aren't even allowed on most jobsites because they don't have a clue what the hell they're doing.

And I buy my own goddamned boots. Every penny of my wage is part of a collective bargaining agreement that defines my salary, none of it is a gift. Whether it's my hourly pay or my pension contribution or my boot allowance, I earn every damned cent of it every time I'm headed out onto some highway bridge in the middle of the night or some busted up levee that's sloughing off into the river or some excavation site that is littered with hazards.

How many clueless asshats make stupid comments about where you got the money for your comfy little slippers?

It amazes me how many people like to think that their existence is justifiable, but their hard working neighbors isn't because it's not the way they like to see things done. I pay plenty in taxes, contribute more of my time to needy children and to local children's programs than you could possibly know, have children serving in the military protecting this nation, and work extremely hard at my profession building roads, bridges and dams that people rely on for their safety. But I'm lower than some slipper wearing dickhead who wants to make snarky comments about my compensation because I'm affiliated with a union? If that's the American conservative position I'm thrilled to be considered a liberal.

this.

It amazes me that so many Republicans are in fact themselves completely off the radar of their party's agenda. For the Republican it is all about the bottom line, and they're just as much about big government as the Dems, just for different reasons. All they care about is the top 10%. Frankly I don't understand how anyone in a labor union could be a Republican. If it was up to them there would be no collective bargaining in this country. Your job would go to Mexico or China (further wrecking our domestic economy btw) and you'd be working at Quik Trip ringing up coffee for wealthy Republicans who stopped in to gas up on the way to their job that wasn't part of the downsizing strategy that wrecked your family's financial stability. God I hate them.

Libertarian and union since 2003.

 

[Puff Daddy]

The company I work for (giant, global mega corporation that wishes it was walmart) just spent the last few months trying to tell us how they couldn't afford to pay us like this anymore, that they were at risk of not being able to compete and wanted us to slash our contract. We didn't budge. Amazingly, just a week ago, they were bragging about the 38 million in profit they made just in added fees tacked on to customers, and their 115% management bonuses for exceeding fiscal performance.

If this country needs to cut, it needs to cut from the top down, not the other way around.

This thread will likely end up in the rubber room soon. :lol:

 

[MisterE]

The company I work for (giant, global mega corporation that wishes it was walmart) just spent the last few months trying to tell us how they couldn't afford to pay us like this anymore, that they were at risk of not being able to compete and wanted us to slash our contract. We didn't budge. Amazingly, just a week ago, they were bragging about the 38 million in profit they made just in added fees tacked on to customers, and their 115% management bonuses for exceeding fiscal performance.

:x :x :x :x :x

 

[George Kaplan]

This thread will likely end up in the rubber room soon. :lol:

In my short time here I've seen a Trading Post thread go there. Why not one from the Haberdashery?

 

[Simple Man]

My Tony Lama boots have never caused a controversy. :lol:

 

[Dreadgerbil]

You lucky so and so! Hope you get to enjoy those boots for many years.
One day, when I'm rich, I'd like some of their loggers and some of the brown brogue rangers.
At the moment I wear doc martens since they last me and fit well but I'd love to get some bespoke boots at some point.

 

[Puff Daddy]

My Tony Lama boots have never caused a controversy. :lol:

:lol: Maybe I shoulda stuck with the Die Hards from Sears.