Footwear that will last?!
- Thread starter Gasparo
- Start date
-
Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Docs are not a patch on what they used to be when they were made here in England. The company that made them for Dr Martins still are though. They are called Solevair and now manufacture Docs under the Solovair name to the quality level we used to get.
http://www.solovair.co.uk/
They are the same or better. Gortex liners are almost as much as the boots but worth it. I use gear like I stole it and have worn my Bean boots every day 5 months of the year, plus canoe trips and snow shoeing for several seasons now.
The other pair lasted 4 generations and are still going strong. I suspect mine will do the same.
Had a pair for? Mmm 8 years? They only died due to concreting in them too many times. Once broken in they were like slippers .....
So these guys made the original Docs? They certainly look exactly like Docs even down to the soles... this is turning out to be a true quest, so much quality that I'd never even heard of before. All these suggestions are very much appreciated people, thank you : )
Turns out Solovair boots are not waterproof in the slightest, e-mail reply said I would have to treat them myself (however you do that) to make them waterproof. They do sound like sturdy old boots though so maybe a pair for formal use.
Footwear for the bush on the other hand, it is now:
Lowa (GER) vs. Altberg (UK) vs. Gronell (ITA) vs. Danner (US) vs. Lundhags (SWE) -(edit)
When I finally make a decision, get them and get some good testing in I will be updating this thread with opinions.
Footwear for the bush on the other hand, it is now:
Lowa (GER) vs. Altberg (UK) vs. Gronell (ITA) vs. Danner (US) vs. Lundhags (SWE) -(edit)
When I finally make a decision, get them and get some good testing in I will be updating this thread with opinions.
Last edited:
Had a pair for? Mmm 8 years? They only died due to concreting in them too many times. Once broken in they were like slippers .....
That looks amazingly like a William Lennon Shepherd or Fell boot. So alike, I reckon that's what they are!
I have a pair of their Ammo boots and they are nearly indestructible. I fancy a pair of their Traditional Work Boots next. As you say, really comfortable once broken in.
Gareth
I have a pair of Cabela's that I have used for a couple of years and found them to be great in everyday use and they still look new.
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct.jsp%3FproductId%3D722426
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct.jsp%3FproductId%3D722426
I understood Solovair were a different company altogether,although they did market a similar [Although superior] air cusioned sole boot at one time.Sorry to see they are now responsible for the DM
.Dr Martins I've found are impossible to waterproof to any degree as they let in water [Like a sponge] around the welt.
I also found myself with a dodgy pair some years ag
ne row of stitching was missing the thread on the inside,the outer just looped over and over into the leather.I have to agree DM's are not waterproof & do not have welted soles. I used to wear them in the early 80's & were £20 a pair. Great town /city footwear but just arn't worth the prices asked nowadays.
Dm's ARE Goodyear Welted
.Comfy for knocking about on the street ...Just bloody useless anywhere near water.This is'nt to say that Goodyear Welted soles are rubbish,Far from it.It's just that they allow water to creep into the boot with DM's design
Got a new one people.. Frye
Handmade in the states, quality leather, available with Vibram soles, they sound good to me... people were comparing them to Danners on BF.
Anyone got any word on these?
This seems to be one of their flagship boots:
http://www.thefryecompany.com/mens-boots/view-all/87985/rogan-tall-lace-up
Handmade in the states, quality leather, available with Vibram soles, they sound good to me... people were comparing them to Danners on BF.
Anyone got any word on these?
This seems to be one of their flagship boots:
http://www.thefryecompany.com/mens-boots/view-all/87985/rogan-tall-lace-up
I've got a pair of Meidl Burma Pro MFS boots 3 years ago and they've been excellent and through a hell of a lot for walking boots......walking in cities, mountains, deserts etc, woodland work, garden work, chasing sheep/goats/cows/pigs round hillsides for hours at a time, cleaning sheep/goat/cow/pig/horse/camel sh;t for hours at a time and everything else I subject them to.
I've also worn them daily (for at least an hour) since I've been back to take the dog out over the past few months and had them on today in the hills going through a stupidly big (and deep bog) and they were as dry as when I just got them....and really comfy.
I got them through a well known Outdoors GO shop and got them for 60 odd quid with the price match......instead of 170 quid they should have been....
I've also worn them daily (for at least an hour) since I've been back to take the dog out over the past few months and had them on today in the hills going through a stupidly big (and deep bog) and they were as dry as when I just got them....and really comfy.
I got them through a well known Outdoors GO shop and got them for 60 odd quid with the price match......instead of 170 quid they should have been....
N
Nomad
Guest
(No association with Altberg other than as a customer.)
Something that doesn't seem to have been mentioned about Altberg is that they can adjust the boots to fit your feet if you go to the factory. I got a pair of Field & Fell Original a few years back that were a bit narrow around the toes as a standard boot. After taking some measurements of my feet, the guy disappeared with them and came back with the toe area widened. The fit was much better. The boots are black, and they had a sheen of white condensation on the adjusted area, so I assume they have some sort of pusher gizmo that goes inside, and which uses hot water or steam to soften the leather to get it to change shape. He also did my old Scarpas at the same time (for free, since I was spending a wad anyway), and made a huge difference to them (I slip them on for quick photography bimbles now, when I would just avoid them in the past).
If you have normal feet, I dare say that the various 'normal' boots out there can be fine, but I've always had trouble finding boots and shoes that fit well. My feet are a bit wide at the toes, and maybe a bit narrow at the heels, and the right foot is wider than the left. Different makers use different lasts, and one could conceivably try all sorts of boots in the hope of finding a make where the last matches your feet.
The one mistake I made when I went to Altberg was to want the boots right away (I was going to a big airsoft weekend game nearby and wanted my shiny new kit). Ideally, I should have waited for them to make a pair of boots in a slightly bigger width fitting, but I was impatient. As it is, the boots I have are sometimes still a little tight around the right toes (but only marginally so, and only after my feet have swollen up from walking a distance). They also have the Sympatex lining, which I'm not so keen on (first pair of membrane boots) - the insides get a bit sweaty. I find them excellent for landscape photography where I'm not walking too much, and where the terrain is rough. They're also better for driving the Land Rover than the Scarpas, and more comfy for walking on hard paving slabs and the like (still a bit stiff, but less so than the Scarpas). Build quality is excellent - no issues at all.
Having tried a pair of Altbergs, and experienced the difference their fitting can make, I think I'd be quite happy to order another pair for longer walks, but would be more patient while they go away and make a wider fitting, and also get them made with no membrane, maybe leather lined (discussed this during my visit, and the guy said they can do this). I don't know how much extra that would cost, but I'm pretty sure it would be less than going through a few pairs of £150-200 boots from other makers while trying to assess whether their particular lasts work with my feet.
A final comment: When people say that X, Y or Z's boots are really comfy, all they're really saying is that they're comfy for the particular feet that are going inside them. This tells you nothing about whether they're comfy for your feet. So far as I'm aware, Altberg are the only bootmaker that offers this custom sizing service and, with a history of walking boots that don't quite fit right, I would have to say that they're the only choice for me.
Something that doesn't seem to have been mentioned about Altberg is that they can adjust the boots to fit your feet if you go to the factory. I got a pair of Field & Fell Original a few years back that were a bit narrow around the toes as a standard boot. After taking some measurements of my feet, the guy disappeared with them and came back with the toe area widened. The fit was much better. The boots are black, and they had a sheen of white condensation on the adjusted area, so I assume they have some sort of pusher gizmo that goes inside, and which uses hot water or steam to soften the leather to get it to change shape. He also did my old Scarpas at the same time (for free, since I was spending a wad anyway), and made a huge difference to them (I slip them on for quick photography bimbles now, when I would just avoid them in the past).
If you have normal feet, I dare say that the various 'normal' boots out there can be fine, but I've always had trouble finding boots and shoes that fit well. My feet are a bit wide at the toes, and maybe a bit narrow at the heels, and the right foot is wider than the left. Different makers use different lasts, and one could conceivably try all sorts of boots in the hope of finding a make where the last matches your feet.
The one mistake I made when I went to Altberg was to want the boots right away (I was going to a big airsoft weekend game nearby and wanted my shiny new kit). Ideally, I should have waited for them to make a pair of boots in a slightly bigger width fitting, but I was impatient. As it is, the boots I have are sometimes still a little tight around the right toes (but only marginally so, and only after my feet have swollen up from walking a distance). They also have the Sympatex lining, which I'm not so keen on (first pair of membrane boots) - the insides get a bit sweaty. I find them excellent for landscape photography where I'm not walking too much, and where the terrain is rough. They're also better for driving the Land Rover than the Scarpas, and more comfy for walking on hard paving slabs and the like (still a bit stiff, but less so than the Scarpas). Build quality is excellent - no issues at all.
Having tried a pair of Altbergs, and experienced the difference their fitting can make, I think I'd be quite happy to order another pair for longer walks, but would be more patient while they go away and make a wider fitting, and also get them made with no membrane, maybe leather lined (discussed this during my visit, and the guy said they can do this). I don't know how much extra that would cost, but I'm pretty sure it would be less than going through a few pairs of £150-200 boots from other makers while trying to assess whether their particular lasts work with my feet.
A final comment: When people say that X, Y or Z's boots are really comfy, all they're really saying is that they're comfy for the particular feet that are going inside them. This tells you nothing about whether they're comfy for your feet. So far as I'm aware, Altberg are the only bootmaker that offers this custom sizing service and, with a history of walking boots that don't quite fit right, I would have to say that they're the only choice for me.
These are great looking boots. Would they make out as good hiking boots, on some rough "technical" terrain & be comfortable when carrying upto 30lbs day after day? They look like they would, however, I have never seen anything like these in any outdoor/hiking equipment shop.
Any advice will be much appreciated.
I dunno about boots that last, I would not mind a pair of feet that last. I seem to have a big problem at the moment with the skin drying and cracking. Should I treat my feet to a decent coat of polish or neats foot oil to restore them to prime condition?
For waterproof boot liners these are worth trying...http://www.the-outdoor.co.uk/shopscr135.html.
I used the same pair with Army assault boots through two winters as a bike courier and they never let me down. Silverman does them new for around £20.
I used the same pair with Army assault boots through two winters as a bike courier and they never let me down. Silverman does them new for around £20.
I have a pair of those, wear them with a pair of sandals and hey presto, erzatz wellies. The problem I have with almost all footwear is that ultimately my feet are the losers, which is why I prefer minimalist footwear on the whole, something that has not been possible during this recent cold spell.
Similar threads
