Work boots / shoes

[resnikov]

Whilst not really a Bushcraft question this I thought I would ask anyway as there is a lot of knowledge on this site.

I'm after a new pair of boots or shoes for work. I work in an office so they have to be smartish but I work in IT and spend most of my days working from desk to desk fixing problems. Its a 9 floor building so I am doing quite a lot of walking each day and finding my normal office shoes just don't cut it add I'm getting Sore ache feet every day until I get home and take my shoes off.

So the question is after that ramble can anyone recommend some good boots for lots of walking that look smartish. Half sizes would be added plus.


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[mountainm]

My timberlands from the outlet are great - american halfsizes too!

 

[nunzionuk]

I just got some nice Karrimor safety boots for work, they do half sizes.

 

[Shewie]

Have you tried some decent insoles yet, Superfeet are worth the pennies.

It's sensible shoes for me too apart from Fridays when it's casual dress, I go for a soft leather shoe like these ...

http://www.next.co.uk/x49624s9

(shameless plug as it's almost bonus time)

 

[jeffz]

These are by far the most comfortable boots I've ever owned. They're a really high-quality brogue boot. And they're hand-made in England:

http://www.grenson.co.uk/en_gb/fred-v-670

They're resoleable, too. Red Wing make a similar kind of boot, too.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

I was in a similar situation; wanted something with decent grip, looked smart but tough. Ended up with the Magnum Active Duty CT - they're a bit spendy but with a bit of hunting you should pick up a pair for less than advertised

http://www.magnumboots.com/uk/active-duty-ct.html

 

[hiho]

I just got some nice Karrimor safety boots for work, they do half sizes.

I near enough live in my karrimor safety boots, with a pair of standard "memory" foam insoles in them.
I work in retail and am on my feet 8 hours a day

 

[Biker]

Doc Martens are a pretty safe bet. I walked for miles in my pair or black lace up "posh" shoes. They're a bit old school now but they did the job for me.

 

[Baggy]

+1 for the doc marten shoes

 

[resnikov]

I used to have Dr Martins when I worked at Burger King whilst at school, I wore them out!

 

[Soundmixer]

I love my Blundstone 192 safety boots. They are like slippers and are pretty bombproof.
In fact it would seem that all my boots are Blunnies.... (No I don't work for them, just love 'em)

 

[Blencathra]

Res,

Im a suit dude 5days a week, but cannot stand the thin leather sole shoes

I popped in to see Saul in the Rohan shop (Harrogate) and came out with some Rohan / Brasher boots shoes.

They are fantastically comfortable, smart and also boots made by Chris Brasher.

Brilliant.

 

[Laurentius]

These are by far the most comfortable boots I've ever owned. They're a really high-quality brogue boot. And they're hand-made in England:

http://www.grenson.co.uk/en_gb/fred-v-670

They're resoleable, too. Red Wing make a similar kind of boot, too.

I've seen some of there footwear and they look extremely high quality, if only I could afford. I guess in the long run it works out reasonable, it's the initial outlay that is hard to find. Somewhere at the bottom of an ex girlfriends cupboard is a pair of Hawkins boots with DM soles. I had them for years and they were repairable. I wish I had them now, but I do have a pair of Hawkins shoes, again with the DM soles, they weigh a ton. If you can ever lay your hands on any retro footwear, when Northampton was the capital of boot manufacture and before everything sold out to China, it is wellworthwhile as they did not stint on materials then. Most modern boots and shoes seem to be a very thin skin of leather over fabric, they look good, they are comfortable, but they fall apart and cannot be resoled.

 

[spandit]

Rohan Pokhara or Bhaktapur...

 

[Biker]

.... Most modern boots and shoes seem to be a very thin skin of leather over fabric, they look good, they are comfortable, but they fall apart and cannot be resoled.

Found that out to my cost with my Karrimor safety boots. They looked the biz but the sole split sideways and I found out what appeared as a solid chunk of rubber on the sole was actualy a 2mm thick covering over a foam like mould. VERY disappointed as the boots are really comfy. Now they're only good for working indoors because as soon as you step outside in the wet you start squidging in no time at all.

We're too much of a throwaway culture now, resoling boots/shoes is getting to be a dying art.

 

[Rod Paradise]

Found that out to my cost with my Karrimor safety boots. They looked the biz but the sole split sideways and I found out what appeared as a solid chunk of rubber on the sole was actualy a 2mm thick covering over a foam like mould. VERY disappointed as the boots are really comfy. Now they're only good for working indoors because as soon as you step outside in the wet you start squidging in no time at all.

We're too much of a throwaway culture now, resoling boots/shoes is getting to be a dying art.

Same story with my Karrimor walking boots - started out really comfy, great to walk in, within 2 months they were trying to syphon the puddles dry. Treated myself to a pair of Altbergs for Xmas- at least I know I can get them properly resoled when the time comes.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Had a pair of Grenson's 30-odd years ago, when the 25 quid they cost was still an arm and a leg. Once worn-in they were superb. I had them soled & heeled several times before they were sadly lost in a house move abt 10 yrs ago. Grenson, or maybe Church, did a trad plain or brogue shoe with a Vibram sole. My mate had a pair and swore they were the DBs in the shoe department.

 

[Blencathra]

Rohan Ghandruk for me.

Brilliant, have travelled to Switzerland when freezing, Germany when wet and San Diego when hot and dry, all with a suit.

Ace shoes

Rohan Pokhara or Bhaktapur...

 

[tiger stacker]

I have a of army steelies, went to get them resoled. 3 times the rubber split on both boots. The cobbler charged £27 for the resole, yet his strongest glue was unable to stopp the seam splitting. For £38 the Cats are washed once a fornight comfy although the laces are starting to fray.
A trip to altbergs would help, alas the army are changing their boots to a funny shade of ?

 

[spandit]

Rohan Pokhara or Bhaktapur...

Ordered mine before Christmas & just picked them up today.