Wore Redwings for years, very good boots. I've had some problems with my feet and wanted something much lighter. So I went high tech, cost some bucks but these are great boots. They are warm, waterproof, give great support and are very light weight compared to Redwings. They do wear out, I wear them almost full time, get about two years out of them. If I would keep them dry they would last longer. Without my feet I'm out of business!
https://www.lowaboots.com/mens/task-force-tactical/z-8s-gtx%C2%AE?color=Dark%20Brown
After decades of buying cheap boots and enduring days/weeks of breaking them in, I treated myself to a pair of Redwing boots. $200+.
First pair was sturdy, water proof and mostly comfortable. I decided to have them resoled after a couple of years and was totally disappointed with the repair. The shape of the boot was distorted somewhat and the fit was no longer acceptable. Additionally, the new soles and whatever they added to the boot increased the weight of each boot by about a pound. I tried to break them in for a couple of months but they never came back,
I never considered that that they did not go back to the factory for refurbishment and, reading some of the comments above, I guess this explains the lack of quality.
I threw caution to the wind and decided to buy a new pair of Redwings. The model I had previously purchased was no longer available, so I bought the updated version of the same boot. Different sole and a few other items that were not quite the same. Hated the new boot. Uncomfortable, and heavier than I thought a boot should be. Waterproof, yes.
30 years ago. someone gifted me a pair of Rocky boots. Excellent fit and finish. Don't know why I didn't go back to them sooner. I found a pair of Rocky Outback 8" boots, wide fit and am kicking myself every day that I lace them up for not going back to them. They felt like they had been broken-in for me and I was able to wear them the first day for 6 hours with not a single "hot spot" to worry about. They are light, water proof and insulated.
Redwing: never again.
My two cents.
JA, PLS, SoCal
I've been wearing boots since day 1.
Most of the time I buy the cheapest foot wear, currently, for the last 2 or 5 years, I've been wearing Costco $14 dollar tennis shoes...
I've owned some really nice boots though; Chippewa's, back in 1970's, were my favorite. Once or twice, I've owned a pair of Redwing's, very nice as well.
Does anyone know what happened to the Chippewa's?
RADAR, post: 449960, member: 413 wrote: I've been wearing boots since day 1.
Most of the time I buy the cheapest foot wear, currently, for the last 2 or 5 years, I've been wearing Costco $14 dollar tennis shoes...I've owned some really nice boots though; Chippewa's, back in 1970's, were my favorite. Once or twice, I've owned a pair of Redwing's, very nice as well.
Does anyone know what happened to the Chippewa's?
Chippewa is alive and well!
Jules J., post: 449964, member: 444 wrote: Chippewa is alive and well!
Interesting styles. Here's what they recommend for engineers:
These were the last pair purchased for that soft and 'slip-resistant' sole.
Not long after that a job in Galveston required climbing over rock and structure covered in barnacles. Shredded that fancy soft sole.
To get a desired sole for the places a surveyor goes, a special order was needed at the local shops.
I have a pair of Redwing 699 Wildland Fire Fighting Boots with a very aggressive Vibram sole for rough ground.
A Harris, post: 451033, member: 81 wrote: To get a desired sole for the places a surveyor goes, a special order was needed at the local shops.
I have a pair of Redwing 699 Wildland Fire Fighting Boots with a very aggressive Vibram sole for rough ground.
Bought a pair of those sometime in the mid-eighties. Interesting story (subjective), they got me out of a dwi.
Only had them for a couple of days and thought those paratrooper type boots were the most solid boot ever. They were tough to break in, they rubbed my ankles raw, and the tall heels were an accident waiting to happen.
Late one night when getting off my second job at a factory, two of the ladies asked me if I wanted to stop after and grab a few drinks. We did that and it got time to get going so I left and it wasn't too far down the road when the red-n-blues were flashing in my rear view and I started sucking wind real fast and talking out loud to myself so i'd know I wasn't slurring any words or sounding drunk.
Knew I needed to be on task and with it, so when the trooper got to the window and asked if I had been drinking, I told the story of just starting that job and stopping after work with the co-workers for a drink.
I had to step out of the vehicle for the field sobriety test and we got to the walking the line part and didn't want to fail that, so fast as I could I offered the boots were new, uncomfortable, and had weird tall heels, but I could walk that line on my hands, if he'd let me.
I don't know how, but somehow he agreed and I sprung to my hands and walked that line up and back with a spring back upright - it isn't so hard to walk when your nose is one foot from the line. I walked that line perfectly and I think I saw him chuckle. Anyway I guess I demonstrated I could motor, and I was reminded of the laws on drinking and driving, then released.
A Harris, post: 451033, member: 81 wrote: To get a desired sole for the places a surveyor goes, a special order was needed at the local shops.
I have a pair of Redwing 699 Wildland Fire Fighting Boots with a very aggressive Vibram sole for rough ground.
Quit wearing lace-up a long time ago. Got tired of briar thorns, grass burs, and poison oak/ivy getting in the laces. And replacing laces.
A Harris, post: 451033, member: 81 wrote: To get a desired sole for the places a surveyor goes, a special order was needed at the local shops.
I have a pair of Redwing 699 Wildland Fire Fighting Boots with a very aggressive Vibram sole for rough ground.
I had a pair of Danner Smoke Jumpers (same design) when a carpenter. That was back in the day when they were US made. They were the toughest boots i ever had. I recall they were like $250 in the 70s, but made $17 an hour then. They were heavy, but can't think of a single shortcoming.
Is there a real high quality boot anymore?
R.J. Schneider, post: 451043, member: 409 wrote: Quit wearing lace-up a long time ago. Got tired of briar thorns, grass burs, and poison oak/ivy getting in the laces. And replacing laces.
I have worn pull-ons since '69, Before that I work Army Surplus All Leather combat boots. I currently buy Double H work boots for about $200 a pair that last about 3 years without heels or soles and they are made in the USA. Not over seas, especially NOT made in China.
RADAR, post: 449960, member: 413 wrote: I've been wearing boots since day 1.
Most of the time I buy the cheapest foot wear, currently, for the last 2 or 5 years, I've been wearing Costco $14 dollar tennis shoes...I've owned some really nice boots though; Chippewa's, back in 1970's, were my favorite. Once or twice, I've owned a pair of Redwing's, very nice as well.
Does anyone know what happened to the Chippewa's?
Got a new pair on now, love them for the office, but they are too nice for the field, I don't wear tennis shoes except to work out in.
I do have two pair of light Chippewa's, for the field I prefer my White's.
Well that really worked out ..
?ÿ
Was able to return a pair of Redwings for a new pair. I like the boots when they break in, and had a very comfortable pair worn in, but after four months the insole on one boot started coming apart and creating a knot under my foot.
I've tried to return Redwings once in the past for the stitching above the heel coming undone and got nothing but a hard time from the store; they wouldn't honor their return policy.
Here's what I learned today:?ÿ
If you have to return a pair of boots be sure there are other prospective customers in the store at the time.
It doesn't matter that they just say sh!t when they're trying to sell you something, the important part is them losing a sale once their BS is aired to the public. I caught a break today because a veteran (proudly wearing his cap) and his wife had turned a discriminating ear and eye to my attempt to make good on Redwing's return promise.
I bought a pair of redwings just before heading to Alaska.?ÿ Had to order my size in so I had almost no time to break them in before I left.?ÿ They absolutely killed my feet.?ÿ It was painful every morning to have to put them on and get moving.?ÿ Not blaming the boots, but I don't think they were sized right for me (too small for my size 13/14 foot)?ÿ and I got rid of them as soon as I got back to New Mexico.?ÿ?ÿ
Here in the Florida, I found Altama mil spec?ÿ jungle boots to be much more useful.?ÿ?ÿ
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Andy?ÿ?ÿ
These people have been my go to for all?ÿ my resole work, saved about 1000 dollars or more on my resoles versus new boots and break in.
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Nothing but Red Wings for the past 16 years. I also get the Red Wing Orthodics that you heat in the oven and mold to your foot. My feet have become flat iver the years. Orthodics help. ?ÿ
My previous company bought us Red Wings and I wore those boots for over 5 years (they were steel toe) and resoled them once. It got to the point where the inside of the boot was eating my socks but the boots were always comfortable.
Since then, I've had Wolverine boots that I've had resoled one time and since being resoled, they're more comfortable than they were to begin with.
Another piece of Americana gone when you cant find a good shoe shoe repair shop any more!?ÿ No Country for Old men. Good day, Jp
