Real Work Boots

[tmleadr03]

Sorry Martin, my back and feet are fine...for now. I've honestly got more use out of my Timberlands than any RW's I've had.

I am telling you Redbacks are excellent.

[SA Friday]

Feel your pain Mike. I tried all different types of boots and nothing would last. My wife just about shit kittens when I dropped 275.00 on a pair of Fabiano mountaineering boots. But the boots lasted 9 years and 3 re-soles. Pretty good when you break it down- 9 years of quality boot that boiled out to about 60.00 a year including the re-soles. They made it through mud, asphalt, concrete, Magnesium Chloride and all kinds of abuse.
Your a wrench IIRC so your boot killer (beside stinky feet ) is the oil and diesel. They will rot seams and leather in an instant. Forget the mink oil and such- SnoSeal or NikWax work pretty well at keeping oil and diesel out. But you have to re-apply it 3 or 4 times a year. I have seen where guys will put hockey skate ProtecTo on the seams and it seems to keep the nasties out of the stitching.

Unfortunately, Fabianos are all but extinct. They were amazing boots. Alico is probably the next closest thing, but they are not Fabs... Norwegian welt boots are slowly dying away. I hope to get a couple of pairs before they die out and store them away.

[Graves]

As SA and BP have suggested, I'll likely go with a set of rebuildable boots and just keep a pair of backup timberlands on hand (they're running 40% off now).

I am telling you Redbacks are excellent.

I bought a pair from my Matco dealer a few years back and killed them within 7mo's. I did see a pair last mjbealer (users here) 3 years working right along side me however...but his boots spent more time propped up on the desk.

[tmleadr03]

I bought a pair from my Matco dealer a few years back and killed them within 7mo's. I did see a pair last mjbealer (users here) 3 years working right along side me however...but his boots spent more time propped up on the desk.

Mine have been going strong for about two years now. I guess YMMV.

[Marlin]

After my experience with a pair of redwing boots, I would not take another pair if they gave them to me.

[Graves]

After my experience with a pair of redwing boots, I would not take another pair if they gave them to me.

That seems to be the general consensus in the shop here. The worst I've seen were from Snap-on, I've seen two pair crap out within a month. I think I may have settled on a pair of Danners, hopefully I can get some input there and find them locally. Size 13 seems to be hard to find for some reason.

[Byte Stryke]

well I Saw a few SF guys at a chowhall once...
some of us notice things...

one of the guys was wearing some Magnums. I Asked him how they wear and he told me.
Since then I haven't bought anything else.
I figure if they last when walking around Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan for years, it says something for the quality and construction.

[Bowtie]

I am telling you Redbacks are excellent.

I just bought my second pair of redbacks. My first pair was lasted 6 years. They are hard to find.

[BPTactical]

Unfortunately, Fabianos are all but extinct. They were amazing boots. Alico is probably the next closest thing, but they are not Fabs... Norwegian welt boots are slowly dying away. I hope to get a couple of pairs before they die out and store them away.

Yup, I know
When it came time to replace them I couldn't find even a pair of Vasque or Raichle's anywhere.
I was reluctant to try the newer generation of mountain boots but I ended up trying a pair of LaSportiva Makalu boots and so far they have panned out well.
I am not familiar with Alico's.

[DD977GM2]

I run either Danner logger style(heel isnt as high as traditional loggers) or in all actuality Doc Marten Wellington pull on boots. I bought the Docs in August, but Im in the oilfield and so far they are holding up great.

Try Intermountain Safety off Mcintyre and 44th ave in eastern Golden. They have Carolina boots and they didnt have my size when I got the Danners or I would have those. I have worn Carolinas for 2 to 4 years (their loggers) and are exceptional for durabilty and wear. This was working in an industrial environment with 12 hour shifts.

http://www.danner.com/boots/quarrytm...ork-boots.html

http://www.dmusastore.com/p-331-2295-wellington.aspx