Red Wing Boots - Your Opinion

[Sunstealer73]

Welcome.
Im sorry to sound naïve but a pair of red wings only lasting a year? There is a saying that you get what you pay for and that's why red wings should last a lifetime, that's what the red wing sales person said to me anyway.

How do you wear your boots that they only last a year? Afterall I only walk in mine and don't kicka ball with them or run. I suppose I don't wear boots everyday which will help.

It doesn't matter who makes them, the soles will eventually wear out, especially if you walk a lot in the city on hard concrete and pavement. There's nothing magical about a Red Wing sole. The good thing about a well made shoe/boot though, they can be easily resoled instead of thrown away like shoes that are glued together.

 

[VictorC]



It doesn't matter who makes them, the soles will eventually wear out, especially if you walk a lot in the city on hard concrete and pavement.  There's nothing magical about a Red Wing sole.  The good thing about a well made shoe/boot though, they can be easily resoled instead of thrown away like shoes that are glued together.

Thanks for info. Sorry to sound naïve again. Is it the heel or sole that wears. Ive only worn a pair of boots for 4 times and the outside edge of the heel is weariing away.

 

[wavery]



Welcome.
Im sorry to sound naïve but a pair of red wings only lasting a year? There is a saying that you get what you pay for and that's why red wings should last a lifetime, that's what the red wing sales person said to me anyway.

How do you wear your boots that they only last a year? Afterall I only walk in mine and don't kicka ball with them or run. I suppose I don't wear boots everyday which will help.

It was the soles that only lasted a year. I wore daily and abused them with alkalis, solvents and neglect. Leather was always good.

 

[VictorC]



It was the soles that only lasted a year. I wore daily and abused them with alkalis, solvents and neglect. Leather was always good.

I see, but Red wings are quite expensive, so couldn't you replace the sole? How many pairs have you owned over the years?

Ive just bought a pair and feel quite guilty it is the most expensive boot ive ever bought so I plan to make them last many years. Im thinking 20 years at least.

 

[mixProtocol]

Horsehair brush? Also, have you ever tapped your heels? Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, I use an inexpensive one like this... It's better to brush the dirt off first, otherwise it'll turn into mud and get absorbed deeper by the boot. I've never tried heel taps.

 

[Sunstealer73]

Thanks for info. Sorry to sound naïve again. Is it the heel or sole that wears. Ive only worn a pair of boots for 4 times and the outside edge of the heel is weariing away.

It depends on how you walk and what type sole you have. On leather soled shoes, many people find they replace the heels before the soles. On boots with Vibram rubber soles, you'll replace the whole thing. For the wedge-type soles, they will wear pretty quickly on hard surfaces and you'll replace the whole thing at once too.

 

[VictorC]



It depends on how you walk and what type sole you have.  On leather soled shoes, many people find they replace the heels before the soles.  On boots with Vibram rubber soles, you'll replace the whole thing.  For the wedge-type soles, they will wear pretty quickly on hard surfaces and you'll replace the whole thing at once too.

These are them. I think rubber soles. Its the back of the heel that has really worn fast and I think I can go to local cobbler and he can maybe put a durable heel on that looks similar and is in keeping looks wise.

http://www.toddscostumes.com/costum...e/indiana-jones-clothing/indiana-jones-boots/

I think the heels and sole on my RW 213 will last for a long time though for surre.

 

[wavery]



I see, but Red wings are quite expensive, so couldn't you replace the sole? How many pairs have you owned over the years?

Ive just bought a pair and feel quite guilty it is the most expensive boot ive ever bought so I plan to make them last many years. Im thinking 20 years at least.

Dozens. But I was in the chemical coatings industry and would literally destroy shoes so I just bought the $150-$200 un re-sole able red wings. At roughly $.50 a day for a tough and comfortable shoes that I wore 10+ hours every day I don't see that as expensive. My non work boot red wings I see lasting me for 20 years easily.

 

[dieselman89]



These are them. I think rubber soles. Its the back of the heel that has really worn fast and I think I can go to local cobbler and he can maybe put a durable heel on that looks similar and is in keeping looks wise.

http://www.toddscostumes.com/costum...e/indiana-jones-clothing/indiana-jones-boots/

I think the heels and sole on my RW 213 will last for a long time though for surre.

ive noticed the back of my heels wearing quickly. Putting a tap on my boots now.

 

[RRL CLOTHING]

Lol 20 years... You will be lucky to get a year out of wedges unless you sit home all day. $250 is cheap, oakstreet and wolverine wedge boots run $450, RRL runs $850.

If you want good beater shoes get some Thorogood, theyre half price of Red Wing

 

[Sunstealer73]

These are them. I think rubber soles. Its the back of the heel that has really worn fast and I think I can go to local cobbler and he can maybe put a durable heel on that looks similar and is in keeping looks wise.

http://www.toddscostumes.com/costum...e/indiana-jones-clothing/indiana-jones-boots/

I think the heels and sole on my RW 213 will last for a long time though for surre.

Those look like a full length sole/heel. So, if the heel wears down, I think you'll have to replace the whole sole. Being rubber though, it should last a good while I would think. Definitely longer than leather or the wedge style.

 

[wavery]



Lol 20 years... You will be lucky to get a year out of wedges unless you sit home all day. $250 is cheap, oakstreet and wolverine wedge boots run $450, RRL runs $850.

If you want good beater shoes get some Thorogood, theyre half price of Red Wing

Nobody said anything about the soles lasting 20 years but the boot lasting 20 years. Lol, read. And like the previous poster mentioned you get what you pay for. Thorogoods wouldn't last me 6 months. Other brands I find your just paying extra for horween. I find red wing is the best quality for the dollar.

 

[RRL CLOTHING]

In case you didn't notice nobody here wears Red Wing boots for construction or day laboring. This forum is mostly for poseurs who are into the whole "work wear" fad. They're hipsters, with skinny raw jeans, and walk through a college campus, they could care less about how long boots last and will probably ditch these boots after a few wears in favor of some kicks or CPs. FYI Throrogood discontinued the Vibram sole in favor of an in house wedge that is 30% longer lasting, because of complaints their soles wore out too quickly, so they're actually BETTER quality boots if all you do is put miles on them. I also call BS on Thorogoods only lasting 6 months. Are you 300lbs?


4 Posts and you're telling me how to read? Trollololol. The previous poster mentioned he felt guilty buying $250 boots, I doubt he would ever get them resoled as would 99% people would never resole their boots. I personally would never resole either, I would just buy a new pair... as I throw out my old boots and buy new ones every couple of years (I have a few boots in rotation.) Resoling is the boot equivalent of buying a 20 year old rusty Honda and putting a new engine into it to save a few dollars. This is about as lowbrow as you can get.

 

[wavery]

Lol. Never worn boots for construction or day laboring myself either. I was simply giving my un-biased opinions and experiences with shoes I have worn and continue to wear today. FYI it was the leather that failed on the thorogoods not the sole!

 

[elduderino]

To the guys asking questions about how the leather wears: there might be some special characteristics for the different kind of oils you can treat your boots with, but comparing how they react with the shoes is sometimes a bit difficult. You're wearing leather, it's animal hide and varies a bit from shoe to shoe. Sometimes it softens a bit more, sometimes it gets a few more wrinkles. It will probably darken. But not the same as someone elses boot did. Wear is character and never exactly the same. Leather a natural fabric is all I'm saying.