Recommend me some work shoes

It's about that time again. Normally, by the time I get new shoes, the old ones are just ugly enough but still have some life left to give, so they become the new work shoes. It's worked beautifully for the last few years, that my street shoes become worn and stained about the same time the work shoes become unwearable, so I'd get a new pair of shoes and move them down the line. Well this time around my work shoes are barely shoes at this point, and my main shoes are still pretty nice. I need cheap work shoes. My requirements:

Cheap

Oil resistant soles

Soles that are tough enough to walk around on rough concrete all day

Not totally stupid looking

Prefer a dark color, so the staining isn't so obvious.

What do you suggest?

If you like your feet, there's cheap shoes or there's good shoes.

Hard to go wrong with Doc Martin's. They aren't cheap, but in the world of shoes, they aren't expensive either. Mine have lasted for 7 or 8 years now, and show very little signs of wear.

motomoron wrote: If you like your feet, there's cheap shoes or there's good shoes.

This. I love my Wolverine shoes and it may not be cheap but it keeps my feet dry and comfortable all day.

I'm a really cheap SOB. I'll do nearly anything to save a buck. I do not get cheap shoes.

For one reason, they aren't comfortable. Another reason, they last much longer! I'll happily pay double for a pair of Red Wings; my last pair lasted from my freshman year of high school to my senior year of college. I'm thinking about even getting them resoled.

Got a pair of work boots from https://www.shoesforcrews.com/ back in HS when I worked at a Chick-Fil-A for 3.5 years.

In half a year I went through 3 pair of other shoes, those lasted the other 3 years and finally gave up the ghost 10 years after the initial purchase.

Oil resistance is the killer. The peanut oil and shortening that my shoes were exposed to at CFA literally ate shoes alive, those lasted AND were NO SLIP. Inside the kitched was an oil ice-rink and the boots kept me planted with firm footing. I bought a pair (not boots) for my mom after she had a knee replacement and a scare falling on some slick wet tile.

Mine were steel toed work boots, but your goals might be different. They are well worth it.

Georgia Boot Romeo's. Don't even know what you need them for, but these are pretty sweet- had mine for a year and really like them. Come in steel toe and otherwise.

http://www.sportco.com/store/pc/Georgia-Boot-Men-s-Waterproof-Giant-Romeo-Gr-500-Brown-W-Heel-475p50059.htm

These are awesome! Comfy and good-looking! Perfect for work. Well, depending on what it is exactly that you do...

http://www.zappos.com/rockport-rocsport-lite-business-wing-black?zfcTest=fcl%3A0

Bostonian Flex Lite. Comfy as a slipper, great support, the ONLY shoe I wear when I have to be on my feet all day.

Not sure about oil resistance, but toner seems to wipe off.

Redwing Pecos #2231 steel toe. Comfortable as house slipppers and tougher than Chuck Whatshisname

Doc Martens are good but they have a very long break in period (ymmv). Also, not all of them are waterproof.

I highly recommend Magnum boots. They are very comfortable, durable, waterproof and great to walk in. I have worn these for 12 hour days and no issues at all. I have been wearing these for the last year or year and a half: http://www.magnumboots.com/us/product-viper-ii-6-wp-black.html

Thanks for all the suggestions! And sorry moderators, this was supposed to be in off-topic.

Thorogood Boots are all I wear.... Made in USA and they hold up. I buy a new pair of the same model boots every 6 months when we get a work clothing allowance.

I wear Wellington Oil Riggers or Classic Wellingtons.... They are literally the same boot with a darker color on oil riggers from what I can tell.

i have a pair of Redwing composite toed boots that i got about a year and a half ago... they are more comfortable than any shoes i've ever had, and my feet aren't sore after wearing them for 15 hours.. paid $160 for them, but i think they will last a long, long time..

1988RedT2 wrote: These are awesome! Comfy and good-looking! Perfect for work. Well, depending on what it is exactly that you do... http://www.zappos.com/rockport-rocsport-lite-business-wing-black?zfcTest=fcl%3A0

I wore those for years when I was a shop teacher. Great dressy type shoes for someone on their feet all day. Very comfortable, dressy enough, and fairly long lasting.

x2 on the redwing composite toes. I have had mine for almost 7 years. If you wear them In the cold the composite toe is a big plus.

Skechers !!

Cheap

Oil resistant soles

Soles that are tough enough to walk around on rough concrete all day

Not totally stupid looking

Prefer a dark color, so the staining isn't so obvious.

I love Skechers ! I have 5 pair of shoes a and 4 are Skechers 3 pair are work shoes.

i wear double h harness boots every day. they are all I own.

I honestly don't even own another pair of shoes, other than my Justin dress boots. the double h's are way more comfortable.

im on my 4th set in a decade. the things wont die. insoles wear out quickly, and I use some of the blue gen ones from wal mart.

break ins a bitch, though.

I've been wearing these Georgia Boots for about 7 years now. When I put them on they felt like steel-toed bunny slippers. Super comfortable. Got them re-soled last year and put new insoles in but they are still great after years of use and abuse.

I'm very happy with my Caterpillar boots. I owned one pair for about 10 years, which is when this happened...

In the background is its replacement. I could've probably had them re-soled (the leather was still intact), but I figured after 10 years it was time to treat myself to a new pair.They survived a lot of abuse, including heavy car work (I kick things a lot), hardcore hiking, general trudging-through-snow-on-campus, and standing/walking all day at the department store where I used to work. I did replace the laces once. I'm not known for being nice to equipment, so when something lasts like this, I take that to heart. That's my recommendation.

They're somewhere between $80 and $120 a pair. In both cases, I bought one of the cheapest offerings they had. Well, they were when I bought them three years ago.

If you don't need steel-toe or composite, I would recommend Bates Tacticals.

I've paid a lot of money over the years on Wolverines Red-Wing, and Doc's... They were all destroyed after six months at my job.

The Tacticals last a little bit longer, are more comfortable for me, and are a Helluva lot cheaper for me to buy...

grafmiata wrote: If you don't need steel-toe or composite, I would recommend Bates Tacticals. I've paid a lot of money over the years on Wolverines Red-Wing, and Doc's... They were all destroyed after six months at my job. The Tacticals last a little bit longer, are more comfortable for me, and are a Helluva lot cheaper for me to buy...

This. I work in an industry that requires tactical boots and we walk a lot. sometimes with heavy loads. I have tried Lacrosse, Rocky, Magnum, Converse and a few others over the 6 and a half years I have worked here. none of the others have lasted over a year with the abuse I put them through. I bought Bates boots last time. Still going strong. Its not always the most expensive boot that lasts. I recommend Bates boots.

This thread is relevant to my interests. I will soon be working in a warehouse environment that ranges from -20 F to 40F. I have a pair of red wings pull-on boots that I really like; anyone have experience with their 6" lace-ups? I would prefer something that I could easily clean up/polish for when I have to go to the office.

quality shoes are worth every penny.

i like carhart myself.

I like my Keen Albany's. Got them for about $92 at a local discount shoe retailer. Composite toe, oil resistant soles, etc. Very comfortable.