What are your favorite boots?

Yes I know very open ended because I don't specify work, hiking, rain, tactical, etc. I'm looking at getting new boots. So what is the make and model of your favorite boots? And why?

As a brewer, my boot needs are pretty specific: tall, waterproof, chemical resistant, steel toe. So for work I really love my Muck Chore ST. Surprisingly comfortable, but not what you're looking for.

General work boot, I'm surprisingly fond of Keen steel-toe hiking boots. These just fit the best for me. It's the wide toe box. Normally safety toe boots cramp my toes and rub. The quality is sort of middling since they can't be resoled, but they're super comfortable for the 1-2 years of service they give and moderately priced.

Years back I got a pair of REI brand hiking boots that are just great and still serving me well for general purpose outdoor activity. Wish they still made them.

My daily boots for the last 20 yeard have been double h harness boots.

Due to job requirements, im wearing bates zip side boots. After a pair of gel insoles and getting them broke in, they are better than the double h.

I prefer flip flops

anything with a vibram sole usually works. Buying boots without a vibram sole is idiocy.

I used to wear Irish Setter Ashby's with a safety toe for work. The company is owned by Redwing FWIW, the boots are lightweight and seriously comfortable to be in all day long. All I've done with them is swap the laces out for a set from Castle Brook.

Hiking I prefer Merrell but I have oddly shaped feet it seems.

I want to get some boots from Russell Moccasins. They are semi local, hand crafted, and have a good history. But a touch on the expensive side.

Bogs. Slip them on to go out in the snow or slop.

Icon Super Duty 4 for the motorcycle. All-day comfortable.

Other than that, can't stand anything over my ankle.

White's Smokejumper custom fitted and cut down 8" tall instead of the original tall size. They fit my 9.5EEEE foot and are a four hour drive away.

Dunham Cloud waterproof hiking boots are my favorites. I wear 4E width shoes and boots are somewhat hard to find in that size. Also when they say waterproof they really are. And they are really comfortable for hiking, at least to me.

Red Wings. On my second pair in 13 years (the first were worn lightly by my dad for an additional 8 years). Also just got a pair of LL Bean boots. They're pretty awesome as well.

I like things that are "buy it for life" and I like things that are made in USA. Both of these fit that description.

Hiking/work/general purpose: Asolo - first pair lasted 7 years several backpacking excursions, 2 years of parks service/lumber jacking, and near daily wear and only required one retreading. My second pair lasted 8 years with slightly less abuse before I blew a heel out. I asked Santa for a new pair, but I must not have bee as good as I thought last year.

Work/general purpose/Western-ish: Ariat - comfy, durable, affordable.

Justin Ropers, in plain black leather, for casual wear and bootscootin'.

mtn wrote: I like things that are "buy it for life" and I like things that are made in USA.

This. I love having a pair of boots and know that as long as the leather is good I won't need another pair.

I have worn these Red Wing boots for the past 10 years and finally need to get them resoled. The "SuperSole" they market is a big draw for me. The inner portion of the sole is softer rubber than the exterior portion. After about 10 years of rotational use the sole split on the bottom and disintegrated from the inside. The boots have aged exceptionally well and come in wide sizes that I like. The insulation is pretty good, mid-weight I would say.

I purchased a pair of Thorogood boots that I wanted to try because they have wedge soles, no insulation, and a big toe box. I do really like the big toe box but not the wedge soles. They are great on grass and dirt but not anything else. I also don't like the 6" height. I prefer below the ankle footwear or 8" or taller boots.

I have always been told that moccasin toe boots aren't waterproof but they do have bigger toe boxes. I think my feet are used to the large toe box in my Thorogood boots and wouldn't mind finding something wider than the Red Wings. Does anyone have experience with moccasin toed boots in wet conditions?

Here are my redwings: http://www.redwingshoes.com/red-wing-shoe/1132-red-wing-shoes/1132-red-wing-mens-11-inch-pull-on-boot-brown

My Salomon 3D GTX Gore-Tex hikers. I bought them 8 or 9yrs ago at Rock and Snow in New Paltz NY because I slipped and almost fell to my doom scrambling wet rocks in the shoes I had on earlier that day.

They have hiked in the Gunks, desert of AZ, the Sierras, the Smokeys, Adirondaks, walked behind my snow blower, across every paddock in the NE, ice/rain/snow/mud/heat they walked every step along with my BIL when training to climb Rainier and I wear them everywhere that I don't need to dress a specific way. I can't even imagine how many miles they have on them. If I turn a hose on them they look like the day I bought them. I am afraid to try anything new because they won't be as good.

Possibly one of the best $160 I ever spent.

Bought some Lowa Renegades for hiking-- great boots for that. I've typically used Timberline Pro steel toed boots in the workshop. I bought some Timberland slip-on low-top style steel toes for the garage, since I'm constantly changing footwear going in and out of the house. I really like the low-tops, the Timberland boots can be hit and miss.

Anyone have recommendations on winter boots that are really good for walking on ice and snow? Kinda like snow tires for your feet where the rubber is pliable at low temps, etc.?

Basil Exposition wrote: Anyone have recommendations on winter boots that are really good for walking on ice and snow? Kinda like snow tires for your feet where the rubber is pliable at low temps, etc.?

More like tire chains than snow tires but my girlfriend uses Yaktrax for winter running in icy conditions. I have not tried them myself but she says they work great.

My black Timberlands are 12 years old and I still wear them routinely all year round.

I've worn a pair of Made in USA Redwing steel toes every day for the last 3 years and change I've been at my job. They get used hard and often and aren't very well cared for, but they hold up ok. Soles are starting to come apart and wearing pretty thin, one of the hooks for the laces fell off a while ago, and they aren't the most comfortable without insoles (which I had to stop keeping in them because they're evidently a favorite chew toy for my dog, a.k.a. Captain Destructo.) I like them, but I'm not dead set on another pair of Redwings to replace them.

mtn wrote: Red Wings. On my second pair in 13 years (the first were worn lightly by my dad for an additional 8 years).

I'm surprised to hear that, because when I worked for Comcast, we were given a boot credit every 2 years for Red Wing. I would kill a pair of those boots in less than 2 years. I usually got the Lineman style boots though, I don't know if they were just prone to wearing out faster.

I've had these north face summit boots for 10 years, they absolutely kick ass. Water tight, light, tough, toasty warm when you need em to be, not too warm when you don't.

Interesting choices and thanks. I'm self admittedly kind of a boot whore, and I think there are 4 or 5 pair currently at the house. Thankfully I have all of about $100 of my personal funds tied up in boots, but none of the ones I have do I absolutely love.

The other issue I have is that in the past couple years I've lost some weight and while this has been awesome, I find myself in need of some new footwear. I'd like something brown and waterproof and lightweight, but my taste range from Danner Rainforest, to Wolverine 1000 mile boots, to Bogs muck boots, to some Cabelas hikers on sale.

RossD wrote: I want to get some boots from Russell Moccasins. They are semi local, hand crafted, and have a good history. But a touch on the expensive side.

A second recommendation for these. Send in a tracing of your foot and check all the boxes that you want and they'll make you a boot just how you want that fits and lasts. They are priced like the semi-custom boots that they are, but it's more like buying from a cobbler than a shoe store.

I've been getting Sketchers lately. I can usually pick them up on sale for about $70 a pair. No matter what I get I usually wear the heels off them in about 4 months so there's no point in buying more expensive boots.