Please don't wear your trousers like this
Email Libs on their customer service e-mail. They make them to order so will do any leather you prefer or other changes. I’ve got black workboots, which are normally brown and army boots that are 6 eyelet height instead of 9.
Again the drawback is the delivery time. They don’t keep stock, I had to wait 20 weeks for my last ones. You’ll need a cheap pair of something to put you on.
I’ve had a few pairs over the years and have worn out the grips in what seems like no time all
This. A few years back I bought a pair of 'Made in England' 8-hole DMs. Soles were flat within a few months. Leather tore through at the toe box creases with 16 months. Would not buy again 🙁
Back in the 70s/80s DMs were probably about, what, £30 a pair as folks suggest? I remember the 'ugh' look on my father's face when I went into adult sizes with their VAT addition. £30 in 1980 would have the spending power of £125 now so DMs aren't that over inflated.
On the William Lennon comments - yes! Libs was so very helpful when I ordered mine. And like others here I asked for a different leather from the 'standard' - no extra cost for the option I went for. The 20-week wait was not quite exciting, but it did build anticipation. They arrived neatly and simply packaged very soon after a 'your boots have been shipped and your order is now complete' email.
The 20-week wait can be offset by buying from HebTroCo. Plus you get an extra pair of laces and Brant's/Ed's choice of leather and finish. So, perhaps less of a 'hipster tax' and more of an opportunity or design cost?
I’ve been wearing Meindle Desert Fox boots for years, but the foam midsole has disintegrated on all of mine, and having some money to play with I bought a pair of Redwing Moc-toe boots, which can be fully resoled, and are great with jeans.
Please don’t wear your trousers like this
Oh God no! I’ll wear shorts if I’m going to have the hem that high; I can’t imagine why anyone thinks that’s a good look, it’s just ridiculous.
Im toying with the idea of getting another pair of Redwings, the Iron Mountain boots originally made for iron miners, with a double thickness toe box, like steelies, but not cold in the winter.
Used to buy AirWear soled boots from Blackmans in Cheshire St off Brick Lane back in the mid 70s. DM cherry red 8 hole with yellow stitching round the welt were about £9, what I half remember to be medium brown Solovair 7 hole steels without eyelets or the stitching were £7 and black 12(?) hole DM Blackburn steels were about £11. When the cheapest ones got to about £20, we all started buying the solid Ranger screw on soled nobbly leather 12 hole steels from the Army Surplus in Manor Park for about £12. Skint punk chic.
Off the back of this thread I've just ordered a pair of Lanx Settle boots. Had a hankering for some nice boots so cheers for the recommendation.
Does anyone know if the Hebco Moto boot has a bellows tongue?
Half bellows (stops between 3rd and 4th lace eyelets.
Thanks Razor. Are they nice and wide?
There is plenty of room in them for my average proportioned feet. They’re built to last too!
Well thanks to this thread I now have a pair of Lanx Tasker boots on their way.
I've been after some decent semi dress boots for ages and this thread was well timed so bit the bullet.
I like my blundstones but theyre unlined with a cheap, non replaceable, sole
There are some specialists who will resole Blundstone boots : https://bootrepaircompany.co.uk/collections/blundstone
I've had several pairs, but the quality has gone down over the years. The soles on one pair split completely through with no little warning in multiple places across both shoes which left me in the lurch somewhat - I had to buy some emergency replacement footwear halfway through a workday!
Seems it's a fairly common problem : https://www.reddit.com/r/BlundstoneBoots/comments/1b9uan3/sole_split_in_two_one_year_old_boots/
Great thread - I'm eyeing up some Lanx boots off the back of it. Heads up for anyone with access to one, a Defence Discount Card (and presumably Blue Light Card) gives you 15% off Lanx.
I’ve had several pairs, but the quality has gone down over the years. The soles on one pair split completely through
indeed. The pair I've got now (which I've had since 2016 and are still going strong) were a warranty replacement for a pair where the sole disintegrated after very little wear.
There are some specialists who will resole Blundstone boots
An expensive option. £70-95 plus shipping there and back. I always wonder about the life of the elastic sides on Chelsea boots - I've got some suede timberland 'earthkeepers' I'd like to have resoled but the elastic looks like it's on the way out.
that Defense discount code works in the outlet bit too!
Could you ford a stream in those redwings and have dry feet?
Wasn't the ask for "casual" boots?
Since I'm no longer a holder of a defence discount card..... topcashback will give you 10.5% back on lanx
My 10 year old Timberland boots are still in use. They've gone a bit saggy at the back but are very comfy.
Having had some cheap imitations I've just bought some Red Wing 875s. Got fitted at their store on a trip down in that there London which was necessary due to my square feet.
My Red Wing chukka's are bomb proof - very hard wearing and easy to clean. 15 years in and barely a scuff on them.
No one has mentioned Trickers yet. Probably because they are beyond the price range.. .. but aren't redwing? I've no idea if they are 2 or 3x better and justify the price, or just veblem for feet. They look nice..... but I suspect I'll stick to my loakes
Cheaney for me. Never cheap, but once you know your last size, hunting for bargains on EBay is always fun. I’m a 125F in a 81/2 and the fit is perfect. Most shoes and boots are too wide for me.
Last three years: two pairs Dr Martens and one pair Red Wing Moc Toe. Dr's both lasted a year before the soles gave out - split along their length. Then thought Go Big! and went for the Red Wing as "they last a lifetime!" Mine (£330) lasted four months before the soles had worn down - average steps per day around 4,000. Now being resoled for a price similar to what the Dr's cost as actual boots. I do have a pair of Clarks Norton that I bought 15 years ago, and they still look new. I'd avoid the Red Wings.
That Rose Anvil bloke has cut up loads of Red Wings in the past and he always praises the material and build quality. He usually concludes that they're still worth the money.
I like the Blacksmith boot which doesn't have the extra toe stitching of the Iron Ranger but is essentially the same in every other way.
I already wanted Lanx though and I think I know someone who can get the discount so that might swing it for me.
Re redwing soles, the white 'christy' soles are very comfy but they do wear quickly. I think I've read that they are designed for grip rather than longevity.
If you search eBay you'll see lots of redwing boots with white soles worn down to weird smooth shapes even though the upper is still in serviceable condition.
Have you looked at Panama Jack? Quite a few styles are similar to Timberland, but the pair I have are much better constructed. Available from a few places in the UK inc Amazon.
William Lennon are a great company. I’ve a pair of 178’s - bomb proof in their latigo “whip” leather. The worn leather sole was replaced with some commando units some years back. Quite a rugged boot, completely unlined they ended up out in the shed covered in mud. I prefer Trickers as a casual boot.
I brushed off the Lennon’s when we moved last year and were not at all fazed by the mistreatment ! So solidly built toe box and vamp have held shape fine too - no need for shoe trees for these for sure.
There’s a bit of a walking boot roll to the sole shape and I prefer my trickers again for everyday wear.
Ive a few pairs of Trickers Stow in calf and softer aniline leathers. One pair has had a much harder life than the others- long muddy walks - super comfy, non fatiguing. it’s got a few wrinkles and scars but will still polish up nicely if I want.
I’ve got a custom build Eaton in Horween Chromexcel and they are just sublime. It’s built on the Ridgeway sole which I much prefer to the Dainite ones Trickers build most of their stuff with.
I love my Trickers boots (and shoes) and most are cared for and stored with shoe trees.
they are super quality, yes 600 ish can seem a lot but I see no reason why these won’t last a lifetime so works out pretty good value with that viewpoint.
If you're gonna do it, you gotta go all in
Well despite all recommendations I've still had very little luck in finding something that fits, and my budget does not stretch beyond £200 (much as I would like it too). Tried some Timberlands but they were massive across my forefoot, Clarks were the same, a couple of others from stores local to me went the same way. I have small feet - it's a problem. Thought about trying Lanx but I wasn't totally sold on any of their styles, and I almost went Solovair but I've never really liked that look either. Yes, I'm being picky.
Anyway, in the interests of trying something else, I've now ordered some vivo barefoot boots. Not what I originally intended, in fact, totally different, but hoping the soft and suppleness will help with fit at the expense of support etc. They're only for knocking around anyway. If I'm walking far it'll be proper walking boots or trainers.
I'm now ready for a barrage of polite comments informing me I've made a significant error and need to change my ways before it's too late.
I have small feet – it’s a problem.
Same issue here, my feet aren't particularly narrow but seem low volume in some way which means boots can be loose when walking. I solve this with extra insoles which has the side benefit of keeping the inside of the boot in much better condition. Green Sorbothane are decent, the right thickness and not mad expensive.
I was going to recommend Vivo Gobi boots. Had to put a thick insole in them.
Didn’t buy them because they were barefoot but because I needed an unlined pair of leather boots with a bellows tongue and wide. These tick all the boxes.
Also got the Gobi mid but for some inexplicable reason they didn’t fit a bellows tongue. So if it rains you get wet feet.
How any boot company can omit a bellows tongue is just boggling.
Me too, my feet aren't big and are as much 'low' as 'narrow'. Extra insoles help a lot. Also the loakes, some of their boots come in a narrower fit.
With the chat about redwing I googled yesterday and found a cobblers on line replacing vibram christy soles for £55 (plus the postage.... so about £75 with 2x postage I guess). I was going to post a link but Google search isn't finding it now!
Edit:
Ah! It's returned! It's £50, speedy, based in Rotherham.
Depending on how casual, I can recommend Goral. Got a pair of trainers & high tops and they are exceptionally well constructed.
They do smarter styles now & have a collaboration with Rose & Anvil.
Up there with Barker, Church's, Grenson & Loake from my experience.
it's interesting to look at the different lasts in Grenson (and other trad makers).
I'm not sure about their 'size up/size down' advice. I'd have thought you want a last that fits the shape of your foot. The boots I got, which are the first I've had that really feel like they fit have a last that's described as I think of my feet (I didn't find the last description until after I'd bought them. But wide G fitting, high instep.
20% off factory shop prices at Tricker's till tomorrow.
Thank you for the PSA.
Most of their stuff is to formal for me, but they did have one pair of the Allen boots in my size, nothing like a good impulse purchase. With the discount off the factory shop price it was expensive, but I can justify if they last a long time as I do tend to burn through footware.
My 10 year old Timberland boots are still in use. They’ve gone a bit saggy at the back but are very comfy.
My Timberlands are only around 5-6 years old and have a nice patina to them. Will definitely replace them when they start looking tatty
If you search eBay you’ll see lots of redwing boots with white soles worn down to weird smooth shapes even though the upper is still in serviceable condition.
They’re Goodyear welted, so very easy to resole, any competent cobblers should be able to do it. when I bought mine in Bath the chap in the shop said the white sole will wear, but they can be replaced with something like a regular Vibram sole.
£55 isn’t bad, I’ve got a really old pair of Vans that the sole had worn through showing the air pockets. I found a place in Melksham who could resole them, cost me £40, about half what a new pair would cost, Vans don’t do a style like mine anymore, they’re pretty well worn, but they’re comfortable, and they’ve probably got another five years in them, and I’ve had them for more than ten at least.
Could you ford a stream in those redwings and have dry feet?
They have a bellows tongue that goes up as far as the second eyelet from the top, so that’s a yes, sort of, but they ain’t wellies, so deep puddles, fine, but I’d be wary of anything deeper than your ankles.
Got my Lanx boots last week. Really good looking boots. They'll break in a bit but were comfy enough out of the box to wear all day at the Scotland-Fiji game.
Great thread - I'm eyeing up some Lanx boots off the back of it. Heads up for anyone with access to one, a Defence Discount Card (and presumably Blue Light Card) gives you 15% off Lanx.
Holy thread resurrection! After saying this 9 months ago, I finally got round to buying some Lanx "Garstang" Chelsea boots in "caramel" colour. I'm really chuffed with them, really nice quality with loads of neat touches and fit like a comfy pair of slippers from the off. I've owned a lot of boots in my time, but these are the nicest so far. I can't comment on durability yet obviously, but I love everything else about them. Not cheap (just over £200 with discount - some colours are a lot cheaper), but unless they fall apart in short order (highly unlikely) I can see me buying more. Great to be buying from a small UK company keeping traditional skills alive too.
Back a ways, I mentioned that my most worn boots are Meindle Desert Fox boots, and that the two good pairs I’d bought for about £40 each, ready for when the oldest ones finally shuffled off this mortal coil, had also suffered the same fate - the foam midsole had disintegrated.
However, I found someone who could repair them, but at a cost of around £90. I’ve had one pair done, and it was certainly worth doing, the sole is much more robust, and easily capable of having the actual sole repaired later, but an eBay search showed that the light, cream-coloured ones that I bought ten or so years ago, are now fetching stupid prices on eBay, and a close inspection of some of the photos show the same midsole rot, so best avoided.
However, it appears that the British Army are now issuing a revised version, that’s a darker, tobacco colour, with a different sole structure, so I bought a pair from a chap who found they were the wrong size, for around £40. They were like new, and the whole boot structure has been modified, with a much better sole/midsole and other slight revisions.
Anyone looking for a lightweight, very comfortable boot which comes up well above the ankle, with a good speedlace system, honestly they’re difficult to beat.
I went with some inexpensive (comparatively), as I was testing the waters, RedBack Aquapel's chelsea boots. I like them a lot & would buy more of this style, maybe from Lanx next time. I wasn't keen on the strange high heel, the rest of the RB range have, but this model doesn't have it (just some random styling). Definitely don't feel like they are going to fall off your feet, and reasonably easy to slip in and out of.
