Need work boots

Jack Straw said:

I have chaps and a helmet with face and ear protection, now I need work boots. I need them for safety, it is also quite wet where I cut wood and they need to keep my feet warm as I mostly cut wood in cooler weather. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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If its wet I would be looking at rubber boots.

Jack Straw said:

smokinjay said:

Jack Straw said:

I have chaps and a helmet with face and ear protection, now I need work boots. I need them for safety, it is also quite wet where I cut wood and they need to keep my feet warm as I mostly cut wood in cooler weather. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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If its wet I would be looking at rubber boots.

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I have rubber boots but I am afraid of cutting my foot. I have come close to it.

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They make logger and chainsaw boots out of rubber!

I dont own a pair of the chain saw boots but I did get a pair of the Lawngrips that I really like. Stihl products just seem like high quality when ever I get them.

http://www.stihlusa.com/apparel/protective-footwear.html

Got Wood said:

I dont own a pair of the chain saw boots but I did get a pair of the Lawngrips that I really like. Stihl products just seem like high quality when ever I get them.

http://www.stihlusa.com/apparel/protective-footwear.html

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Yeah for me its easier to work with that stye of boot when you need to be quick..

http://www.redwingshoes.com/ProductResults.aspx?Query=logger

A little pricey but some of my friends have the Red Wing loggers and swear by them. I was using Wolverine Compressors but they were not waterproof and not steel toe, but the most comfortable boot I've ever worn. I just wore em out and looking for my next pair so might go with a logger, not sure.

My personal favorite http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...ducts&Ntt=work+boots&x=11&y=12&Ntt=work+boots

They have a pretty decent selection of work boots http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/sear...&N=0&Ntk=AllProducts&Ntt=work+boots&x=11&y=12

The thing is, they have a 'lifetime warranty' on their work boots. They consider the 'lifetime' of a work boot to be one year. This is a pretty good deal for me, because I wear out a pair of boots in 8-9 months, and I live about ten minutes away from a Cabela's store.

All you need to know http://www.chippewaboots.com/

I work in the coal mines and the top 4 boots I see underground that keep your feet dry & comfortable are:
Red Wings
John Deere
Matterhorn's
Lacrosse

I have the redwing mining boot 4499 that I also use when cutting fire wood. Feel great.

The John Deers offer the best for insulation.

Dave

Jack Straw said:

smokinjay said:

http://www.baileysonline.com/category.asp?CatID=48

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Exactly what I was looking for.....Thank You!

Have you ordered from that company? Are they good to deal with?

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Yes Many Of times Awesome Company!

southbound said:

All you need to know http://www.chippewaboots.com/

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Still not in Love with Mine!

Check out this thread:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/62959/P0/

Some suggestions there also. Big 5 sporting goods has very inexpensive ($27) boots which I have been using for over a year. Just got another back up pair while they where on sale.

I'm done buying expensive boots. I go through them too fast.

When I worked underground (gold) we had rubber boots with steel in the toes.

southbound said:

All you need to know http://www.chippewaboots.com/

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I have been wearing these for almost three years now. They are comfortable, warm, dry, steel toed, and have held up pretty well for me so far. They are pretty big, clunky and heavy, but I do feel like they give me a fair amount of support and protection. I do not wear them every day, but I do wear them when I do most work around the house including firewood processing in all seasons. I have walked in 3"-4" deep water in them and stayed dry. They aren't even that bad in the summer weather either. A big plus for me is that they are made in USA too.
http://www.chippewaboots.com/boots/super_logger/25410
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:...roduct_Images_Pictures_Chippewa_25410.jpg&t=1

Jack,
Take a look at Timberland Pro's Titanium toe options--they are much lighter than any steel toe options and are super, crazy comfortable. In fact, I've taken to wearing them for most all of my yard work because they're lightweight, comfortable, protective, and durable. And did I say they're comfortable. Comfortable.

What I wear: http://shop.timberland.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4208043&prodFindSrc=search

S

I've been in a business that sells Red Wing brand boots for more than 40 years, so I am likely prejudiced. That said, I really do not believe that, in general, anyone today makes a better boot or shoe. I have no doubt there are some as good, but not better.

The Red Wing logger boot 899 is almost an historic artifact - it was an old item in the line when I first knew of it. It is not waterproof, but with that storm welt and heavy leather it will keep your feet dry unless you go wading. 2218 is the same boot but with a steel toe. If I were buying for myself I would buy a steel toe version. A 30 lb. chunk of wood dropped off a pickup bed right onto you toe is not a trivial matter. 4418 is the insulated version.

Note that the insulated versions - top out at 400 gram thinsulate. With wool socks it has to be pretty cold not to get overheated in anything over 400 gram. Remember, these are not hunting boots and you will not be sitting in a deer stand for hours. Cutting wood is warm work.

For something more general purpose I really like the 608. Comfortable, flexible, not terribly heavy, and decent looking enough to wear casually with jeans, its what I wear in the woods. And on my motorcycle. And with jeans for casual wear. And even hiking sometimes. 2408 is the steel toe version. They also come in lots of widths so there is no excuse not to get the right size.

They also have lighter weight boots which will not last as long, but may be enough less tiring to wear that YOU will last longer! And electrical hazard boots. And six-inch styles.

For true waterproof footwear I am not crazy about rubber anymore. It punctures too easily, it is cold, and getting a good fit is simply a matter of luck. The Gore-Tex and similar linings are just amazing and all the better makers are using them in their popular styles. We almost never have a warranty return for a leaking boot anymore.

Take the time to get measured and try on enough sizes and widths - with the kind of socks you will be wearing - to get fit properly. This will make a profound difference in how tired you get at the end of a day. It affects every joint from the ankles up, including your spine. I cannot emphasize this enough.

I find a good liner sock worn underneath a pair of wool (or wool blend) socks - light or heavy, depending upon your conditions - also makes a tremendous difference. They make actual liner socks but I just wear a light cotton sock as a liner. I do not believe I ever had a foot blister once I started doing this about 25 years ago.

Good boots are expensive, but in real (un-inflated $$) about a third less expensive than when I started in the business. If you ever saw hides being made into leather, and then leather into shoes you would wonder why they are so cheap.

I finally broke down and spent the $200+ on a pair of Red Wings (sorry, don't know the model off hand). Really durable, comfortable, waterproof and plenty warm even uninsulated. And made right across the border (the Minnesota border, that is). Used to go through cheap Chinese boots every 6-8 months tops. The Red Wings are going to last me a while, by the looks of things.

Did the chineese boots cost $200? After 2 years, you will find that those Red Wings will be worn out.

HeatsTwice said:

Did the chineese boots cost $200? After 2 years, you will find that those Red Wings will be worn out.

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No, but I was buying "higher-end" foreign ones for maybe $80 (rip-off, I'm sure). I'm hoping that the Red Wings will last longer than that. They are rebuildable, so as long as I don't tear the leather badly I should be able to keep use for a while.

Not only do I want to buy domestic products (not that I have anything against Chinese workers, but neither do I have anything against, say, American workers), but I get upset by stuff that should be durable but is disposable. Even if the boots that cost 4X more only last twice as long, that's fine with me; a cow had to die for me to have those boots, and someone had to work in a boot factory instead of being home with their family for me to have those boots, and the garbage truck driver has to come out after I'm done having those boots...and so on. This is a pretty standard sort of rant, I'll admit, but I really think that there is a 'disposable' mentality ("ending is better than mending") that can end up making us think that there's no real value to anything except the one on the price tag. That's one reason this forum is pretty uplifting sometimes -- reading posts about people doing much more work than they really need to do in order to get a basic good (heat) that they could easily get just by calling the gas company.