Best General Boots for Woods?

[Oldtimer]

Get Wolverine boots.

WOLVERINES!

Get a couple of jars of "Sno-Seal", which is pure bee's wax, and apply liberally to every part of the leather, seams in particular. Melt it into the leather with a hair drier. Repeat 2x before you wear them, and every couple of uses after a cleaning.



SNO-SEAL.

 

[Junior]

I warm up boots in the oven before applying sno seal, just have to make sure the wife not around....

 

[bushmaster]

Danner Acadia they will last you for years and can be resoled

 

[banshee67]

Get a couple of jars of "Sno-Seal", which is pure bee's wax, and apply liberally to every part of the leather, seams in particular. Melt it into the leather with a hair drier. Repeat 2x before you wear them, and every couple of uses after a cleaning.

+1 for the sno-seal, great stuff!
i ran a hair drier on high all over my new boots to get the leather nice and warm, then the sno-seal just literally melts into the leather, awesome stuff, if you cant find it, just order off ebay, its cheap and works great and doesnt smell!
will darken the leather a bit.. but we arnt metrosexuals, we are cutting trees, right?

 

[frenchy85]

I 've had a pair of Danner Rainforest now for two and a half years. I love these boots. Took a little while to break in but they have been great since. I plan to send them back next spring to get a total rebuild, which last time I checked was around $150. These may be exactly what the OP is looking for.

 

[Ambull]

I like waterproof hikers. Don't care what brand, but Merrill makes some nice stuff. Hikers were designed to be walked around in. I always like the waterproof ones, as my feet always seem to find wet terrain somewhere.

I can't stand steel toes, as they bother my feet.

 

[coostv]

Lots of good input. I think I will try either a pair of Danner or Red Wing. Lighter boots w/o insulation (or maybe just a bit) and water resistant. The full leather boots are likely heavier and at this point I would prefer a lighter boot. Thanks...Tom R

I suggest going to a Redwing store and trying a bunch on. I purchased my Redwing 435 King toes last March from Tyler Brothers (online before they were told not to) and love them. I think if you call Tyler Brothers they will take your order over the phone.

Only thing that bummed me out was they were made in China. Heck, I live 15 minutes from Wolverines World Headquarters (in Rockford, MI) and most of the shoes and boots I looked at in their outlet store were made in China... They do still have manufacturing here in MI, but I am not sure what they are making! LOL

 

[geoxman]

Having been the footwear business for over 20 years I can tell you that the cheap boots you buy from Walmart are far inferior to Red Wing or Carolina. They might make some models in China but the components, technology and the "last" is far superior to the cheapies. A "last is what the shoe is designed around and can run in the thousands per foot, per size and width for the better fitting boots. The shoe craftsmanship from China has vastly improved in the past two decades and that is because it is where most shoes are built.

Most of the larger shoe companies also have 3 different levels of footwear, if not more. Entry level for big box stores that want the name at a cheap price. Moderate level for a decent shoe at a decent price and then the Pro level. These will have all of the bells and whistles, be the most comfortable and usually last the longest.

I would take the advice of the poster a few post's back and go to a Red wing store or a good family owned shoe store and try on many pair until you find one that meets your budget, performance and comfort level.

If you want a nice pair of steel toe's still made in the US you should also check out PW Minor, they come in widths from A to 6E and they are durable. A plus is they have been building these shoes in NY for almost 100 years. BOL

 

[Tom R]

I would take the advice of the poster a few post's back and go to a Red wing store or a good family owned shoe store and try on many pair until you find one that meets your budget, performance and comfort level.

Being in Minnesota I plan on going to the Red Wing store IN Red Wing, MN. Not far and I think they should have most models of boots to try on. I will report back after my visit...Thanks...Tom R

 

[geoxman]

Good luck and they can defiantly tell you what you need as well as which ones are still made in the US, I believe they are the Heritage models. Great boot company with fantastic customer service. good luck my man! If your feet are not happy then nothing else is JMHO

 

[gpsman007]

Danner pronghorn

I wear them every day outside they are great

 

[banshee67]

I wear them every day outside they are great

but how do they perform indoors? thats the real question . .

 

[Johndirt82]

These are the belleville's that the Navy uses, gortex lined, steel toed. 8" full leather relatively waterproof. I get the insoles you put in the oven then they mold to your feet. When they are no longer good to be worn in uniform they become woodcuttin boots. I am gettin a pair or custom wesco's though but 600+ for boots is alot, but worth it.

 

[willsaw4beer]

The china Redwings and Timberlands are still goods boots, they're just made in china. American made Redwings are the best IMO and I have a few pairs of handsewn in Italy hiking boots so I know my boots.
American made Redwings seem to have the better leather than the china ones, good enough for 2 or 3 years of extreme duty if properly cared for. The china ones hold up longer than a year but are about shot by then. My boss bougt 2 pairs of walmart china boots and they held up less than 2 mos.. His china redwings are still going strong after 6 mos.
I've been wearing a pair of Timberland Titan 6" titanium toe I got new off Craigslist for the last 6 mos and they're quite comfortable for shovelling all day and running around the hills with a string trimmer. Saves my good wings from abuse and they're actually very comfortable and lightweight.

 

[Chuck Diesel]

I wear Asolo's and Kayland's. I pay $150 to $200. I used to buy Red Wing loggers but the sole's wore out to fast, also not being gortex didn't help.
I like the backpackers style of boots because of their light weight.
Good Luck
Chuck D.

 

[willsaw4beer]

I have a pair of Asolo hiker's that double as light work boots. Gore-Tex, and proprietary Asolo sole that grips like an SOB.. They probably have a couple thousand miles of walking/working/hiking on them, no joke. Pretty goofy looking, but who the #### cares considering how comfortable, capable and rugged they are. Almost on par with my AKU's but not quite.

 

[Dok]

I have a year on Labonville's chainsaw boots.
Labonville chainsaw boots

I wear them for work, hunting and wood cutting. They have held up well and are very comfortable.
Dok

 

[taylor6400]

I have always had good luck with Georgia boots. I had 4 years on a pair of Georgia loggers before the soles started to fall off. I would have them resoled, but they have a few places they have been hit by the saw and the steel toes are showing through the leather. I just bought a new pair of Georgia low heel loggers and hopefully they will hold up as good as the originals.

I bought my first pair of Georgia's about 3+ years ago...holding up great. I got the original loggers. The soles are starting to wear flat, but the boot has held up great. I dont wear them every day to work...but they see a lot of evening weekend woods work. The one thing i didnt like was the soles seem very slick. They are a real hard rubber and just seems like in a little frost or light snow they are overly slick. I think I will buy another Georgia, but might look for another sole.

 

[REJ2]

I just started buying Belleville boots here recently. They are military boots and our forces use them. They are made in USA in bellville Illinois. I bought a pair for the first time 6 months ago for $130 and after putting them on I realized I have found the most comfortable boots I have ever wore. Ask for the ones with a vibram running shoe sole and they are literally like wearing tennis shoes with all the features of a boot. They are also gore tex lined. The only downfall I have found is that in a hurry it takes a minute to put them on correctly. I simply just slip them on when we get a firecall and figure I will be changing boots at the station anyway no need to lace em.

Up until finding these I was a redwing fan through and through. Then the last pair I ordered ($180) when they arrived at the store they had made in China on them. I refused the boots and told them I could get chinese boots at wally world for $30.

A factory I used to work at years ago required you to buy your boots through their catalog that had proper metatarsel protection! They would give you half the cost of the boots and I had to pay the other half. But the only thing in the catalog was chinese boots and they were damn proud of them. I would go through a pair every 4 months.

When buying redwings I went through 1 pair a year. But I wear a size 16 and have little options in shoe styles and variety so my boots are worn day in and day out. I usually have a new pair around for a backup. That new pair is the ones I wear when we go out to eat or something.

Living near a military town makes finding the Belleville's easy. New pair of winter style found at a yard sale for $20 a pair.
I really like them. REJ2

 

[mysteryman896]

I just started buying Belleville boots here recently. They are military boots and our forces use them. They are made in USA in bellville Illinois. I bought a pair for the first time 6 months ago for $130 and after putting them on I realized I have found the most comfortable boots I have ever wore. Ask for the ones with a vibram running shoe sole and they are literally like wearing tennis shoes with all the features of a boot. They are also gore tex lined. The only downfall I have found is that in a hurry it takes a minute to put them on correctly. I simply just slip them on when we get a firecall and figure I will be changing boots at the station anyway no need to lace em.

Up until finding these I was a redwing fan through and through. Then the last pair I ordered ($180) when they arrived at the store they had made in China on them. I refused the boots and told them I could get chinese boots at wally world for $30.

A factory I used to work at years ago required you to buy your boots through their catalog that had proper metatarsel protection! They would give you half the cost of the boots and I had to pay the other half. But the only thing in the catalog was chinese boots and they were damn proud of them. I would go through a pair every 4 months.

When buying redwings I went through 1 pair a year. But I wear a size 16 and have little options in shoe styles and variety so my boots are worn day in and day out. I usually have a new pair around for a backup. That new pair is the ones I wear when we go out to eat or something.

That right there is enough to make me buy them. My job p/t job has the same type deal only its a pair a year and they pay the first $100. I picked a pair just over $100 since its just a p/t job I didnt want to be spending big bucks. Well they are the most uncomfortable boots in the work when jumping in and out of trucks, standing on pavement, concrete, and steel for 8,10,12,14 hrs. I think I just might have to buy a pair of these and retire my 2 month old work boots to farm duty where I am on softer ground so hopefully they wont be as uncomfortable.