Let's talk boots and shoes.

[Zeke]

I wear 3 kinds of shoes, deck shoes, 6" work boots and what is loosely known as athletic shoes. I do have one pair of low work shoes — Caterpillar brand that were recommended on a similar thread on another forum. Not good shoes whatsoever, but I've worn them just to keep the rotation going. Made overseas and I have to say I'd never buy that kind of shoe again.

And I have a pair of LL Bean slippers which are good enough but not good for much but lounging. I need shoes to fit well, I can't walk around with my boot laces untied as I've seen. What I'm after is a slip-on like the deck shoes that actually have good cushion and support.

Any such thing?

I over pronate some but walk with my feet straight.

[craigster59]

Well Milt, I walk between 6-13 miles a day on stages and concrete floors. I've tried all different types of shoes, even expensive one's like Mephisto.

After all these years my number one shoe is Merrel Moabs:



Number two would be Skecher slip ons:



If I need to wear boots, I like Thorogoods, made in the good old USA:

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Merrill Moabs. They also come with tall shanks. Extremely comfortable. I use them all around the farm and for hiking.

New Balance 1034 or any 990 series for tennis shoes.

Asics DuoMax I believe it is T7A1N

[Zeke]

I wear Thorogoods as it is. That same model. I'm on my 2nd pair after resoling the first pair which I still have for real dirty work. They fit like a glove.

[Erakad]

Daily wear are trail shoes (currently Columbia and Oboz), light field work are old running shoes, heavy field work are former AF boots. Have tried Merrills and never could get a decent fit. After trying on dozens of trail shoes at REI, Oboz was my perfect fit; currently Sawtooth and Firebrand. Plus, for every pair sold, they plant a tree!

[wdfifteen]

+1 on the Merrell Moabs. I had a pair that lasted years and wore them every day.

[LWJ]

Funny. I was having the same question this am.

I wear dress shoes in normal times. Allen Edmonds have been a favorite. My best pair was purchased in 1996!!! I just donated them but they STILL LOOKED GREAT.

Other AE's have slipped in quality.

I picked up a pair of Cole Haans to wear today. They look good on the foot but are really a poor shoe. They hurt. They are poorly made.

I am pretty stoked about the Merrill recommendation as 1/2 my shoes are lightweight boots. But, what are you all doing for dress shoes? Everything has gone overseas and the quality is in the dumpster.

[deanp]

Merrell Jungle Moc for slip on without the mesh sides/laces

https://www.merrell.com/US/en/jungle-moc-leather-sr-work-shoe/43114M.html?dwvar_43114M_color=J099321#cgid=men-footwear-slip-ons&start=1

[rusnak]

It sounds like you need a pair of Clark's walking shoes.

I swear by Solomon trail running shoes.

I'll say it before Baz says it: He likes Crocs.

[JackDidley]

I wear these. Around $80/pair.


https://www.nunnbush.com/shop/styles/shoes/loafers/page-1.html?view=category

[vash]

I have to get back to work!!

but ZEKE. trust me on this one. these boots are a game changer. I bought them several years ago and they have been my daily boot ever since. same pair.

RedBACK slip ons...they are not like the fashionable Blunstones (they look alike). yes they are from down under, but the leather is super robust. the sole is super durable. I have worn mine to several continents. the only shoe I bring. work, jobsite, mild hunts, mild fishing, eating out..the only questionable thing I do with them is I will wear them with shorts..but wtf..i gotta a woman already.

you can google them..i buy them at a nursery near my office. I am about to get my second pair. they are hands down the only boot I can describe as affecting my life in a positive way.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Well Milt, I walk between 6-13 miles a day on stages and concrete floors. I've tried all different types of shoes, even expensive one's like Mephisto.

After all these years my number one shoe is Merrel Moabs:

Yup.

There is no slip on that has the support you are looking for after a month, and I have tried them all....including Mephisto.

Try some LL Bean stuff:

I have not tried this model but it looks interesting.



I have owned, own, these, and they are great and supportive. However, they are a great shoe for the Fall and Winter here but for SoCal may a bit out of place I am wearing a pair now.

[Superman]

I sold shoes for years and know a little about them. I'm not sure what is the problem we are trying to solve. Respectfully, Zeke offers a solution (slip on....deck shoes.....cushion and support) but I am unclear on the problem.

For support, you guys may wrinkle your nose at this but....cowboy boots. The most comfortable footwear I have ever had were c'boy boots. Not the cheap ones. They probably don't even make them anymore, but Dan Post boots were perfect for me. Feather light. Fit my foot as good as any custom boot could have. Total support all the way around my foot, everywhere. Especially through the arch, instep and metatarsal areas.

Cushion-ey shoes sometimes exacerbate the problem you are trying to solve. Achy feet are often caused by too much flex, and cushion-ey shoes will not fix this.

For slippers I like leather Romeos. For reasons I cannot understand, they seem hard to find these days. In my hometown, the loggers wore them anytime they did not have their 'cork' boots on. Their corks were usually custom made. TONS of support.

Do yourself a favor. Consider Samuel Hubbard. They make very good shoes. Don't look at the price, just buy them. You are worth it, and so are they. You are welcome.

In my view, high quality shoes are not expensive, even when you pay a lot for them. They WAY outlast cheaper ones. They say a man should have a comfortable bed and comfortable shoes. Because he will spend his entire life in one or the other.

[Zeke]

Supe, the problem is I don't have any shoes/boots like being suggested. The closest I came was those crappy Caterpillars. The are low line lace work shoes and they do provide support when on irregular surfaces, but they simply hurt my feet. In the beginning it was the extended break in period that hurt. Once they conformed more (like 3 months of 2 days a week), they didn't make it through the entire day w/o hurting. Some people like them.

The reason I'm favoring slip-ons is because of my gimpy shoulder. It's hard to tie boots. Deck shoes are too thin but I use expensive inserts to make them much better. Not a good shoe in the cold, even our cold.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by Superman

They say a man should have a comfortable bed and comfortable shoes. Because he will spend his entire life in one or the other.

Well...they also say something else.........

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Zeke

The reason I'm favoring slip-ons is because of my gimpy shoulder. It's hard to tie boots.

[herr_oberst]

My first thought when I saw the OP was a pair of leather Romeos. Superman suggested the same.

(I have Merrell Moabs, and for me they are dangerously slippery on wet rocks and roots, thereby making them worthless as hiking boots in the PNW. I felt like a giraffe on roller skates coming down a trail I'd hiked countless times before. I know, this is besides the point of the thread. Sorry.)

[rusnak]

https://www.clarksusa.com/c/Wave-2-0-Edge/p/26155109
https://us.ecco.com/ecco-collin-2.0-mens-shoes-536394.html?dwvar_536394_color=02034#filterPanel=c ategory&pmin=0.00&start=1

[tabs]

Starting in the late 90's American shoe mfg started outsourcing production, by 2005 most of the venerable American shoe mfgs went BK.. The brands were bought up by Holding co's where the mfg was contracted out to factories overseas. At first the quality was almost comparable to what was being made in America. As time when ton to maintain price point quality went down, down and down.

Today Alden is the only American shoe mfg left. Allen Edmonds cuts the material in the Dominican Rep and does the assembly in the USA. For Edmonds 400 to 450 is the starting point, Alden about $600. THAT IS WHAT IT COSTS FOR A GOOD BUT NOT GREAT PAIR OF DRESS SHOES. You want a cut above it's a G. Fact of life..

There is almost a cult about the old Florsheim 5 nail Imperials...guys will spend $650 t get them restored... they won't even wear em, but put them on display. The Japaneses in particular treasure them. Some guys think they are the best shoes ever made..on a production basis anyway. It is not a bad idea to restore them considering the quality of the shoe you will wind up with.

There are still good American made boots to be had...Red Wing, Danner, Chipewa among
others...

BUT THEN WE STEP INTO A WHOLE NEW REALM of the semi custom or custom boot mfg...Whites, Nicks, Wesco, Viberg, among others..

Then what I can see is the penultimate: https://www.kreosote.com/

Especially the Rail Road Nail boot..

[tabs]