Homesteading footwear

i like several defferent boots or shoes depending on the need, first are my heavy Montrail mountaineering boots, they offer a large toe box and will last most people a lifetime... they can be had on sale for $150-175 mine are 7 years old and have around 1500 grueling hiking miles on them.

i use a pair of high nylon gators with the Montrails or sneakers in the snow or when hiking to keep out twigs, leaves, n snow

of course i keep high mud boots handy and a pair of sneakers.

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The Journey -IS- the Destination

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, Its about learning to dance in the rain....

Cabin,I'm on my feet as much,if not more than you.I have a pair of Merrell's,a year old,sole just about gone and squeeking,they look to hi-tech but were comfortable.I'm hard on boots,well I'm hard on evreything.6 years is a long time for a pair of boots,do you know how they lasted that long?I value your opinion and am going to try a pair,I'll let everyone know how I make out.Any other durable stuff you or anyone else can suggest?Thankyou for the advise.

From a comfort standpoint the most comfortable pair I've owned was a pair of Western Chief, I've looked and it doesn't look like them make that style anymore. Seems like they came out of the box broke in. For wear and weight I still like old black combat boots. The leather uppers have always worn out on me before the soles ever did. A pain to break in, but once they did they'd last for years.

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"Only the rocks [and really embarassing moments] live forever"

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands..." tick-tick-tick

one of my favorite footware for working around the shop and else where is my old combat boots. you can get good ones at your local army/navy, military surplus outlet.


i find mine to be very comfortable and i've droped more than enough to cause serious injury to my toes and no harm done.


just my .02

dean

If you read my post closely, you'll see that I've had two pair in the last six years. I still use the first pair for "grubbing round" the latest pair I wear for "good" (ie, to work and such). You also have to know that the majority of my day at work is at my desk, so I'm not on my feet constantly. I do get out in the field, but not everyday. But these are the most comfortable boot I've ever owned. They are completely water proof and my feet do not sweat in them.

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

I war Danner side zips, they lace up like normal but have a zipper on the side so takling them on and off is really easy. They are 100% waterproof due to the Goretex liner. At $140 they aren't the cheapest boots but they are lightweight and extremely comfortable, I wear mine all day every day, out in the fields, in the mud, in the shop, to church, you name it. I don't own another pair of shoes so they are more affordable than 4 pair of cheap shoes. Because they are waterproof I can hose them off and they look like new again and can be worn immediately. I put mink oil on them every month or so and they will last a good 12-18 months. Redwing shoes are very uncomfortable for me, it seems the sole is too stiff or something. Next winter I am buying a pair of muck boots for the real cold weather, the Danner's are good down to about 10-15 degrees, any colder and it gets uncomfortable pretty quickly. I have a pair of Bates combat boots I paid $10 for on Ebay, they are goretex and waterproof but they are heavier and not as comfortable as the Danner's, if I absolutely couldn't afford the $140 they would be my 2nd choice. I am a firm believer that nothing, and I mean nothing in life, is more important than having dry comfortable feet. Cheap shoes will make you tired and uncomfortable and unhappy faster than anything. I think I might try Thorogood boots next, all the firefighters wear them and they swear by them but at $300 it's a lot of cha-ching. Maybe they are worth it?

Cabin,thanks,I'm going to try them.They look a lot better than the Merrells and I've heard great thing about Cabela's customer service.

My husband wears Timberland Pros. They are expensive, but they last him a year (working sheet metal 60 hours a week. They would probably last longer with less use). I wear New Balance sneaks, and Birks at home, and Dansko clogs to work.

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Melissa
Reformed hoyden. Please forgive me if I relapse.

Rubber boots.
corry

I wear Georgia boots muddogs. Half rubber uppers and half leather plus a good vibram sole for traction. I have a couple of shallow creeks I cross on any given day, plus I was having a heck of a time with dew soaking my feet in the morning. These things did the trick. I'm on my third year of wearing them most everyday (except in the winter) and have no complaints.... Well, maybe one... every 6 months or so I have to soak em in bleach water because they smell to high heaven. Even the cows start turning up their nose at me.

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Brad Bachelor
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"Loving an old bachelor is always a no-win situation, and you come to terms with that early on, or you go away.”
-- Jean Harris

friend of mine got a pair while we were spreading organic liquid fertilizer together, awesome boots! he found them heavy though and when he fell off a silo and broke his ankle it took them an hour too cut him out of them. wore the rest of the boot on his cast till christmas that year. did not get new ones the next year though!

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àigeach carnaid
chaora dhubh
"Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."

cruachan

I just bought a pair of leather work boots at ALDI for only $25, including tax. They have leather uppers and Goodyear soles. They seem really stiff, but I am sure they will break in. At this price it was worth a chance.

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-Paul

"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." -Red Green

i have narrow feet. redwings come in narrow widths, and are the first boots that ever really fit me. as far as resoleing....i never take care of the leather enough to get to that point. but i can tell you they are comfortable, good fitting shoes.....

I wear $15.00 PVC muck boots from Rural King. Works good on our Elbonian Mud Farm! (Any Dilbert fans here?)

- Mike

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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke

Keeping it together with prayer and the "Handyman's secret weapon" - duct tape!