By far the biggest point in Solovair's favour for me is that they do half sizes, Docs don't - even before you look at material and build quality, the fact that they fit my feet better makes them far more comfortable, and better value for money.
I'm from England I spent most of my life wearing Dr martens until last year I discovered solovair bought them and the comfort is so much better I would never go back thanks for your review perfectly explains the difference
Solovair didn't buy Dr Martens, Solovair, or rather NPS, was the manufacturer for Dr Martens until Dr Martens went over seas and changed manufacturer. Solovair became what Dr Martens once was.
i like your vids but you're off on the england stuff - im no history buff but i think the abolition of slavery act in 1833 was the first of its kind at that time
Indeed, stick to boots. The UK invented workers rights in the 19th C long before Marx was born through the trade union movement and factory owners who realised that a productive workforce was a well treated, well paid and motivated workforce. In 2023 our labour laws, including those that manage overseas labour for British companies are considerably stricter and grant far more rights to workers than those of the USA. Stick to boots
Docs were iconic here in England back in the 70s & 80s. Had a few pairs over the years. Still have some 8 hole cherry red original made in England from before they opened their factories in the far East. I have a pair of black 8 hole Thailand Docs and a pair of 8 hole modern made in England boots (approximately 2 years old but only worn 3 or 4 times). Strangely, the Thailand boots are my go to boots. They are worn in and really comfortable. The old red Englands are kind of semi retired because they are irreplaceable. HOWEVER, I have just discovered Solovair. I have heard nothing but good things about Solovair. I will be buying them from now on. As a teenager I bought a pair of black 14 hole steel toe Docs (wanted to be a punk or skinhead) but I was disappointed because they had a different sole and the pull tag was green and it read 'Dr Martens by Solovair'. I didn't know who or what Solovair was and thought that maybe they were fakes or something. I ended up tearing a large split in the leather by hammering them with my dads hammer to try to soften the leather and break them in. I threw them away. Now I realise what they were, I am truly devastated. All of my Docs, regardless of where they were made have soles which wear out far too prematurely. The uppers still look great but the soles always let them down. Hopefully my future Solovairs will wear better.
When I buy new Doc's, I take them to this oldschool shoe repair guy at a local place. I pay him $200 per pair and he goes through and triple stitches everything, screws the soles in. Just a complete reinforcement. Then he says "bring them back in 150 years if they need a resole."
20 year old me didnt know about Solovairs. 40 plus year old me certain does. Both of the Docs I have (combat boots, oxford shoes) made in England - just replaced them about a month or so ago. Wore them into the ground, daily for bout 20 years. If I can get them resoled, they would pass as "gently used" however no one wants to resole Docs. Oddly, my boots never had the pull tabs that Docs and Solovairs are known for. But they are stamped with the Made in England logo on the bottom of the sole. Would have gone with Solovair but slightly pricier than Thursday boots. (factor in shipping and duties if ordering from England). Maybe next purchase.
@@theknowsbros8344 Thursdays boots so far have put some blisters in me. Waiting for the wounds to heal but I suspect it's because Im not used to glove lining for a boot which can cause friction if Im not wearing the right sock apparently. But regardless, I would consider the combat boot style of the Thursdays to be a lot smaller in profile than Docs/Solovair. Would dub it "combat lite".
@@The_Zilli I mentioned in the video that I bought EE widths in the Captains so I could wear thick socks with them , that may be the difference for me, the EVA comfort strip and thick wool socks are treating my feet to a luxurious and heavily cushioned walking experience.
Chris you can send them away to a place in the UK called The Key Cobbler. They resole Dr Martens with the original soles and they do this for people anywhere in the world. You would have to pay postage both ways and it's most probably not cheap but it is cheaper than a brand new pair. Check out their You Tube videos.
@@5imp1 thanks for that heads up, i still got em and plan on gertting them resoled, just $$$ is an issue atm. Will certainly keep em in mind, although I would like to avoid sending them across the pond so to speak lol
NPS stands for Northamptonshire Productive Society. I have one of Solovairs and many of Doc. Solovair is much better quality. Solovair leather is like 3mm thick vs 2mm Doc, can re-sole and have shank. If you are after fashion then Doc is better recognized brands. If you are boot lover, then take one of Solovairs.
Loved my NPS Derby boots so much I bought Solovair Chukka's as well to replace my Rockport Chukka boots which have tirelessly served me for over 5 years of almost daily use. The gusset - It has upsides, it stops water and debris getting in, but also stops it getting out, you have to clean that bit out but means the boot breathes less and that extra bit of leather is more restricting to me, not by much, just loose the laces slightly and they are great but a tighter fit is less comfortable if they have a gusset.
Loved the geography breakdown here. I went through the same steps. "Is it overseas or just overland? Depends on which way you go. Well no, there's still the Channel."
I wish I owned a old pair of docs instead of the modern made pairs but it would be hard to find nowadays. The made in England versions aren’t that good still not only of those features you mentioned but the leather sucks and their soles wear out way fast which isn’t a good thing but that wasn’t the case for a while. The Mie versions were high quality until 2003 so that explains the confusion. I own a pair a solovairs 14 eye boots and there are some things which I will admit I don’t like (it doesn’t mean I will stick with docs) about the boots and I don’t know if you had issues like the tongue because of the gusset and yes it makes taking of the boots easy but it can curl and bend off and in some peoples experience it can break of and another one is that it scratches my ankles which gets annoying and I have to wrap bandages to stop it. That’s something to keep in mind other than that they are way comfortable and more stylish and I personally prefer the grey stitching as the yellow stitching stands out more which I don’t like lol. Oh yeah solovairs used to use the yellow stitching on their boots until docs legally restricted them because it obviously an icon and they are so protective about it.
Yeah it was too bad "Doctor Martens" got all pissy about the yellow stitching, because it was both Griggs (DMs) and NPS that collaborated on the boot in the first place.
Most cobblers won't resole dr martens but solovair boots are properly Goodyear welted so can be resoled and soles are available from therw website to buy
1. 'more time for eating tacos than putting on boots' 9s a gem of a line. 2. fuck yeah on your punk cred! haha. I wish I could have been at those hardcore shows. Agnostic front is one of my all time favorite bands. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for watching and commenting, as far as the hardcore scene, I still go to probably 25-30 shows a year, but it can be a challenge, I was at an all ages club show and people kept asking me if I was looking for my kids. Getting old is a mixed bag of mostly bad things.
@theknowsbros8344 it has its merits, but it's usually merits in terms of what you pass down instead of what you do. The idea that you can't enjoy yourself and your passions when you're old is frankly stupid and limiting to people. I recently got a fascination with boots and it's older folks and people who are very into the craft that I've learned from. Thanks for your time and content, I really enjoy it and believe you should enjoy your passions too, keep going to those punk concerts!
The burby boot is a dress boot you should compare the original Solovair boot that is a exact pretty much. Also both brand sell uncorrected leather boot that are far better.
The “highlighting the shit out of anything” statement is compelling. Was it a joke or is there a legit way of getting the yellow illusion on the solivair? I prefer solivair but love the yellow stitching.
So I ended up buying Doc Marten Jaden Boots. For those that don’t know the “Jaden boots” are like their regular boots just with more of a thicker sole at the bottom of the boot. Which can even give a man a little bit of extra height if you’re into that sort of things. Anyway now my girl makes fun of me and says to me “what are you doing throwing on your Spice Girl Boots today” 🤦♂️ 😂
An American talking shit about British foreign industrialisation while wearing a NIKE sweatshirt. Dude, (practically) everything you use on a daily basis has been manufactured overseas. Your phone, your car, your computer. You live in America, not Narnia.
British Anti Slavery laws place stiff penalties on any British owned business that exploits overseas labour. The USA doesn't have these laws. The UK also invented workers rights in the 19thC and many of those rights were adopted across the Empire. Arguably a British worker employed in 1924 had more rights than an American worker working in 2024.
Yes, we invented exploitation. I used to wear Docs years ago which were great. Bought a pair about 30 years ago and they were bollox. They even had plastic tongues. Never bought a pair since.
No... we didn't 'invent' exploitation. Exploitation is as old as humanity. One of the earliest written documents is 4500BC and is a bill of ownership of two slaves in Mesopotamia. What we did invent was the first effective labour laws protecting working people from exploitation. Workers rights were invented in the UK.. not by Marx but by the Trade Union Movement and a group of enlightened factory owners who understood that a well cared for well motivated workforce was considerably more productive than one that was exploited. Please don't promulgate TikTok history.
I used to wear DM's as a teen in the late 80's, a pain to break in but would last forever bought a pair of 1460's a few yrs back and it WAS GARBAGE! So sad to ruin a great brand for more of the almighty dollar//troutbumandsam
100% agree! My old made in England 8-hole cherry reds have lasted me over 30 years! A couple other pairs I have acquired during this time have been almost unwearable. Sold them!
Makes video about British footwear, ends up slating the entire British nation with false info. Stick to what you know son. History is clearly not your subject.
By far the biggest point in Solovair's favour for me is that they do half sizes, Docs don't - even before you look at material and build quality, the fact that they fit my feet better makes them far more comfortable, and better value for money.
Just don’t be a half size bro
" I have a hightlighter, i can highlight the shit out of anything" Pure gold!!!
"Could have had more tacos but I was too busy putting on boots" Heard. Got a pair of Solovairs because of you. Thank you.
I'm from England I spent most of my life wearing Dr martens until last year I discovered solovair bought them and the comfort is so much better I would never go back thanks for your review perfectly explains the difference
Solovair didn't buy Dr Martens, Solovair, or rather NPS, was the manufacturer for Dr Martens until Dr Martens went over seas and changed manufacturer. Solovair became what Dr Martens once was.
@@shewbell2176 he said he bought them( solovair boots) Not solovair bought doc martens
@@cameron2900x A pair of commas either side of “bought them” would help.
i like your vids but you're off on the england stuff - im no history buff but i think the abolition of slavery act in 1833 was the first of its kind at that time
The guy just needs to stick to what he knows - boots not history lol.
Indeed, stick to boots. The UK invented workers rights in the 19th C long before Marx was born through the trade union movement and factory owners who realised that a productive workforce was a well treated, well paid and motivated workforce.
In 2023 our labour laws, including those that manage overseas labour for British companies are considerably stricter and grant far more rights to workers than those of the USA.
Stick to boots
Docs were iconic here in England back in the 70s & 80s. Had a few pairs over the years. Still have some 8 hole cherry red original made in England from before they opened their factories in the far East. I have a pair of black 8 hole Thailand Docs and a pair of 8 hole modern made in England boots (approximately 2 years old but only worn 3 or 4 times). Strangely, the Thailand boots are my go to boots. They are worn in and really comfortable. The old red Englands are kind of semi retired because they are irreplaceable. HOWEVER, I have just discovered Solovair. I have heard nothing but good things about Solovair. I will be buying them from now on. As a teenager I bought a pair of black 14 hole steel toe Docs (wanted to be a punk or skinhead) but I was disappointed because they had a different sole and the pull tag was green and it read 'Dr Martens by Solovair'. I didn't know who or what Solovair was and thought that maybe they were fakes or something. I ended up tearing a large split in the leather by hammering them with my dads hammer to try to soften the leather and break them in. I threw them away. Now I realise what they were, I am truly devastated. All of my Docs, regardless of where they were made have soles which wear out far too prematurely. The uppers still look great but the soles always let them down. Hopefully my future Solovairs will wear better.
When I buy new Doc's, I take them to this oldschool shoe repair guy at a local place. I pay him $200 per pair and he goes through and triple stitches everything, screws the soles in. Just a complete reinforcement. Then he says "bring them back in 150 years if they need a resole."
20 year old me didnt know about Solovairs. 40 plus year old me certain does. Both of the Docs I have (combat boots, oxford shoes) made in England - just replaced them about a month or so ago. Wore them into the ground, daily for bout 20 years. If I can get them resoled, they would pass as "gently used" however no one wants to resole Docs. Oddly, my boots never had the pull tabs that Docs and Solovairs are known for. But they are stamped with the Made in England logo on the bottom of the sole. Would have gone with Solovair but slightly pricier than Thursday boots. (factor in shipping and duties if ordering from England). Maybe next purchase.
I like my Solovairs, but I actually prefer my Thursdays from a comfort standpoint.
@@theknowsbros8344 Thursdays boots so far have put some blisters in me. Waiting for the wounds to heal but I suspect it's because Im not used to glove lining for a boot which can cause friction if Im not wearing the right sock apparently. But regardless, I would consider the combat boot style of the Thursdays to be a lot smaller in profile than Docs/Solovair. Would dub it "combat lite".
@@The_Zilli I mentioned in the video that I bought EE widths in the Captains so I could wear thick socks with them , that may be the difference for me, the EVA comfort strip and thick wool socks are treating my feet to a luxurious and heavily cushioned walking experience.
Chris you can send them away to a place in the UK called The Key Cobbler. They resole Dr Martens with the original soles and they do this for people anywhere in the world. You would have to pay postage both ways and it's most probably not cheap but it is cheaper than a brand new pair. Check out their You Tube videos.
@@5imp1 thanks for that heads up, i still got em and plan on gertting them resoled, just $$$ is an issue atm. Will certainly keep em in mind, although I would like to avoid sending them across the pond so to speak lol
NPS stands for Northamptonshire Productive Society. I have one of Solovairs and many of Doc. Solovair is much better quality. Solovair leather is like 3mm thick vs 2mm Doc, can re-sole and have shank. If you are after fashion then Doc is better recognized brands. If you are boot lover, then take one of Solovairs.
Loved my NPS Derby boots so much I bought Solovair Chukka's as well to replace my Rockport Chukka boots which have tirelessly served me for over 5 years of almost daily use.
The gusset - It has upsides, it stops water and debris getting in, but also stops it getting out, you have to clean that bit out but means the boot breathes less and that extra bit of leather is more restricting to me, not by much, just loose the laces slightly and they are great but a tighter fit is less comfortable if they have a gusset.
Loved the geography breakdown here. I went through the same steps. "Is it overseas or just overland? Depends on which way you go. Well no, there's still the Channel."
Totally agree, Solovair are better value than Docs. I disagree about the leather though, its definitely better quality on the Solovairs.
I wish I owned a old pair of docs instead of the modern made pairs but it would be hard to find nowadays. The made in England versions aren’t that good still not only of those features you mentioned but the leather sucks and their soles wear out way fast which isn’t a good thing but that wasn’t the case for a while. The Mie versions were high quality until 2003 so that explains the confusion. I own a pair a solovairs 14 eye boots and there are some things which I will admit I don’t like (it doesn’t mean I will stick with docs) about the boots and I don’t know if you had issues like the tongue because of the gusset and yes it makes taking of the boots easy but it can curl and bend off and in some peoples experience it can break of and another one is that it scratches my ankles which gets annoying and I have to wrap bandages to stop it. That’s something to keep in mind other than that they are way comfortable and more stylish and I personally prefer the grey stitching as the yellow stitching stands out more which I don’t like lol. Oh yeah solovairs used to use the yellow stitching on their boots until docs legally restricted them because it obviously an icon and they are so protective about it.
Yeah it was too bad "Doctor Martens" got all pissy about the yellow stitching, because it was both Griggs (DMs) and NPS that collaborated on the boot in the first place.
Most cobblers won't resole dr martens but solovair boots are properly Goodyear welted so can be resoled and soles are available from therw website to buy
NPS don’t make doc martens any more . The UK docs are made in a different factory in Northampton
Everyone forgets about the Welsh, because you didn't, I won't forget about you. Subscribed.
What do you think are the best leather boot to buy with 14-20 eyelets?
1. 'more time for eating tacos than putting on boots' 9s a gem of a line. 2. fuck yeah on your punk cred! haha. I wish I could have been at those hardcore shows. Agnostic front is one of my all time favorite bands. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for watching and commenting, as far as the hardcore scene, I still go to probably 25-30 shows a year, but it can be a challenge, I was at an all ages club show and people kept asking me if I was looking for my kids. Getting old is a mixed bag of mostly bad things.
@theknowsbros8344 it has its merits, but it's usually merits in terms of what you pass down instead of what you do. The idea that you can't enjoy yourself and your passions when you're old is frankly stupid and limiting to people. I recently got a fascination with boots and it's older folks and people who are very into the craft that I've learned from. Thanks for your time and content, I really enjoy it and believe you should enjoy your passions too, keep going to those punk concerts!
😂 You made great points. Like, No pair of boots is worth missing out on tacos.
Downside is there's no where to try them where i am in Chicago.
The burby boot is a dress boot you should compare the original Solovair boot that is a exact pretty much. Also both brand sell uncorrected leather boot that are far better.
The “highlighting the shit out of anything” statement is compelling. Was it a joke or is there a legit way of getting the yellow illusion on the solivair? I prefer solivair but love the yellow stitching.
So I ended up buying Doc Marten Jaden Boots. For those that don’t know the “Jaden boots” are like their regular boots just with more of a thicker sole at the bottom of the boot. Which can even give a man a little bit of extra height if you’re into that sort of things. Anyway now my girl makes fun of me and says to me “what are you doing throwing on your Spice Girl Boots today” 🤦♂️ 😂
Nice video thanks
Ha! I was probably at those same hardcore shows with you moshing in circles. Those were the good old days!
made in englad use thicker leather on docs
Do you plan on buying boots by Trickers?
Very Informative Big Fella! Thanks.
An American talking shit about British foreign industrialisation while wearing a NIKE sweatshirt. Dude, (practically) everything you use on a daily basis has been manufactured overseas. Your phone, your car, your computer. You live in America, not Narnia.
British Anti Slavery laws place stiff penalties on any British owned business that exploits overseas labour. The USA doesn't have these laws.
The UK also invented workers rights in the 19thC and many of those rights were adopted across the Empire. Arguably a British worker employed in 1924 had more rights than an American worker working in 2024.
Buy timberlands💪
The quality of Solovair and Gripfast Boots is just so much more better than Doc Martens
Your hilarious. Thanks for the great explanation
sorry are you sure they can be resoled as easy as solovair?
also docs look ugly with yellow stitches than any other colour like white or just black.
“Doing something manly”. What-the?.. Who does that? Good point.
Fuck yeah dude! I was born in 1983 and I don't have time for this "made in 2024" bullshit! Thank you
Yes, we invented exploitation. I used to wear Docs years ago which were great. Bought a pair about 30 years ago and they were bollox. They even had plastic tongues. Never bought a pair since.
We invented exploitation? Who comes up with these bs narratives?
No... we didn't 'invent' exploitation.
Exploitation is as old as humanity. One of the earliest written documents is 4500BC and is a bill of ownership of two slaves in Mesopotamia.
What we did invent was the first effective labour laws protecting working people from exploitation. Workers rights were invented in the UK.. not by Marx but by the Trade Union Movement and a group of enlightened factory owners who understood that a well cared for well motivated workforce was considerably more productive than one that was exploited.
Please don't promulgate TikTok history.
I used to wear DM's as a teen in the late 80's, a pain to break in but would last forever bought a pair of 1460's a few yrs back and it WAS GARBAGE! So sad to ruin a great brand for more of the almighty dollar//troutbumandsam
100% agree! My old made in England 8-hole cherry reds have lasted me over 30 years! A couple other pairs I have acquired during this time have been almost unwearable. Sold them!
Lol video turned into a criticism of 🇬🇧 🚮
????
Makes video about British footwear, ends up slating the entire British nation with false info. Stick to what you know son. History is clearly not your subject.