Worth noting that shoes with big soles and no shanks can make your arch feel like it's ripping in half all of a sudden and then the pain stays for hours or days. There is no cost too high for proper arch support.
Or just get barefoot shoes/boots, strengthen your arch and never worry about such b/s again, just like many of us have done. The arch is a muscle and no muscle in the body of any animal needs "support".
@@CptAngelKGamingcame here to helpfully suggest the same thing! Moving barefoot, often, is de way. Never had any arch issues since. It has brought me to a point I now actively seek out footwear without arch support & more ground feel. The more minimalist the better. Walking around the house barefoot & hiking/trailing in vibrams has done transformative wonders. Start slow, some beginners can’t handle moving barefoot for an hour+ at first. Hope this helps someone with arch / foot / postural struggles! 😊🙏
The Solovair greasy leather is a full grain leather, and is much better quality than the smooth leather on both the Dr Martens and the Solovair hi-shine. Solovair also offer a re-sole service.
I actually showed your videos to a woman I was on a first date with because I couldn't describe how I wish I was creative at video shooting/editing/etc; so I said, "Like him!" She loved them!
I have the Solovair dealer boots in gaucho brown. I wear them everyday, extremely comfortable! Whenever I eventually run the sole down, I'm going to have Solovair resole them with the more combat style sole.
Here in the UK DM's are associated with subcultures, and are just the iconic boot for most people of a certain age. The 1460 is named after the date of release, it was first released on the 1/4/1960, the 1461 shoe was released a year later. I have a couple of pair of Made In England DM's one pair are quite new. The other pair are around 15 years old, and when I polish them they look like new (except for the sole which is slanted at the heel due to the way I walk). I have Redwing Iron Rangers and Moc Toes, Timberland and various others. Yet in my opinion no boot looks as good with a pair of jeans as Doc Martens. I wouldn't pay full price though, hunt around. And depending on the model you can usually find them for 25% to 50% off.
I wore them most of the way through secondary school (high school). I never found them that comfortable but they were all the fashion in the early 90s. Even when they eventually moulded you your feet they were still uncomfortable. I then wore them for a few years for work (airport). They had padded ankles and steel toecaps. Not particularly comfortable either. Also, the soles were lethal on wet paving as well. And got worse as the grips wore and the sole material hardened. They lasted well though. I don’t think I would bother buying a pair these days. All the discomfort and less of the quality. Maybe a brown pair sometime. The black ones with yellow stitching carry so many connotations this side of the pond (I’m Irish). People associate them either with skinheads, football hooligans, their father’s work boots or what they wore as a teenager. They weren’t as all pervasive in the States.
@catalyst_99 It wasn’t the sole that was uncomfortable. I don’t mind a hard footbed and the steel toe ones did have a soft insole. The upper was uncomfortable. It never became comfortable for walking in the way that most other boots I’ve owned did. Maybe they were fine for someone walking less but doing 15-20km per day they were just nasty.
The classic and commando PVC outsoles were ANSI rated slip resistant and ASTM rated after 2005. The design hasn't actually changed, but the DM industrial line got an overhaul and they added griptrax inserts to them. Since they only ever mentioned the slip resistance on the DM industrials it's more or less vanished, but the boots remain astoundingly grippy until worn smooth.
@@MaxOverload1 I never tried ones with grip inserts but the original sole were poor in any sort of wet conditions as soon as the original rough finish wore off the grips (a few days) and progressively got worse with wear. Between that, the weight and the discomfort, we hated them. They started supplying better boots shortly after I left.
Really different. When I think of the black and yellow stitch boot I think of like, goths, punk rock, lgbtq women, and high fashion, very different connotations
I have 6 pairs of Doc Martens not made in England 1460's. I rotate them and wear them every day 10 to 14 hours a day for work and on my days off. I broke them in juicing them with mink oil for a couple days before wearing them and mink oil them as needed for maintenance and water protection. I keep them very clean brushing the uppers and lowers of any debris after every use. Very little wear on the soles over the last 2 years. Super comfortable. The only other shoes I wear are Birkenstock clogs when at home exclusively. My feet love them both.
Solovair are great to deal with. I've hammered mine and they just keep going. Can be resoled locally or at the factory and they do various finishes. I've had one pair of boots separate but superglued them - still going years later. The rest perfect.
I've had the 1460 Vintage series, those were some nice boots. I also have/had other England made versions that went through daily hell of outdoor work, and actually held up great.
Instant subscribe. Also if you, like me, want to skip the breaking in process, just use a shoe stretcher. I have very wide and flat feet and I wasn't trying to do all that. So stretch them and leave them in your closet for a month before using. Try them out and wear them regularly and keep using the stretchers after every use. No blisters, no cramps.
Dr. Martens are my go to boots. I love the round toebox shape and iconic look they have. Also the fact they aren't too fancy means that I don't mind wearing them regardless of the situation. As you mentioned in the video, cracking is my biggest issue with them. It's frustrating because even if I take good care of them and use shoe trees they seem to always crack. I was going to look out for a more natural finish leather for my next pair. I'd love to hear your opinion on Paraboot (think you mentioned them in a video) and Lee, especially their 101 line.
Was going to comment the same thing haha way more interesting to watch than the typical "review" videos where it's just a person sitting at a desk inside
A few years ago DM offered For Life 1460 and 1461 in an unfinished leather with a replacement warranty. I bought 2 pairs of the 1460 in black and oxblood but haven’t had to use the warranty replacement yet.
I’ve switched to Solovair they’re much better than the mie docs, and had no issues with my 4 pairs, their ‘lifestyle’ or ‘premium’ slimmer rubber sole is smarter but the classic soles r a bit more comfy and they can be resoled. Also the greased/gaucho/pebbled leather is lovely quality and ages beautifully. Astronauts, and lifestyle monkey boots are my faves. Their brogues are nice quality too. Loake are now doing Solovair/DM esk rubber soled boots, which I expect are excellent as (mie) loake make some lovely lovely shoes and boots, next level, and there’s Grensons for commando soled boots
First video in real-time. I just discovered your channel 9 days ago. What a journey... probably more so for you as you are living it. I watched it on a 6yr old Macbook. I appreciate your love of Cape Cod and your advice re. Men's fashion. I've made a list of things you recommended. First is that green Noah sweater...I look good in green...and then a pair of white sneakers. Anyway, it's been a pleasure and I wanted to say hello. On topic though... I broke in a pair of Dr. Marten's when I was 23. And while I occasionally flirt with buying them my feet will never forget. Also, this comment feels like too much, and reading it over confirms it.
Solovair is true to their origins by remaining proudly English made and the quality of the materials are good for the price point! That being said you can’t compare them to Tricker’s, Church’s, etc since they are a few times the price for plenty of fair reasons.
I learned today that Doc Martins are no longer for me… I had a pair 20 plus years ago that always squeaked when I walked and wondered if I should give it another shot? Thanks for making this video, saved me some $. I think I’m gonna hold out for the Blacksmith or the Iron Ranger instead.
Definitely save for the Iron Ranger they are literally quadruple or more the quality in all areas and can be resoled for a decade. Mine are incredible.
I think Solovair are really v good for the money (‘lifestyle’ monkey boot have slim soles and lovely leather that are tricker esk, their astronaut boots in greased/gaucho leather is thick and lovely too), you could also consider loakes - they do some excellent smarter styles but also rubber soled like Solovair/DMs, loakes offer excellent traditional boot making, slightly cheaper than grenson but still great
I live in Panama (the country) where humidity is probably the most nightmare-ish thing you can possibly imagine and I have owned and worn both the normal docs and the MIEs ones over the past decade. The problem with the excessive finish of the normal docs (and vegan ones too, since a friend of mine used to have them) is that they are not really resistant to any difficult weather whatsoever: lots of flaking, bubbling and awful resistance. None of my normal docs could survive more than 6 months in this weather, my friend's either. Although, another friend of mine somehow has managed to have theirs with minimal flaking over the past 4 years too, idk how they did that but worth noting. Made in England tho!!!! my 1461s have been the shoes I have worn almost daily since 2015, and the sole is getting kinda stupid rn so I have to buy a new pair since repairs with those are also impossible but considering they have lasted 7 years and the uppers are still fantastic, I consider them my best purchase by a mile. The 1460s MIE I own have seen less wear since i got them in early 2017 but they been with me during the most terrible rain storms that you can imagine the tropic is capable of producing, plus several hikings in very unfortunate territories and they have held up fantastically as well. I usually just clean them, apply the wonder balsam bullshit thingy once a year and the shoes hold up so so good.
The reason I really like solovair is cuz of their 6 eyelet boot. Since I’m pretty short they look much more proportionate than the 1460s would on me. (Plus better leather and resoluble)
in the early 90s i was a teenager and wore mine for years and years, every day, no other shoes. i loved the way they molded to my feet, i found them super comfortable and yes, the coating is flaking off, mainly in the front and there is gray looking leather underneath. that happened to everyone in school and it was super normal that they looked like that. nobody cared. (leather paint is an option though) several years ago i wanted new ones and not only the quality, also the shape had changed a lot. they have become narrower in the front. and since then i don't find them comfy anymore.
True story. When I was much much younger while at a swimming pool in Michigan, in winter, my locker was broken into and all my clothes stolen, except my DM’s. Not sure what that says about the criminals ethics or possibly their faith in “made in England” goods. Loved those shoes until my feet grew too big for them 😁
I ordered the 1460’s from a black and white catalog with no photo from England in 1988 for 50$. They said it would take 6 weeks. I went back to the shoe repair at 6 weeks to the day (my birthday). The cobbler said they arrived that morning. I couldn’t believe how comfortable they were. They had cork midsoles and glove leather insoles but white floss. I jumped and bounced in them all the way home. Best overall experience in shoes/boots I’ve ever had. Back then there was no heel just a unifies sole and I giant cross stamped into the side of the leather. They molded perfectly to my feet and lasted on and on. They were flawless
You can get DMs re-soled,. You just take them to any branch of Timsons! I love my Solovair though. I have over 500 pairs of DMs and other similar boots. Tredair were the best!
Will you consider reviewing the 1461 pascal virginia, please? The leather is so soft with no breaking in, I feel :) thanks for the review and tests. This video is awesome
I got the English 1460s in the 1461 English you showed near the end. You're getting what you pay for that's limited edition Horween Cavalier leather. I just got them a few months ago I anticipate them lasting a good 10-15 years. All they need is a dose of conditioner here and there.
I have a pair of plain 1460’s that I purchased lightly used on eBay in 2017( I was new to docs and didn’t want to pay full price just in case). Long story short prior to the 1460 I wore Timberlands. Since I got the 1460 I got rid of my timberlands and the one pair of 1460 has been my go to boot! My 1460 have some serious mileage on them now in 2022, but they are still going strong and the leather has broken in pretty nicely. I have not experienced any flaking or any problems at all with mine. It did take forever for them to break in tho! Maybe I got lucky.
Great video! I actually just snagged my 1st dr martens a month back (gently pre-loved online) and then had to snag another...! They have quickly turned into my favorite boots! Blessings to you- Sommer
The made in england doc marten have much higher quality leather! I intially had a hard time breaking them until visiting the store. They sell heel pads, double layer socks and the best tip of all was to rub them with wonder balsam and a hair dryer. Now the leather is soft like butter. The suede is also a great option for avoiding breaking in the boots. The made in englands also go on sale in the fall/winter.
Any leather flakes overtime. I use good shoecream once a week to prolong their wear. But not instant shine. Only cream you put on dry leather, leave overnight and shine them in the morning. If you wax stitching from time to time it will serve longer. Good luck, thanks a lot for such legend boots.
It's hard for me to go vegan leather when there are so many options for rubber or canvas boots. Sure, they are less do all universal boots like leather and leather adjacent, but I really like having that specialization as well.
My first pair of Docs was a brown pair and I think I picked them as they where not high glossed finished and not know anything about leather it was a happy mistake as they have aged so well and are soft and supple. My black chelsea boots after 5 years of every day wear they finish came off but no cracking. It is funny becacasue going to art school and working at one everyone has Docs and mentions your life is going to be horrible until they break in and honestly my feet never heart wearing them or bled or blistered. I have always been interested in the the oxfords and glad to see you touch on them and I think a Solovair pair is a next purchase.
A small point of correction. Dr Martens don’t make Oxford shoes (which have different lace closure) - those are Derby (or Gibson) shoes. I’m from the UK and like many others I used to wear Doc Martens (or DMs as we used to call them), to school and continued to wear them through adulthood. There’s no doubt today’s product is inferior to what they were producing as late as the 1990s. They used to have better leather and included a shank. The current corrected grain smooth leather is not very good. Even the Made in England shoes do not have good leather. It is prone to splitting, even if it has been looked after (a problem with many high shine leathers). I think DMs are overpriced for what they are. Over here it is possible to get DMs resoled if one goes to the right cobbler. However, for many it wouldn’t be cost-effective. Nevertheless, I suspect there might be a business opportunity for a US cobbler to import the DM soles and offer a repair service. Solovair used to offer cheaper work wear DM boots and shoes (they were popular with police officers), that had a cheap plastic lining. Nowadays, perhaps in response to the perceived lesser quality of what used to be R Gibbs DMs, they offer better shoes. However, many of their shoes use high shine leather that is little better than on regular DMs. They do have some with better leather. Here in the UK it is possible to get Solovair shoes with grey stitching instead of the yellow you see on the boots you featured. I do still have some cherry red DM shoes and boots. I paid £50 ($63) for the shoes and £28 ($35) for the boots. At that price they are just about okay, but at full price I don’t think they offer good value at all.
Those Solovair boots are in fact what we called Monkey Boots, originally imported from eastern Europe they first became popular with people who worked on scafolding because of their very soft Rubber soles. These soles were flat so didn't need a shank but,brotherdid they wear out quickly. But ,never mind, they were dirt cheap so you Just bought another pair. They were very confortable and looked great. Strangly enough the leather looked much like stuff used on DM’s. Available in Black or Brown. These were the only cool shoes available in the UK in the 1970’s that were really cheap.
Having worn plenty of solovair/gripfast boots since the 90s.. it always amazes me how these reviews/comparisons leave out the most important part.. the solovair sole is deathly slippery compared to docs... 😂😂
I bought the shoes a couple of weeks ago knowing nothing about Docs and they're really comfy now. Perhaps it's because I was between sizes 42 and 43 and went with the 43. At first I had some pain but it's all gone now. I wear them with single or double pairs of socks. Not at all used to wearing shoes like this though so I felt pretty stupid even though they look so good. But I'm starting to get used to them mentally now as well if that makes sense. Going from a sleek white leather sneaker to these BEHEMOTHS was an excercise in self conciousness.
Yeah Thursdays are maybe 3x as quality. Real veg tanned leather goodyear welt and midsole, cork filler, 1.6mm full grain chrome tanned upper, 1.2mm glove leather liner, steel shank, vibram soles on some boots, kevlar laces, easily resolable. Its a no-brainer imo. Doc’s are all about fashion. My Diplomats and Dukes are keeping up with my Redwing Iron Rangers suprisingly well!
Walk walk walk walk! Other people will go on their tip toes a lot to bend them, or heat them up then bend them, etc. There are a ton of different ways! I just plan on walking until my feet fall off though
They are okay, I prefer my premium Timberlands for Canadian winters due to primaloft insulation & waterproof nubuck and Thursday boots for summer. For $30 more you get a nice 1.6mm full grain chrome tanned leather upper and 1.2mm glove leather lining, 360 classic goodyear welt, cork filling, veg tanned leather midsole and welt, steel shank, vibram sole etc. I think people like Doc’s because of the history & iconic look of the last and yellow welt, they are also super easy to break in due to the fibreboard and air filled outsole. Still I’d go with thursday for $30 more. It comes down to style & comfort vs longevity. As you say its very hard to resole Doc’s while Thursdays are simple at any cobbler. I enjoy my Diplomat moc toes and Duke chelseas both in black chrome. For my main boots I splurged and got black harness Redwing Iron Rangers which are worth every penny. Looking at splurging even more and getting some White’s or Nick’s next with my tax return money, haha.
@@TheIronSnail Nice!!! They are surprisingly good for mass produced boots. Better can be purchased for the price but for winter in Canada it’s the best way. Awesome videos man its great seeing you grow!
@@TheIronSnail And yes I’m still deciding which. But they’re both spokane made and 99% pure leather. I’ve seen 40+ year old pairs be restored on youtube. Per wear its very worth it I think.
These boots cost as much as my leather jacket. But my jacket is going to last me years and years. It keeps me warm when it's cold. I will never buy these boots at the price they are at. $150 for some boots that might fall apart in 6 months is just too much. I can find better boots for half the price of Docs.
@@schizotypeseraph Daniel Smart. I got it on Amazon. It was a life saver when I was riding in the back of a pickup truck on a cold January day. It's big enough that I can pull inside of it to keep warm. Size 10XL. I can layer up underneath it on really cold days too.
Ive had the chelsea boots for both brand and man Solovair just arent wide enough to wear for me. I could feel the sides of the sole while wearing them and it caused insane blisters. And couldnt be broken in to fix that. The Docs did require break in, but never got that sort of problem with them
@@Riful not sure exactly but Docs are typically fine. While most Nikes cause issues. It's been a while and the Doc chelseas didn't blisters but they weren't as comfortable as docs with the regular last
@@Riful I have a foot that is D width and a foot that is E width. I am a woman with a shorter but wider foot (men's 6)so that makes it much harder. The D felt narrow in the derby boot which is one of their widest styles. The E felt unbearable. My foot was spreading off the sole so I knew no breaking in would fix it. Really wanted solovairs to work for me but had to go back to made in asia unisex docs because they are wider. I would say the derby boot solovairs are probably a C width while the docs are a D width, at least in my experience and sizing. You can size up for width but I wasn't willing to have a solovair that was too loose
I don’t really care if people dump on doc martens, I really love how they look and find them really comfortable. I get the feeling people buy a size too small or something. I do add insoles, but I add them to any shoe I buy. I’m a gen Xer so these are a part of my identity by now, and yeah I don’t care if I’m an old guy wearing these boots. I’ve got a pair of newer asian made 1460s that I’ve worn almost every day for the last ten years and they are still in great shape aside from some wearing on the soles.
I bought 1461’s at the Doc store in town. Got home and thought the left looked a little diff from the right. Took them back and they realised they had put left shoe from Singapore factory and right shoe from a different country of manufacture. Foot that price point I was surprised. Got a refund.
I have a pair of Solovair Monkey Boots and they look a bit different than yours. My boots came with flat laces, the stitching is grey and the tab is black with "Solovair" in almost a neon green. I bought the from the British Boot Company in Camden Town so I'm 100% sure they're legit.
My main issue with docs is the lack of a shank, because I see a lot of people walking around in docs that a completely destroyed arch and the heel is gone which looks horrendous. If the 1460's were around 130 USD and had a shank I would be way more accepting.
Personally I like the yellow stitching a lot. It’s a shame that DM doesn’t make half sizes or let you buy new soles. If you can score a pair for $100-$130 on sale or on EBay, I think it’s fair to say that they’re worth it if you get more than 3 years out of them (to me personally). If you don’t wear them a lot I can see DM’s lasting 5-10 years easy.
I’m working my way through your back catalog in my spare time and just saw this video. I bought a pair of the MIE Docs a few years ago and the quality was terrible. They cracked and looked awful within months despite meticulous care. I could wear them to work any more. What good is a low price if they wear out within months? You would save a lot of money buying a more expensive boot .
This is the kind of video I'd even watch if it wasn't made by you 👍 Ryan Gosling has a pair of black Dr. Martens that are perfectly weathered. They are the ones were the leather ist still brown underneath the black finish and it shows through just right
somehow they are still great boots for a person who needs oil resistance. I just dont understand why there are not more of the boots have oil resistance out of the box
![(Top 4) Dr. Martens 1460 Boots - [LEATHER REVIEW] - "doc marten"](/img/n.gif)
Excellent take on these! They’re iconic as hell and comfy too. Your videos always give me a good laugh too bro!
Collab when?
@@sebastienalbouy4471 Would love to see it!
@@sebastienalbouy4471 I'd collab with The Iron Snail any day if he cares to slum it with me!
My two favorite UA-camrs crossing over holly shit!!
@@sebastienalbouy4471 Yesss this needs to happen
I think docs have a body of a boot but the feeling of a sneaker and that’s why. I love them
Thanks for the shoutout man! Love your content
Hey right back at you!!
So we got Carl and Weston in the replies!!!! My three favorite UA-camrs in one place 🙂
Worth noting that shoes with big soles and no shanks can make your arch feel like it's ripping in half all of a sudden and then the pain stays for hours or days. There is no cost too high for proper arch support.
Or just get barefoot shoes/boots, strengthen your arch and never worry about such b/s again, just like many of us have done. The arch is a muscle and no muscle in the body of any animal needs "support".
@@CptAngelKGamingcame here to helpfully suggest the same thing! Moving barefoot, often, is de way. Never had any arch issues since.
It has brought me to a point I now actively seek out footwear without arch support & more ground feel. The more minimalist the better.
Walking around the house barefoot & hiking/trailing in vibrams has done transformative wonders. Start slow, some beginners can’t handle moving barefoot for an hour+ at first.
Hope this helps someone with arch / foot / postural struggles! 😊🙏
The Solovair greasy leather is a full grain leather, and is much better quality than the smooth leather on both the Dr Martens and the Solovair hi-shine. Solovair also offer a re-sole service.
I
I actually showed your videos to a woman I was on a first date with because I couldn't describe how I wish I was creative at video shooting/editing/etc; so I said, "Like him!" She loved them!
The Iron Snail, he'll give you his takes on various somewhat obscure male fashion trends, and get you laid.
BOOM! My job is done here
I have the Solovair dealer boots in gaucho brown. I wear them everyday, extremely comfortable! Whenever I eventually run the sole down, I'm going to have Solovair resole them with the more combat style sole.
Oh so cool!
Solovair are basically original dr martens, made by the original company, factory, people, same lasts, better leather quality etc
AMERICANS combative sole
I just bought my first 1461 Nappa leather. I wear it everyday, even at work and the shoe is so comfortable, I don't get any blister at all.
Love your videos man. Super quirky, creative, funny, informative and well shot / scripted. You’ll blow up
Thank you!
Here in the UK DM's are associated with subcultures, and are just the iconic boot for most people of a certain age. The 1460 is named after the date of release, it was first released on the 1/4/1960, the 1461 shoe was released a year later. I have a couple of pair of Made In England DM's one pair are quite new. The other pair are around 15 years old, and when I polish them they look like new (except for the sole which is slanted at the heel due to the way I walk). I have Redwing Iron Rangers and Moc Toes, Timberland and various others. Yet in my opinion no boot looks as good with a pair of jeans as Doc Martens.
I wouldn't pay full price though, hunt around. And depending on the model you can usually find them for 25% to 50% off.
Oh fascinating info!!
amazing they became so popular considering the inventor was a Nazi.
Found this guy for the first time. I love him. His experience with the 1461s spoke to me on a deeper level.
I wore them most of the way through secondary school (high school). I never found them that comfortable but they were all the fashion in the early 90s. Even when they eventually moulded you your feet they were still uncomfortable.
I then wore them for a few years for work (airport). They had padded ankles and steel toecaps. Not particularly comfortable either.
Also, the soles were lethal on wet paving as well. And got worse as the grips wore and the sole material hardened.
They lasted well though. I don’t think I would bother buying a pair these days. All the discomfort and less of the quality. Maybe a brown pair sometime. The black ones with yellow stitching carry so many connotations this side of the pond (I’m Irish). People associate them either with skinheads, football hooligans, their father’s work boots or what they wore as a teenager. They weren’t as all pervasive in the States.
interesting read!
@catalyst_99 It wasn’t the sole that was uncomfortable. I don’t mind a hard footbed and the steel toe ones did have a soft insole. The upper was uncomfortable. It never became comfortable for walking in the way that most other boots I’ve owned did. Maybe they were fine for someone walking
less but doing 15-20km per day they were just nasty.
The classic and commando PVC outsoles were ANSI rated slip resistant and ASTM rated after 2005. The design hasn't actually changed, but the DM industrial line got an overhaul and they added griptrax inserts to them. Since they only ever mentioned the slip resistance on the DM industrials it's more or less vanished, but the boots remain astoundingly grippy until worn smooth.
@@MaxOverload1 I never tried ones with grip inserts but the original sole were poor in any sort of wet conditions as soon as the original rough finish wore off the grips (a few days) and progressively got worse with wear. Between that, the weight and the discomfort, we hated them. They started supplying better boots shortly after I left.
Really different. When I think of the black and yellow stitch boot I think of like, goths, punk rock, lgbtq women, and high fashion, very different connotations
I have 6 pairs of Doc Martens not made in England 1460's. I rotate them and wear them every day 10 to 14 hours a day for work and on my days off. I broke them in juicing them with mink oil for a couple days before wearing them and mink oil them as needed for maintenance and water protection. I keep them very clean brushing the uppers and lowers of any debris after every use. Very little wear on the soles over the last 2 years. Super comfortable. The only other shoes I wear are Birkenstock clogs when at home exclusively. My feet love them both.
Solovair are great to deal with. I've hammered mine and they just keep going. Can be resoled locally or at the factory and they do various finishes. I've had one pair of boots separate but superglued them - still going years later. The rest perfect.
Yeah they are lovely!
In the UK you can get your DMs resoled at Timpson with official soles, they have some agreement with Doc Martens.
Ooo this is fascinating!
Bro, your cinematography is advancing so well!
thank you!
I've had the 1460 Vintage series, those were some nice boots.
I also have/had other England made versions that went through daily hell of outdoor work, and actually held up great.
I heard they do hold up! Even when they crack (if they do) they aren't too bad!
@@TheIronSnail that is definitely true, the leather feels like really good quality to me and repairs are doable.
Instant subscribe. Also if you, like me, want to skip the breaking in process, just use a shoe stretcher. I have very wide and flat feet and I wasn't trying to do all that. So stretch them and leave them in your closet for a month before using. Try them out and wear them regularly and keep using the stretchers after every use.
No blisters, no cramps.
Dr. Martens are my go to boots. I love the round toebox shape and iconic look they have. Also the fact they aren't too fancy means that I don't mind wearing them regardless of the situation. As you mentioned in the video, cracking is my biggest issue with them. It's frustrating because even if I take good care of them and use shoe trees they seem to always crack. I was going to look out for a more natural finish leather for my next pair.
I'd love to hear your opinion on Paraboot (think you mentioned them in a video) and Lee, especially their 101 line.
I did! And oh yes I love Lee! I'll do a vid on them soon(ish!)
I live in Australia - get some Dubbin and put it on every week No problems mate!!
The cut in the middle really got me 😅 But honestly, I absolutely like that your videos are fast paced and weird stuctured✌
Was going to comment the same thing haha way more interesting to watch than the typical "review" videos where it's just a person sitting at a desk inside
Bahahaha ty!
A few years ago DM offered For Life 1460 and 1461 in an unfinished leather with a replacement warranty. I bought 2 pairs of the 1460 in black and oxblood but haven’t had to use the warranty replacement yet.
Ugh I remember those days. I'm jealous!
I’ve switched to Solovair they’re much better than the mie docs, and had no issues with my 4 pairs, their ‘lifestyle’ or ‘premium’ slimmer rubber sole is smarter but the classic soles r a bit more comfy and they can be resoled. Also the greased/gaucho/pebbled leather is lovely quality and ages beautifully. Astronauts, and lifestyle monkey boots are my faves. Their brogues are nice quality too.
Loake are now doing Solovair/DM esk rubber soled boots, which I expect are excellent as (mie) loake make some lovely lovely shoes and boots, next level, and there’s Grensons for commando soled boots
I love mine too! Also I'll check out Loake
First video in real-time. I just discovered your channel 9 days ago. What a journey... probably more so for you as you are living it. I watched it on a 6yr old Macbook. I appreciate your love of Cape Cod and your advice re. Men's fashion. I've made a list of things you recommended. First is that green Noah sweater...I look good in green...and then a pair of white sneakers. Anyway, it's been a pleasure and I wanted to say hello. On topic though... I broke in a pair of Dr. Marten's when I was 23. And while I occasionally flirt with buying them my feet will never forget. Also, this comment feels like too much, and reading it over confirms it.
This comment is not too much! It's just enough! Also yes I LOVE CAPE COD!
btw...music editing blew my mind. great work
Solovair is true to their origins by remaining proudly English made and the quality of the materials are good for the price point!
That being said you can’t compare them to Tricker’s, Church’s, etc since they are a few times the price for plenty of fair reasons.
I need to look into Trickers and Churchs!
I learned today that Doc Martins are no longer for me… I had a pair 20 plus years ago that always squeaked when I walked and wondered if I should give it another shot? Thanks for making this video, saved me some $. I think I’m gonna hold out for the Blacksmith or the Iron Ranger instead.
Definitely save for the Iron Ranger they are literally quadruple or more the quality in all areas and can be resoled for a decade. Mine are incredible.
Love my burnt copper iron rangers. I wear 10 in most shoes but got the rangers in a wide 9. Great fit
get some Tricker's if you want some quality English boots
I think Solovair are really v good for the money (‘lifestyle’ monkey boot have slim soles and lovely leather that are tricker esk, their astronaut boots in greased/gaucho leather is thick and lovely too), you could also consider loakes - they do some excellent smarter styles but also rubber soled like Solovair/DMs, loakes offer excellent traditional boot making, slightly cheaper than grenson but still great
Hey you're welcome! Red Wings are amazing!
Solovair has been known for QC issues lately. You're definitely not the only one with these complaints!
Interesting to note! Looking into that
Your editing is so on point 👌
I live in Panama (the country) where humidity is probably the most nightmare-ish thing you can possibly imagine and I have owned and worn both the normal docs and the MIEs ones over the past decade. The problem with the excessive finish of the normal docs (and vegan ones too, since a friend of mine used to have them) is that they are not really resistant to any difficult weather whatsoever: lots of flaking, bubbling and awful resistance. None of my normal docs could survive more than 6 months in this weather, my friend's either. Although, another friend of mine somehow has managed to have theirs with minimal flaking over the past 4 years too, idk how they did that but worth noting.
Made in England tho!!!! my 1461s have been the shoes I have worn almost daily since 2015, and the sole is getting kinda stupid rn so I have to buy a new pair since repairs with those are also impossible but considering they have lasted 7 years and the uppers are still fantastic, I consider them my best purchase by a mile. The 1460s MIE I own have seen less wear since i got them in early 2017 but they been with me during the most terrible rain storms that you can imagine the tropic is capable of producing, plus several hikings in very unfortunate territories and they have held up fantastically as well. I usually just clean them, apply the wonder balsam bullshit thingy once a year and the shoes hold up so so good.
I lived in Panama for five years. If I was single, it's very possible I would have gone back to stay.
Oh MIE 1461's sound amazing! Also oh god I hate humidity so maybe Panama is not the place for me
The reason I really like solovair is cuz of their 6 eyelet boot. Since I’m pretty short they look much more proportionate than the 1460s would on me. (Plus better leather and resoluble)
Recently found your channel and I’m loving it. Keep up the great work man. Love watching your videos.
Thanks my friend!
Ohhh thank you so much for your honest review
in the early 90s i was a teenager and wore mine for years and years, every day, no other shoes. i loved the way they molded to my feet, i found them super comfortable and yes, the coating is flaking off, mainly in the front and there is gray looking leather underneath. that happened to everyone in school and it was super normal that they looked like that. nobody cared. (leather paint is an option though)
several years ago i wanted new ones and not only the quality, also the shape had changed a lot. they have become narrower in the front. and since then i don't find them comfy anymore.
I don’t care about boots that much, but this is an awesome video. You have tremendous talent. Keep it up!
Thank you!!
True story. When I was much much younger while at a swimming pool in Michigan, in winter, my locker was broken into and all my clothes stolen, except my DM’s. Not sure what that says about the criminals ethics or possibly their faith in “made in England” goods. Loved those shoes until my feet grew too big for them 😁
Bahahaha that's the only review you've ever needed
Maybe they weren't their size.
i love your thumbnails, they really pop
Thank you!
I ordered the 1460’s from a black and white catalog with no photo from England in 1988 for 50$. They said it would take 6 weeks. I went back to the shoe repair at 6 weeks to the day (my birthday). The cobbler said they arrived that morning. I couldn’t believe how comfortable they were. They had cork midsoles and glove leather insoles but white floss. I jumped and bounced in them all the way home. Best overall experience in shoes/boots I’ve ever had. Back then there was no heel just a unifies sole and I giant cross stamped into the side of the leather. They molded perfectly to my feet and lasted on and on. They were flawless
Did you just say you bought yours in 1988?
You can get DMs re-soled,. You just take them to any branch of Timsons! I love my Solovair though. I have over 500 pairs of DMs and other similar boots. Tredair were the best!
Will you consider reviewing the 1461 pascal virginia, please? The leather is so soft with no breaking in, I feel :) thanks for the review and tests. This video is awesome
I got the English 1460s in the 1461 English you showed near the end. You're getting what you pay for that's limited edition Horween Cavalier leather. I just got them a few months ago I anticipate them lasting a good 10-15 years. All they need is a dose of conditioner here and there.
I have a pair of plain 1460’s that I purchased lightly used on eBay in 2017( I was new to docs and didn’t want to pay full price just in case). Long story short prior to the 1460 I wore Timberlands. Since I got the 1460 I got rid of my timberlands and the one pair of 1460 has been my go to boot!
My 1460 have some serious mileage on them now in 2022, but they are still going strong and the leather has broken in pretty nicely. I have not experienced any flaking or any problems at all with mine. It did take forever for them to break in tho! Maybe I got lucky.
Those sound awesome and it's cool to hear their lifespan!
Screw Tims!
Great video! I actually just snagged my 1st dr martens a month back (gently pre-loved online) and then had to snag another...! They have quickly turned into my favorite boots! Blessings to you- Sommer
The made in england doc marten have much higher quality leather! I intially had a hard time breaking them until visiting the store. They sell heel pads, double layer socks and the best tip of all was to rub them with wonder balsam and a hair dryer. Now the leather is soft like butter. The suede is also a great option for avoiding breaking in the boots. The made in englands also go on sale in the fall/winter.
My first boots were from Gabor. They are easy to break and pretty comfortable.
I'm so glad you did a video on Dr martens, such an interesting boot with so much cultural significance
thank yoU!
Age 12 ,saved pocket money here in the Uk for ages ( 1972) got a par of brown Doc boots..sole split in a fortnight
Future video on wide/big pants in general and the ones you were wearing in this vid??
YUP!
Any leather flakes overtime. I use good shoecream once a week to prolong their wear.
But not instant shine. Only cream you put on dry leather, leave overnight and shine them in the morning.
If you wax stitching from time to time it will serve longer.
Good luck, thanks a lot for such legend boots.
I love Doc Martens I buy the Made in England ones also I love Solovair and Gripfast
I love your video and just subscribed to you here and on Instagram!! Love your personality and editing!! Lol!! Love the “get the dumb ones”😻😻😻
It's hard for me to go vegan leather when there are so many options for rubber or canvas boots. Sure, they are less do all universal boots like leather and leather adjacent, but I really like having that specialization as well.
Yup agreed here!
My first pair of Docs was a brown pair and I think I picked them as they where not high glossed finished and not know anything about leather it was a happy mistake as they have aged so well and are soft and supple. My black chelsea boots after 5 years of every day wear they finish came off but no cracking. It is funny becacasue going to art school and working at one everyone has Docs and mentions your life is going to be horrible until they break in and honestly my feet never heart wearing them or bled or blistered. I have always been interested in the the oxfords and glad to see you touch on them and I think a Solovair pair is a next purchase.
You are the chosen one with tough feet!
The 1461 almost drove me crazy too. I love these shoes, but I still get blisters after 6 months if I wear the wrong socks.
The tall boots have a sort of military look to them, minus the yellow stitching.
I bought two pairs of new vintage boots in London, made in the 1990s. “British boot company” store name in London
The Reverso looks sweet!!
Thank you!
A small point of correction. Dr Martens don’t make Oxford shoes (which have different lace closure) - those are Derby (or Gibson) shoes. I’m from the UK and like many others I used to wear Doc Martens (or DMs as we used to call them), to school and continued to wear them through adulthood. There’s no doubt today’s product is inferior to what they were producing as late as the 1990s. They used to have better leather and included a shank. The current corrected grain smooth leather is not very good. Even the Made in England shoes do not have good leather. It is prone to splitting, even if it has been looked after (a problem with many high shine leathers). I think DMs are overpriced for what they are.
Over here it is possible to get DMs resoled if one goes to the right cobbler. However, for many it wouldn’t be cost-effective. Nevertheless, I suspect there might be a business opportunity for a US cobbler to import the DM soles and offer a repair service.
Solovair used to offer cheaper work wear DM boots and shoes (they were popular with police officers), that had a cheap plastic lining. Nowadays, perhaps in response to the perceived lesser quality of what used to be R Gibbs DMs, they offer better shoes. However, many of their shoes use high shine leather that is little better than on regular DMs. They do have some with better leather. Here in the UK it is possible to get Solovair shoes with grey stitching instead of the yellow you see on the boots you featured.
I do still have some cherry red DM shoes and boots. I paid £50 ($63) for the shoes and £28 ($35) for the boots. At that price they are just about okay, but at full price I don’t think they offer good value at all.
Ty for the correction and the info!!
Those Solovair boots are in fact what we called Monkey Boots, originally imported from eastern Europe they first became popular with people who worked on scafolding because of their very soft Rubber soles. These soles were flat so didn't need a shank but,brotherdid they wear out quickly. But ,never mind, they were dirt cheap so you Just bought another pair. They were very confortable and looked great. Strangly enough the leather looked much like stuff used on DM’s. Available in Black or Brown. These were the only cool shoes available in the UK in the 1970’s that were really cheap.
Having worn plenty of solovair/gripfast boots since the 90s.. it always amazes me how these reviews/comparisons leave out the most important part.. the solovair sole is deathly slippery compared to docs... 😂😂
I bought the shoes a couple of weeks ago knowing nothing about Docs and they're really comfy now. Perhaps it's because I was between sizes 42 and 43 and went with the 43. At first I had some pain but it's all gone now. I wear them with single or double pairs of socks. Not at all used to wearing shoes like this though so I felt pretty stupid even though they look so good. But I'm starting to get used to them mentally now as well if that makes sense. Going from a sleek white leather sneaker to these BEHEMOTHS was an excercise in self conciousness.
What are you talking about you can get Dr martins replacement soles from the UK.
Been wearing Docs since the 80s and I thought I'd hate this vid, but....you nailed it. ;)
Hey ty!
I have Docs from 2006, no flaking, soles are wearing out. I still wear them regularly. I can swear by them.
First thing everyone should do,learn how to lace them the right way and tie them properly.Looks better and fully comfortable.
I like your video its high quality so i share with my friends
For $30 more you can get a pair of Thursday Boot Captains. Also Solovair all the way if you want Doc styled boots.
Yeah Thursdays are maybe 3x as quality. Real veg tanned leather goodyear welt and midsole, cork filler, 1.6mm full grain chrome tanned upper, 1.2mm glove leather liner, steel shank, vibram soles on some boots, kevlar laces, easily resolable. Its a no-brainer imo. Doc’s are all about fashion. My Diplomats and Dukes are keeping up with my Redwing Iron Rangers suprisingly well!
What kind of pants though? The color is so beautiful.
I got some 10 year old corrected grain docs if you want to see what beat up docs look like
I have Made in England 1460 and 1461 I got for a decent discount from END. Best boots in their price bracket.
Yeah they are sweet!!
Great video and review of the DM range! Thank you!
Anybody know why DM calls their derby shoes oxfords? Very strange!
What is the ‘Dr Marten break in procedure’?
Walk walk walk walk! Other people will go on their tip toes a lot to bend them, or heat them up then bend them, etc. There are a ton of different ways! I just plan on walking until my feet fall off though
You got a Reverso? When did this happen? 😲
!!!! its a secret and Ill never tell (about a month ago)
They are okay, I prefer my premium Timberlands for Canadian winters due to primaloft insulation & waterproof nubuck and Thursday boots for summer. For $30 more you get a nice 1.6mm full grain chrome tanned leather upper and 1.2mm glove leather lining, 360 classic goodyear welt, cork filling, veg tanned leather midsole and welt, steel shank, vibram sole etc. I think people like Doc’s because of the history & iconic look of the last and yellow welt, they are also super easy to break in due to the fibreboard and air filled outsole. Still I’d go with thursday for $30 more. It comes down to style & comfort vs longevity. As you say its very hard to resole Doc’s while Thursdays are simple at any cobbler. I enjoy my Diplomat moc toes and Duke chelseas both in black chrome. For my main boots I splurged and got black harness Redwing Iron Rangers which are worth every penny. Looking at splurging even more and getting some White’s or Nick’s next with my tax return money, haha.
White's or Nicks will be crazy! I'm also going to review Timberlands soon!
@@TheIronSnail Nice!!! They are surprisingly good for mass produced boots. Better can be purchased for the price but for winter in Canada it’s the best way. Awesome videos man its great seeing you grow!
@@TheIronSnail And yes I’m still deciding which. But they’re both spokane made and 99% pure leather. I’ve seen 40+ year old pairs be restored on youtube. Per wear its very worth it I think.
I was saying the papa johns joke in my head and when you actually said it I started dying
BOOM! I was hoping someone would get it
These boots cost as much as my leather jacket. But my jacket is going to last me years and years. It keeps me warm when it's cold. I will never buy these boots at the price they are at. $150 for some boots that might fall apart in 6 months is just too much. I can find better boots for half the price of Docs.
What's the jacket 👀
$200 now bro. Plus taxes
Same question, what jacket is that
@@schizotypeseraph Daniel Smart. I got it on Amazon. It was a life saver when I was riding in the back of a pickup truck on a cold January day. It's big enough that I can pull inside of it to keep warm. Size 10XL. I can layer up underneath it on really cold days too.
Look into Solovair boots then, basically Doc's big brother
Ive had the chelsea boots for both brand and man Solovair just arent wide enough to wear for me. I could feel the sides of the sole while wearing them and it caused insane blisters. And couldnt be broken in to fix that. The Docs did require break in, but never got that sort of problem with them
Quick question if you don't mind. Was looing into the solovair's as well and also have wide feet so I'm a tad bit worried, how wide are your feet?
@@Riful not sure exactly but Docs are typically fine. While most Nikes cause issues. It's been a while and the Doc chelseas didn't blisters but they weren't as comfortable as docs with the regular last
@@Riful I have a foot that is D width and a foot that is E width. I am a woman with a shorter but wider foot (men's 6)so that makes it much harder. The D felt narrow in the derby boot which is one of their widest styles. The E felt unbearable. My foot was spreading off the sole so I knew no breaking in would fix it. Really wanted solovairs to work for me but had to go back to made in asia unisex docs because they are wider. I would say the derby boot solovairs are probably a C width while the docs are a D width, at least in my experience and sizing. You can size up for width but I wasn't willing to have a solovair that was too loose
Where did you got those pants? Great video by the way
Dickies! and ty!
I don’t really care if people dump on doc martens, I really love how they look and find them really comfortable. I get the feeling people buy a size too small or something. I do add insoles, but I add them to any shoe I buy.
I’m a gen Xer so these are a part of my identity by now, and yeah I don’t care if I’m an old guy wearing these boots.
I’ve got a pair of newer asian made 1460s that I’ve worn almost every day for the last ten years and they are still in great shape aside from some wearing on the soles.
I bought 1461’s at the Doc store in town.
Got home and thought the left looked a little diff from the right. Took them back and they realised they had put left shoe from Singapore factory and right shoe from a different country of manufacture. Foot that price point I was surprised. Got a refund.
Currently wearing my solovair monkey boots (minus your mentioned defects lol) and completely recommend
Love them!
Great video. Was wondering what watch you are wearing in the video?
needed this appreciate
ofc! TY!
I have a pair of Solovair Monkey Boots and they look a bit different than yours. My boots came with flat laces, the stitching is grey and the tab is black with "Solovair" in almost a neon green. I bought the from the British Boot Company in Camden Town so I'm 100% sure they're legit.
My main issue with docs is the lack of a shank, because I see a lot of people walking around in docs that a completely destroyed arch and the heel is gone which looks horrendous. If the 1460's were around 130 USD and had a shank I would be way more accepting.
The shank would make all the difference!
What if i "repaired" my solovairs with yellow thread
I find the 1460s don't fit me well. So, I bought the Combs and they are great.
I couldn't focus on anything but the flashes of the JLC.
OOOWEEE!
Sorry to hear the quality has gone down. Owned several pair of DM’s back in the 19 hundreds, and they were great.
You don't break-in Doc Martens, they break your feet in.
TRUE
How is the sizing with Solovair compared to Doc Marten. I’ve been told to size down for Doc
Personally I like the yellow stitching a lot. It’s a shame that DM doesn’t make half sizes or let you buy new soles. If you can score a pair for $100-$130 on sale or on EBay, I think it’s fair to say that they’re worth it if you get more than 3 years out of them (to me personally). If you don’t wear them a lot I can see DM’s lasting 5-10 years easy.
I burst out laughing at Papa John’s 😆
What are those brown pants?
I’m working my way through your back catalog in my spare time and just saw this video. I bought a pair of the MIE Docs a few years ago and the quality was terrible. They cracked and looked awful within months despite meticulous care. I could wear them to work any more. What good is a low price if they wear out within months? You would save a lot of money buying a more expensive boot .
This is the kind of video I'd even watch if it wasn't made by you 👍
Ryan Gosling has a pair of black Dr. Martens that are perfectly weathered. They are the ones were the leather ist still brown underneath the black finish and it shows through just right
Hey thank you!! Ill have to go look at his boots now
somehow they are still great boots for a person who needs oil resistance. I just dont understand why there are not more of the boots have oil resistance out of the box
I love this guys malcolm vibes
Dig my Solovair 11-eye Derbt boots.
Faaaaaantastic boots!
been debating getting a new pair of docs for weeks. now i must
SHANE MUST!
Always wanted a pair of Docs but the last they use just isn’t for my foot. Too much volume
I'm shocked they don't make wide options!
Mate are you wearing a jlc reverso? If so then that’s a fucking class watch