Mr. Anvil, for vintage, look at pre 2000. As the manufacturing moved to China and Thailand in the early 2000's when they got bought out. My old docs from the mid 90's I passed onto my teenage son due to them still having life in them. (lol, I just opened your page and see that you just did the '90's vintage brown with chunky sole yesterday. Glad to see that welting was so difficult to separate. Was extremely excited to see the chunky sole. I miss those on my docs almost as much as I miss the original longevity.)
Greg Burcham Same here , I passed those brown martens to my nephew the year he studied abroad in london. He liked them so he looked in several thirft stores until he found a pair for himself and returned mine.
No they weren't Whites, Wesco, Redwings, Thorogoods and so many other brands were around back then and Dr Martins don't have shit and never did on any of the four brands I mentioned . They were ok in the 70s and 80s, and now they suck, much like Timberland .
@@chanelleber9975 - thanks for the tip. Just looked at the "Monkey Boot..." I remember British Monkey Boots being around £30 in the 70's. Not with an Airwair sole though. Might just get myself a pair.
Doc martins in the 80s were not really the best boots. As another guy in this says Redwings were superior in every way. Its just doc martins were more popular among teens and teens remember the good times best.
@@BOYVIRGO666 - how much were the American boots? I only remember Doc Marten's prices and they were teenager friendly. I know NOW teenagers are spending £1000+ on Moncler jackets or brand new iPhones so I suppose there's been a huge paradigm shift.
@@fablewalls in 1983? doc martins were 80-130 dollars depending on where you bought them according to my mother. Which is pretty expensive for the 80s since thats closer to 200 by inflation. They werent bad by any stretch but they coudnt touch redwings at the time.
@@melissahollandsbiggestfan5812 because you flunked English and think auto-correct is a cure-all. And apparently neither you nor your auto-correct have a sense of humour.
@@mrcvry definetly good idea, that's what I'm going to do. but you still could've gotten wear out of this pair. and thinking he is going to destroy the made in england boots is also hilarious, they last a lot longer and for a fairly cheap pair of boots that's fine so there is no need to destroy them.
@@fynnb8537 but I suppose it is a necessary one, whilst it is a waste for him, it will hopefully educate us more regarding this shoe and whether or not we should get another shoe or this one should be fine, which, at a bigger scale, can save other people's money
I was big on Docs back in the early 90’s. Being a teenager and spending 150+ was a big deal to me. 3 different boots and every single one of them developed a welt separation at the heal. They were made poorly then and even today, I always stop and look at them and it doesn’t look like much has changed
its like anything made in the USA is appreciated by me more then anything coughed out in the far east. I am English btw. I have a all american made bicycle which i treasure.
@@RoseAnvil Seriously, for everyone out here seeing you the first time, please say something about that amazing knife! We are honestly interested in getting clued in!
The older Docs that were made in England did have shanks, I took one apart once trying to repair the soles after they split in half but it was nothing very "shank" worthy , it was literally just a wide compressed piece of wood that looked EXACTLY like a wooden tongue depresser or an ice cream stick that had broken in half right along the same area the sole split 😅
Had my first pair of DMs in 1970. The leather was much better but the air wear soles were mostly myth. They'd have to be air tight cells to give the balloon effect.
@@borderlands6606 that myth started with the Mercury 7 Astronauts who wore Hawkins Boots ( precursor to the standard 1490 doc martens ) on their pre space trip photo shoot.
@@borderlands6606 they use to make then with wuality vegetable tanned leather,..hence the natural tan color on the inside. Now its oil tanned and very onvious from the dark color on the inside.
@@genx-tv In 2003, the Dr. Martens company came close to bankruptcy.[11] On 1 April that year, under pressure from declining sales, the company ceased making shoes in the United Kingdom,[12] and moved all production to China and Thailand. Five factories and two shops were closed in the UK as a result of this decision, and more than 1,000 of the firm's employees lost their jobs.[13] Following the closures, the R. Griggs company employed only 20 people in the UK, all of whom were located in the firm's head office.[14] 5 million pairs of Dr. Martens were sold during 2003, which was half the level of annual sales during the 1990s.[15] In 2004 a new range of Dr. Martens was launched in an attempt to appeal to a wider market, and especially young people. The shoes and boots were intended to be more comfortable, and easier to break in, and included some new design elements.[15] Dr. Martens also began producing footwear again at the Cobbs Lane Factory in Wollaston, England in 2004. These products are part of the "Vintage" line, which the company advertises as being made to the original specifications.[16] Sales of these shoes are low in comparison to those made in Asia, however; in 2010, the factory was producing about 50 pairs per day.[6] In 2005, the R. Griggs company was given an award by the "Institute for Turnaround" for implementing a successful restructure.
Actually the English and Thai boot is pretty much made the same way(though with machines in Thailand) the only real difference is the quality of the leather.
@@chenugent they became popular among punks because of how cheap they were. As well as being work boots. Unfortunately the commodification of punk fashion became trendy so this is why they are so much more. Its important to note inflation does play a roll and the price of leather but id still value them at 50-70 depending on if they're ankle boots or calfs.
VERY insightful... I wore Doc's back in the day for a light duty work boot (I'm a locksmith) and damn near every day use, even when I was off duty, for years until they were flat worn out (which took almost a decade) and finally destroyed in a small, yet not fun, flash flood while I was working) after a while, and trying other boots, I decided to them again because I'd been so happy with them in the past (they were comfortable as heck)... New pair lasted me less then a year and a half before they started coming apart at sole, with the toe ripping right through the stitching (maybe I tripped going up stairs, but I don't remember that, so it wasn't enough to damage ME) and the the sole came completely separated at the heel from the welt (not even sure how THAT could even be done...) leaving me REALLY disappointing in what was either a lemon (with no solution from Doc Marten) or a drop in quality. Again, we're talking LIGHT duty... again... I'm a locksmith... so it's mostly driving, walking, kneeling and getting up from it, climbing stairs, occasional running, mostly exterior, but often on warehouse floor, and sometimes on soft ground, gravel etc.. NOT stuff that should kill a pair of boots in under two years, even if they ARE on the cheap scale.
Cool vid! Just to be clear, maybe you meant that, but on a regular GYW shoe/boot, you can't see the goodyear stitching from the outside, its done from underneath the welt into the gemming. The stitch you see is a rapid stitch done by a totally different machine (rapid stitcher) at a later stage. That's what unique in a doc martens, the stitch you see is from the outside is actually the GY stitch done on top of the welt, making it almost look like a norvegese or original storm-welted.
Better a sharp blade than a dull one. Sharp blades do what you want them to do, dull blades get stuck then they slip out and mess your day up when you try to force them to continue
@@jac627 Yes but they were much, much stronger. i've got a pair from about twenty eight years ago and you wouldn't cut them with a bloody scalpel! The price far outweighs the quality today.
Acrimonious Mirth but they had to work pretty hard to make them that cheap, I mean they had to really sit down and discuss ways to make a boot cheap in such a multitude of ways while still taking credit for having a Goodyear welt. The leather of the boot is so thin, and all that yellow crap, is just filler where more leather should be. Some of it is fine for cushion, but not to the detriment of the structure itself. And the soles have become so wimpy. What a shame. They could still make a more solid, higher quality boot for that price.
Has Good that’s why I’ve started buying Harley Davidson motorbike boots, not always perfect to walk in but they fit my aesthetic, they’re solid as all hell and I can use them when I get my bike.
Great video. Super interesting to see the construction up close and never thought about what was inside. I wear Docs for travel and work in high security buildings with metal detectors. I like that these do not have a metal shank so I don't set them off. I find them very comfortable and have worn them for years with no issue.
A lot of people mentioned that they couldn't afford these boots, I'd like to recommend they try Caterpillar "second shift" model for a super affordable boot. I'm on my 2nd pair now, the 1st lasted me about 6 years of really hard use, and I feel they are easily as good as most boots four times as expensive in terms of comfort and build quality. I wear them right now for a 12 hour shift at work, walking constantly on concrete floors in a factory.
Second that. Had CATs for 5 years mixed, not very heavy use, the only reason I got rid of them is they started to look ugly, otherwise had quite some life in them. Todays punks don't want the shoes of the working class, hehehehe.
If it took all that effort to break the Goodyear welt apart, is it really a problem? I had a pair for 6 years, the welt never faltered in the slightest. I got rid of them because the leather cracked.
Docs actually have pretty decent grip on wet surfaces. One time, years ago, I climbed a mountain on a whim with a mate. He was slipping all over the place, while I stood, firmly planted in my docs, on the wet muddy slopes pulling him up now and again. Of course I slipped a bit too, but it was pretty minimal.
I have a pair I bought in London back in ‘92. Paid around £40 for them. Would have cost over $100 in the US back then. Man it was brutal the first couple weeks breaking them in, but I ended up wearing them all the time, and backpacked around Europe for a month in them. I also had a pair of Vasque gortex hiking boots at the time, but I ended up pretty much only wearing the docs. 20+ years later, the only thing wrong is the leather insole has come loose in them and sole is getting thin. Bought a new pair about 5 years ago. Got the softer leather and no breaking in was really needed. I’ll have to check where they were made. Don’t wear them as much as I did the first pair, but holding up ok so far.
Thank you for videos like this. As a consumer I couldn't be more thankfully. I literally had those boot in my hands today and was undecided to make the purchase. Again Thank You.
Made in China, wore them 5 years regularly, 5 winters of snow and mud, 8 hours a day working as a bartender... they still look almost as new. I really dont care about anything people say. Cut it open, debunk, whatever...they look awesome, they are durable, they are super comfortable after breaking in, that is all i need to know. Recently bought the Dante Docs, look like sneakers - took em out of the box and went straight to work in them and never looked back, perfection.
Like you said, it's not really all that surprising. I have other boots that are heavier duty with better construction and materials, but I still really like my docs. To me they're essentially a really comfortable pair of leather sneakers that are easy to clean, water resistant, stylish/easy to match, and supportive. The fact is, day to day I don't want something that's going to be heavy, overbuilt, and expensive and docs can provide a lot of the benefits of a leather boot with a goodyear welt without those drawbacks
I've got the 1914 boot from them (going on ten years now) and I love those things to death. I use their work boots for actual work but I've had three different pairs of docs and only my daily pair are wearing through the outsole now. The 1914's are normally what I wear to shows and events where I wanna dress loud, they've had some miles put on them. Granted I don't beat the hell out of them but the, "cheapos" have served me well; so I'm quite fond of them.
The first pair of Docs I have had for over 30 years. Still great, fully functional. Still look fantastic. I'll never get rid of those. I bet they last until I die. Yes, I will be an old lady wearing her Docs. and stereo wars in the nursing home. Just like college. :)
I bought a pair of 1460s in about 2004 and they are still going strong, and probably only got worn in about 2 years ago. Bought some MIEs for work earlier this year. Like anything, they last if you look after them, and one of the better things is that Timpsons (UK - on pretty much everyhighstreet and in supermarkets) are licensed repairers and really reasonably priced so extending the longevity of the boots is really easy.
I have a pair of doc's that i've worn almost every day for 6 years, still going strong. I also have new rock boots that are 16 years old and will last at least the same again. I think some people will destroy any shoes/boots they wear as my husband cant get much more than 2 years from new rocks....
Might be the same METHODS but a better execution is a whole different story (more glue, better wider bond etc.). My brother wore his original Martens in the late 90s for many many years (including many concerts, they were the steel toe version ;) and never had an issue with the soles, they simply wore down gradually at the heels lol.
@@PoltergeistWorks i had a pair back in the 80^s that lasted 7 or 8 years (im English so bought in the UK) i also bought a pair recently that lasted 5 months, modern dm^s are garbage.
In my experience generally a lot of work boots like this don't really need shanks. Shanks are generally used for women's dress shoes and men's dress shoes.
Great review, thanks for pointing out that they are budget boots. I made bespoke orthopeadic work boot and as you say there is a lot of work in a good shoe or boot.
I wore a pair that was bought in London in 78. I had those for years and they held up well. I just pulled the remnants out of the chest and did what you just did. They had a wooden shank and the leather was pretty good. Other than that pair I've got to say that doc martins broke my feet. I was a wildland fire fighter and a logger and I know quality boots. Westco's were good. My custom made whites were the best I've ever had. As for breaking boots in, I'd just stand in the creek w/o then on then wear them dry. Once they're dry get a good leather treatment for them. He's grease is good. Never use any thing that has a petroleum product in it. I make a good leather treatment by mixing bees wax and rendered animal fat with a smidgen of coconut oil. Don't use lard as it has salt and we all know what salt does to leather. Just render your mom's pork butt that she's saving for Sunday dinner, she won't mind. Beef fat is good, as is pork, bear, deer or elk. Any natural animal fat with no additives. Good job. Thanx for the video. By the way,I Docs from the 90s ain't vintage. 60s and 70s are vintage. Doc from the 90s aren't made the same as the original. Just sayin
I have high arches so the flexibility of the sole is a plus. I have been buying the heeled boots just to get arch support and noticed the bonding started to come apart on one of the heels. Basically they are decent mid priced boots that might last a year nowhere near the 10+ i was use to.
Enrique Perez I have, I took them to be repaired and two weeks later, they fell apart again. Dr Marten’s customer service said that since they don’t produce that style anymore and it’s been more than a year since it was made they won’t do anything about it.
The last decent overseas made DM's I had were steel toed hiker style ones which were actually decent bang to the buck, I walk a lot and it took a number of years to kill them. In same timescale I had been buying boots which were originally called Wood World (took me awhile to realise this was a take on Timberland) then changed to Prospecta, steel toed Timberland/Cat clones which were seriously cheap compared to. Currently wearing down a pair of Solovair, nine years and counting, a pair of the vegan DM's, good but a bit small compared to other boots in same size, most comfortable boots I currently own are the Vegetarian Shoes Airseal steel toed ten ups and hardest wearing boots are two pairs of Dutch army boots from the early 1980's. Apologies for essay sized comment and thanks for listening.
Thanks for cutting them up. Always wanted to know what goes into a pair of those 😊 It is not a Goodyear welt in order so be so the welt needs to be stitched to the insole and the outsole through the welt. And the stitch that goes through the sole needs to be a lockstitch 👞🔨🔪
It hurt my soul (and wallet) when I saw you cutting the boot 😂. But it is a very good video as was the previous one. Thanx. Would love to see even more reviews on quality of boots not only Martens, but also Grinders, Solovair, george cox, Loake, grafters etc...
I thought Doc Martens refers to the patented acid resistant sole. The rest of the boot can be anything. When they became fashionable, they were light with soft leather uppers suitable for fancy footwork. Heavier, cheaper and more rigid ones were sold for construction workers etc.
I love docs and what they stood for in the 90s and the fact they were a grunge staple in Seattle, but today this is why I look to ebay usually I never buy full retail
@SeaMonkey137 yeah you are right, but if you hear the name Dr Marten you think about that quality made English working boot. The best alternativ to this Asian Dr martens are brands like solovair. No matter if you ride a bike or your daily shopping.(ist deutsches Englisch)
@SeaMonkey137 Thanks for the response! I find that a lot of motorcycle boots leave a lot to be desired when it come to looks and comfort. A tanker boot is a great suggestion
@R.A, I was on a Harley Davidson Heritage Soft Tail Classic. Bike got wrecked, I broke my left arm. (Person driving car admitted to texting and driving)
I had a pair of these for school when I was nine years old in 1973 as they were different and affordable,got oxblood colour and when broken in and scuffed polish with black and then they look great with a glass like sheen. I bought a new pair last year and build quality definitely not the same with the upper part but the sole seems better as they used to split in the inside welt, which I fixed with a hot knife to reseal. Classic boots for everyone and another British brand famous the world over.
One point - for many years, street cops in London wore (UK made) DMs all day every day pounding the beat. They wouldn't have done that if they just fell apart. I have been wearing DMs since the early '70s and never had one split along the welt - I wear them until the sole wears through. You touched on it in the video - these are relatively inexpensive fashion boots at this point. They started out as run of the mill inexpensive work boots, got taken up for that blue collar image by skinheads, later punks, and are now a fashion item. You did say it - they are worn like sneakers. Comparing them to $300 boots is like comparing a Ford to a BMW. My guess would be that the UK made boots will have the same method of construction, but done much better. This video was fair and interesting but it won't stop me buying DMs.
I have noticed that on wet days, but mine are basically orthopaedic for my arthritis so I don't really care. Either way they beat Clarks school shoes where I walk through the insole and heel in 2 months.
Similar to Converse, Doc's were popular because they were a comfortable, cheap boot that could take a beating. Once something becomes a mainstream fashion trend, it's just over for that product. Nobody bought Docs because they thought they were super high quality boots back in the day. Paying more than $70 for a pair makes you a sucker. I'm pretty sure my 18 holes were $65 brand new from the Dr. Martens store at the mall when I was a teenager in the 90's. It's the eternal game of chasing new manufacturers that maintain quality to product price ratios. I have no idea why people still think these boots are worth their hard earned money. Finding quality items that are inexpensive is much more difficult these days, everything is built to be wasteful and disposable. In the case of boots, it seems you're better off just paying out that $300+ price point and getting a pair that will last you 10+ years.
I am a welding student and I got these boots for my classes, in under a year of use for classes and not even actual field work the sole peeled right off of the black part of rubber on both boots. on the right boot it is only about half the way around and on the left the entire heal ended up breaking off. I was pretty disappointed and both of my welding instructors were surprised .
I used to wear Dr Martens almost exclusively in the 80’s when I was a teenager in the north of England (Newcastle area). Firstly Docs wear you in, you don’t wear the boots in. Big blisters every time; buy new Docs after wearing Docs? Massive blisters, raw ankles etc. Take off your boots and wear something else for two weeks? Be prepared to start the whole painful wearing in process all over again! The soles always split horizontally, always. We tried to reseal them with a hot knife but that never worked! They quite often split at the stitching as shown in the video; no repair, no good in the bin! I was kid and I was after the look so I didn’t know any different! But eventually (expensively for my parents!) I worked out they were junk! It seems that somethings never change!
I had to wrap my ankles with rags so that the damned heel cap wouldn't sever my Achilles tendon before the end of the day. They were very expensive (and, not long lasting) medieval torture devices.
I used to wear Dr Martens all the time in the late 70s-early 80s and they were really good, the quality went downhill in the mid 80s. I vowed never to buy another pair.
I have 2 pairs of Doc Marten's that my father-in-law brought over for me from England back in 1999. I wear them almost every day and after all this time they are still comfortable! Finally getting to the place where I need to have the boots resoled after 20 years! Crappy Chinese made shoes? No way!
Rad vid bro!! Just bought another pair of 1460’s today. My father is actually throwing out his pair of 1460’s today, which he’s worn every day since the age of 21, he’s now mid 40’s. I wish I could send them to you for a video like that comment suggests down below, but it’s far too expensive to ship from AUS!
Wow, what a brave bold move in the name of curiosity! Gonna be anxiously expecting the 'break-in' video cause, no joking, I've had a pair of Docs on stand-by for like a couple of years cause I can't handle wearing them for too long. Thanks for the educational videos! If it's not too much to ask for, could it be possiblr to make a video sort of on leather 101? To get to know the basics about leather and such? Anyway, thanks again for the great videos! Keep it up 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽
I love that i bought all my 3 diff hole sized/length dr.m over 10 years ago before cheap crap started, 2 of them aint even used, 1 is started to wear in. Longest ones got steel cap also, this is also why i bought my 3 pilot jackets alpha m1a before they started making crap in asia and using same name, only got 1 unused aswell as one im using now.
Great video, really interesting to see inside there.. I have worn DMs for years and didnt realise there was so much foam in there... I have had QC issues over the years but one thing I have never had is for the heat sealed sole to fail, so it does kinda work.
Asian-made DMs have a reputation for having defective PVC soles. Especially in cold weather when plastic becomes harder and more brittle. Would be interesting to see how the MIEs at constructed though ;)
Rose Anvil ... their leathers, like hardlife, are generally decent quality I think. But the issues I hear about a lot are the plastic soles splitting and breaking off in cold weather in places like Canada, Russia and South Korea. After watching your video, it’s not hard to see why. For comparison, I regularly wore my old MIE shoes when I lived in Canada in -30c weather but had no issues, so I’m assuming that their UK-made footwear use higher quality plastic soles and are better constructed.
Man this could be the reason why my pair of DM lost a piece of the rubber sole after 2 weeks usage. I am living in Germany and weather is around 5-10 degrees right now. But seems those kind of temperature shouldn’t be a big deal for such fuckin expensive boots. Without any special reason a 3cm big piece Fall of the top of my right shoe.
That's a dangerous route man. It may become an addiction, for you and for us. Because now I want to see what's inside the MadeInEngland. And then I want to know what's inside the Solovair boots, which seemed to me what DrMartens once were, in terms of quality and construction.
My “vintage” made in England boots feel higher substantially quality than my Asian ones. I can understand your resistance to cutting into your “vintage” boots, as I never would, though it would be interesting to see the differences. My guess is that there would be a difference in quality. The darker soles on my vintage boots look the same as my docs from the 90s, which I still own, so I have hopes that they’ll hold up just as well. I don’t have the same confidence in the lighter soled boots, but that’s ok.
Oh ouch DON'T LOOK MY PRECOUSES! Just bought my 1st 2 pair of Docs yesterday. I needed durable water resistant footwear for my li'l crippled feet. Got 2 pair of women's boots cuz I can't do platforms & have narrow feet with my 2nd toe longer than my big toe. Got twin zip 1460s & 1461s. I'm not hard on shoes so hopefully they'll hold up to fall & winter in Portland OR. I'm almost 60 & can't wait til later this morning to go to a center where I hang with my marginalized peers to show em off! I enjoyed your video comparing the 4 leathers as well. These are very informative. But DAMN THAT HURT! I thought I heard that boot scream in agony! 😂
i just wanted to say that i’m getting a pair of these for my birthday in august and idc what ur review says i’m still gonna buy em. even tho i’ve never had a pair before haha.
I'm not sure this is obvious to everybody but the way this shoes are made is such: you get the sole, the upper and the rubber ring, you welt the rubber to the upper and then glue the sole with the rubber ring. It used to be that welted meant a piece of thick waterproofed leather where one stitching was inside the shoe and one (to the sole) outside. This made for very good connection that allowed for easy replacement of parts and was quite waterproof because there were 2 stitchings - one inside, one outside. Now there's one (outside to inside, carries water quite well) and some glue than depending on the maker can be pretty poorly applied. This is practically "for show" construction since it not only makes for a shoe that's less waterproof, it also makes for greater differences in materials used (different pliabilities) essentially making for shoes that are less comfortable, not waterproof, less serviceable and they do offer less mileage. They are also harder to mend, but they're overall way cheaper to make.
I’ve owned 2 pairs of DM’s (made in Thailand) both lasted me around 3-5 years (work 40+hrs a week) but sadly on both pairs the sole seperated from the welt
I had the same problem. Tried to glue them back together but it only lasts so long. Haven’t replaced them yet but it’s about time. They make my feet sore anyway after wearing them for a few days.
@@TheHIV123 I fixed my last pair with shoe goo and they’ve held up good. Still haven’t separated. But the sole is so worn out I can’t wear them anymore cuz I start having foot pain and develop planters wart.
This is interesting, they have altered the inserts !!!! The shank was wood and glued in as well as all foam (heated glue gun) Which is all missing in this boot. The welt bonding on that boot is very poor, the machine blade that passes between sole and welt was either dirty and or seeing as the sole is oversized when bonded the trimmed (see those lines on side of sole)Torrielli machining) might have something to do with blade not reaching into welt far enough. Those boots if worn regular would not last a winter in my guess as the sole would most certainly start flopping off over time. The boots could have been sent back as a manufacturing defect and they would have either replaced or as most often what would happen is the boot would be passed down the line to the welder and the blade inserted again because it would still melt bond together. I’ve seen it done. Interesting videos these. Takes me back to memory town. I guess manufacturing methods change over time...I wonder if the wooden shank is in the uk version or more expensive boot? Strange it’s gone, maybe the vegan/carbon tag marketing has something to do with it?. Maybe I shouldn’t really care but curious all the same.. Good Video 👍🏼
That is crazy! Too bad they don't do things like they use to. I have a feeling there is not a shank in the MIE boots buuut there is only one way to find out ha ha
Rose Anvil - I Just had an interesting conversation about these vids and our err chat/comments. The chap I know went over to H K and he tells me after a while the manufacturing challenge by the Chinese was to use tools/parts sourced locally and this would result in cheaper production costs. Example: The welt needle called ‘awl pronounced Owl’ they wanted to make their own instead of shipping the ones stocked in Northampton uk, this fella told me they had him trial new needles and they kept breaking too easy at first. He just watched this video on my phone and was amazed also at how the ‘inside’ has changed. We used thick tough felt inserts with a wooden shank back in the 90’s when we worked there, he said it’s obviously done this way now to keep production costs down as much as possible. Truly a case of buissness moving to Asia for profit over anything else. He, like me was amazed to see the poor sole/welt bonding and again said they changed the blades to thinner smaller non original...If I was head of Doc’s after seeing/reading these videos I’d be concerned for sure about DMs reputation of quality manufacturing. Hope I don’t get In trouble for my comments, call them ‘ consumer feedback’ ! They should sit up and take action to prevent the downfall of what was once a great product.
@@jakapuchino Whoa that is some solid info, that is crazy. It is a huge bummer to hear that they are lost their quality so much.Thanks for sharing that info
Not after seeing how crap the construction is. Docs are just another thing that relies on what they used to be in order to sell the crap that they are now.
Honestly I would cringe if you had to cut the “made in England” boot! Definitely buy all my docs that are made in England...somehow I think it’s more authentic 🤷🏽♂️ I do remember buying a steel toe Dr.M boot that came apart at the welt 1 week after owning them, just can’t remember where they were made.
I had slip-on steel toe boots from 2008. After they became terribly uncomfortable, I cut them apart. There was a small balsa wood shank in the arch that had snapped. I can't find the picture of it. But it was pretty disappointing.
I have a pair of vintage docs I bought in the late 90s. Still in great condition, still wear them occasionally... but it sucks to know I will never be able to replace them. Guess I'll just continue to take care of em and wear the same pair till I die.
![(Top 4) Dr. Martens 1460 Boots - [LEATHER REVIEW] - "doc marten"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qH8R4EPdsSE/mqdefault.jpg)
Check out the Rose Anvil leather shop for wallets, belts, and more here - bit.ly/44jXLNu
I'm more impressed with the quality of that knife
definitely, it was a nice little blade, i'm sure he knows how to use it but i still cringed a few times lol
I cringe when I edit the videos ha ha
@@RoseAnvil Yeah, be careful, man.
I was eagerly waiting for that knife to slip and for him to lose a digit.. twisted I know :)
@@skylizard666 that's seriously messed up
If possible you should deconstruct a vintage pair and then one made recently to see if they are any different
I have been keeping my eye on ebay!
It would be a bit costly, but more reasonable for a used pair beyond repair.
They are deffinitively different. The old ones sole is thick bubbly rubber compound that lasts forever although the threads worn out....
Mr. Anvil, for vintage, look at pre 2000. As the manufacturing moved to China and Thailand in the early 2000's when they got bought out. My old docs from the mid 90's I passed onto my teenage son due to them still having life in them. (lol, I just opened your page and see that you just did the '90's vintage brown with chunky sole yesterday. Glad to see that welting was so difficult to separate. Was extremely excited to see the chunky sole. I miss those on my docs almost as much as I miss the original longevity.)
Greg Burcham Same here , I passed those brown martens to my nephew the year he studied abroad in london. He liked them so he looked in several thirft stores until he found a pair for himself and returned mine.
I was thinking band saw. This mad lad is jumping in with a scalpel.
ha ha that was the plan until i accidentally slipped the knife into the sole and realized how easily it cuts!
@@RoseAnvil I wish you could sell the one pair that you did cut in half. I need store display on store,
@@vm9370 they'll lose business! Haha
You need to use a water jet for these materials to cut them clean and without friction heat damage.
HAHAHA SAME!!! i started getting hunting / fishing video flashbacks lol
In the 70s and 80s these were the best boots in the world, Now they are half the Boot and Twice the price.
No they weren't Whites, Wesco, Redwings, Thorogoods and so many other brands were around back then and Dr Martins don't have shit and never did on any of the four brands I mentioned . They were ok in the 70s and 80s, and now they suck, much like Timberland .
@@chanelleber9975 - thanks for the tip. Just looked at the "Monkey Boot..." I remember British Monkey Boots being around £30 in the 70's. Not with an Airwair sole though.
Might just get myself a pair.
Doc martins in the 80s were not really the best boots. As another guy in this says Redwings were superior in every way. Its just doc martins were more popular among teens and teens remember the good times best.
@@BOYVIRGO666 - how much were the American boots? I only remember Doc Marten's prices and they were teenager friendly.
I know NOW teenagers are spending £1000+ on Moncler jackets or brand new iPhones so I suppose there's been a huge paradigm shift.
@@fablewalls in 1983? doc martins were 80-130 dollars depending on where you bought them according to my mother. Which is pretty expensive for the 80s since thats closer to 200 by inflation. They werent bad by any stretch but they coudnt touch redwings at the time.
Looks like Doc Martin soled out.
Rigg Amore sold* dude. Soled isn’t even a word you headass
@@melissahollandsbiggestfan5812 Oh. My. Word. It's a pun, Rob. Soled is a word, as in "I took my boots in last week to be soled".
Rigg Amore how come my autocorrect highlights the word “soled” smarty boy
@@melissahollandsbiggestfan5812 because you flunked English and think auto-correct is a cure-all. And apparently neither you nor your auto-correct have a sense of humour.
Rigg Amore well what’s a sense of humor anyways if you don’t have a cherry to pick from the tree?
While he was cutting the shoe I told myself what a waste. When he was done and showed what it was made of, I changed my mind.
Just watching ffs ha ha thanks man
It's still a waste though. Even if it's not a quality boot you can wear them for several years.
F Y N N
OR... buy quality shoes and wear them for life!
@@mrcvry definetly good idea, that's what I'm going to do. but you still could've gotten wear out of this pair. and thinking he is going to destroy the made in england boots is also hilarious, they last a lot longer and for a fairly cheap pair of boots that's fine so there is no need to destroy them.
@@fynnb8537 but I suppose it is a necessary one, whilst it is a waste for him, it will hopefully educate us more regarding this shoe and whether or not we should get another shoe or this one should be fine, which, at a bigger scale, can save other people's money
Rip those made in England boots apart and see if there is a difference
I’ve been itching for it ha ha
@@RoseAnvil well i bet it isn't acually. Made in here and made in there is kinda like gimmick these days.
@@RoseAnvil Don't do it! 😱😂😂😂
@Pixel chimp They just make in in Hong Kong and call that England
they were the english one cheepskate doc martins rub on me toes not worn them for 35 years
I was big on Docs back in the early 90’s. Being a teenager and spending 150+ was a big deal to me. 3 different boots and every single one of them developed a welt separation at the heal. They were made poorly then and even today, I always stop and look at them and it doesn’t look like much has changed
This makes me appreciate all the pairs of England-made Docs I had in high school and college!
its like anything made in the USA is appreciated by me more then anything coughed out in the far east. I am English btw. I have a all american made bicycle which i treasure.
@@insertnamehere5146 support your local badasses.
@@mrbikeman Hell yeah! 😎👍🏻
Jesus, is that a diamond edged mithril scalpel?
Ha ha ha ha
@@RoseAnvil Seriously, for everyone out here seeing you the first time, please say something about that amazing knife! We are honestly interested in getting clued in!
pure volition to mak apeeling vid
impressed by ability to withstand odor
Bones on Star Trek uses one for operations
The diamond scalpel of shoe splitting! For you see, long ago...
The older Docs that were made in England did have shanks, I took one apart once trying to repair the soles after they split in half but it was nothing very "shank" worthy , it was literally just a wide compressed piece of wood that looked EXACTLY like a wooden tongue depresser or an ice cream stick that had broken in half right along the same area the sole split 😅
That's crazy! i want to find an old pair and cut it open now
Had my first pair of DMs in 1970. The leather was much better but the air wear soles were mostly myth. They'd have to be air tight cells to give the balloon effect.
@@borderlands6606 that myth started with the Mercury 7 Astronauts who wore Hawkins Boots ( precursor to the standard 1490 doc martens ) on their pre space trip photo shoot.
@@borderlands6606 they use to make then with wuality vegetable tanned leather,..hence the natural tan color on the inside. Now its oil tanned and very onvious from the dark color on the inside.
From firefighter to a guy that buys lots of boots, then says he does not like them.
I really enjoyed this.
ha ha thanks!
They started making them cheaper after they left England.
Agreed
Sure, but there are still Made in England ones. These are probably still made by Solovair. All their boots are made in England.
@@genx-tv In 2003, the Dr. Martens company came close to bankruptcy.[11] On 1 April that year, under pressure from declining sales, the company ceased making shoes in the United Kingdom,[12] and moved all production to China and Thailand. Five factories and two shops were closed in the UK as a result of this decision, and more than 1,000 of the firm's employees lost their jobs.[13] Following the closures, the R. Griggs company employed only 20 people in the UK, all of whom were located in the firm's head office.[14] 5 million pairs of Dr. Martens were sold during 2003, which was half the level of annual sales during the 1990s.[15]
In 2004 a new range of Dr. Martens was launched in an attempt to appeal to a wider market, and especially young people. The shoes and boots were intended to be more comfortable, and easier to break in, and included some new design elements.[15] Dr. Martens also began producing footwear again at the Cobbs Lane Factory in Wollaston, England in 2004. These products are part of the "Vintage" line, which the company advertises as being made to the original specifications.[16] Sales of these shoes are low in comparison to those made in Asia, however; in 2010, the factory was producing about 50 pairs per day.[6] In 2005, the R. Griggs company was given an award by the "Institute for Turnaround" for implementing a successful restructure.
Actually the English and Thai boot is pretty much made the same way(though with machines in Thailand) the only real difference is the quality of the leather.
@@kristianbrandt3012 That's what I thought, my 90s Doc Martens were just like the ones he opened.
I'm from the UK & I can remember when DM's were a £10 a pair lol, I miss the 80's
Cartoon Head seriously?!
oim goin to plop by the tesco innit bruv
@@chenugent Of course it was true. Otherwise, how did it come to pass that students started wearing them in large numbers?
@@chenugent they became popular among punks because of how cheap they were. As well as being work boots. Unfortunately the commodification of punk fashion became trendy so this is why they are so much more. Its important to note inflation does play a roll and the price of leather but id still value them at 50-70 depending on if they're ankle boots or calfs.
VERY insightful... I wore Doc's back in the day for a light duty work boot (I'm a locksmith) and damn near every day use, even when I was off duty, for years until they were flat worn out (which took almost a decade) and finally destroyed in a small, yet not fun, flash flood while I was working) after a while, and trying other boots, I decided to them again because I'd been so happy with them in the past (they were comfortable as heck)...
New pair lasted me less then a year and a half before they started coming apart at sole, with the toe ripping right through the stitching (maybe I tripped going up stairs, but I don't remember that, so it wasn't enough to damage ME) and the the sole came completely separated at the heel from the welt (not even sure how THAT could even be done...) leaving me REALLY disappointing in what was either a lemon (with no solution from Doc Marten) or a drop in quality.
Again, we're talking LIGHT duty... again... I'm a locksmith... so it's mostly driving, walking, kneeling and getting up from it, climbing stairs, occasional running, mostly exterior, but often on warehouse floor, and sometimes on soft ground, gravel etc.. NOT stuff that should kill a pair of boots in under two years, even if they ARE on the cheap scale.
Have you found any alternative?
It would be interesting to see how much different are Solovair boots from the Dr Martens.
agreed
Compare with the Solovair
Solovair still made them the old fashion, although I suppose because copyright reason they change the thread on the soles to a chevron style..
Solovair had to stop using visible yellow threads and changed it not too long ago
I’m hoping to do a cut in half video on them soon!
Cool vid! Just to be clear, maybe you meant that, but on a regular GYW shoe/boot, you can't see the goodyear stitching from the outside, its done from underneath the welt into the gemming. The stitch you see is a rapid stitch done by a totally different machine (rapid stitcher) at a later stage.
That's what unique in a doc martens, the stitch you see is from the outside is actually the GY stitch done on top of the welt, making it almost look like a norvegese or original storm-welted.
How much would you charge to cut some of my wife's shoes in half
depends on if she knows i did it?
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
This comment made my morning.
Do you want her to be your exwife? 😬🤔
terrified watching all that cutting towards you, with a blade that sharp!!....
i got technique
A surgeon does that every day.
The blades tiny. You avoid cutting towards yourself with long blades. With short you're a lot more accurate
Better a sharp blade than a dull one. Sharp blades do what you want them to do, dull blades get stuck then they slip out and mess your day up when you try to force them to continue
I love how casually he mentions he was a firefighter, it's like he was a cashier(is that the word?) or something, no big deal.
When did he mentioned he was a firefighter?? He just said the boots are pricey
@@lupeflores8653 Yes he did, at the beginning.
dms are little more than a fashion accessory these days
Truth
They were a fashion item when I got my first pair in 1970
@@jac627 Yes but they were much, much stronger. i've got a pair from about twenty eight years ago and you wouldn't cut them with a bloody scalpel! The price far outweighs the quality today.
Back in my day this were all fields!
@@trackertom Ohh, a brave little keyboard warrior.
I would like to see inside a pair of firefighting boots or something with a metal shank.
I wish I had my old worn out pairs of boots
Watch a redwings video
Those outsoles looked like you were pulling apart some Licorice
You are not wrong
@@RoseAnvil please taste some on your next video to be certain. 😁 And cut open the England boots!
I mean my pair have held up for 4 years, that’s 8x longer than most of my other shoes. May not be as good as they once were but still pretty good.
Mine are 23 years old and still good !!
@@lefrenchwithacbg4732 prolly stinky tho
“Not as good” should not be acceptable imo
Acrimonious Mirth but they had to work pretty hard to make them that cheap, I mean they had to really sit down and discuss ways to make a boot cheap in such a multitude of ways while still taking credit for having a Goodyear welt. The leather of the boot is so thin, and all that yellow crap, is just filler where more leather should be. Some of it is fine for cushion, but not to the detriment of the structure itself. And the soles have become so wimpy. What a shame. They could still make a more solid, higher quality boot for that price.
Has Good that’s why I’ve started buying Harley Davidson motorbike boots, not always perfect to walk in but they fit my aesthetic, they’re solid as all hell and I can use them when I get my bike.
Please cut open those made in England’s before I buy another pair lol
I’m going to do it Saturday! 🤞
Agreed!
Don't bother
I'm pulling for a cut up up of an 'authentic' Solovair boot.
Same!
Great video. Super interesting to see the construction up close and never thought about what was inside. I wear Docs for travel and work in high security buildings with metal detectors. I like that these do not have a metal shank so I don't set them off. I find them very comfortable and have worn them for years with no issue.
They are super comfy
A lot of people mentioned that they couldn't afford these boots, I'd like to recommend they try Caterpillar "second shift" model for a super affordable boot. I'm on my 2nd pair now, the 1st lasted me about 6 years of really hard use, and I feel they are easily as good as most boots four times as expensive in terms of comfort and build quality. I wear them right now for a 12 hour shift at work, walking constantly on concrete floors in a factory.
Second that. Had CATs for 5 years mixed, not very heavy use, the only reason I got rid of them is they started to look ugly, otherwise had quite some life in them. Todays punks don't want the shoes of the working class, hehehehe.
If it took all that effort to break the Goodyear welt apart, is it really a problem? I had a pair for 6 years, the welt never faltered in the slightest. I got rid of them because the leather cracked.
Docs actually have pretty decent grip on wet surfaces. One time, years ago, I climbed a mountain on a whim with a mate. He was slipping all over the place, while I stood, firmly planted in my docs, on the wet muddy slopes pulling him up now and again. Of course I slipped a bit too, but it was pretty minimal.
I have a pair I bought in London back in ‘92. Paid around £40 for them. Would have cost over $100 in the US back then. Man it was brutal the first couple weeks breaking them in, but I ended up wearing them all the time, and backpacked around Europe for a month in them. I also had a pair of Vasque gortex hiking boots at the time, but I ended up pretty much only wearing the docs. 20+ years later, the only thing wrong is the leather insole has come loose in them and sole is getting thin.
Bought a new pair about 5 years ago. Got the softer leather and no breaking in was really needed. I’ll have to check where they were made. Don’t wear them as much as I did the first pair, but holding up ok so far.
I definitely have to see you rip apart the vintage.
same ha ha
I swear by doc martens boots AND shoes in my everyday life, watching you destroy these hurt me at a metaphysical level
Ha ha you just wait
Thank you for videos like this. As a consumer I couldn't be more thankfully. I literally had those boot in my hands today and was undecided to make the purchase. Again Thank You.
Made in China, wore them 5 years regularly, 5 winters of snow and mud, 8 hours a day working as a bartender... they still look almost as new. I really dont care about anything people say. Cut it open, debunk, whatever...they look awesome, they are durable, they are super comfortable after breaking in, that is all i need to know. Recently bought the Dante Docs, look like sneakers - took em out of the box and went straight to work in them and never looked back, perfection.
Wich model smooth? or other?( greasy, nappal, etc)
@@Natan-yw3xc Smooth
Like you said, it's not really all that surprising. I have other boots that are heavier duty with better construction and materials, but I still really like my docs. To me they're essentially a really comfortable pair of leather sneakers that are easy to clean, water resistant, stylish/easy to match, and supportive. The fact is, day to day I don't want something that's going to be heavy, overbuilt, and expensive and docs can provide a lot of the benefits of a leather boot with a goodyear welt without those drawbacks
Amen brother
I've got the 1914 boot from them (going on ten years now) and I love those things to death. I use their work boots for actual work but I've had three different pairs of docs and only my daily pair are wearing through the outsole now. The 1914's are normally what I wear to shows and events where I wanna dress loud, they've had some miles put on them. Granted I don't beat the hell out of them but the, "cheapos" have served me well; so I'm quite fond of them.
The first pair of Docs I have had for over 30 years. Still great, fully functional. Still look fantastic. I'll never get rid of those. I bet they last until I die. Yes, I will be an old lady wearing her Docs. and stereo wars in the nursing home. Just like college. :)
I bought a pair of 1460s in about 2004 and they are still going strong, and probably only got worn in about 2 years ago. Bought some MIEs for work earlier this year. Like anything, they last if you look after them, and one of the better things is that Timpsons (UK - on pretty much everyhighstreet and in supermarkets) are licensed repairers and really reasonably priced so extending the longevity of the boots is really easy.
I’ve had multiple pairs fail at the welt/sole. No more docs for me.
Look into solovair, same factory in England that used to make them. Not that much more expensive than the new ones
I have no idea how I ended up here but I immediately subscribed.
I have a pair of doc's that i've worn almost every day for 6 years, still going strong. I also have new rock boots that are 16 years old and will last at least the same again. I think some people will destroy any shoes/boots they wear as my husband cant get much more than 2 years from new rocks....
ouch! now I really want to see what the Made in England boots are made like! I'm guessing it's pretty much the same construction methods
I am guessing you are right
Might be the same METHODS but a better execution is a whole different story (more glue, better wider bond etc.). My brother wore his original Martens in the late 90s for many many years (including many concerts, they were the steel toe version ;) and never had an issue with the soles, they simply wore down gradually at the heels lol.
@@PoltergeistWorks i had a pair back in the 80^s that lasted 7 or 8 years (im English so bought in the UK) i also bought a pair recently that lasted 5 months, modern dm^s are garbage.
@@bedlamnfse the recently boots you bought, were they made in England or Asia?
I bought my first Dr Martens when a I was 52 years old. It's never to late. Of course. I love them.
Ha ha awesome which boots did you get?
I am 56 and just bought my first pair. My teenage daughter convinced me! Still breaking them in. Ouch!!!
In my experience generally a lot of work boots like this don't really need shanks. Shanks are generally used for women's dress shoes and men's dress shoes.
Please rip apart the Made in England’s!!! So curious for the comparison!!!
Great review, thanks for pointing out that they are budget boots. I made bespoke orthopeadic work boot and as you say there is a lot of work in a good shoe or boot.
I've vorn DMs since 1983 , I have 3 pairs on the go at the moment. I have never had any probs wi the sole fallin off either .I love em.
I wore a pair that was bought in London in 78. I had those for years and they held up well. I just pulled the remnants out of the chest and did what you just did. They had a wooden shank and the leather was pretty good. Other than that pair I've got to say that doc martins broke my feet.
I was a wildland fire fighter and a logger and I know quality boots. Westco's were good. My custom made whites were the best I've ever had. As for breaking boots in, I'd just stand in the creek w/o then on then wear them dry. Once they're dry get a good leather treatment for them. He's grease is good. Never use any thing that has a petroleum product in it. I make a good leather treatment by mixing bees wax and rendered animal fat with a smidgen of coconut oil. Don't use lard as it has salt and we all know what salt does to leather. Just render your mom's pork butt that she's saving for Sunday dinner, she won't mind. Beef fat is good, as is pork, bear, deer or elk. Any natural animal fat with no additives. Good job. Thanx for the video. By the way,I Docs from the 90s ain't vintage. 60s and 70s are vintage. Doc from the 90s aren't made the same as the original. Just sayin
I have high arches so the flexibility of the sole is a plus. I have been buying the heeled boots just to get arch support and noticed the bonding started to come apart on one of the heels. Basically they are decent mid priced boots that might last a year nowhere near the 10+ i was use to.
I never tought they were that cheap made.
Unfortunate huh
That's what you get if u want cheap.
@@PoltergeistWorks they should cost 3x less for this quality.
"Cheaply" made. Learn to grammar more good so you not shamed by you bad English.
Slappy not all human know speak english. english not only langauge in world
I've cut open a few pairs of DM's over the years, and they've all had wooden shanks.
Interesting, how old were they?
1980's, 90's, 2000's
I’m very jealous
I've gone through a couple pairs of newer Docs, but my ones from the 80s are still going strong.
what kind do you have?
I’ve never had a pair of docs fall apart ever, they just get loose after a while
thats good to know that some people have good luck with them!
Enrique Perez
I have, I took them to be repaired and two weeks later, they fell apart again. Dr Marten’s customer service said that since they don’t produce that style anymore and it’s been more than a year since it was made they won’t do anything about it.
The last decent overseas made DM's I had were steel toed hiker style ones which were actually decent bang to the buck, I walk a lot and it took a number of years to kill them. In same timescale I had been buying boots which were originally called Wood World (took me awhile to realise this was a take on Timberland) then changed to Prospecta, steel toed Timberland/Cat clones which were seriously cheap compared to. Currently wearing down a pair of Solovair, nine years and counting, a pair of the vegan DM's, good but a bit small compared to other boots in same size, most comfortable boots I currently own are the Vegetarian Shoes Airseal steel toed ten ups and hardest wearing boots are two pairs of Dutch army boots from the early 1980's. Apologies for essay sized comment and thanks for listening.
I was really sad to see this. I really am curious to see if the made in England boots are the same. New subscriber here. Thank you!
Thanks for cutting them up. Always wanted to know what goes into a pair of those 😊
It is not a Goodyear welt in order so be so the welt needs to be stitched to the insole and the outsole through the welt. And the stitch that goes through the sole needs to be a lockstitch 👞🔨🔪
It hurt my soul (and wallet) when I saw you cutting the boot 😂. But it is a very good video as was the previous one. Thanx. Would love to see even more reviews on quality of boots not only Martens, but also Grinders, Solovair, george cox, Loake, grafters etc...
Thanks! I think im going to have to do some more videos like this! The only problem is ill just end up with a bunch of single boots ha ha
I thought Doc Martens refers to the patented acid resistant sole. The rest of the boot can be anything. When they became fashionable, they were light with soft leather uppers suitable for fancy footwork. Heavier, cheaper and more rigid ones were sold for construction workers etc.
I love docs and what they stood for in the 90s and the fact they were a grunge staple in Seattle, but today this is why I look to ebay usually I never buy full retail
aesthetica they are founded on an anti Semite foundation. No thank you
@@adriannapellegrene5816 Nah, on rubber soles.
Nothing change...... I'm still a loyal fan of DM's
Same ha ha
Since you mentioned it you mind giving us an example of a good pair of boots that are worth the money ?
solovair
Chippewa are my favorite budget boot
@SeaMonkey137 yeah you are right, but if you hear the name Dr Marten you think about that quality made English working boot. The best alternativ to this Asian Dr martens are brands like solovair. No matter if you ride a bike or your daily shopping.(ist deutsches Englisch)
@SeaMonkey137 what would you wear on a motorcycle?
@SeaMonkey137 Thanks for the response! I find that a lot of motorcycle boots leave a lot to be desired when it come to looks and comfort. A tanker boot is a great suggestion
1 motorcycle accident and 3 years later my Docs are still going strong! MADE IN ENGLAND.
The English ones are bombproof. The only pair of Thailand ones i owned were worn out in a year
What kind of bike do you ride?
@R.A, I was on a Harley Davidson Heritage Soft Tail Classic. Bike got wrecked, I broke my left arm. (Person driving car admitted to texting and driving)
mine were made in 88 still going strong
I know right I buy vintage made in England ones pre owned they usally cost less then newer docs both made in England and made in some Asian ones.
I had a pair of these for school when I was nine years old in 1973 as they were different and affordable,got oxblood colour and when broken in and scuffed polish with black and then they look great with a glass like sheen.
I bought a new pair last year and build quality definitely not the same with the upper part but the sole seems better as they used to split in the inside welt, which I fixed with a hot knife to reseal.
Classic boots for everyone and another British brand famous the world over.
One point - for many years, street cops in London wore (UK made) DMs all day every day pounding the beat. They wouldn't have done that if they just fell apart.
I have been wearing DMs since the early '70s and never had one split along the welt - I wear them until the sole wears through.
You touched on it in the video - these are relatively inexpensive fashion boots at this point. They started out as run of the mill inexpensive work boots, got taken up for that blue collar image by skinheads, later punks, and are now a fashion item. You did say it - they are worn like sneakers. Comparing them to $300 boots is like comparing a Ford to a BMW.
My guess would be that the UK made boots will have the same method of construction, but done much better.
This video was fair and interesting but it won't stop me buying DMs.
That’s very true!
Thanks. I’ll stick to my Whites, Red Wings, and Lucchese.
Theres a video that shows how they make them. Easy to find on youtube.
Where is the fun in that?
Breaking is much more fun than making
Dr Martens from the 90s has more effective slip resistance. The later ones completely lost it.
I have noticed that on wet days, but mine are basically orthopaedic for my arthritis so I don't really care. Either way they beat Clarks school shoes where I walk through the insole and heel in 2 months.
Similar to Converse, Doc's were popular because they were a comfortable, cheap boot that could take a beating.
Once something becomes a mainstream fashion trend, it's just over for that product. Nobody bought Docs because they thought they were super high quality boots back in the day. Paying more than $70 for a pair makes you a sucker. I'm pretty sure my 18 holes were $65 brand new from the Dr. Martens store at the mall when I was a teenager in the 90's.
It's the eternal game of chasing new manufacturers that maintain quality to product price ratios. I have no idea why people still think these boots are worth their hard earned money. Finding quality items that are inexpensive is much more difficult these days, everything is built to be wasteful and disposable. In the case of boots, it seems you're better off just paying out that $300+ price point and getting a pair that will last you 10+ years.
I am a welding student and I got these boots for my classes, in under a year of use for classes and not even actual field work the sole peeled right off of the black part of rubber on both boots. on the right boot it is only about half the way around and on the left the entire heal ended up breaking off. I was pretty disappointed and both of my welding instructors were surprised .
That is crazy!!!
They're comfortable and robust and that's all I really care about
I used to wear Dr Martens almost exclusively in the 80’s when I was a teenager in the north of England (Newcastle area). Firstly Docs wear you in, you don’t wear the boots in. Big blisters every time; buy new Docs after wearing Docs? Massive blisters, raw ankles etc. Take off your boots and wear something else for two weeks? Be prepared to start the whole painful wearing in process all over again!
The soles always split horizontally, always. We tried to reseal them with a hot knife but that never worked!
They quite often split at the stitching as shown in the video; no repair, no good in the bin!
I was kid and I was after the look so I didn’t know any different! But eventually (expensively for my parents!) I worked out they were junk! It seems that somethings never change!
I had to wrap my ankles with rags so that the damned heel cap wouldn't sever my Achilles tendon before the end of the day. They were very expensive (and, not long lasting) medieval torture devices.
Same here, i had a pair once, and the sole split horizontally too after a couple of weeks.that was in 1972,never bought them again.
i had them given to me by a relative who outgrew them. wore them twice and that was it. if i had paid money for them i'd have been pretty mad.
Never had that problem with the old model(original) Gripfast. They were geavy and well made
Yeah and those DM fanboys keep saying DM are comfortable, well made, durable, bla bla bla. That's just because they can't afford more than DM.
I used to wear Dr Martens all the time in the late 70s-early 80s and they were really good, the quality went downhill in the mid 80s. I vowed never to buy another pair.
Ha ha that’s funny
I have 2 pairs of Doc Marten's that my father-in-law brought over for me from England back in 1999. I wear them almost every day and after all this time they are still comfortable! Finally getting to the place where I need to have the boots resoled after 20 years!
Crappy Chinese made shoes? No way!
They use to make them well
Rad vid bro!! Just bought another pair of 1460’s today. My father is actually throwing out his pair of 1460’s today, which he’s worn every day since the age of 21, he’s now mid 40’s. I wish I could send them to you for a video like that comment suggests down below, but it’s far too expensive to ship from AUS!
Wow, what a brave bold move in the name of curiosity!
Gonna be anxiously expecting the 'break-in' video cause, no joking, I've had a pair of Docs on stand-by for like a couple of years cause I can't handle wearing them for too long.
Thanks for the educational videos!
If it's not too much to ask for, could it be possiblr to make a video sort of on leather 101? To get to know the basics about leather and such?
Anyway, thanks again for the great videos! Keep it up 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽
That is a good idea about the leather 101 video!
The way i break in boots works really well, im going to start working on that video tomorrow! Thanks for the support and kind words!
is it really that uncomfortable to wearing for long hours?
hammer fall it's the third pair of Docs i've ever bought, so far it's the only pair that have turned Out to be uncomfortable to wear... Riddle me that
I thought this might be a load of cobbler’s but it was actually quite interesting
It hurt watching you split the boot in half with little to no effort but I was also curious. I'd love to see how you break in your boots!
I thought i was going to have to use my band saw but then i realized how easily the sole cut ha ha
I'm going to start working on the break-in video tomorrow but it will take a few weeks
I love that i bought all my 3 diff hole sized/length dr.m over 10 years ago before cheap crap started, 2 of them aint even used, 1 is started to wear in. Longest ones got steel cap also, this is also why i bought my 3 pilot jackets alpha m1a before they started making crap in asia and using same name, only got 1 unused aswell as one im using now.
Everyone is chasing that dollar
Thank you for reviewing these boots...saved me from wasting my time and money!
Great video, really interesting to see inside there.. I have worn DMs for years and didnt realise there was so much foam in there... I have had QC issues over the years but one thing I have never had is for the heat sealed sole to fail, so it does kinda work.
that is good to know, i have heard they are hit and miss so at least there are some testimonials of when they do it right
Asian-made DMs have a reputation for having defective PVC soles. Especially in cold weather when plastic becomes harder and more brittle. Would be interesting to see how the MIEs at constructed though ;)
I never thought about how they would hold up in the cold!
Rose Anvil ... their leathers, like hardlife, are generally decent quality I think. But the issues I hear about a lot are the plastic soles splitting and breaking off in cold weather in places like Canada, Russia and South Korea. After watching your video, it’s not hard to see why. For comparison, I regularly wore my old MIE shoes when I lived in Canada in -30c weather but had no issues, so I’m assuming that their UK-made footwear use higher quality plastic soles and are better constructed.
@@driftertravels928 That is really interesting
Man this could be the reason why my pair of DM lost a piece of the rubber sole after 2 weeks usage. I am living in Germany and weather is around 5-10 degrees right now. But seems those kind of temperature shouldn’t be a big deal for such fuckin expensive boots. Without any special reason a 3cm big piece Fall of the top of my right shoe.
Since this comment i have noticed a few people saying that cold temps can be bad for the soles
That's a dangerous route man. It may become an addiction, for you and for us. Because now I want to see what's inside the MadeInEngland. And then I want to know what's inside the Solovair boots, which seemed to me what DrMartens once were, in terms of quality and construction.
You are 100% correct I already have the desire to cut all of my boots in half
My “vintage” made in England boots feel higher substantially quality than my Asian ones. I can understand your resistance to cutting into your “vintage” boots, as I never would, though it would be interesting to see the differences. My guess is that there would be a difference in quality. The darker soles on my vintage boots look the same as my docs from the 90s, which I still own, so I have hopes that they’ll hold up just as well. I don’t have the same confidence in the lighter soled boots, but that’s ok.
Oh ouch
DON'T LOOK MY PRECOUSES! Just bought my 1st 2 pair of Docs yesterday.
I needed durable water resistant footwear for my li'l crippled feet.
Got 2 pair of women's boots cuz I can't do platforms & have narrow feet with my 2nd toe longer than my big toe.
Got twin zip 1460s & 1461s.
I'm not hard on shoes so hopefully they'll hold up to fall & winter in Portland OR.
I'm almost 60 & can't wait til later this morning to go to a center where I hang with my marginalized peers to show em off!
I enjoyed your video comparing the 4 leathers as well. These are very informative. But DAMN THAT HURT!
I thought I heard that boot scream in agony! 😂
I already know what's inside doc Martin's as they showed in the how the boots are made in the insider video.
But did they cut them in half?
it really hurts to see this, those shoes are so expensive!
Just wait until I cut the made in England pair
@@RoseAnvil both are crap
**looking away with my $1400 travis scott's**
@@KAPANGAAAMASTER no. Are you English? You only understand docs if you are english
I'm completly agree with you 😢💶
i just wanted to say that i’m getting a pair of these for my birthday in august and idc what ur review says i’m still gonna buy em. even tho i’ve never had a pair before haha.
I'm not sure this is obvious to everybody but the way this shoes are made is such: you get the sole, the upper and the rubber ring, you welt the rubber to the upper and then glue the sole with the rubber ring. It used to be that welted meant a piece of thick waterproofed leather where one stitching was inside the shoe and one (to the sole) outside. This made for very good connection that allowed for easy replacement of parts and was quite waterproof because there were 2 stitchings - one inside, one outside. Now there's one (outside to inside, carries water quite well) and some glue than depending on the maker can be pretty poorly applied. This is practically "for show" construction since it not only makes for a shoe that's less waterproof, it also makes for greater differences in materials used (different pliabilities) essentially making for shoes that are less comfortable, not waterproof, less serviceable and they do offer less mileage. They are also harder to mend, but they're overall way cheaper to make.
Doc Martin boots are known for their cushion sole. I have owned and worn them in the past and they are tough.
I’ve owned 2 pairs of DM’s (made in Thailand) both lasted me around 3-5 years (work 40+hrs a week) but sadly on both pairs the sole seperated from the welt
I had the same problem. Tried to glue them back together but it only lasts so long. Haven’t replaced them yet but it’s about time. They make my feet sore anyway after wearing them for a few days.
@@TheHIV123 I fixed my last pair with shoe goo and they’ve held up good. Still haven’t separated. But the sole is so worn out I can’t wear them anymore cuz I start having foot pain and develop planters wart.
This is interesting, they have altered the inserts !!!! The shank was wood and glued in as well as all foam (heated glue gun) Which is all missing in this boot. The welt bonding on that boot is very poor, the machine blade that passes between sole and welt was either dirty and or seeing as the sole is oversized when bonded the trimmed (see those lines on side of sole)Torrielli machining) might have something to do with blade not reaching into welt far enough. Those boots if worn regular would not last a winter in my guess as the sole would most certainly start flopping off over time. The boots could have been sent back as a manufacturing defect and they would have either replaced or as most often what would happen is the boot would be passed down the line to the welder and the blade inserted again because it would still melt bond together. I’ve seen it done. Interesting videos these. Takes me back to memory town. I guess manufacturing methods change over time...I wonder if the wooden shank is in the uk version or more expensive boot? Strange it’s gone, maybe the vegan/carbon tag marketing has something to do with it?. Maybe I shouldn’t really care but curious all the same.. Good Video 👍🏼
That is crazy! Too bad they don't do things like they use to. I have a feeling there is not a shank in the MIE boots buuut there is only one way to find out ha ha
Rose Anvil - I Just had an interesting conversation about these vids and our err chat/comments. The chap I know went over to H K and he tells me after a while the manufacturing challenge by the Chinese was to use tools/parts sourced locally and this would result in cheaper production costs. Example: The welt needle called ‘awl pronounced Owl’ they wanted to make their own instead of shipping the ones stocked in Northampton uk, this fella told me they had him trial new needles and they kept breaking too easy at first. He just watched this video on my phone and was amazed also at how the ‘inside’ has changed. We used thick tough felt inserts with a wooden shank back in the 90’s when we worked there, he said it’s obviously done this way now to keep production costs down as much as possible. Truly a case of buissness moving to Asia for profit over anything else. He, like me was amazed to see the poor sole/welt bonding and again said they changed the blades to thinner smaller non original...If I was head of Doc’s after seeing/reading these videos I’d be concerned for sure about DMs reputation of quality manufacturing. Hope I don’t get In trouble for my comments, call them ‘ consumer feedback’ ! They should sit up and take action to prevent the downfall of what was once a great product.
@@jakapuchino Whoa that is some solid info, that is crazy. It is a huge bummer to hear that they are lost their quality so much.Thanks for sharing that info
I sometimes wonder if workers in the Asian factories pass the hot blade along too fast for there to be a real bond between sole and welt.
I have cut open MIE docs from the 80's, 90's and the present "vintage" line, and they all had the felt inserts with a wooden shank.
Did this make anyone else physically sick
✋
Not after seeing how crap the construction is. Docs are just another thing that relies on what they used to be in order to sell the crap that they are now.
Yup! 😩
NOPE. NOT AT ALL. First time buying docmart making me hate them.
From this series, I have subscribed. Thanks for the great content!
🙌
I appreciate your sense of honesty.
I want to see the quality difference between the two.
Samzies
Honestly I would cringe if you had to cut the “made in England” boot! Definitely buy all my docs that are made in England...somehow I think it’s more authentic 🤷🏽♂️ I do remember buying a steel toe Dr.M boot that came apart at the welt 1 week after owning them, just can’t remember where they were made.
I had slip-on steel toe boots from 2008. After they became terribly uncomfortable, I cut them apart. There was a small balsa wood shank in the arch that had snapped. I can't find the picture of it. But it was pretty disappointing.
I can tell the MIE boots have a slightly different sole so hopefully there is more improvements too
I've heard that a few times in the comment section about the cheap wood shank. It's baffling that they did that
I would.. but not much is offered in 15
DMs are trash now a days... I would never buy them today
Old version where way better
amen
Gimme Sum Sugar! xx ?
I have a pair of vintage docs I bought in the late 90s. Still in great condition, still wear them occasionally... but it sucks to know I will never be able to replace them. Guess I'll just continue to take care of em and wear the same pair till I die.
That’s cool! If you take care of them I bet they’ll last a long time!
@@RoseAnvil A good pair of boots holds many memories.