You hit the nail on the head there. The key to breaking them in is to make sure your foot doesn't move around too much when you walk. I didn't lace them up tight enough the first time I wore them and I soon learnt! The second time I wore them I had them on all day and they were absolutely fine. 😊
The Dr Martens factory in England started experimenting with Thailand Quilon leather a couple of years ago, and it looks like that's what your boots have. You can tell by the smooth finish. England's Quilon leather has a porous finish which is hard to polish to a shine. Personally, I prefer the Thailand Quilon leather. It is easier to break in and polish. Also, I am really amazed at how quickly you wear down soles. Do you drag your feet or stamp out cigarettes with them? I know the tread is really pathetic, and needs to be deeper, but I have never worn out the soles of any of my DM's. I have Thailand, China, Vietnam and England DM's and none of the soles are worn down. Even pairs that I have worn almost exclusively for nearly 10 years.
I’ve read that DM has changed their tread pattern& depth? And the bottoms of those soles should read “Original” and can also be Made in England, do you know any way I’d find those? I just ordered a pair of MIE’s off their website but they don’t seem to have any category to distinguish their two different tread patterns. Then again maybe it’s not a problem I’ll see when I get them
I have seen some new English DM's that have soles that are identical to the soles of Asian DM's ( the rubber is more translucent than the darker rubber soles made in England). They say "The Original" and "Made In England on them. The tread pattern is the same as always. But there's no guarantee you'll get them. They may send you out a pair that are old stock.
Yeah it really is bizarre. He doesn't look like a big guy either. Must be something to do with his gait as it really is crazy how quickly he wears the sole. Yet he still persists with DM's...each to their own but it's such a shame when people are so brand loyal they will happily ignore major defeats
Oliver Sikes I just got them in the mail today and they were to weak shallow soles lol, I’m gonna have to return them anyways though since they were too big on me
Hello Devon, good video, but I figured you might want to know, The part of the boot you call the "heel cap "is actually called a "heel counter" or just "counter".
I’m really loving your objective and thorough comparison of these boots. As someone who is trying to simplify and downsize my collection (opting for quality over quantity) it is greatly appreciated.
DevonReviewer anything that pinches, or slips has to be the first to go. I like to coordinate my shoes with my attire, but being on my feet all day at the office is bringing about my sensibilities. I think I could make do with keeping a few colorful pairs of comfortable loafers, and upgrading my worn no-name black boots to something like the Solovairs. I’m hoping the decision will be easy when I get in a purging mood.
Hey I just wanted to tell you Thankyou for this series I’ve been following for a while now and I say this is very informative and useful thanks friend:)
That amount of wear is completely unacceptable. I'd be shooting the boots right back with direct questions about the quality issues and statements of what I'd want done about it. Absolutely none of this is acceptable for their flagship products! No joke intended, but put your bloody foot down man!
@@blakeconstable I highly suspect that the PVC blend (including plasticisers) might be poorer than old sole quality for any number of reasons. One might be corporate interest; having soles that wear out quicker lead to faster replacement of the boots. Another might be pressures from making the PVC more friendly to manufacture, whether that be practical reasoning, environmental or legislative. PVC is poorly recyclable, and actually contaminates many methods of plastic separation/segregation methods. I can't see the modern corporate DM making their boots more durable though. It's not the way to generate repeat customers. Thankfully I love my Solovairs (but not the strange oversizing!) enough to want more more MORE.
@@blakeconstable I would dearly love the old deep-tread commando cross nut type sole on my Astronauts, however Solovair only use this on their steel toecap versions. Perhaps we need to do a group buy? 10-12 is enough to do a custom run. My vote would be on 12-eye burgundy rub-off Astronauts with a commando sole.
3 months in to Dr.martens 1460 “SR.” Frist experience with new ( SR ) sole ( slip resistant ) no problems, leather was a bit stif , nothing to complain about.. very happy with these . Men’s 8 US . Perfect fit .
No, I think it’s just depends on how people treat their shoes. The soles should not be that worn out in a few weeks. I had shoes that cost $40 and wasn’t made by any good material a year or two ago. It still looks new. People don’t show love towards their clothing or shoes. By showing love, I don’t mean walking them through rough walks and think rubbing some balm/oil will fix all the problems. Also, the way you walk also affects the shoe. Don’t drag your feet while walking
On July, last year, I have bought myself a pair of MIE DM's, last week have noticed that inside part of hill cap was torn of the stitching as it was stitched too close to the edge (question down to the quality control), so last Saturday I went back to their store and was offered a replacement for a new pair, however I had to pay a price rise difference (almost £9😀), which I happily agreed to and now I have a brand new pair, will see if there is any difference in soles quality, my old pair didn't wear that quickly.
This is such bad news about the soles. I've been eyeing these up for a while. Would love to see if you ever try to get them resoled so we know how hard that turns out to be.
I had my Doc Marten MIE Boots for around 1 year before selling them used (Bought what I thought was comfortable and they slipped post break in) and even then the heals looked around like what yours look like now, maybe you drag your feet but either way i wouldnt be happy with that.
Another great video. I love Dr Marten boots. You have an issue with the soles wearing prematurely. That seems fair enough. I have an issue with the price. My Taiwan 1460 boots (which I have owned probably 14 - 16 years) were only around £50 or so. How can they increase in price by 150% in 16 years? They've always been expensive but now they are ridiculous. Also, I quite fancy a pair of those nice Red Wing boots, until I saw the price. Are they made unicorn skin or something? How and why are they so expensive? I've had cars that cost me less than a pair of boots. Also, are you rich?
martin warm my guts is telling me he is unintentionally scuffing, I’ve had DMs for 12 months now and I walk for work and no issues. You cannot get that wear on just 30 miles without scuffing.
I certainly do wear soles relatively quickly, another viewer suggested a slight twist on the fore foot with every step, and I think that might be the case... but again if that is it, I would do on all my boots so fair side by side comparison. The Solovair are still looking good
Nice video ....somehow here in the usa nyc and New Jersey we hardly see anyone wearing oxbloods....I have 3 pair in oxblood and get weird looks when I wear them 😂
Best buy so far was a pair of made in englands last week from the 90s, they don't have the air wair tag on back of boots but a rubber dm tag with british flag and same on each side of boot but they also have a white stitching but in red white and blue, that blew my mind when i got them, from the pics i thought the red i could see from pics was maybe bit of spilt paint, info was very vague. If anyone can help me identify these further please let me know, Ild very much appreciate it :). The dude said he had them since 90s and they came out round about the time a special royal family edition did, thats pretty much all i know about them. I haven't worn them yet, just filled them full of paper and polished them with pure beeswax, the leather looks amazing and the soles have many years of life left in them
The uneven trimming around the sole jumps out exactly where the leather meets at the (Puritan) triple stitching. Look at 7:11 and you'll see that perfectly. It's happens from when the welt is attached to the upper; the welt sewing machine follows the outline of the upper, and later the sole is trimmed an offset distance from that. I've seen it in some form since forever, and I think it's down to operator experience, speed and whether it's Monday/Friday. It shouldn't be that bad, however I am sure that the high overheads of running the DMs factory in the UK means razor-thin margins, things are rushed through to hit numbers, not at a rate that meets a standard. It's funny, because I'd pay upwards of €250-300 for a pair of DMs with the old commando cross sole and durability I had in the 80s/90s. I had a pair of 1460s that literally took me through from college to the middle of my twenties as daily wear. The only reason I have four pairs of DMs now is based on a mix of nostalgia and hope that they do a "quality only run". DMs being a corporately-owned company should tell us a lot about that....if there's anything to squeeze money out of, it'll be done to satisfy the shareholders and not the customer. I almost dropped the cash on a pair of Horween Dublin 1460s, but had to remind myself that the sole is where the weak point always will be. Even those have this crappy light tread pattern, and I presume the same abrasion-poor PVC.
Thanks for pointing that out, you are completely right with regards the wobble around the stitch. The same is true to a much lesser extent with the solovair, but I think they must go back and refine / reshape.
@@DevonReviewer Let's see how my next pair of Solovair Astronauts and my wife's 6 eye brogues look. Ultimately it's an unavoidable aspect of manufacture on some level, and I have no good idea whether it's a finishing detail they prioritise.
Hi - I picked up a pair of made in England 1460 smooth black Dr martens - the leather is very plastic like nothing like the DMs that I had when a was younger- the finish is very much like your 1460 oxblood - will that shine ever go - I can’t say I’m liking the feel of them compared to the ones of the 80s I don’t think these will stand what I used to get up to when a was a teenager - .
I have the MIE black Quilon leather. But my leather is way more thin than yours. I read somewhere that they did it because people where complaining about the break in. My gf has made in englands with horween leather which is ofc fantastic but she has different soles too, they have that classic green/yellowish collor but her tread pattern is way deeper like with your solovairs.
Wow!!! I really wanted to get this but that sole issue is a deal breaker. Hope they fix that soon and get their shit together. Btw, what do you think about the Cherry Red 1460 PASCAL VIRGINIA LEATHER BOOTS?
It normally takes me two years to get to this kind of wear and I'm pretty heavy and I walk a lot. The soles are in a state where I normally consider getting the next pair... That's completely unacceptable.
I was just about to buy a pair of these for myself but now looking at how fast the soles wear, I'm skipping these. I need an everyday boot, not a fashion accessory.
Wear like this has been my experience for the last twenty plus years with DM's. I buy a pair, wear them out in less than a year, replace them after a few years, get disappointed again. Been a while since I've bought another pair and think I've finally broken the cycle. That crazy soft and comfortable sole is just never going to last until they add a different layer of rubber at the very bottom.
Yep, been saying it for years, at least a deeper tread pattern would help a bit... these I think have been the quickest to date, I had hoped for more with the MIE
I think they still use that tread pattern on certain boots. There's one called the Commander which I think has that tread pattern and uses some fancy full grain leather by C.F. Stead.
@@gavinyoung7085 I prefer moc toe boots and DM doesn't make one anymore. I have their vintage moc toe boots from the 90s. Maybe I'll get it resoled with a Vibram commando sole.
It's a shame that the soles have worn as much as they did. Personally, I've never had that problem with any of my pairs (both outsourced and m.i.e), I think it's very dependent on your gait, terrain, obviously how much you walk, etc.
I find that really interesting. I've had my new "Made in England's" for about 4 months now. They haven't left my feet. I don't have the sole issues at all you are describing. However I do know someone who has... They are a bit overweight though... You certainly don't appear to be that... 🤔
DevonReviewer I have very fortunately been given the opportunity to have a pair of bespoke shoes made. I was at my first fitting appointment yesterday. We were discussing wear and tear on the soles of shoes. From what we discussed, every human places their weight differently when they walk. Some people also walk with a kind of very slight twist in their foot fall. There is absolutely nothing you can do about that unless you concentrate on correcting if it is a real problem. Enter the podiatrist. This is also very dependant on the type of shoe as well. Armed with this knowledge. Your wear issue could just be something which is normal and unique for you. Dr’s could have a slight weak spot there... for me I fall heavily on my rear heel. My shoes wear extremely quickly in the heel. Bespoke, this can be catered for in the design and build. Best regards
Others have already picked up on this theme but in your case I'd say only buy Docs with the commando sole. These MIEs look to have a particularly fragile sole. I do nothing like your mileage, and am probably pretty light on my feet given how long I make shoes last, but 2 pairs of Docs I bought at the start of last year and have been wearing regularly look as if they will go on happily for several years yet. In fact the dimples on the tread of one of them are still holding out well - the treads look much wider and also deeper than on your MIEs and the (smoke coloured) sole seems to be make of a particularly tough PVC. Here's hoping the people at DMs take note of your videos...
@@DevonReviewer Given DMs effective use of Instagram I'd have thought they'd realise the power of youtube as well - there must be DMs employees somewhere who have seen your reviews which IMO are pretty fair but do clearly highlight the shortcomings of their products - plus you are an example of a customer who wants to be delighted - there are many others like you... And then with all your For Life exchanges I'd really have thought the penny might drop... but hey ho... good luck to Solovair!
I have a pair of MIE from 2013 which have the thicker leather and took like 6 months to break in but fit me very tight so for cyber Monday I bought a new pair in a bigger size. Wow the quality has gone down bigtime. I returned them and just got another pair and the same issues and worse. Same angled cut on the soles. Leather has defects. The sole also bends down on the stitching in some parts. It’s a noticeable difference from 2013. I’m returning these second pair and if the third pair is as bad I’m just going with solovairs. Quality is not what it used to be.
You really should check eBay for vintage 60s/70s boots I have pair for 10 years made in 60s ( before they started putting made in England on sole) and I walk at least 3 miles daily and soles show no wear
The orginal Dr Martens were not made with Quilon leather or whatever it's called. If you look at a genuine old pair of Dr Martens , the ones were the heal lop says Dr Martens Bouncing Souls, the blacks ones were black inside. MIE seems to be just another range Dr Marten have produced and very little to do with the orignal boot. Still nice boots though.
I've been wearing a pair of MiE docs for 4 years and the soles don't have anything close to the kind of wear you're experiencing. The outer coating is cracking a bit at the creases, but the leather itself is solid. I definitely don't wear my boots as hard as some people do, but that kind of wear after two weeks of relatively light use is insane. I heard the company switched to a thinner leather sometime after I bought mine, but the leather on your pair looks similar to what I have so I think you'll be happy with that at least. Even if you are the victim of bad quality control it's completely unacceptable, especially considering what these boots cost. Dunno about you, but I shell out the money for boots like these because I want to avoid the quality issues that are inherent with factory mass-production. Looking forward to seeing how the Solovairs do, been thinking of grabbing a pair for sometime. Thanks for doing this series.
The solovair are wearing well, the DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options!
im wanting to get a pair in black but im worried about sizing, all my shoes are size 11 here in the US, but my timberland work boots are a 10 so im undecided about what size to order bc i dont have any place near by that sells them so i cant try them on
I really wanted to like these M.I.E.boots but the pathetically weak soles are a deal-breaker. Two weeks and 20 miles and they're already part worn out? Considering these are meant to be the flag-ship model for Dr Martens they should be ashamed. I've had flip-flops from Lidl that have lasted better..!!!
That does not bode well to MIE's...hell, I just might regret buying them. The only solution I see in this situation, is to wear them down just a bit more, and then go to a cobbler, sand the remaining tread flat, and stick on a sole. If the time of my MIE's comes, I am doing it with a Itshide sole. Itshide is a British company that manufactures soles, so it is more than fitting to go that way. They are quite expensive, but when Loake and Barker trusts them, so should I.
The DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options! I will check out Itshide as I have a pair of Barkers and some Grensons that need new soles.
My jadon docs bulge at the forefoot quite a bit. Im usually a us 7. They say that they are us 7 (not made in england). Is there anything i can do to avoid this when choosing to buy a new pair? Thnx
I don’t like the flower backed eyelets. They chew through laces like nothing. The Docs made in the Far East have smooth ring backed eyelets and don’t have this problem. A design fault.
QUESTION!!!!!!! I just bought a pair.. and i have a black paid size 8 in american style and these size 8 blood ox ones feel tight on my toes(my hits the end) will it stretch in lengthwise?? I don't remember my black ones being this tight on me toe. Thanks
It wont stretch lengthwise. A cobbler can sligthly stretch them.. but not too much. Best you can do is get one size bigger. Same happened to me, went from UK5 to UK 6.. so confortable when size is right
I have six pairs of made in England Doc Martens, I walk 5 kilometers daily since 5 years ago, but my soles are good as new :/ maybe you have a foot problem
Don't know how you destroy the soles I've got 6 paires never had to resole Inc made in england, laced are crap now use para cord with metal ends cut to fit
@nazbolnoah the reviewer talks about the soles going smoothe in 6 months to a year. The asia do the same. Its the plastic beading that doc marten is using.
These boots are terrible nowadays in a market containing the likes of Red Wing etc. Two weeks and the sole has worn out, i'd be knocking on Dr Martens door and asking for a full refund. That's a disgrace. Imaging if this were a Clarke's shoe, you'd be back at the outlet store complaining so why aren't we all boycotting Dr Martens, it confused the hell out of me. They are a complete waste of money.
Minute 4:15 You can see the shape of the sole.. seems to me you are not walking like you should, and you are dragging your feet. Maybe those boots are a tad small for your feet and you do that so your big toe doesnt hit the front of the shoe.
I am sorry to see the quality so poor of the sole shaping, I bought a pair 3 years ago, and the tongue was not square, it pulled to one side. So not impressed at all.
I've found the tongue can be straightened if you position it where you want with the empty boot laced up then stuff the boot with cloths and force the sides of the tongue to crease in the right place (maybe also apply dubbin/balsam to it). Probably caused by variations in thickness of the leather plus shape of foot
@@gileskennedy I put boot oil on it, folded it stretched it, repositioned it laced it tight with it in place, by the end of the day it was right back over to one side.
@@DrTech-pw2cu I left my boot for some time (a few weeks I think as I forgot about it!) so a new fold could get established on the tongue and it's been fine ever since. It's been a long standing "feature" with DMs - I might see if I can sort out a pair from the 90s now :)
The DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options!
Has a person who walks about 8 miles a day, Dr Marten is without a doubt the biggest load of rubbish boot or shoe I have ever worn, uncomfortable they don't last soles are absolute crap, and the fit and sizing is total rubbish, do yourself a favour don't waste your money.
The DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options!
You hit the nail on the head there. The key to breaking them in is to make sure your foot doesn't move around too much when you walk. I didn't lace them up tight enough the first time I wore them and I soon learnt! The second time I wore them I had them on all day and they were absolutely fine. 😊
The Dr Martens factory in England started experimenting with Thailand Quilon leather a couple of years ago, and it looks like that's what your boots have. You can tell by the smooth finish. England's Quilon leather has a porous finish which is hard to polish to a shine. Personally, I prefer the Thailand Quilon leather. It is easier to break in and polish. Also, I am really amazed at how quickly you wear down soles. Do you drag your feet or stamp out cigarettes with them? I know the tread is really pathetic, and needs to be deeper, but I have never worn out the soles of any of my DM's. I have Thailand, China, Vietnam and England DM's and none of the soles are worn down. Even pairs that I have worn almost exclusively for nearly 10 years.
I’ve read that DM has changed their tread pattern& depth? And the bottoms of those soles should read “Original” and can also be Made in England, do you know any way I’d find those? I just ordered a pair of MIE’s off their website but they don’t seem to have any category to distinguish their two different tread patterns. Then again maybe it’s not a problem I’ll see when I get them
I have seen some new English DM's that have soles that are identical to the soles of Asian DM's ( the rubber is more translucent than the darker rubber soles made in England). They say "The Original" and "Made In England on them. The tread pattern is the same as always. But there's no guarantee you'll get them. They may send you out a pair that are old stock.
Yeah it really is bizarre. He doesn't look like a big guy either. Must be something to do with his gait as it really is crazy how quickly he wears the sole. Yet he still persists with DM's...each to their own but it's such a shame when people are so brand loyal they will happily ignore major defeats
Oliver Sikes I just got them in the mail today and they were to weak shallow soles lol, I’m gonna have to return them anyways though since they were too big on me
Hello Devon, good video, but I figured you might want to know,
The part of the boot you call the "heel cap "is actually called a "heel counter" or just "counter".
I like the translucent old soles Made in England (90's).
I love them!
I’m really loving your objective and thorough comparison of these boots. As someone who is trying to simplify and downsize my collection (opting for quality over quantity) it is greatly appreciated.
Thanks! What stays and what goes for your collection?
DevonReviewer anything that pinches, or slips has to be the first to go. I like to coordinate my shoes with my attire, but being on my feet all day at the office is bringing about my sensibilities. I think I could make do with keeping a few colorful pairs of comfortable loafers, and upgrading my worn no-name black boots to something like the Solovairs. I’m hoping the decision will be easy when I get in a purging mood.
Hey I just wanted to tell you Thankyou for this series I’ve been following for a while now and I say this is very informative and useful thanks friend:)
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this & the Solovair reviews & comparison. Shopping for new boots, so every bit of info helps. Your videos have a lot of good info!
That amount of wear is completely unacceptable. I'd be shooting the boots right back with direct questions about the quality issues and statements of what I'd want done about it. Absolutely none of this is acceptable for their flagship products! No joke intended, but put your bloody foot down man!
They need to start putting the original soles on the shoes and boots, especially for re-soling
@@blakeconstable ...or at the very least offering them as a premium option.
That could work.
I've been on the subject of fixing the quality of the footwear etc., being constructed like Solovairs
@@blakeconstable I highly suspect that the PVC blend (including plasticisers) might be poorer than old sole quality for any number of reasons. One might be corporate interest; having soles that wear out quicker lead to faster replacement of the boots. Another might be pressures from making the PVC more friendly to manufacture, whether that be practical reasoning, environmental or legislative. PVC is poorly recyclable, and actually contaminates many methods of plastic separation/segregation methods. I can't see the modern corporate DM making their boots more durable though. It's not the way to generate repeat customers. Thankfully I love my Solovairs (but not the strange oversizing!) enough to want more more MORE.
@@blakeconstable I would dearly love the old deep-tread commando cross nut type sole on my Astronauts, however Solovair only use this on their steel toecap versions. Perhaps we need to do a group buy? 10-12 is enough to do a custom run. My vote would be on 12-eye burgundy rub-off Astronauts with a commando sole.
3 months in to Dr.martens 1460 “SR.” Frist experience with new ( SR ) sole
( slip resistant ) no problems, leather was a bit stif , nothing to complain about.. very happy with these .
Men’s 8 US . Perfect fit .
No, I think it’s just depends on how people treat their shoes.
The soles should not be that worn out in a few weeks.
I had shoes that cost $40 and wasn’t made by any good material a year or two ago. It still looks new.
People don’t show love towards their clothing or shoes.
By showing love, I don’t mean walking them through rough walks and think rubbing some balm/oil will fix all the problems.
Also, the way you walk also affects the shoe. Don’t drag your feet while walking
Yeah, respect your boots! Walk less, stay on paved roads and reconsider the way you walk, folks!
On July, last year, I have bought myself a pair of MIE DM's, last week have noticed that inside part of hill cap was torn of the stitching as it was stitched too close to the edge (question down to the quality control), so last Saturday I went back to their store and was offered a replacement for a new pair, however I had to pay a price rise difference (almost £9😀), which I happily agreed to and now I have a brand new pair, will see if there is any difference in soles quality, my old pair didn't wear that quickly.
Good to hear they sorted it out for you!
This is such bad news about the soles. I've been eyeing these up for a while. Would love to see if you ever try to get them resoled so we know how hard that turns out to be.
I had my Doc Marten MIE Boots for around 1 year before selling them used (Bought what I thought was comfortable and they slipped post break in) and even then the heals looked around like what yours look like now, maybe you drag your feet but either way i wouldnt be happy with that.
Another great video. I love Dr Marten boots. You have an issue with the soles wearing prematurely. That seems fair enough. I have an issue with the price. My Taiwan 1460 boots (which I have owned probably 14 - 16 years) were only around £50 or so. How can they increase in price by 150% in 16 years? They've always been expensive but now they are ridiculous. Also, I quite fancy a pair of those nice Red Wing boots, until I saw the price. Are they made unicorn skin or something? How and why are they so expensive? I've had cars that cost me less than a pair of boots. Also, are you rich?
The sole material is woefully inadequate.. that sort of wear after only two weeks..🙁
martin warm my guts is telling me he is unintentionally scuffing, I’ve had DMs for 12 months now and I walk for work and no issues. You cannot get that wear on just 30 miles without scuffing.
@@UAPJedi then he's only scuffing in this pair of shoes? The Solovair soles look nearly unused and they have a similar mileage.
Sascha Schneider had mine 12 months walked 100 miles plus no issues with the sole. You explain it!
@@UAPJedi had mine 12 minutes, walked 100 cm and the sole was through. You explain it! Aren't anecdotes wonderful?
I certainly do wear soles relatively quickly, another viewer suggested a slight twist on the fore foot with every step, and I think that might be the case... but again if that is it, I would do on all my boots so fair side by side comparison. The Solovair are still looking good
Nice video ....somehow here in the usa nyc and New Jersey we hardly see anyone wearing oxbloods....I have 3 pair in oxblood and get weird looks when I wear them 😂
They still stand out over here, but I guess a bit more familiar
I have 14 eye steel toe 1914 oxblood DMs that are 15 years old. And I wear them in Florida! 👊😎
I loved mine
Had mine 10 years then donated them to Salvation Army
Best buy so far was a pair of made in englands last week from the 90s, they don't have the air wair tag on back of boots but a rubber dm tag with british flag and same on each side of boot but they also have a white stitching but in red white and blue, that blew my mind when i got them, from the pics i thought the red i could see from pics was maybe bit of spilt paint, info was very vague.
If anyone can help me identify these further please let me know, Ild very much appreciate it :).
The dude said he had them since 90s and they came out round about the time a special royal family edition did, thats pretty much all i know about them.
I haven't worn them yet, just filled them full of paper and polished them with pure beeswax, the leather looks amazing and the soles have many years of life left in them
The uneven trimming around the sole jumps out exactly where the leather meets at the (Puritan) triple stitching. Look at 7:11 and you'll see that perfectly. It's happens from when the welt is attached to the upper; the welt sewing machine follows the outline of the upper, and later the sole is trimmed an offset distance from that. I've seen it in some form since forever, and I think it's down to operator experience, speed and whether it's Monday/Friday. It shouldn't be that bad, however I am sure that the high overheads of running the DMs factory in the UK means razor-thin margins, things are rushed through to hit numbers, not at a rate that meets a standard. It's funny, because I'd pay upwards of €250-300 for a pair of DMs with the old commando cross sole and durability I had in the 80s/90s. I had a pair of 1460s that literally took me through from college to the middle of my twenties as daily wear. The only reason I have four pairs of DMs now is based on a mix of nostalgia and hope that they do a "quality only run". DMs being a corporately-owned company should tell us a lot about that....if there's anything to squeeze money out of, it'll be done to satisfy the shareholders and not the customer. I almost dropped the cash on a pair of Horween Dublin 1460s, but had to remind myself that the sole is where the weak point always will be. Even those have this crappy light tread pattern, and I presume the same abrasion-poor PVC.
Thanks for pointing that out, you are completely right with regards the wobble around the stitch. The same is true to a much lesser extent with the solovair, but I think they must go back and refine / reshape.
@@DevonReviewer Let's see how my next pair of Solovair Astronauts and my wife's 6 eye brogues look. Ultimately it's an unavoidable aspect of manufacture on some level, and I have no good idea whether it's a finishing detail they prioritise.
you should get the custom mie boots from the camden shop
Yes, they come with a different sole dont they? It would be great to try out the commando tread.
What kind of customs can you do there,and is it for extras £ or is it included ?
Hi - I picked up a pair of made in England 1460 smooth black
Dr martens - the leather is very plastic like nothing like the DMs that I had when a was younger- the finish is very much like your 1460 oxblood - will that shine ever go - I can’t say I’m liking the feel of them compared to the ones of the 80s I don’t think these will stand what I used to get up to when a was a teenager - .
I have the MIE black Quilon leather. But my leather is way more thin than yours. I read somewhere that they did it because people where complaining about the break in. My gf has made in englands with horween leather which is ofc fantastic but she has different soles too, they have that classic green/yellowish collor but her tread pattern is way deeper like with your solovairs.
I was hoping for a premium sole on the MIEs, sounds like your GF got a better deal!
@@DevonReviewer yeah idk it's weird most other MIE have that better sole I saw at a DM store, but not the signature vintage...
Wow!!! I really wanted to get this but that sole issue is a deal breaker. Hope they fix that soon and get their shit together.
Btw, what do you think about the Cherry Red 1460 PASCAL VIRGINIA LEATHER BOOTS?
It normally takes me two years to get to this kind of wear and I'm pretty heavy and I walk a lot. The soles are in a state where I normally consider getting the next pair... That's completely unacceptable.
You should try Trickers, they make amazing boots, got three now :)
Trickers brogue boot with a commando sole would look great with fresh denim... they are on my list but not a cheap boot!
I was just about to buy a pair of these for myself but now looking at how fast the soles wear, I'm skipping these. I need an everyday boot, not a fashion accessory.
Wear like this has been my experience for the last twenty plus years with DM's. I buy a pair, wear them out in less than a year, replace them after a few years, get disappointed again. Been a while since I've bought another pair and think I've finally broken the cycle. That crazy soft and comfortable sole is just never going to last until they add a different layer of rubber at the very bottom.
Yep, been saying it for years, at least a deeper tread pattern would help a bit... these I think have been the quickest to date, I had hoped for more with the MIE
Put some boot oil on them to make them form to the foot.
That DM tread is so thin compared to the old commando lug soles. Anyone knows why they stopped using the old commando soles?
I think they still use that tread pattern on certain boots. There's one called the Commander which I think has that tread pattern and uses some fancy full grain leather by C.F. Stead.
@@gavinyoung7085 I prefer moc toe boots and DM doesn't make one anymore. I have their vintage moc toe boots from the 90s. Maybe I'll get it resoled with a Vibram commando sole.
They still do use that sole, on ‘specials’ keep an eye out for them.
The old ones didn't all have the commando soles, but did offer that sole on more models than they do today.
@@UAPJedi Let me know when they make a Made in England moc toe with commando soles.
Are you wearing a Seiko SKX007??? The legend!!
Not sure if it's just me, but they look a little dry... Wonder Balsm or Dubbin for a shine and longer lasting color in the yellow threads.
I treated them after a week, but the leather didnt seem to be thirsty
@@DevonReviewer Did you order them from Doc Martens? The leather shouldn't look like that.... There are alot of knock off copies
It's a shame that the soles have worn as much as they did. Personally, I've never had that problem with any of my pairs (both outsourced and m.i.e), I think it's very dependent on your gait, terrain, obviously how much you walk, etc.
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I find that really interesting. I've had my new "Made in England's" for about 4 months now. They haven't left my feet. I don't have the sole issues at all you are describing. However I do know someone who has... They are a bit overweight though... You certainly don't appear to be that... 🤔
I am pretty average, guess I have heavy feet!
DevonReviewer I have very fortunately been given the opportunity to have a pair of bespoke shoes made. I was at my first fitting appointment yesterday. We were discussing wear and tear on the soles of shoes. From what we discussed, every human places their weight differently when they walk. Some people also walk with a kind of very slight twist in their foot fall. There is absolutely nothing you can do about that unless you concentrate on correcting if it is a real problem. Enter the podiatrist.
This is also very dependant on the type of shoe as well.
Armed with this knowledge. Your wear issue could just be something which is normal and unique for you. Dr’s could have a slight weak spot there... for me I fall heavily on my rear heel. My shoes wear extremely quickly in the heel. Bespoke, this can be catered for in the design and build.
Best regards
Doc Martens "made in england" 🤗🤗🤗👍👍👍👍❤❤❤❤
Others have already picked up on this theme but in your case I'd say only buy Docs with the commando sole. These MIEs look to have a particularly fragile sole. I do nothing like your mileage, and am probably pretty light on my feet given how long I make shoes last, but 2 pairs of Docs I bought at the start of last year and have been wearing regularly look as if they will go on happily for several years yet. In fact the dimples on the tread of one of them are still holding out well - the treads look much wider and also deeper than on your MIEs and the (smoke coloured) sole seems to be make of a particularly tough PVC. Here's hoping the people at DMs take note of your videos...
Yep, commando it a very tough design,... with regards DMs listening.... I have been saying the soles need to be improved since 2013...so, I guess not
@@DevonReviewer Given DMs effective use of Instagram I'd have thought they'd realise the power of youtube as well - there must be DMs employees somewhere who have seen your reviews which IMO are pretty fair but do clearly highlight the shortcomings of their products - plus you are an example of a customer who wants to be delighted - there are many others like you... And then with all your For Life exchanges I'd really have thought the penny might drop... but hey ho... good luck to Solovair!
I have a pair of MIE from 2013 which have the thicker leather and took like 6 months to break in but fit me very tight so for cyber Monday I bought a new pair in a bigger size. Wow the quality has gone down bigtime. I returned them and just got another pair and the same issues and worse.
Same angled cut on the soles. Leather has defects. The sole also bends down on the stitching in some parts. It’s a noticeable difference from 2013.
I’m returning these second pair and if the third pair is as bad I’m just going with solovairs. Quality is not what it used to be.
You really should check eBay for vintage 60s/70s boots I have pair for 10 years made in 60s ( before they started putting made in England on sole) and I walk at least 3 miles daily and soles show no wear
love
The orginal Dr Martens were not made with Quilon leather or whatever it's called. If you look at a genuine old pair of Dr Martens , the ones were the heal lop says Dr Martens Bouncing Souls, the blacks ones were black inside. MIE seems to be just another range Dr Marten have produced and very little to do with the orignal boot. Still nice boots though.
This leather is the best I have found on DMs, even if not historically meaningful
Are the sidewalks where you live made of sandpaper? Holy shit.
I must have heavy feet!
People are buying the Solovairs, on Amazon they are out of my size. I suspect many have seen this and bought some there.
Really? I bought direct from Solovair
@@DevonReviewer Me too, after Amazon sent me the wrong size.
me too, they show the US size.
Get rid of the DM's...and wear the Solovair's. DM's quality, is so very disappointing today.
My boots is 6mos old. The sole still looks new
My boots always seem to wear quick, I guess I walk a lot.
Do you actually wear them?
is the sole leather or suede?
¿Llevan la puntera de acero?.
I've been wearing a pair of MiE docs for 4 years and the soles don't have anything close to the kind of wear you're experiencing. The outer coating is cracking a bit at the creases, but the leather itself is solid. I definitely don't wear my boots as hard as some people do, but that kind of wear after two weeks of relatively light use is insane. I heard the company switched to a thinner leather sometime after I bought mine, but the leather on your pair looks similar to what I have so I think you'll be happy with that at least. Even if you are the victim of bad quality control it's completely unacceptable, especially considering what these boots cost. Dunno about you, but I shell out the money for boots like these because I want to avoid the quality issues that are inherent with factory mass-production. Looking forward to seeing how the Solovairs do, been thinking of grabbing a pair for sometime. Thanks for doing this series.
The solovair are wearing well, the DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options!
im wanting to get a pair in black but im worried about sizing, all my shoes are size 11 here in the US, but my timberland work boots are a 10 so im undecided about what size to order bc i dont have any place near by that sells them so i cant try them on
I really wanted to like these M.I.E.boots but the pathetically weak soles are a deal-breaker. Two weeks and 20 miles and they're already part worn out? Considering these are meant to be the flag-ship model for Dr Martens they should be ashamed. I've had flip-flops from Lidl that have lasted better..!!!
We will see how these wear long term.... but sorry, no flip flop reviews planned!
@@DevonReviewer Awww... :(
That does not bode well to MIE's...hell, I just might regret buying them. The only solution I see in this situation, is to wear them down just a bit more, and then go to a cobbler, sand the remaining tread flat, and stick on a sole. If the time of my MIE's comes, I am doing it with a Itshide sole. Itshide is a British company that manufactures soles, so it is more than fitting to go that way. They are quite expensive, but when Loake and Barker trusts them, so should I.
The DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options! I will check out Itshide as I have a pair of Barkers and some Grensons that need new soles.
My jadon docs bulge at the forefoot quite a bit. Im usually a us 7. They say that they are us 7 (not made in england). Is there anything i can do to avoid this when choosing to buy a new pair? Thnx
Are the sole already worn smooth at 1:30 min?
I don’t like the flower backed eyelets. They chew through laces like nothing. The Docs made in the Far East have smooth ring backed eyelets and don’t have this problem. A design fault.
QUESTION!!!!!!! I just bought a pair.. and i have a black paid size 8 in american style and these size 8 blood ox ones feel tight on my toes(my hits the end) will it stretch in lengthwise?? I don't remember my black ones being this tight on me toe. Thanks
It wont stretch lengthwise.
A cobbler can sligthly stretch them.. but not too much. Best you can do is get one size bigger.
Same happened to me, went from UK5 to UK 6.. so confortable when size is right
No shank
Nice
Made in England range? I’ve got one and my tread is totally different. More the old knobby style.
How do u walk?
I have six pairs of made in England Doc Martens, I walk 5 kilometers daily since 5 years ago, but my soles are good as new :/ maybe you have a foot problem
Heavy footed?
Don't know how you destroy the soles I've got 6 paires never had to resole Inc made in england, laced are crap now use para cord with metal ends cut to fit
Yup, these laces need to be synthetic to have any chance of lasting more than a month or 2!
Put some duct tape over the inner heel and you'll have no issues. 230$ for cheap sole.
@nazbolnoah the reviewer talks about the soles going smoothe in 6 months to a year. The asia do the same. Its the plastic beading that doc marten is using.
These boots are terrible nowadays in a market containing the likes of Red Wing etc. Two weeks and the sole has worn out, i'd be knocking on Dr Martens door and asking for a full refund. That's a disgrace. Imaging if this were a Clarke's shoe, you'd be back at the outlet store complaining so why aren't we all boycotting Dr Martens, it confused the hell out of me. They are a complete waste of money.
Its to bad there not making the hard lifestyle no more I talked with Suzanne today it was a one time thing
those are R Soles type
I think I know what your are trying to say..... but.....?
Minute 4:15 You can see the shape of the sole.. seems to me you are not walking like you should, and you are dragging your feet. Maybe those boots are a tad small for your feet and you do that so your big toe doesnt hit the front of the shoe.
Walking miles in boots?? Sounds comfy 🤦♂️
Eh? Surely, boots is made to be walked in?
I am sorry to see the quality so poor of the sole shaping, I bought a pair 3 years ago, and the tongue was not square, it pulled to one side. So not impressed at all.
I've found the tongue can be straightened if you position it where you want with the empty boot laced up then stuff the boot with cloths and force the sides of the tongue to crease in the right place (maybe also apply dubbin/balsam to it). Probably caused by variations in thickness of the leather plus shape of foot
@@gileskennedy I put boot oil on it, folded it stretched it, repositioned it laced it tight with it in place, by the end of the day it was right back over to one side.
@@DrTech-pw2cu I left my boot for some time (a few weeks I think as I forgot about it!) so a new fold could get established on the tongue and it's been fine ever since. It's been a long standing "feature" with DMs - I might see if I can sort out a pair from the 90s now :)
Whilst I haven't had a misaligned tongue, getting the tongue broken in is critical to overall fit.
@@DevonReviewer OK that suggests shape of foot may be a big factor too. My feet are rather bony with a high instep
No good on wet grass
Send them back and get the Money! 20€ shoe's are better...
The DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options!
Has a person who walks about 8 miles a day, Dr Marten is without a doubt the biggest load of rubbish boot or shoe I have ever worn, uncomfortable they don't last soles are absolute crap, and the fit and sizing is total rubbish, do yourself a favour don't waste your money.
I am hoping that the wear slows now there is a flat spot, will update after some more wear.
Wow they are awful sorry dude. I would have sent them back, Hand made doesn't mean poorly made.
The DMs will continue to be tested, the leather is good, as is the fit, the soles are a massive disappointment... but may be I will test out resole options!
first
Thanks for watching!
Low quality👎get something else eg danner’s
Danners are definitely on the list to try for the channel
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Great band, "Undertow" is a classic album