Thanks for the mention and kind words on our company Carl. Being fairly new to the US market we read and take all feedback seriously as we establish that side, so this video is very helpful. There's no denying that the Razorback is a beast of a boot and can be hard on some feet, here in South Africa this is needed but in the US with them being used a lot more on concrete and flat surfaces there is a call for added comfort. We do not want to reduce the sole shore hardness as that has a direct impact on durability, so come 2023 we will start to roll out comfort stock insoles with a lower thickness in the toe area to assist those wearing thicker socks (hopefully available by May 2023). Then due to the success of our wedge sole on the African Ranger and the comfort it generates, we now carry our Razorback in the wedge sole option as a stock item. There has been great feed back on this so far so hopefully an option for those not needing the ruggedness of our lug option. Thanks again for all your support, it has been much appreciated since our first pair landed that side.
I have a pair of razorback that when I got them they were uncomfortable, a higher quality insole helped with comfort but I was just about to put a wedge sole on it myself when I discovered you now make razor backs in a wedge sole style, they are on my list to try out but I’m waiting for a sale price like you did with the regular razorbacks.
The only thing about my Razorbacks that I don’t care for is the width of the toe box. I find it entirely too large and the boots look somewhat comical. Thankfully they’re workwear and they don’t have to look good to function perfectly.
@@garenosborn vellies are a great everyday option, we working on a new more stylish Vellie for summer 2023 which will soon be released. Thanks for the support too
Hey, we appreciate the feedback and are sorry to hear about customers facing QC issues! We take the quality and construction of our boots seriously and are constantly working to improve.
I had to exchange my casa motos twice due to splitting heel blocks. The ones i settled on have drips of stain on random places. I hope the QC gets improved before i do pull the trigger on some captains.
@Rick N. I waited three years to pull the trigger on a pair of Thursday boots. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw that. I will say their customer service is definitely above average. They should get back to you eventually and set you up to the best that their quality will allow.
Your boots are absolutely okay. They used to be great. But shit happens and real life comes into play. Responding to a superficial review with whatever "poll" this youtuber came up with doesn't do you any favors. Stop the simping to weak footed hoi polloi. Not a good look.
I'd love to get a pair of the logger boots but the sizing stops short of my size. It's a shame because I was dead set on a pair and now I'll be trying on a pair of iron rangers. I know the captain boot is a similar option but I want the thicker materials and us build offered by the loggers. Someday I'll have a pair of your shoes or boots as you have some of the nicest styles I've seen and they seem to offer great value but I want something I can wear in nearly any situation and the better materials of the logger was a huge draw. I have to shoutout to rose anvil for his breakdown. He made me aware and interested in what goes into footwear and the fact that you get so much mention and praise left an impact.
Nice job explaining the criticism while balancing that with positive commentary on the companies. A very welcome approach. I’ve been aware of your channel for some time, first video I’ve watched, and it deserves a subscribe and like. Nice work.
I apologize in advance because I cannot seem to find the correct words as to not come across as discounting your experience, which I promise I am not. I had a sports related spinal injury decades ago that causes my feet to be overly sensitive which is why I finally began buying higher quality boots about a decade ago, so I definitely understand painful break ins. Red Wing Iron Rangers and Beckman were my choice, with the Beckman being considerably tougher to break in. I then migrated to Nick’s, Wesco and White’s for my Pacific Northwest habit. I picked particularly heavy leathers and very durable models within those, with only the White’s boots really disappointing. I then felt the need for some Vibergs to go all the way to Canada. Anyway, having spent that much on those boots I was darn set on breaking in those puppies come hell or high water! I created a set break-in schedule and did not deviate from that schedule any and it worked! Having finally been successful at breaking in those rather heavily built boots ended up fantastic for me (except for the White’s - I am still disappointed there), so I went back to my Iron Rangers and Beckman boots and started wearing them as I did those other boots; with a deliberate break-in schedule even if I felt that I could have worn them longer at a time. Holy cow, what a difference for me! Those Red Wing boots seemed to rather quickly, and not very uncomfortably, form to my feet and became really comfortable and great wearing boots that I deem well worth the effort. I know your experience will in no way be identical to mine. I only share my story because I think the Iron Rangers and even Beckman boots are a great value and are very comfortable after that break-in that is oh so much easier (at least for me) than boots costing 2 - 3 times as much. Hope this may possibly help some. In no way am I trying to disagree with your experience!
Agree 💯 however I had to get them resoled by the time they finally broke in lol. The soles wore very quickly. In a matter of 4 months they were worn flat. And I mow lawns so not really sure why the quick ware.
I agree! Though the iron ranger wasn’t near as bad to break in compared to 608s. Those took a good month to break in, and now they feel like slippers lol
Iron Ranger is a good boot, and I never thought the leather is that thick. They break in great and turn old almost too fast. The only issue I have is foot bed/ sole comfort. Sometimes feels like you are walking on wood especially after the first year. I still love them, great classic boot.
Buy the Red Wing Iron Ranger leather insert and go with a thinner sock. The insert solved the walking on wood feeling for me. Had to go with a thinner sock because the insert takes up a little room but not too much.
I believe docs sit at #3 because this channels viewership has a solid base of hardworking viewers. Lots of us already presumed they were inadequate work boots and never bought them to begin with. If we all bought them to work in it would be much higher on the list
I agree. I wore them in the kitchen. They lasted about a year. Leather cracks, soles crack. Slip-resistance is mediocre (they didn't grip, but they didn't slip out either... there was like a controlled slip to them that was consistent, I'll give them that. I could slide around the kitchen like I was wearing skates).
Went with iron rangers for my first “good” boot and I have no regrets. I would have loved the Nicks Americana but at the time couldn’t justify the cost. Already have had one resole and went with the vibram roccia sole and it honestly improves the boot a ton. I’ll always recommend the iron ranger 👍🏼
Hey Kevin- I found that, too. I have the Roccia sole on my Beckmans, and while i do like the stock Vibram sole, I’ll try the Roccia on them with the resole because I like the look and depth of the sole.
When I was fitted for Builder Pros at Nicks shop I also tried on a pair of Americana’s and that is going to be my next boot purchase. Teton Tan all roughout, honey Vibram soles, and black hardware.
I also started with iron rangers, great boot and definitely a gateway to higher quality boots. At first I thought the 330 price tag was a bit much however I then realized that was a fair price for what you get. Now I have 3 pairs of Nicks boots which are on a completely different realm 😁. If you’re willing to wait 6 months to receive your boots I definitely recommend.
Same here, mine ran almost 600 due to needing a wide, so was 'custom' order. Honestly these are some of the most comfortable footwear I've ever had, tennis shoes included.
My dad has had the same pair of Redwing black smiths for about 50 years, he used them in construction for years, and even got them second hand from an older dude on the site who used them for years, and after all that they only really need fresh soles, and a good cleaning. Maybe if I was wearing through my iron rangers every year or two Nick's would be worth it, but I just can't imagine that being an issue for me, or many other people in the world. Nick's are so overbuilt, I'd want a pair of them for the apocalypse, but short of that they just seem overkill lol.
Whites Perry are the best boots I’ve had in awhile. I liked my 6” ones so much that I bought a pair in 8” for fall/winter. Definitely need thick socks In cold weather as they’re not lined. I really wish whites would put them out with a waterproof liner/goretex option. I’m a plumber so I’m constantly kneeling and climbing in and out of tight spaces. The whites broke in very quickly and flex really well with my feet
Never underestimate the importance of the right pair of socks to making your boots comfortable. Also an extra shoe liner helps so I go half a size up and plan for that and thicker socks
@@SolidGoldHedgehog yes, Dasco and ECCO do good ones and I've also cut my own from good quality leather... they obviously take up space so it can take some tweaking depending on the thickness. I've probably just got difficult but there's no point spending the money if you can't get comfortable
Happy Thanksgiving Carl! This channel has now become among my favorite channels, it is a nice break from the politics of the day. As a Chicagoan and a blue-collar kind of working guy who spends all day on his feet, I must admit I initially thought “ Who is this guy from Connecticut pretending to be a tradesman? Everybody in Connecticut is wealthy!” HOWEVER, after slowly listening to dozens of these videos over the past month while I’m at work, i’ve come to admire and respect how you straddle the two worlds of work and fashion. Most importantly, as I’ve gone through my wardrobe (dress and work) now that I’m in my mid-50s, it’s helped me to consider a more minimalist lifestyle. Obviously for anybody who has attempted, it can be difficult to let go of material possessions. My new mantra is now “Own less but own better”. Thanks!👍💪
“Own less but own better”. I agree with that philosophy. I'm 62 and I know I have too much stuff........ It makes sense that if you own better, you don't need as much. So, to aspire toward minimalism, one needs to definitely focus on quality. A lot of the time, that means made in the USA. Economically, it is always better to keep the money at home. Anyway, this was a good video and comments to show perspective. Be well.
Iron rangers were my first “real” quality boots and I’ve tried a few of the leathers. I love the look of IR and I really like they’re leathers too. The break in wasn’t too bad for a legit boot and once that leather breaks it is nice and soft. My issue with them was the sole and comfort. I had the original cork style soles and standing on them for any length of time got very uncomfortable. I sold all mine and got others. I do like the red wings with a cristy sole quite a bit.
Just got my iron rangers a couple weeks ago for my entrance into heritage boots. Couldn’t be happier, I absolutely love them. I will say there was a marking/scarring on one of the panels of leather on the left boot which sucks but I couldn’t really care less, they’re awesome either way.
The marks and scars make them unique and are a consequence of them being made with full grain leather rather than a leather that's been sanded down and thinned out, or worse yet, synthetic.
"I don't have ALL the boots, right" said just loud enough for the wife to hear. I work in Jim Green hard toe razorbacks and I love em. My only issue is that I work on concrete so they are a little hard underfoot. If they ever made the hard toe in a wedge sole, it would be the best work boot under 200 by a mile in my opinion.
I have a pair of super feet I replaced the insole in my razorbacks and it makes a big difference in terms of stamina. Also I’m going to be experimenting soon with a poron insole to give the boot more bounce; I agree on your comment completely.
@@fortunateson2 you're probably right, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a sub $200 pair of boots for me. When it comes time for a resole, if they are still holding up well, I'll try throwing a wedge on for sure. The lugs are really okay up to 8 hours, but those 12 hour days is where the issue is. I'll start by getting a different insole and see how that goes.
@@betznern no doubt. A proper insole works wonders for the long days. I have overpronation and I'm flat footed so my knees angle inward. My knees and lower back hurt so bad if I don't wear my inserts with arch support. Look for a "The Good Feet Store" near you they will measure your feet and make you a custom insole. They help alleviate all kinds of pain. You'll never look back.
I’ve got two pairs of danners, mountain 600s and the Jack. Love them both. The 600s have been great for hiking and working, the jacks for fashion. Lots of compliments. Had them for 5 years. Still recommend.
Resoling Docs isn’t as hard as it’s made out to be. My cobbler carefully pulled off the already separating outsole (without damaging the welt), glued on a new thin rubber mid sole, and then a Vibram wedge outsole. No big deal. The boots are now 15 years old and nothing comes even close to how comfortable they are for me.
Surprised to see Thursday on this list. I own 4 pairs and been very happy with them. I basically wear Thursday Monday thru Sunday. 🙃 but seriously, I do love my Thursday boots and haven't seen any obvious QC problems.
Nailed it with Thursday; I had a zipper fail on a pair of Stompers after two weeks and other than me having to buy a new box (silly me tossed it....top tip, keep the box) but they replaced them. The "gateway drug" comment is spot on!
I purchased the Whites Perry Moc-Toe right when they were introduced in 2021 and have zero issues. They are super comfortable with very minimal break in, the leather holds up very well and they are still nice enough to somewhat dress up. I have zero complaints with them
I have had a pair of 6" Perry's, I just unboxed my new pair of 8" Perry's about an hour ago. I was pretty surprised to see them on the list, and to see the QC issue photos. No complaints from my house though
The shanks pop in mine every once in a while. It isn't consistent, but it's annoying when it happens. I disagree with you about them being able to be dressed up. I find them to be very ugly and clunky. I wish I had bought Redwing 1907s instead. I'm very happy with the MPs that I have from them, but I just use the Perrys to work around the house now.
Very happy with my whites perry too! Bought for Black Friday and other than the welt stitching being an inconsistent stitch density (which doesn’t bother me) I’m very happy with them.
I love Danners, my dad bought a pair at a B-EX when he was teaching a course in the states, so comfy, got them like 20 years ago and was wearing them yesterday.
I definitely had a rough break in period with my Iron Rangers. I was warned and I still doubted they would become comfortable but they sure did. I absolutely love them. They are super comfortable. Very happy I toughed it out and waited.
absolutely the most uncomfortable boot I own - and it's been 3 years. It's nothing to do with the hard leather - it's because you feel like you're standing on concrete. There's NO cushioning.
I liked my Chippewa loggers alright. I had a cheaper model even than what he showed. They were pretty tough, seemed like good leather compared to a lot of similarly priced boots. To me, the heel and arch were comfortable. The main thing was that I worked on concrete then, and there just wasn't enough cushion in them. When I wore them in the woods, they were great, but that was rare because I got them as steel toes.
Got my first US-made Chippewas around 1991 at an Army Navy store in Peekskill, NY. Best boots (Red dog unlined 6" low-heel loggers) I'd purchased up to that point, better than Timberlands. A great summer boot and good in winter too with the right socks. A buddy resoled them for me once some years ago and I still have them, though obviously not what they once were. They were fantastic boots. Have had other Chippewas over the years, only US-made models, all decent and comfortable in the right work applications. Now they stopped making any US boots and the quality has diminished. Too bad b/c at their price point, they were not a bad boot back in the day, imo.
I find a lot of boots just need new or better insoles, The ones that come with the Chippewa loggers are ok but I usually change then after six months or so to better ones. Too bad they no longer make them at least in the US.
I bought a pair of Danner super rainforest 200 thinsulate boots. I got them on sale last year for $320. I have zero regrets. Awesome boot. Overall money well spent. ✌️😁👍
I’ve had a pair of Chippewa Odessas for about 8 years or so. They’re slightly narrow, but have worn in well and seem to have several more years in them. I’ve long since replaced the insole with an antimicrobial ski-boot insole with perfect arch support for me.
Awesome video... everything you said was spot on..my "gateway" boot was my Thursday Captains. Then I moved to the RedWing Iron Rangers. I loved these boots and they made me want more lol. Then Oakstreet Bootmakers which I had to get re-soled because they don't use cork...some filler board crap. Then i said screw all these problems and went to the big leagues. Nick's boots really changed the game for me. I have 3 pairs..they are built like freaking tanks and I've never worn anything better in my life. As i type this I'm wearing my newly aquired Nick's MTO with this crazy Wickett & Craig Oil Tanned Latigo leather which is beautiful. And now I wanna up my game again and try those Kerosote boots I've heard you talk about..i wanted to try Role Club but I've heard terrible things about customer service...forgot who you are...weeks to respond etc,and he charges 1500 to put a rush on your boots...this leaves a bad taste and feels shady to me. Anyways your the best Carl...love your videos and knowledge.
I love your explanation about use outside of design. My son decided he needed ariat cowboy boots because his friends at school called him homeless for always wearing tennis shoes. He regretted the purchase the first time we sorted cows and he had to run, jump, and climb in them. That is when he learned that the other kids at school don't have to chase livestock.
@@rondejean7668 I grew up on a farm in the north of Australia (it was bigger than most states on the US East Coast) Only time we used boots was for horse or 4x4 quaddies......for actual livestock work we wore jungle boots cause they were *Lightweight *Dry out incredibly fast in the wet *Didn't slide and slide cause they lace up *Didn't cause blisters *Grit and gravel didn't get in the boot *You could actually run in them unlike cowboy boots Really the only good thing about cowboy boots is they protected your legs from shit like bitu bush and other stinging plants when your riding through scrub
Growing up on 160 acres in northeastern Oregon we wore boots, irrigation boots, hiking boots, PNW wild land fire boots, western boots, etc. but for chasing cows old running shoes or light hikers all day.
Look ar Nick's or White's or Frank's. They cost $500-$800. Look at how they're made. Top quality leather, top quality construction. Bomb proof construction. If you work in your feet, you'll be glad you spent the money on them. In fact buy 2 pairs so you can rotate and let them air out and last longer. Yes, I'm a retired lawyer. I've worn $500-$600 Brooks Brothers (made by Aldens) and Allen Edmunds tasseled loafers and Brooks Brothers suits. I don't work on my feet but I can appreciate how important good boots are.
For construction workers who need quality boots which will last instead of having to buy new boots every 6 months to a year. Higher upfront, but longer lasting and long term comfort
@@Squids_Vlogs most mexicans and wannabe cowboys wear those 😂 And I work with some cheap boots i got on the fly and will invest on something good later on
Ive never worn Chippewa loggers, but have worn Chippewa boots as an leo for just over 20 years and love them. I will take em over Bates, Thorogood, Matterhorn, Danner any day of the week. More comfortable and polish up better than any of the others
If possible in your area, go to a shoe store that carries Alden. These stores tend to be staffed professionals and will size you properly. I have a thinner (C) low volume foot. The folks at Sherman's in Philly recommend a size that would take 16 weeks to get but this make up of the Indy is $649 so it's worth waiting and getting the proper fit. Bought three Allen's this way and they are super comfortable.
I'm a plumber. I've been wearing my super rainforests everyday for a couple months shy of four years now. Can't imagine being much happier with a boot. I treat the leather once a month with Hubbard's shoe grease. Seems like a pretty decent value to me.
Other than the tough break-in, I've had no issues with my White's Perry boots. And they are around $300, not $600. I had a pair of Thursdays Cavaliers that squeaked so badly I ended up throwing them out. Unfortunately I wore them too long to return them. I also have a pair of Diplomats, which squeak a little, but nowhere near as bad. I love my Iron Rangers. After two weeks of break-in, they are very comfortable.
I have 2 pairs of Thursday Boots captains and i love them. My only problem was with the size not being consistent. My older pair are 12.5 and my new pair are size 12 and they are the same size. I had to do an exchange on the new pair that was 12.5 because it was bigger than my older 12.5 . The exchange was fast and easy and im very happy with the 12s they fit great. I will definitely buy more boots from them.
At least they feel like the same size. I got some yesterday and both are marked as same size/batch but left foot is snug but the right foot feels half size larger, loose all around lol.
@@AbrahamsYTC your feet are probably different sizes, i know my feet are. when you are fitted for mass manufactured boots, it's always a compromise (usually the smaller foot gets upsized). see if you can get sized on a brannock device, and do it for both feet, i bet you will find that your right foot is smaller than your left foot.
I have a pair of Danner Rainforest boots. Got them for $400. Less than Nick’s, Frank’s, JK’s, etc. by about$150 to $200. They are tanks, and I feel I got my money’s worth after having them now for eight years and still going strong. Even at full price, they are cheaper than a lot of the other northwest brands and I’m sure they will last just as long.
Good video. I guess I’m a newcomer to boots because after talking to several friends, I went with the redwing iron rangers. It took a good 10 or 20 miles on them to break them in but now they’re really comfortable and I don’t even realize I’m wearing boots. I live in Minnesota, and I will admit, they are more slippery on ice than other boots that have a softer tread. Everybody’s different, but I sure like my iron rangers!
I'm really happy with my Jim green African rangers, I usually wear pretty minimalist footwear so the wide toe box is essential for me. Every other boot I've tried has been too narrow and pinched my toes, and EE boots are always loose across my heel, which is pretty narrow.
I know that feeling.......most Americans seem to have narrow toes or something I swear 😂 In Danner I normally take a 2E for my toes to feel comfortable but my ankle bounces around like a dodgem car
I chose Iron Rangers as my first leather boots. Mainly due to their look and availability in the UK. Did nearly give up on them trying to break them in as I am used to fabric hiking boots that do not need it. However they are now fine to wear and getting better all the time.
I'm thinking of buying a pair, same thing I'm used to the softer fabric, so slightly concerned, I have zamberlan walking boots which needed a lot of breaking in, but anyways I think I will go for the rangers, thx.
Bought a pair of Red Wing 1907 and the break in was REALLY tough. I saw somewhere that it took 20 to 30 wears before they felt good. I stuck it out and suffered through a HUGE blister. They have broken in finally and I really enjoy them.
The Danner Quary boot, is the best boot I’ve ever owned, I got the rain Forrest for fathersday on sale, didn’t like them to heavy, stoped wearing them, maybe if I work 8 hrs, I was working 12, it was just to much,thanks for all your videos👍
I never cease to be amazed at people that expect $700 boots for a $200-$300 price tag. Thursday (casual), Chippewa (work) and Jim Green (hiking) are what they are - decent entry level boots. If you buy a pair of Thursday Captains expecting them to be comparable to Wesco or Nicks, the fault lies with the buyer not the seller.
For what it’s worth, my whites Perry boots had a few QC issues, nothing major though. However, after wearing them daily for over a year, I absolutely love them. IMO they are a great value.
About the White's Perry. The first 8 or 9 months or so of that release was a disaster. I think white's was using novice bootmakers for these in order to keep the price down and they had a lot of kinks to work out with the construction and design. I have a pair in red dog and they're fantastic. Up to par with my MPs for build quality and attention to detail, but they were built in September of 2022, after white's got things ironed out and switched to the vibram sole. So to white's credit it seems like they heard everyones complaints and actually addressed them.
Gotta say about Docs, they aren't the best but they are still super comfortable. I like the Crazy Horse leather better than their black. I bought some after a foot injury this year because I couldn't stomach a typical orthopedic shoe. They have helped me a ton. I can tell they aren't on par with some of my other boots, but that air wair sole is still on point.
My Docs I bought in early 2000s, Crazy Horse Leather, just as you mentioned, both the boot and the oxford shoe - only two weeks ago I replaced them despite wearing each on a regular basis to the point that you could see the yellow from the inner sole. Granted mine were made in England, I think Docs get a bad rap although the lack of a shank inside really is a bummer.
I don’t regret my first Thursday boot since it introduced me to the boot world but I regret my second pair. The second pair had a completely different last and when I got the same size, they were too tight. I was younger back then so I convinced myself they would stretch out but they didn’t, had to give them to my brother. My first pair of Thursdays have gone completely flat and I just keep them for sentimental reasons, but I haven’t worn them in years.
What brand do you reccomend that have looks of president or captain, I need to buy first boots, but I would like some with good quality and not too expensive (max for 350 USD, maybe 400if its realy much better)?
@@stefanjovanovic5651 check out grant stone diesel or Edward boot since they are currently having a Black Friday sale. I have 3 pairs from them and love them
Thursdays QC was a joke! I also think the Iron Ranger was number one is because they only go up to EE. I’m not a big dude but for some reason I’m an F width and FF in my left foot! Wish I could fit in 😣😅
Agree with everything said about the Iron Ranger. Feels like I’ll never be able to to break them in and the D width that I have seems like a C or even B width. I should’ve gotten them in an E. Plus the hard leather insole has yet to soften up and mold to my feet. I do like the looks however and the leather is great as well as the stitching. The other boot I can’t wear is my Diemme hikers. The stitch down construction makes the toe box way too low so thick winter socks is not an option with these. They are nice looking boots though.
Hi Carl, just want to say thank you, and that I’m grateful for your Chanel! It’s helped out a lot for choosing the right gear for work! I hope you have a great thanksgiving!
About a month ago, I purchased a pair of Thursdays Captain Boots in Brandy after researching and reading reviews from others who have owned them for 1 to 5 years. The opinions varied but overall, from what I read or viewed on UA-cam was reasonably positive, primarily due to their moderate price point. Being a retired Army veteran, I know how to take care of footwear, so I know I had to remove surface dust and moisturize them; I used Black Rock for this purpose and then treated them with Torrago shoe cream (better than KIWI) with a brush shine and massaged them with a cloth diaper as I have done in the military. I repeated this process with shoe cream 4 times before wearing them. I always keep them in a cedar boot shoe tree when not wearing them. Using shoe trees is vital for all leather shoes or boots. This is my opinion, as there are other thoughts out there. If you want any shoe/boot product to last, you must maintain them similarly to what I mentioned. After one month (not a long time), I have been relatively impressed and am still looking for any of the issues you said in the video. Please keep in mind that I have been wearing boots since 1983 when I entered the US Army, and base my opinion partially on this. I plan to purchase another pair later next year but probably in Brown. Everyone needs to research before investing in any shoe company and base decisions on their findings. I did mine and was happy with my decision; along with purchasing the Thursday Boots, I also bought their boot shoe trees and a matching belt. :)
Why is it that no matter where you go on the internet (it could be a review about a banana), if someone was in the army they feel the need to drop that in somewhere.
The flaw with this video is that the more popular a boot is, aka a redwing and Thursday, the more complaints there are going to be. The numbers are going to be the highest for both the positive and negative.
I love my Thursday captain boots, and they're really comfortable after I broke them in. I did order a half size down and I'd say mine are perfect. I haven't bothered to buy any other pairs of boots yet as I just drive a desk for work so they only get worn to the office and back.
I highly suggest Oliver Sweeney boots. They are based out of the UK and are awesome. I have purchased five pairs of boots in 4 different styles -- one was Goodyear Welted and 4 were Blake stitched. They offer free shipping & returns to the U.S. too. Be aware I think they run a bit small. I typically wear a 10 or even 10.5 in most shoes but with OS a 9.5 U.S. (8.5 UK) fits great. With their Goodyear welted options running a bit bigger than the blake stitched.
I remember getting both the thursday Captains and some Iron rangers within 3 months of eachother and disliking both. I ended up realizing I want boots/shoes for a specific purpose and with how "versatile" both were I never felt completely happy with either. I'd never wear my thursday's to work, but I'd hate being at a family function in my redwings. Just get boots/shoes you'll love for most occasions never have it be "passable"
I bought my first pair of White’s Smokejumpers (8”) back in 1979. I drove 2.5 days to Spokane from Central California. 32 years later & 2.5 rebuilds later I auctioned them off for $75. I think someone is still wearing them!
I purchased a pair of Jim Green boots based on recommendations, I got a size 10 African Ranger, they were very narrow mid foot but wide at the toe like clown shoes.
I don’t find my two pairs of razorbacks narrow in the midsole. I have two pairs. They are pretty wide midsole. You must have crazy wide feet. Are they wider than 4E?
My first legit pair of boots were redwings, And I love them even now. The lady at the store helped me tremendously to find a boot that suited my needs AND fit my foot perfectly for breaking in. Even got an insole for free that was better for my feet than the stock one from them. Since that experience I've always went to the redwing store and met up with that same lady any time I wanted to blow money on another pair of boots Lol
I’ve worked in the car business for years and if there’s one thing we all know, its that you can find an army of people that hate every brand for every reason.
Love my Iron Rangers, had them for 2 years now, had no break in problems, wear them to work and have been hiking in the Grand Canyon and Sicily with them. No issues at all, absolutely solid.
I sadly ended up with the Caterpillar Reabsorption WP boots. They broke in quickly, may have been waterproof, looked great, and were plenty comfy for 10-hour Amazon Warehouse shifts. Sadly, they lived up to their name. They do not breathe at all. Despite great, wicking wool socks, my foot was soaked each day after work, even when I could dry them out thoroughly. It is so sad! They are perfect in every other way.
I got a pair of the Loggers and it was the first pair of shoes that required a serious break in. Part of that was the narrow toe box - pinched my feet in a couple of spots and didn't leave enough room to wiggle my toes (The same model a half size larger left my heel to wiggle too much without cranking the laces all the way down). I wasn't familiar with breaking in shoes, so I just kept at it and eventually the leather stretched and softened to the point where they're fairly comfortable. Wouldn't be what I'd pick to go for a walk, but if I want my feet to look great I'm fine with wearing them through normal-day stuff.
I love my Red Wing Iron Rangers. They do need breaking in though. My two pairs of Jim Green African Rangers are wonderful, great value in a boot that will take all you can throw at them. My Tecovas Cartwright in scotch goat are a bit uncomfortable but they are cowboy boots and I mainly wear them to outdoor events and not to work. Enjoy your channel and influence. Keep up the good work.
Great video! Boots are definitely a subject that's hard to quantify as far as "best" and "worst", just because of how subjective the criteria are for making those decisions. Personally, my Jim Greens and my Thursdays are my favorite shoes that I own. In fact, I'm wearing my Thursday Captains as I type this! Though I can definitely see why someone else wouldn't like them as much, or even dislike them. I think a lot of people enter the boot scene having worn sneakers their whole lives, and of course, any solidly constructed leather boot is going to be a far cry from the comfort of a good pair of sneakers. This will, of course, skew the ratings of popular entry-level boots.
Chippewa was my biggest regret! It was my first work boot and did a lot of research. I wanted American made and it was the most affordable one so I winged it and bought them on sale online. But they were the narrowest boots I ever worn. On the other hand, I got a pair of Wolverine Rideline Xtreme hunting boots for $75 at Gabes and they held up 5 years with moderate/heavy use
You nailed it on the Iron Rangers. Mine are 10 years old and are give me the best foot hugs out of any of my current boots. Chippewa I'm not surprised to be on there, I used to like them but you can't get a US made boot anymore (or so my local retailer tells me). Pretty sad, considering they were ubiquitous with the construction tradesman around me. I've taken the dive into the PNW boots and ordered a set of Nicks. I'd like to see you review a pair of JK boots because I like the story behind their company, but there isn't nearly the same volume of content available on their brand.
I've worn logger boots for a large part of my career doing a lot of standing on concrete floors. I've got two pair of Chippewa boots just like the ones shown. They work perfectly for me with no break-in required but you have to try on the very same boots you will be wearing. I wear 11W and the first pair fit like a glove from the start. The next pair of 11Ws was too tight, tried the 11 1/2W and they fit exactly like the first pair of 11W. The original pair was not worn all that much so I can't say they had stretched or anything like that. Don't know if anyone else has noticed this but sizes have gone up. I'm the same weight and foot size but I'm now wearing a whole size bigger. I can go back to boots I've owned for 30 years that still fit perfectly that are a whole size smaller. Some of these are not worn or stretched so something else is up with that.
I got a pair of Vietnam made docs and they're honestly not bad, and I own redwing mocs. Granted I bought the crazy horse leather, so the leather quality is better and no plastic coating to worry cracking. The only problem I had with them is that one time I pushed them a little too hard on a hike that I didn't expect to be so hard and the insoles ripped, so i ripped them out and replaced them with Superfeet insoles and they're even better for it. Those docs are pretty versatile style wise and are super comfy with the Superfeets in them. I use them mainly as beater boots/when I want to wear a brown plain toe boot. I'd rate them 6.7/10 for quality only because I can't resole them (you can but its not easy/cheap to do it) and the leather is ok but certainly no where near the best, even in my small collection. comfort rating now is 7.4/10, before the insole id say like a 5.4/10. I only have one other boot that uses a soft insole, instead of a hard leather, and this one is the most comfortable; granted, this is because they are really broken in and the other ones need to be broken in.
Same here, I’ve had a pair of crazy horse hiking docs for 15 years. The original insoles came out day one for something thicker, and up until a few years ago, I never had to do anything to them. Never even thought about leather care. The melted on outsole did start to separate, so I found a cobbler that was able to resole them, and he put a soft Vibram wedge on.
@@MrAndrewClaycomb very nice, I've personally conditioned mine but its cool to see that not conditioning still works out well. I like the darker color that they have now, they look almost nothing like how they started.
I'm 63 and still have my knee high docs (circa 1979). I wore my 1640 oxbloods to Thanksgiving dinner, having refurbished them with razor blade/ sandpaper/ and Saphir Hermes red polish. Been wearing the Chelsea boots on a cement floor at work for two years now, still very comfortable. Of course, insoles are a must. But i still use the wool mop/ saphir black/ and horse hair brush on them periodically. If you wear them out, just toss them and buy another pair! 40+ yrs happy with Docs myself!
lol Carl you're the reason I tried Jim Green. Your video sold me on the value. I now have several pairs of their boots. I hike about 20 miles a week in my razorbacks they're the best hiking boot ever.
Thursday was my vote. I bought a "limited edition" set of Vanguards in Color 8 Chromexcel, but they were way too expensive for the quality ($425 back in ~2016). No arch support, and definitely had the issue of the insole going flat after minimal usage. Learned a lesson about not paying for a premium version of a cheaper product, since it was the same construction as the $200 ones, just with nicer leather.
Jim Greens get sooo much better with replacing stock insole with something more squishy. Best part is, since being on the wider side, even much thicker (softer under foot) third party insoles fit without any issues
Cool video! For anyone looking at Jim Green Razorbacks... I bought a pair a couple years ago and they were uncomfortable out of the box. They were bad for a couple weeks but once they broke in they were a decent rugged boot! I decided this year to try Alico Summits made in Italy. For around the same price as the razorbacks, I would say go for the Alicos instead! I've had them on for 7 months or so now almost everyday and they have held up great! Very comfortable and rugged. Stay away from danners. I had two great pairs back in the 2011-2015 period and they were good. The third pair I bought were garbage. Probably due to outsourcing a lot of their manufacturing. Just my thoughts.
Great job on this video. I have several boots (Chippewa steel toe - not loggers, Frye harness, and Red Wing Iron Rangers) you reviewed and agree with your assessment. Really like the look of some of them (which is why I purchased them), but some of them are not very comfortable, as you pointed out. If you're a cowboy boot wearer, I'd be interested in a video regarding your perspective about what brands you like or dislike. I've sort of moved away from my lace up boots and now primarily only wear cowboy style boots. Thank you.
I pretty much exclusively wear boots, I have since I was a kid. I am 47 now and my favorite boots are Danner Mountain Lights, Danner Arcadia, Ariat work boots and Carolina Boot wellingtons.
This channel introduced me to Nick's boots back in HS, when I could barely afford Thursdays. Now I've been wearing my Nick's Packers for 3 years straight, everyday. In a few months they will need resoling. Thanks for the content.
Nicks are awesome good customer service and they are American owned still I won't even consider whites not American owned and cost more for less quality than nicks boots
I wear Carolinas with a composite for and shank. Water proof and non conductive. They are 4E. Yes I have flippers. They last and are comfortable. I wreck the insoles but that is just my weight and job.
I own both of the top two boots on your list and absolutely love both of them. I think that they must be that high because of their popularity and sheer volume of sales. The number of people who own a pair of Thursday Boots is vastly higher than those who own Whites Boots. I got my Thursdays (waxed cacao loggers) not as my first pair of boots, but as my first pair of Horween Waxed Flesh boots. They are a good option without spending $200-300 more for Truman’s/nicks/whites. These are actually my 8th pair in rotation, and I wear them more often than a lot of others. They aren’t work boots. I can’t emphasize that enough. You shouldn’t be doing line work or logging with Thursday loggers. With my pair, there were no defects out of the box, the insoles have held up very well without flattening out over 8 months so far, the leather heel stack is holding up well. The horween waxed flesh ages beautifully. I did end up getting some modifications done to them though… I added speed hooks to the top few eyelets of each boot and replaced thursdays super thin heel cap with a thicker vibram one that matches the vibram sole better. I’ve got almost no complaints about fit. They are comfy out of the box and, while the toe cap isn’t very roomy, that’s an aesthetic decision. My one gripe is that the majority of their models don’t have wide sizes. My redwing iron rangers are another favorite. I had great discomfort from mis-sizing my first pair. The RW store I got them at recommended 8.5D for my 9.5EE and 10E feet, and to this day I can’t wear them for longer than 5-6hrs. These were my first pair of boots. They weren’t returnable since I wore them a few times thinking they’d “break in”. I later found out that they offer 2E widths of the Iron Rangers and decided to try on a 9 2E size at another store. The fit was perfect. I picked these up and wear them 3-4 days a week. Way more often than others in my collection. Break in is tough, the soles will feel like marble at first which really makes your feet sore. You might get blisters from stiff uppers. These things are an absolute privilege to wear if you can make it through that though. The soles mold to the shape of your feet, as well as the uppers, and it gives a very custom fit. It’s not something you get with comfy out of the box boots that use tons of foam and insulation. My main gripe with red wing has been their QC. both pairs of my IRs have had defects out of the box. On my wide pair, the right toe cap is crooked. It’s as if they used a left toe cap on both boots. On my other pair, the sanding job was subpar. The layers of the sole are not flush. These might be minor and purely visual, but redwing quality is slipping. My toe cap issue is severe enough that the boots should’ve easily been sold as seconds, but they weren’t. The worst part is that the RW community will say to put up with defects since they’re made by hand, but that’s just enabling RW to get away with more shoddy craftsmanship. My toe cap issue isn’t something that’s easily repaired by a cobbler. Some stuff (loose threads, welt gaps, etc) is excusable and can be fixed, but misaligned parts and severely asymmetrical boots shouldn’t even leave the factory. Even if they’re hand made, there’s a certain standard of quality that people expect at $350.
I have work boots that I get knowing they'll be totally destroyed due to the type of work I do. I've recently gotten into leather boots for concerts, casual wear, and part of my daily style outside of work. I have a wedding coming up and got the Thursday Boots wingtip. Broke them in in about a week, came in perfect condition and I absolutely love them. I'm excited to buy more from them.
I got to say the best loggers ever made ( and I own lots of them) are the now discontinued Double H dh9760 . Absolutely the most comfortable, warm, well built and good looking boot. I own 8 pairs of loggers ( yes i have no idea why😅).. i wish Double H would bring these back cause i would pay $$ for them.
Love my Danner Mountain 600’s, got them on sale for $130. Can’t beat it, they look great, feel nice, quality, awesome tread on the bottom. This year I grabbed a pair of Oboz, they have a stiff insole but do feel quality, keep the feed warm and stable. Toe box is a little narrow but overall they are real nice too.
Danner Bull Runs were a pure waste of money for me. Caused so much arch and toe pain I think I was able to wear them to work twice. I also didn't like my Iron Rangers. The soles are too thin and hard to do any real walking on concrete.
Electrician in Ga. here...on my 3rd pair of Wolverine Durashocks.been getting 2 to 3yrs out of them...thinking of trying out a slip on style next maybe...thanks for the info and enjoying the channel 👍
All you have to do to the Great Jim Green boot is Buy Good insoles? And wear good socks like Darn Tough boot socks. Seriously amateur if you don't realize this, with most boots
The Jim Green Razorback is one of the best boots for a wide I have ever owned. Superfeet trail insole and good to go. I love ‘‘em but my wife teases me because they take a minute to lace up.
I own 5 pairs of Thursday boots. The Captains boots are so very comfortable. On one of my Rugged and Resilient Captain boots outer soul started to come off at the toe. They just replaced that pair. With excellent customer service, comfort and great looks Thursday boots are a great value.
What customer service? They wouldn't let me return my boots after taking them out of the bag to try them on. They aren't comfortable at all compared to an actually nice pair of boots like Chisos. Total Waste of $200.
I've wore Chippewa logger boots for many years now and after they break in they are very comfortable boots that last a long time even with a lot of abuse, unfortunately they stopped making them in the US a couple years ago and I will not wear Chinese made boots or any non-US made boot. About thirty years ago I wore Red Wing loggers and they were ok but no better than Chippewa and they were more expensive so I switched and never looked back. Because US made Chippewa boots are no longer made and my last pair finally gave up I am trying Thorogood loggers, so far easy break-in and they are comfortable but time will tell how well they hold up, I did add an insole though, the ones that came with it are too hard but that is an easy and cheap fix. I think a lot of complaints are because people expect a boot to be comfortable from day one and thick leather just takes time to break in but once it does it is custom fit to your feet and no other footwear in the world will feel as comfortable for standing and walking all day long .
I have the razorbacks and the perrys. The razorbacks are very hard underfoot and the shallow toe box makes them hard to wear with a nicer insole but i still like them a lot for outdoor activities. My perrys are much more comfortable and fit quite well. I would have probably gotten red wing mocs or iron rangers but they dont have a 12 1/2 size. they say to go a half size down and stop half sizes after 12. The 12 was too small and they didnt have a 13 to try but the store worker said it would definitely be a bad fit. Im not completely convinced they were right but my whites are great.
All Red Wings require a break-in period, a little more so than other brands, but my Iron Rangers were tough as hell and uncomfortable. Once I wore them some and stretched the leather out a bit, I installed some Red Wing leather insoles and now they feel great. I have other boots with no cushioned insoles, just leather beds that form to your feet, but Iron Rangers are hard as rocks. So glad I fixed them.
I have 6 different pairs of Thursday boots and they are all great quality and have held up extremely well. I've never had a bad product come in from Thursday, even the one pair of factory seconds dress shoes I got were great and I couldn't find the issue on them to be considered factory seconds. I've also met zero people or seen people talk about how displeased they are with Thursday boots. The value/quality you get is hard to beat. Are there much better products, absolutely, but they come with much higher price tags usually.
I’ve had my Iron Rangers in Copper for about a year now. Love the leather, the quality and the look. What I don’t like is that the sole is very hard rubber, I believe the term is high durometer. It has very little cushion to it and gets worse as it gets colder. I understand they are not hiking boots and made to be durable, but I may have to give them up because I need a more ‘gummy’ sole with some cushion. Also this could be mitigated a bit by the use of an insole, but these boots aren’t really made to use them. I’m shopping for my next boot :(
The whites 55 last fit me so well, there was no break in. Day 1 was 14 hours and my feet felt great. By the end of the first week I realized I made the right choice for sure.
I am wearing a pair of Jim Green ranger boots right now. They have the same sort of wide and low toe box as the Razorback. I love them. This is the pair of boots I have been seeking for years.
Thursday uses a film on their distressed grey commander boot. I've peeled it to reveal cheap khaki colored leather. So that model is not hand colored. It's just a film.
Best boots I have found are Red Wing 2414. They are safely to, water proof but no thermal insulation, 4 eyelets with 4 speed lace eyelets/ hooks . Only bad thing is the heel can't be replaced and with the way I walk I wear the heels down at an angle. I buy seconds at an outlet store. Only thing I notice is the color my be off some but fit well. Last I bought were $139.00 so I bought 5 pair. Worst boots were Rocky cornstalkers. Haven't tried Rocky since. Those boots were like wearing a bag of rocks . Next worse were wolverines. They always give me a blister under my heel callus.
I just got my first ‘high end’ boot in a red wing blacksmith. I found the break in pretty effortless to be honest. But after a lifetime of running shoes and steel toes they are just different. Way more comfortable than most if my steel toes and maybe the most comfortable footwear I’ve ever owned after break in. They have me hooked.
The first time in germany i try to put an US12 Iron Ranger on my feet, it was silly, but then i discover the "E2" in size and after that, i have to say that i'm loving them
Thanks for the mention and kind words on our company Carl. Being fairly new to the US market we read and take all feedback seriously as we establish that side, so this video is very helpful. There's no denying that the Razorback is a beast of a boot and can be hard on some feet, here in South Africa this is needed but in the US with them being used a lot more on concrete and flat surfaces there is a call for added comfort. We do not want to reduce the sole shore hardness as that has a direct impact on durability, so come 2023 we will start to roll out comfort stock insoles with a lower thickness in the toe area to assist those wearing thicker socks (hopefully available by May 2023). Then due to the success of our wedge sole on the African Ranger and the comfort it generates, we now carry our Razorback in the wedge sole option as a stock item. There has been great feed back on this so far so hopefully an option for those not needing the ruggedness of our lug option. Thanks again for all your support, it has been much appreciated since our first pair landed that side.
I love my Jim Green boots for the exact reason Carl does. I have the African Ranger and Vellies. I'll have to try the Razorbacks next.
I love my vellies, I have several pair now. Thanks for doing what you do there at Jim Green, I actually feel good about giving my money to you guys.
I have a pair of razorback that when I got them they were uncomfortable, a higher quality insole helped with comfort but I was just about to put a wedge sole on it myself when I discovered you now make razor backs in a wedge sole style, they are on my list to try out but I’m waiting for a sale price like you did with the regular razorbacks.
The only thing about my Razorbacks that I don’t care for is the width of the toe box. I find it entirely too large and the boots look somewhat comical. Thankfully they’re workwear and they don’t have to look good to function perfectly.
@@garenosborn vellies are a great everyday option, we working on a new more stylish Vellie for summer 2023 which will soon be released. Thanks for the support too
Hey, we appreciate the feedback and are sorry to hear about customers facing QC issues! We take the quality and construction of our boots seriously and are constantly working to improve.
I have 3 pair of your boots and all have been excellent. Not perfect but truly exceptional value. I recommend them to a lot of people
I had to exchange my casa motos twice due to splitting heel blocks. The ones i settled on have drips of stain on random places. I hope the QC gets improved before i do pull the trigger on some captains.
@Rick N. I waited three years to pull the trigger on a pair of Thursday boots. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw that. I will say their customer service is definitely above average. They should get back to you eventually and set you up to the best that their quality will allow.
Your boots are absolutely okay. They used to be great. But shit happens and real life comes into play. Responding to a superficial review with whatever "poll" this youtuber came up with doesn't do you any favors. Stop the simping to weak footed hoi polloi. Not a good look.
I'd love to get a pair of the logger boots but the sizing stops short of my size. It's a shame because I was dead set on a pair and now I'll be trying on a pair of iron rangers. I know the captain boot is a similar option but I want the thicker materials and us build offered by the loggers. Someday I'll have a pair of your shoes or boots as you have some of the nicest styles I've seen and they seem to offer great value but I want something I can wear in nearly any situation and the better materials of the logger was a huge draw. I have to shoutout to rose anvil for his breakdown. He made me aware and interested in what goes into footwear and the fact that you get so much mention and praise left an impact.
Nice job explaining the criticism while balancing that with positive commentary on the companies. A very welcome approach. I’ve been aware of your channel for some time, first video I’ve watched, and it deserves a subscribe and like. Nice work.
Thank you very much!
Red Wing is the hardest boot to break in that I've ever experienced, but once that break in is done, oh man, what a boot
Had to scroll way to long to find this. All of my RW boots took forever to break in (my iron rangers were the worst) but I LOVE them now
I apologize in advance because I cannot seem to find the correct words as to not come across as discounting your experience, which I promise I am not. I had a sports related spinal injury decades ago that causes my feet to be overly sensitive which is why I finally began buying higher quality boots about a decade ago, so I definitely understand painful break ins.
Red Wing Iron Rangers and Beckman were my choice, with the Beckman being considerably tougher to break in. I then migrated to Nick’s, Wesco and White’s for my Pacific Northwest habit. I picked particularly heavy leathers and very durable models within those, with only the White’s boots really disappointing. I then felt the need for some Vibergs to go all the way to Canada. Anyway, having spent that much on those boots I was darn set on breaking in those puppies come hell or high water! I created a set break-in schedule and did not deviate from that schedule any and it worked!
Having finally been successful at breaking in those rather heavily built boots ended up fantastic for me (except for the White’s - I am still disappointed there), so I went back to my Iron Rangers and Beckman boots and started wearing them as I did those other boots; with a deliberate break-in schedule even if I felt that I could have worn them longer at a time. Holy cow, what a difference for me! Those Red Wing boots seemed to rather quickly, and not very uncomfortably, form to my feet and became really comfortable and great wearing boots that I deem well worth the effort. I know your experience will in no way be identical to mine. I only share my story because I think the Iron Rangers and even Beckman boots are a great value and are very comfortable after that break-in that is oh so much easier (at least for me) than boots costing 2 - 3 times as much. Hope this may possibly help some. In no way am I trying to disagree with your experience!
Agree 💯 however I had to get them resoled by the time they finally broke in lol. The soles wore very quickly. In a matter of 4 months they were worn flat. And I mow lawns so not really sure why the quick ware.
I agree! Though the iron ranger wasn’t near as bad to break in compared to 608s. Those took a good month to break in, and now they feel like slippers lol
Red Wing got nothing on Belleville military boots 😖
Iron Ranger is a good boot, and I never thought the leather is that thick. They break in great and turn old almost too fast. The only issue I have is foot bed/ sole comfort. Sometimes feels like you are walking on wood especially after the first year. I still love them, great classic boot.
Buy the Red Wing Iron Ranger leather insert and go with a thinner sock. The insert solved the walking on wood feeling for me. Had to go with a thinner sock because the insert takes up a little room but not too much.
Pretty sure he means thick compared to a sneaker or dress shoe.
I believe docs sit at #3 because this channels viewership has a solid base of hardworking viewers. Lots of us already presumed they were inadequate work boots and never bought them to begin with. If we all bought them to work in it would be much higher on the list
Solovairs are better. They are like the old English Docs. The main problem is the price and they aren't cheap.
@@thursoberwick1948 Fully agree. Bought a pair of Urban Hikers from Solovair last year and I absolutely love them!!
I agree. I wore them in the kitchen. They lasted about a year. Leather cracks, soles crack. Slip-resistance is mediocre (they didn't grip, but they didn't slip out either... there was like a controlled slip to them that was consistent, I'll give them that. I could slide around the kitchen like I was wearing skates).
Went with iron rangers for my first “good” boot and I have no regrets. I would have loved the Nicks Americana but at the time couldn’t justify the cost. Already have had one resole and went with the vibram roccia sole and it honestly improves the boot a ton. I’ll always recommend the iron ranger 👍🏼
Hey Kevin- I found that, too. I have the Roccia sole on my Beckmans, and while i do like the stock Vibram sole, I’ll try the Roccia on them with the resole because I like the look and depth of the sole.
When I was fitted for Builder Pros at Nicks shop I also tried on a pair of Americana’s and that is going to be my next boot purchase. Teton Tan all roughout, honey Vibram soles, and black hardware.
Did you get a midsole added too?
I also started with iron rangers, great boot and definitely a gateway to higher quality boots. At first I thought the 330 price tag was a bit much however I then realized that was a fair price for what you get. Now I have 3 pairs of Nicks boots which are on a completely different realm 😁. If you’re willing to wait 6 months to receive your boots I definitely recommend.
Same here, mine ran almost 600 due to needing a wide, so was 'custom' order. Honestly these are some of the most comfortable footwear I've ever had, tennis shoes included.
Gateway boots? Are you serious?
My dad has had the same pair of Redwing black smiths for about 50 years, he used them in construction for years, and even got them second hand from an older dude on the site who used them for years, and after all that they only really need fresh soles, and a good cleaning. Maybe if I was wearing through my iron rangers every year or two Nick's would be worth it, but I just can't imagine that being an issue for me, or many other people in the world. Nick's are so overbuilt, I'd want a pair of them for the apocalypse, but short of that they just seem overkill lol.
@@tombrennan6312 redwings are gateway boots......
Like a Cooper A2 jacket is a gateway jacket to GoodWear or Real McCoy horsehide A2 models
@@CamTheKid If you aren't wearing through an iron ranger in two years are you even doing boot things?
Whites Perry are the best boots I’ve had in awhile. I liked my 6” ones so much that I bought a pair in 8” for fall/winter. Definitely need thick socks In cold weather as they’re not lined. I really wish whites would put them out with a waterproof liner/goretex option. I’m a plumber so I’m constantly kneeling and climbing in and out of tight spaces. The whites broke in very quickly and flex really well with my feet
Never underestimate the importance of the right pair of socks to making your boots comfortable. Also an extra shoe liner helps so I go half a size up and plan for that and thicker socks
Shoe liner? As in an insert of some sort?
@@SolidGoldHedgehog yes, Dasco and ECCO do good ones and I've also cut my own from good quality leather... they obviously take up space so it can take some tweaking depending on the thickness.
I've probably just got difficult but there's no point spending the money if you can't get comfortable
@@RolloZx Thank you!
Nothing but a medium weight merino wool sock for me..makes a difference
Medium weight merino wool is where it's at.
Happy Thanksgiving Carl! This channel has now become among my favorite channels, it is a nice break from the politics of the day. As a Chicagoan and a blue-collar kind of working guy who spends all day on his feet, I must admit I initially thought “ Who is this guy from Connecticut pretending to be a tradesman? Everybody in Connecticut is wealthy!” HOWEVER, after slowly listening to dozens of these videos over the past month while I’m at work, i’ve come to admire and respect how you straddle the two worlds of work and fashion. Most importantly, as I’ve gone through my wardrobe (dress and work) now that I’m in my mid-50s, it’s helped me to consider a more minimalist lifestyle. Obviously for anybody who has attempted, it can be difficult to let go of material possessions. My new mantra is now “Own less but own better”. Thanks!👍💪
“Own less but own better”. I agree with that philosophy. I'm 62 and I know I have too much stuff........ It makes sense that if you own better, you don't need as much. So, to aspire toward minimalism, one needs to definitely focus on quality. A lot of the time, that means made in the USA. Economically, it is always better to keep the money at home. Anyway, this was a good video and comments to show perspective. Be well.
Iron rangers were my first “real” quality boots and I’ve tried a few of the leathers. I love the look of IR and I really like they’re leathers too. The break in wasn’t too bad for a legit boot and once that leather breaks it is nice and soft. My issue with them was the sole and comfort. I had the original cork style soles and standing on them for any length of time got very uncomfortable. I sold all mine and got others. I do like the red wings with a cristy sole quite a bit.
Just got my iron rangers a couple weeks ago for my entrance into heritage boots. Couldn’t be happier, I absolutely love them. I will say there was a marking/scarring on one of the panels of leather on the left boot which sucks but I couldn’t really care less, they’re awesome either way.
The marks and scars make them unique and are a consequence of them being made with full grain leather rather than a leather that's been sanded down and thinned out, or worse yet, synthetic.
"I don't have ALL the boots, right" said just loud enough for the wife to hear.
I work in Jim Green hard toe razorbacks and I love em. My only issue is that I work on concrete so they are a little hard underfoot. If they ever made the hard toe in a wedge sole, it would be the best work boot under 200 by a mile in my opinion.
I have a pair of super feet I replaced the insole in my razorbacks and it makes a big difference in terms of stamina. Also I’m going to be experimenting soon with a poron insole to give the boot more bounce; I agree on your comment completely.
I'm pretty sure you can get them resoled with a wedge.
@@fortunateson2 you're probably right, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a sub $200 pair of boots for me. When it comes time for a resole, if they are still holding up well, I'll try throwing a wedge on for sure. The lugs are really okay up to 8 hours, but those 12 hour days is where the issue is. I'll start by getting a different insole and see how that goes.
@@betznern no doubt. A proper insole works wonders for the long days. I have overpronation and I'm flat footed so my knees angle inward. My knees and lower back hurt so bad if I don't wear my inserts with arch support. Look for a "The Good Feet Store" near you they will measure your feet and make you a custom insole. They help alleviate all kinds of pain. You'll never look back.
Jim Green said they're gonna do that, rejoice!
Also on your next resole maybe?
I’ve got two pairs of danners, mountain 600s and the Jack. Love them both. The 600s have been great for hiking and working, the jacks for fashion. Lots of compliments. Had them for 5 years. Still recommend.
Agree with doc martens, that’s why I switched to Solovair. They are what doc’s used to be. Plus are resoleable too if you live in the uk.
Resoling Docs isn’t as hard as it’s made out to be. My cobbler carefully pulled off the already separating outsole (without damaging the welt), glued on a new thin rubber mid sole, and then a Vibram wedge outsole. No big deal. The boots are now 15 years old and nothing comes even close to how comfortable they are for me.
Surprised to see Thursday on this list. I own 4 pairs and been very happy with them. I basically wear Thursday Monday thru Sunday. 🙃 but seriously, I do love my Thursday boots and haven't seen any obvious QC problems.
Nailed it with Thursday; I had a zipper fail on a pair of Stompers after two weeks and other than me having to buy a new box (silly me tossed it....top tip, keep the box) but they replaced them. The "gateway drug" comment is spot on!
I purchased the Whites Perry Moc-Toe right when they were introduced in 2021 and have zero issues. They are super comfortable with very minimal break in, the leather holds up very well and they are still nice enough to somewhat dress up. I have zero complaints with them
I have had a pair of 6" Perry's, I just unboxed my new pair of 8" Perry's about an hour ago. I was pretty surprised to see them on the list, and to see the QC issue photos. No complaints from my house though
The shanks pop in mine every once in a while. It isn't consistent, but it's annoying when it happens. I disagree with you about them being able to be dressed up. I find them to be very ugly and clunky. I wish I had bought Redwing 1907s instead. I'm very happy with the MPs that I have from them, but I just use the Perrys to work around the house now.
Very happy with my whites perry too! Bought for Black Friday and other than the welt stitching being an inconsistent stitch density (which doesn’t bother me) I’m very happy with them.
Bought Whites Perry last year and very happy with them. I believe they are an upgraded design, so maybe the issues were with the original design.
Just bought Whites Hiker and I hope they break in as easy as the Perry.
I love Danners, my dad bought a pair at a B-EX when he was teaching a course in the states, so comfy, got them like 20 years ago and was wearing them yesterday.
I definitely had a rough break in period with my Iron Rangers. I was warned and I still doubted they would become comfortable but they sure did. I absolutely love them. They are super comfortable. Very happy I toughed it out and waited.
absolutely the most uncomfortable boot I own - and it's been 3 years. It's nothing to do with the hard leather - it's because you feel like you're standing on concrete. There's NO cushioning.
@@philmcclenaghan7056 no footbed. no way that's comfortable
I liked my Chippewa loggers alright. I had a cheaper model even than what he showed. They were pretty tough, seemed like good leather compared to a lot of similarly priced boots. To me, the heel and arch were comfortable. The main thing was that I worked on concrete then, and there just wasn't enough cushion in them. When I wore them in the woods, they were great, but that was rare because I got them as steel toes.
Got my first US-made Chippewas around 1991 at an Army Navy store in Peekskill, NY. Best boots (Red dog unlined 6" low-heel loggers) I'd purchased up to that point, better than Timberlands. A great summer boot and good in winter too with the right socks. A buddy resoled them for me once some years ago and I still have them, though obviously not what they once were. They were fantastic boots. Have had other Chippewas over the years, only US-made models, all decent and comfortable in the right work applications. Now they stopped making any US boots and the quality has diminished. Too bad b/c at their price point, they were not a bad boot back in the day, imo.
I find a lot of boots just need new or better insoles, The ones that come with the Chippewa loggers are ok but I usually change then after six months or so to better ones. Too bad they no longer make them at least in the US.
I bought a pair of Danner super rainforest 200 thinsulate boots. I got them on sale last year for $320. I have zero regrets. Awesome boot. Overall money well spent. ✌️😁👍
I’ve had a pair of Chippewa Odessas for about 8 years or so. They’re slightly narrow, but have worn in well and seem to have several more years in them. I’ve long since replaced the insole with an antimicrobial ski-boot insole with perfect arch support for me.
Awesome video... everything you said was spot on..my "gateway" boot was my Thursday Captains. Then I moved to the RedWing Iron Rangers. I loved these boots and they made me want more lol. Then Oakstreet Bootmakers which I had to get re-soled because they don't use cork...some filler board crap. Then i said screw all these problems and went to the big leagues. Nick's boots really changed the game for me. I have 3 pairs..they are built like freaking tanks and I've never worn anything better in my life. As i type this I'm wearing my newly aquired Nick's MTO with this crazy Wickett & Craig Oil Tanned Latigo leather which is beautiful. And now I wanna up my game again and try those Kerosote boots I've heard you talk about..i wanted to try Role Club but I've heard terrible things about customer service...forgot who you are...weeks to respond etc,and he charges 1500 to put a rush on your boots...this leaves a bad taste and feels shady to me. Anyways your the best Carl...love your videos and knowledge.
I love your explanation about use outside of design. My son decided he needed ariat cowboy boots because his friends at school called him homeless for always wearing tennis shoes.
He regretted the purchase the first time we sorted cows and he had to run, jump, and climb in them. That is when he learned that the other kids at school don't have to chase livestock.
Plenty of people working livestock in boots. Maybe they don’t fit him right? I’ve chased more than live stock in Justin snake boots.
@@rondejean7668 I grew up on a farm in the north of Australia (it was bigger than most states on the US East Coast)
Only time we used boots was for horse or 4x4 quaddies......for actual livestock work we wore jungle boots cause they were
*Lightweight
*Dry out incredibly fast in the wet
*Didn't slide and slide cause they lace up
*Didn't cause blisters
*Grit and gravel didn't get in the boot
*You could actually run in them unlike cowboy boots
Really the only good thing about cowboy boots is they protected your legs from shit like bitu bush and other stinging plants when your riding through scrub
Growing up on 160 acres in northeastern Oregon we wore boots, irrigation boots, hiking boots, PNW wild land fire boots, western boots, etc. but for chasing cows old running shoes or light hikers all day.
$600-$800 boots being sold as "work boots" 😂😂😂. What kind of work? Lawyers?
Look ar Nick's or White's or Frank's. They cost $500-$800. Look at how they're made. Top quality leather, top quality construction. Bomb proof construction. If you work in your feet, you'll be glad you spent the money on them. In fact buy 2 pairs so you can rotate and let them air out and last longer. Yes, I'm a retired lawyer. I've worn $500-$600 Brooks Brothers (made by Aldens) and Allen Edmunds tasseled loafers and Brooks Brothers suits. I don't work on my feet but I can appreciate how important good boots are.
For construction workers who need quality boots which will last instead of having to buy new boots every 6 months to a year. Higher upfront, but longer lasting and long term comfort
@@Tallnerdyguy all constructions dudes wear cheap slip on work boots 👢 like ariat and Justin
@@Squids_Vlogs most mexicans and wannabe cowboys wear those 😂
And I work with some cheap boots i got on the fly and will invest on something good later on
Shit I wear $700 boots for ranch work every day. Well made boots are worth it.
Ive never worn Chippewa loggers, but have worn Chippewa boots as an leo for just over 20 years and love them. I will take em over Bates, Thorogood, Matterhorn, Danner any day of the week. More comfortable and polish up better than any of the others
If possible in your area, go to a shoe store that carries Alden. These stores tend to be staffed professionals and will size you properly. I have a thinner (C) low volume foot. The folks at Sherman's in Philly recommend a size that would take 16 weeks to get but this make up of the Indy is $649 so it's worth waiting and getting the proper fit. Bought three Allen's this way and they are super comfortable.
I'm a plumber. I've been wearing my super rainforests everyday for a couple months shy of four years now. Can't imagine being much happier with a boot. I treat the leather once a month with Hubbard's shoe grease. Seems like a pretty decent value to me.
Other than the tough break-in, I've had no issues with my White's Perry boots. And they are around $300, not $600.
I had a pair of Thursdays Cavaliers that squeaked so badly I ended up throwing them out. Unfortunately I wore them too long to return them. I also have a pair of Diplomats, which squeak a little, but nowhere near as bad.
I love my Iron Rangers. After two weeks of break-in, they are very comfortable.
Same. Hated the Perry’s at first. But I got them on sale for $250. Kept wearing them and after the break in they’re great!
I have 2 pairs of Thursday Boots captains and i love them. My only problem was with the size not being consistent. My older pair are 12.5 and my new pair are size 12 and they are the same size. I had to do an exchange on the new pair that was 12.5 because it was bigger than my older 12.5 . The exchange was fast and easy and im very happy with the 12s they fit great. I will definitely buy more boots from them.
At least they feel like the same size. I got some yesterday and both are marked as same size/batch but left foot is snug but the right foot feels half size larger, loose all around lol.
@@AbrahamsYTC your feet are probably different sizes, i know my feet are. when you are fitted for mass manufactured boots, it's always a compromise (usually the smaller foot gets upsized). see if you can get sized on a brannock device, and do it for both feet, i bet you will find that your right foot is smaller than your left foot.
I have a pair of Danner Rainforest boots. Got them for $400. Less than Nick’s, Frank’s, JK’s, etc. by about$150 to $200. They are tanks, and I feel I got my money’s worth after having them now for eight years and still going strong. Even at full price, they are cheaper than a lot of the other northwest brands and I’m sure they will last just as long.
Same here, he needs to take Dinner off this list.
Good video. I guess I’m a newcomer to boots because after talking to several friends, I went with the redwing iron rangers. It took a good 10 or 20 miles on them to break them in but now they’re really comfortable and I don’t even realize I’m wearing boots. I live in Minnesota, and I will admit, they are more slippery on ice than other boots that have a softer tread. Everybody’s different, but I sure like my iron rangers!
I'm really happy with my Jim green African rangers, I usually wear pretty minimalist footwear so the wide toe box is essential for me. Every other boot I've tried has been too narrow and pinched my toes, and EE boots are always loose across my heel, which is pretty narrow.
I know that feeling.......most Americans seem to have narrow toes or something I swear 😂
In Danner I normally take a 2E for my toes to feel comfortable but my ankle bounces around like a dodgem car
I chose Iron Rangers as my first leather boots. Mainly due to their look and availability in the UK. Did nearly give up on them trying to break them in as I am used to fabric hiking boots that do not need it. However they are now fine to wear and getting better all the time.
I'm thinking of buying a pair, same thing I'm used to the softer fabric, so slightly concerned, I have zamberlan walking boots which needed a lot of breaking in, but anyways I think I will go for the rangers, thx.
Bought a pair of Red Wing 1907 and the break in was REALLY tough. I saw somewhere that it took 20 to 30 wears before they felt good. I stuck it out and suffered through a HUGE blister. They have broken in finally and I really enjoy them.
Just got the comparable Carolina boots and they broke in much much faster. We will see if the go 10 years!
The Danner Quary boot, is the best boot I’ve ever owned, I got the rain Forrest for fathersday on sale, didn’t like them to heavy, stoped wearing them, maybe if I work 8 hrs, I was working 12, it was just to much,thanks for all your videos👍
I never cease to be amazed at people that expect $700 boots for a $200-$300 price tag. Thursday (casual), Chippewa (work) and Jim Green (hiking) are what they are - decent entry level boots. If you buy a pair of Thursday Captains expecting them to be comparable to Wesco or Nicks, the fault lies with the buyer not the seller.
For what it’s worth, my whites Perry boots had a few QC issues, nothing major though. However, after wearing them daily for over a year, I absolutely love them. IMO they are a great value.
About the White's Perry.
The first 8 or 9 months or so of that release was a disaster. I think white's was using novice bootmakers for these in order to keep the price down and they had a lot of kinks to work out with the construction and design.
I have a pair in red dog and they're fantastic. Up to par with my MPs for build quality and attention to detail, but they were built in September of 2022, after white's got things ironed out and switched to the vibram sole. So to white's credit it seems like they heard everyones complaints and actually addressed them.
Makes sense. They don’t represent the entire brand. Better to stick with the classic styles like the Semi-dress and MP if you are buying White’s.
I agree. Bought mine in April 2022 and I delighted with them. Real easy to break in too if you do it right.
Gotta say about Docs, they aren't the best but they are still super comfortable. I like the Crazy Horse leather better than their black. I bought some after a foot injury this year because I couldn't stomach a typical orthopedic shoe. They have helped me a ton. I can tell they aren't on par with some of my other boots, but that air wair sole is still on point.
My Docs I bought in early 2000s, Crazy Horse Leather, just as you mentioned, both the boot and the oxford shoe - only two weeks ago I replaced them despite wearing each on a regular basis to the point that you could see the yellow from the inner sole. Granted mine were made in England, I think Docs get a bad rap although the lack of a shank inside really is a bummer.
I don’t regret my first Thursday boot since it introduced me to the boot world but I regret my second pair. The second pair had a completely different last and when I got the same size, they were too tight. I was younger back then so I convinced myself they would stretch out but they didn’t, had to give them to my brother. My first pair of Thursdays have gone completely flat and I just keep them for sentimental reasons, but I haven’t worn them in years.
What brand do you reccomend that have looks of president or captain, I need to buy first boots, but I would like some with good quality and not too expensive (max for 350 USD, maybe 400if its realy much better)?
@@stefanjovanovic5651 check out grant stone diesel or Edward boot since they are currently having a Black Friday sale. I have 3 pairs from them and love them
@@xxflamezxx1able Thank you very much!
Thursdays QC was a joke! I also think the Iron Ranger was number one is because they only go up to EE. I’m not a big dude but for some reason I’m an F width and FF in my left foot! Wish I could fit in 😣😅
Agree with everything said about the Iron Ranger. Feels like I’ll never be able to to break them in and the D width that I have seems like a C or even B width. I should’ve gotten them in an E. Plus the hard leather insole has yet to soften up and mold to my feet. I do like the looks however and the leather is great as well as the stitching.
The other boot I can’t wear is my Diemme hikers. The stitch down construction makes the toe box way too low so thick winter socks is not an option with these. They are nice looking boots though.
Love my White's Perry's didn't realize I ended up lucky on the QC front.
Hi Carl, just want to say thank you, and that I’m grateful for your Chanel! It’s helped out a lot for choosing the right gear for work! I hope you have a great thanksgiving!
I appreciate that!
About a month ago, I purchased a pair of Thursdays Captain Boots in Brandy after researching and reading reviews from others who have owned them for 1 to 5 years. The opinions varied but overall, from what I read or viewed on UA-cam was reasonably positive, primarily due to their moderate price point. Being a retired Army veteran, I know how to take care of footwear, so I know I had to remove surface dust and moisturize them; I used Black Rock for this purpose and then treated them with Torrago shoe cream (better than KIWI) with a brush shine and massaged them with a cloth diaper as I have done in the military. I repeated this process with shoe cream 4 times before wearing them. I always keep them in a cedar boot shoe tree when not wearing them. Using shoe trees is vital for all leather shoes or boots. This is my opinion, as there are other thoughts out there.
If you want any shoe/boot product to last, you must maintain them similarly to what I mentioned. After one month (not a long time), I have been relatively impressed and am still looking for any of the issues you said in the video. Please keep in mind that I have been wearing boots since 1983 when I entered the US Army, and base my opinion partially on this. I plan to purchase another pair later next year but probably in Brown. Everyone needs to research before investing in any shoe company and base decisions on their findings. I did mine and was happy with my decision; along with purchasing the Thursday Boots, I also bought their boot shoe trees and a matching belt. :)
Why is it that no matter where you go on the internet (it could be a review about a banana), if someone was in the army they feel the need to drop that in somewhere.
The flaw with this video is that the more popular a boot is, aka a redwing and Thursday, the more complaints there are going to be. The numbers are going to be the highest for both the positive and negative.
I love my Thursday captain boots, and they're really comfortable after I broke them in. I did order a half size down and I'd say mine are perfect. I haven't bothered to buy any other pairs of boots yet as I just drive a desk for work so they only get worn to the office and back.
I highly suggest Oliver Sweeney boots. They are based out of the UK and are awesome. I have purchased five pairs of boots in 4 different styles -- one was Goodyear Welted and 4 were Blake stitched. They offer free shipping & returns to the U.S. too. Be aware I think they run a bit small. I typically wear a 10 or even 10.5 in most shoes but with OS a 9.5 U.S. (8.5 UK) fits great. With their Goodyear welted options running a bit bigger than the blake stitched.
I remember getting both the thursday Captains and some Iron rangers within 3 months of eachother and disliking both. I ended up realizing I want boots/shoes for a specific purpose and with how "versatile" both were I never felt completely happy with either. I'd never wear my thursday's to work, but I'd hate being at a family function in my redwings. Just get boots/shoes you'll love for most occasions never have it be "passable"
I bought my first pair of White’s Smokejumpers (8”) back in 1979. I drove 2.5 days to Spokane from Central California. 32 years later & 2.5 rebuilds later I auctioned them off for $75. I think someone is still wearing them!
I purchased a pair of Jim Green boots based on recommendations, I got a size 10 African Ranger, they were very narrow mid foot but wide at the toe like clown shoes.
I've had the same problem except, I got the Stockman
I don’t find my two pairs of razorbacks narrow in the midsole. I have two pairs. They are pretty wide midsole. You must have crazy wide feet. Are they wider than 4E?
Pretty fair assessment. It took me ONE YEAR to break-in my Iron Rangers. Boot buying is SO challenging as no two feet are alike!
My first legit pair of boots were redwings, And I love them even now. The lady at the store helped me tremendously to find a boot that suited my needs AND fit my foot perfectly for breaking in. Even got an insole for free that was better for my feet than the stock one from them. Since that experience I've always went to the redwing store and met up with that same lady any time I wanted to blow money on another pair of boots Lol
I’ve worked in the car business for years and if there’s one thing we all know, its that you can find an army of people that hate every brand for every reason.
Damn if that isn’t true!! Chevy vs Ford, BMW vs Mercedes. Like the brands even care all!
Love my Iron Rangers, had them for 2 years now, had no break in problems, wear them to work and have been hiking in the Grand Canyon and Sicily with them. No issues at all, absolutely solid.
I sadly ended up with the Caterpillar Reabsorption WP boots. They broke in quickly, may have been waterproof, looked great, and were plenty comfy for 10-hour Amazon Warehouse shifts. Sadly, they lived up to their name. They do not breathe at all. Despite great, wicking wool socks, my foot was soaked each day after work, even when I could dry them out thoroughly. It is so sad! They are perfect in every other way.
I got a pair of Thursdays and the toe box was so cramped it was insane the footbed was a very weird feeling
I got a pair of the Loggers and it was the first pair of shoes that required a serious break in. Part of that was the narrow toe box - pinched my feet in a couple of spots and didn't leave enough room to wiggle my toes (The same model a half size larger left my heel to wiggle too much without cranking the laces all the way down).
I wasn't familiar with breaking in shoes, so I just kept at it and eventually the leather stretched and softened to the point where they're fairly comfortable. Wouldn't be what I'd pick to go for a walk, but if I want my feet to look great I'm fine with wearing them through normal-day stuff.
I love my Red Wing Iron Rangers. They do need breaking in though.
My two pairs of Jim Green African Rangers are wonderful, great value in a boot that will take all you can throw at them.
My Tecovas Cartwright in scotch goat are a bit uncomfortable but they are cowboy boots and I mainly wear them to outdoor events and not to work.
Enjoy your channel and influence. Keep up the good work.
Great video! Boots are definitely a subject that's hard to quantify as far as "best" and "worst", just because of how subjective the criteria are for making those decisions. Personally, my Jim Greens and my Thursdays are my favorite shoes that I own. In fact, I'm wearing my Thursday Captains as I type this! Though I can definitely see why someone else wouldn't like them as much, or even dislike them. I think a lot of people enter the boot scene having worn sneakers their whole lives, and of course, any solidly constructed leather boot is going to be a far cry from the comfort of a good pair of sneakers. This will, of course, skew the ratings of popular entry-level boots.
Chippewa was my biggest regret! It was my first work boot and did a lot of research. I wanted American made and it was the most affordable one so I winged it and bought them on sale online. But they were the narrowest boots I ever worn. On the other hand, I got a pair of Wolverine Rideline Xtreme hunting boots for $75 at Gabes and they held up 5 years with moderate/heavy use
You nailed it on the Iron Rangers. Mine are 10 years old and are give me the best foot hugs out of any of my current boots.
Chippewa I'm not surprised to be on there, I used to like them but you can't get a US made boot anymore (or so my local retailer tells me). Pretty sad, considering they were ubiquitous with the construction tradesman around me. I've taken the dive into the PNW boots and ordered a set of Nicks. I'd like to see you review a pair of JK boots because I like the story behind their company, but there isn't nearly the same volume of content available on their brand.
Rose Anvil has some videos on JK you might want to check out.
I've worn logger boots for a large part of my career doing a lot of standing on concrete floors. I've got two pair of Chippewa boots just like the ones shown. They work perfectly for me with no break-in required but you have to try on the very same boots you will be wearing. I wear 11W and the first pair fit like a glove from the start. The next pair of 11Ws was too tight, tried the 11 1/2W and they fit exactly like the first pair of 11W. The original pair was not worn all that much so I can't say they had stretched or anything like that. Don't know if anyone else has noticed this but sizes have gone up. I'm the same weight and foot size but I'm now wearing a whole size bigger. I can go back to boots I've owned for 30 years that still fit perfectly that are a whole size smaller. Some of these are not worn or stretched so something else is up with that.
I got a pair of Vietnam made docs and they're honestly not bad, and I own redwing mocs. Granted I bought the crazy horse leather, so the leather quality is better and no plastic coating to worry cracking. The only problem I had with them is that one time I pushed them a little too hard on a hike that I didn't expect to be so hard and the insoles ripped, so i ripped them out and replaced them with Superfeet insoles and they're even better for it. Those docs are pretty versatile style wise and are super comfy with the Superfeets in them. I use them mainly as beater boots/when I want to wear a brown plain toe boot. I'd rate them 6.7/10 for quality only because I can't resole them (you can but its not easy/cheap to do it) and the leather is ok but certainly no where near the best, even in my small collection. comfort rating now is 7.4/10, before the insole id say like a 5.4/10. I only have one other boot that uses a soft insole, instead of a hard leather, and this one is the most comfortable; granted, this is because they are really broken in and the other ones need to be broken in.
Same here, I’ve had a pair of crazy horse hiking docs for 15 years. The original insoles came out day one for something thicker, and up until a few years ago, I never had to do anything to them. Never even thought about leather care. The melted on outsole did start to separate, so I found a cobbler that was able to resole them, and he put a soft Vibram wedge on.
@@MrAndrewClaycomb very nice, I've personally conditioned mine but its cool to see that not conditioning still works out well. I like the darker color that they have now, they look almost nothing like how they started.
I'm 63 and still have my knee high docs (circa 1979). I wore my 1640 oxbloods to Thanksgiving dinner, having refurbished them with razor blade/ sandpaper/ and Saphir Hermes red polish. Been wearing the Chelsea boots on a cement floor at work for two years now, still very comfortable. Of course, insoles are a must. But i still use the wool mop/ saphir black/ and horse hair brush on them periodically. If you wear them out, just toss them and buy another pair! 40+ yrs happy with Docs myself!
lol Carl you're the reason I tried Jim Green. Your video sold me on the value. I now have several pairs of their boots. I hike about 20 miles a week in my razorbacks they're the best hiking boot ever.
Thursday was my vote. I bought a "limited edition" set of Vanguards in Color 8 Chromexcel, but they were way too expensive for the quality ($425 back in ~2016). No arch support, and definitely had the issue of the insole going flat after minimal usage. Learned a lesson about not paying for a premium version of a cheaper product, since it was the same construction as the $200 ones, just with nicer leather.
That’s a huge up charge for leather that cost them maybe $30 extra.
@@jimmydgrant Yeah that was from before I knew any better, but in retrospect I have no idea what they were doing.
I love that some of the company’s reached out to this video so humble
Jim Greens get sooo much better with replacing stock insole with something more squishy. Best part is, since being on the wider side, even much thicker (softer under foot) third party insoles fit without any issues
I completely agree with the insoles,good insoles can make a semi comfortable boot feel like a dream
Cool video! For anyone looking at Jim Green Razorbacks... I bought a pair a couple years ago and they were uncomfortable out of the box. They were bad for a couple weeks but once they broke in they were a decent rugged boot! I decided this year to try Alico Summits made in Italy. For around the same price as the razorbacks, I would say go for the Alicos instead! I've had them on for 7 months or so now almost everyday and they have held up great! Very comfortable and rugged. Stay away from danners. I had two great pairs back in the 2011-2015 period and they were good. The third pair I bought were garbage. Probably due to outsourcing a lot of their manufacturing. Just my thoughts.
Great job on this video. I have several boots (Chippewa steel toe - not loggers, Frye harness, and Red Wing Iron Rangers) you reviewed and agree with your assessment. Really like the look of some of them (which is why I purchased them), but some of them are not very comfortable, as you pointed out.
If you're a cowboy boot wearer, I'd be interested in a video regarding your perspective about what brands you like or dislike. I've sort of moved away from my lace up boots and now primarily only wear cowboy style boots. Thank you.
I pretty much exclusively wear boots, I have since I was a kid. I am 47 now and my favorite boots are Danner Mountain Lights, Danner Arcadia, Ariat work boots and Carolina Boot wellingtons.
This channel introduced me to Nick's boots back in HS, when I could barely afford Thursdays. Now I've been wearing my Nick's Packers for 3 years straight, everyday. In a few months they will need resoling. Thanks for the content.
Nicks are awesome good customer service and they are American owned still I won't even consider whites not American owned and cost more for less quality than nicks boots
I wear Carolinas with a composite for and shank. Water proof and non conductive. They are 4E. Yes I have flippers. They last and are comfortable. I wreck the insoles but that is just my weight and job.
I own both of the top two boots on your list and absolutely love both of them. I think that they must be that high because of their popularity and sheer volume of sales. The number of people who own a pair of Thursday Boots is vastly higher than those who own Whites Boots.
I got my Thursdays (waxed cacao loggers) not as my first pair of boots, but as my first pair of Horween Waxed Flesh boots. They are a good option without spending $200-300 more for Truman’s/nicks/whites. These are actually my 8th pair in rotation, and I wear them more often than a lot of others. They aren’t work boots. I can’t emphasize that enough. You shouldn’t be doing line work or logging with Thursday loggers.
With my pair, there were no defects out of the box, the insoles have held up very well without flattening out over 8 months so far, the leather heel stack is holding up well. The horween waxed flesh ages beautifully. I did end up getting some modifications done to them though… I added speed hooks to the top few eyelets of each boot and replaced thursdays super thin heel cap with a thicker vibram one that matches the vibram sole better. I’ve got almost no complaints about fit. They are comfy out of the box and, while the toe cap isn’t very roomy, that’s an aesthetic decision. My one gripe is that the majority of their models don’t have wide sizes.
My redwing iron rangers are another favorite. I had great discomfort from mis-sizing my first pair. The RW store I got them at recommended 8.5D for my 9.5EE and 10E feet, and to this day I can’t wear them for longer than 5-6hrs. These were my first pair of boots. They weren’t returnable since I wore them a few times thinking they’d “break in”.
I later found out that they offer 2E widths of the Iron Rangers and decided to try on a 9 2E size at another store. The fit was perfect. I picked these up and wear them 3-4 days a week. Way more often than others in my collection. Break in is tough, the soles will feel like marble at first which really makes your feet sore. You might get blisters from stiff uppers. These things are an absolute privilege to wear if you can make it through that though. The soles mold to the shape of your feet, as well as the uppers, and it gives a very custom fit. It’s not something you get with comfy out of the box boots that use tons of foam and insulation.
My main gripe with red wing has been their QC. both pairs of my IRs have had defects out of the box. On my wide pair, the right toe cap is crooked. It’s as if they used a left toe cap on both boots. On my other pair, the sanding job was subpar. The layers of the sole are not flush. These might be minor and purely visual, but redwing quality is slipping. My toe cap issue is severe enough that the boots should’ve easily been sold as seconds, but they weren’t.
The worst part is that the RW community will say to put up with defects since they’re made by hand, but that’s just enabling RW to get away with more shoddy craftsmanship. My toe cap issue isn’t something that’s easily repaired by a cobbler. Some stuff (loose threads, welt gaps, etc) is excusable and can be fixed, but misaligned parts and severely asymmetrical boots shouldn’t even leave the factory. Even if they’re hand made, there’s a certain standard of quality that people expect at $350.
I have work boots that I get knowing they'll be totally destroyed due to the type of work I do.
I've recently gotten into leather boots for concerts, casual wear, and part of my daily style outside of work. I have a wedding coming up and got the Thursday Boots wingtip. Broke them in in about a week, came in perfect condition and I absolutely love them. I'm excited to buy more from them.
i beat Thursday boots to the comments
I got to say the best loggers ever made ( and I own lots of them) are the now discontinued Double H dh9760 . Absolutely the most comfortable, warm, well built and good looking boot. I own 8 pairs of loggers ( yes i have no idea why😅).. i wish Double H would bring these back cause i would pay $$ for them.
Are you doing a counter part to this video like top recommended or top favorites
Love my Danner Mountain 600’s, got them on sale for $130. Can’t beat it, they look great, feel nice, quality, awesome tread on the bottom.
This year I grabbed a pair of Oboz, they have a stiff insole but do feel quality, keep the feed warm and stable. Toe box is a little narrow but overall they are real nice too.
Danner Bull Runs were a pure waste of money for me. Caused so much arch and toe pain I think I was able to wear them to work twice.
I also didn't like my Iron Rangers. The soles are too thin and hard to do any real walking on concrete.
Was the arch too much or too little?
@@scottbulow33 non-existent
Electrician in Ga. here...on my 3rd pair of Wolverine Durashocks.been getting 2 to 3yrs out of them...thinking of trying out a slip on style next maybe...thanks for the info and enjoying the channel 👍
Very cool! Thank you for watching sparky!
All you have to do to the Great Jim Green boot is Buy Good insoles? And wear good socks like Darn Tough boot socks. Seriously amateur if you don't realize this, with most boots
The Jim Green Razorback is one of the best boots for a wide I have ever owned. Superfeet trail insole and good to go. I love ‘‘em but my wife teases me because they take a minute to lace up.
I own 5 pairs of Thursday boots. The Captains boots are so very comfortable. On one of my Rugged and Resilient Captain boots outer soul started to come off at the toe. They just replaced that pair. With excellent customer service, comfort and great looks Thursday boots are a great value.
What customer service? They wouldn't let me return my boots after taking them out of the bag to try them on. They aren't comfortable at all compared to an actually nice pair of boots like Chisos. Total Waste of $200.
Happy thanksgiving from a fellow CT resident! Love the channel!
same here
Boots are a HOBBY?!
Watching videos about boots makes it a hobby
I've wore Chippewa logger boots for many years now and after they break in they are very comfortable boots that last a long time even with a lot of abuse, unfortunately they stopped making them in the US a couple years ago and I will not wear Chinese made boots or any non-US made boot. About thirty years ago I wore Red Wing loggers and they were ok but no better than Chippewa and they were more expensive so I switched and never looked back. Because US made Chippewa boots are no longer made and my last pair finally gave up I am trying Thorogood loggers, so far easy break-in and they are comfortable but time will tell how well they hold up, I did add an insole though, the ones that came with it are too hard but that is an easy and cheap fix. I think a lot of complaints are because people expect a boot to be comfortable from day one and thick leather just takes time to break in but once it does it is custom fit to your feet and no other footwear in the world will feel as comfortable for standing and walking all day long .
I have the razorbacks and the perrys. The razorbacks are very hard underfoot and the shallow toe box makes them hard to wear with a nicer insole but i still like them a lot for outdoor activities. My perrys are much more comfortable and fit quite well. I would have probably gotten red wing mocs or iron rangers but they dont have a 12 1/2 size. they say to go a half size down and stop half sizes after 12. The 12 was too small and they didnt have a 13 to try but the store worker said it would definitely be a bad fit. Im not completely convinced they were right but my whites are great.
All Red Wings require a break-in period, a little more so than other brands, but my Iron Rangers were tough as hell and uncomfortable. Once I wore them some and stretched the leather out a bit, I installed some Red Wing leather insoles and now they feel great. I have other boots with no cushioned insoles, just leather beds that form to your feet, but Iron Rangers are hard as rocks. So glad I fixed them.
I own a pair of Jim green razorbacks, and whites perry. I love them both! (And got them at pre-covid prices)
I have 6 different pairs of Thursday boots and they are all great quality and have held up extremely well. I've never had a bad product come in from Thursday, even the one pair of factory seconds dress shoes I got were great and I couldn't find the issue on them to be considered factory seconds. I've also met zero people or seen people talk about how displeased they are with Thursday boots. The value/quality you get is hard to beat. Are there much better products, absolutely, but they come with much higher price tags usually.
I’ve had my Iron Rangers in Copper for about a year now. Love the leather, the quality and the look. What I don’t like is that the sole is very hard rubber, I believe the term is high durometer. It has very little cushion to it and gets worse as it gets colder. I understand they are not hiking boots and made to be durable, but I may have to give them up because I need a more ‘gummy’ sole with some cushion. Also this could be mitigated a bit by the use of an insole, but these boots aren’t really made to use them. I’m shopping for my next boot :(
Old Doc Marten customer here. I bought a pair of Solovairs, and I am happy once again.
The whites 55 last fit me so well, there was no break in. Day 1 was 14 hours and my feet felt great. By the end of the first week I realized I made the right choice for sure.
I am wearing a pair of Jim Green ranger boots right now. They have the same sort of wide and low toe box as the Razorback. I love them. This is the pair of boots I have been seeking for years.
Thursday uses a film on their distressed grey commander boot. I've peeled it to reveal cheap khaki colored leather. So that model is not hand colored. It's just a film.
Best boots I have found are Red Wing 2414. They are safely to, water proof but no thermal insulation, 4 eyelets with 4 speed lace eyelets/ hooks . Only bad thing is the heel can't be replaced and with the way I walk I wear the heels down at an angle. I buy seconds at an outlet store. Only thing I notice is the color my be off some but fit well. Last I bought were $139.00 so I bought 5 pair.
Worst boots were Rocky cornstalkers. Haven't tried Rocky since. Those boots were like wearing a bag of rocks . Next worse were wolverines. They always give me a blister under my heel callus.
I just got my first ‘high end’ boot in a red wing blacksmith. I found the break in pretty effortless to be honest. But after a lifetime of running shoes and steel toes they are just different. Way more comfortable than most if my steel toes and maybe the most comfortable footwear I’ve ever owned after break in. They have me hooked.
The first time in germany i try to put an US12 Iron Ranger on my feet, it was silly, but then i discover the "E2" in size and after that, i have to say that i'm loving them