Redwings are a good place to start. Still made in the USA using old standard foot lasts, still warrantied for life, and still great boots. I’ve been looking into some hand made custom boots lately. They’re about $500, but they’ll last me the rest of my life with an occasional $50 resole job and they’ll be tailor-made for my exact foot.
God i just trash my Iron Rangers and they stand up to all the abuse i can throw at them. A little wash and a bit of oil and they’re parade ready again.
Horror warning:
My last pair got wet shoveling snow at work so i left them in the mud room to dry. Some thoughtful soul put them up next to the monitor heater to help them dry… Found them the next day shriveled abd unwearable. Heat kills good boots!
Some of the guys back in the Army would fill their combat boots with water and then wear them until they dried out. They’d stretch with the water and then shrink as they dried, basically giving them a custom fit. You could try that next time if it happens again.
How to polish and maintain your boots. On that subject, an awareness of why old school leather boots are an outstanding lifelong investment.
Where does one find the proper old school leather boots?
Redwings are a good place to start. Still made in the USA using old standard foot lasts, still warrantied for life, and still great boots. I’ve been looking into some hand made custom boots lately. They’re about $500, but they’ll last me the rest of my life with an occasional $50 resole job and they’ll be tailor-made for my exact foot.
God i just trash my Iron Rangers and they stand up to all the abuse i can throw at them. A little wash and a bit of oil and they’re parade ready again.
Horror warning: My last pair got wet shoveling snow at work so i left them in the mud room to dry. Some thoughtful soul put them up next to the monitor heater to help them dry… Found them the next day shriveled abd unwearable. Heat kills good boots!
Some of the guys back in the Army would fill their combat boots with water and then wear them until they dried out. They’d stretch with the water and then shrink as they dried, basically giving them a custom fit. You could try that next time if it happens again.
I still have them and have been thinking about doing that, cool to hear it may work. I was pretty bummed about losing them.