drislandsDo you have boots that are comfortable?
I had a pretty good pair when I worked outdoors. I think the brand was Hi-Tec.
I only have comfortable boots, i dont bother with footwear that’s uncomfortable, my lifes too short for hurting feet.
But fashion!
Yea, im not falling for that scam again 😅
I just buy some cheap Van’s, but maybe I’m too young to understand the boot supremacy.
I wore vans up until my mid late 30s, but even with a desk job my feet killed after a day.
So now I have running shoes with more support and its helped. I also have a pair of combat boots, but they’re more difficult to get on when I’m half asleep and trying to get to work.
So yeah, you might just have enough youth left to get by with vans lol.
All my boots are made for walking. And that’s just what they do.
BjörnBe careful. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.
ihavenopeopleskillsI hope this conversation doesn't end with me getting gunned down.
FireTowerEither you’re buying bad boots, the wrong size boots, or not breaking in your boots.
Hiking boots tend to offer the best comfort IMO.
Naja KaouthiaSecond the hiking boots. My day to day lambofeeties are a pair of hiking boots.
Checkout barefoot shoes. There are a whole lot of videos and websites about it online.
RBGI don’t remember the exact reason anymore, but sometime back on reddit someone told the story how all his life his feet and shoes felt bad but he got used to it. Until at some point he found out he had some foot disease, I think it was athletecs foot or something.
Unless of course its only boots that bug.you, not other shoes, then carry on…
Most likely it was plantar fasciitis, which means that he just needed arch support. Same thing happened to me. I thought I was just cursed with sore feet forever until someone explained what it was and how simple it was to fix. It’s amazing what good arch support can do!
Yeah so all shoes were uncomfortable, then I realized my feet are shaped too differently for mass produced shoes. I started making my own on a custom last, and now all my shoes are comfortable. Steep learning curve, though.
notsorryforpartyingI would recommend blundstones. Very comfortable, lasts long, functional, and versatile to style. Great beginner boot
s3rvantI wore steel toe boots for several years for work and while they do tend to be uncomfortable at first they eventually break in and improve. For me the most comfortable were the wider boots and especially those with a larger toe box. I no longer need a safety boot so now wear the Lems boot which I find super comfy.
I’m ready to go to a foot dr whenever I can find the time. I work 10 hr days (sometimes 12-14 hrs when I’m on the road for work). Most if not all on concrete. I’ve tried Keen boots, Sketches, Timberland Pros, etc. Different insoles as well. They all fail way too quickly. I think it’s my feet. I’ve spent well over $400 this year on boots and insoles alone. I’m thinking of trying the Timberland Pro Mudsill boots as my last resort since they have built-in arch support, which is what I think I need. I feel a tearing on the middle of my feet after a long day’s work, which I believe is the plantar fascitis thing.
You might need custom orthotics but you can’t expect your boots to last if they’re your work boots and you walk on concrete all day. I would go through 3 pairs of shoes/boots a year as a valet.
My employer gives a $75 voucher for boots per year. Would be great if I could find a solution to make them last that long. I should probably invest in an anti-static mat I can put at my US general box since it’s my desk/standing desk lol.
Not to be a downer but you’ll never make 75$ last a year. We had a 300$ budget and that didn’t last. No matter the quality our shoes/boots would be ok to wear outside of work after six months, but not to wear all day at work. Shit sucks but just like anything, if it’s used 40h+/week then it will need maintenance, shoes can’t be maintained so they need to be replaced 🤷
Work boots: check red wings, Irish setters, Georgia boot, Wolverine, timberland pro, Thorogood
Casual: check Clark’s desert chukkas, timberland 6”, red wing heritage, Thursday boots, blundstones, Jim greens.
Haven’t owned them all but I have spent a lot of time researching boots for comfort since I’m a big dude on his feet all day. Currently have traction tread literally 6” red wings steel toe for work. Going on 7 months, swapped insoles twice (I like walk hero from amazon for arch support, $20.), and they feel better every day. Seriously worth it in my opinion.
Work boots or casual work, add Mucks.
Military: Danner, then Belleville
Security: Nortiv8 (see Amazon)
Field Service: Skechers Work (no,they aren't boots...just comfortable)
Security: Nortiv8 (see Amazon)
Field Service: Skechers Work (no,they aren't boots...just comfortable)
Find a well -rated outdoor store nearby, and go in and ask them to help you find a good pair. Be completely open about having no idea how to fit boots, and try to be as descriptive about the most common issues you’ve experienced. You can usually get free return if you wear them inside the house for a day or two to check fit.
It can be time consuming to find the right pair, but once you find a good pair it’ll make a huge difference and give you somewhere to go from one they eventually wear out.
Don’t take specific brand advice from the internet because everyone’s feet are different shapes. It’s a very individual thing.
To add to this, you might be able to find a store that analyses gait. Usually it’s on treadmills or a machine you stand on.
My final advice is inserts. You might find your most comfortable boot is actually a boot + insert. Orthopedic stores can make custom inserts, too.
CrackhappyI have some absolutely amazing work boots with steel toe, shank and heel that are very comfortable, but they’re goddamned heavy.
I also have kinky boots that are not comfortable but very stylish.
I had some waterproof snow boots that were perfectly comfortable once. They were waterproof all the way up to their high top. Nicely cushioned, no breaking in required.
I wish I could remember the brand. It was a long time ago.
Baffin maybe? Their waterproof snowboots are fantastic.
I've always had Doc Martens boots for casual wear in the winter. They're really comfortable as long as you break them in by wearing them around the house for half an hour a day for a week or two before going outdoors with them.
Getting cushioned insoles might help?
swan_prI wear Doc’s a lot but never in winter! They’re just ice skates in disguise.
I've only slipped over in my current pair once in 4 years or so - but I'm in the UK so winter boots for me are more about warmth and rain resistance than snow!
Ah! Makes sense. Here we get snow by the meter. Even in the city on plowed sidewalks Doc’s just don’t cut it unfortunately.
You might have flat feet or need more arch support, go to a place where they’re specialized in selling shoes and boots and tell them you’re always uncomfortable.
Also, cute looking shoes are more often than not not built to be good for your feet, I can’t believe the number of girls/women I’ve met that freeze all winter because they refuse to wear actual winter boots because they’re ugly…
Call me Lenny/LeniKnowing how sensitive I am, I can’t imagine buying footwear I didn’t think was comfortable.
I love my Thursday boots. I do a fair amount of standing and walking in them and wear them all the time and they’ve always been comfortable for me.
Sabata11792Cozy and like armor. The hard part is finding something that properly fits. I like hardened toes, and need double wide for my ogre feet and its hard to find with something that's actually good and comfortable in my size.
I really like haix. They tend to run narrow so I have to get their double wide.
Go try on more boots… there are hundreds of styles. Go to a place that has lots and knowledgeable people to help you.
And don’t tie them so tightly.
Before Covid I was wearing redwings as my daily and they were so comfortable, bought a second pair in a different style (which is a big investment for me) and then Covid hit and now I spend 90% of my day in Ugg boots, socks or no shoes… oh well, I think I have a lifetime worth of boots there
Get boots made for construction workers. They are on their feet and in boots all day. I got a pair of redwings a few decades ago and they were my daily walking shoes until I got a car.
I don’t know if you have this in your town, but there’s an old school shoe store near me that has actual sales people who know their stuff. They’ve never led me astray.
My current ones are Ecco boots, but I credit the store more than the boots.
Surprised nobody’s mentioned this yet– What kind of socks are you wearing?
Boots used to always suck for me. Double check your sizing, and I recommend mid to heavyweight socks. Quality insoles help a lot, too. (Darn tough socks have been a game changer for me)
krayjEvery pair of boots I’ve owned have needed breaking in before becoming comfortable, and then they remained comfortable for the duration of their life.
I have iron rangers that took about two weeks to break in, and now they’re like an extension of me. So comfortable. But the break in period was…trying.
Keen all the way. They’re not dressy, you look like you’re going for a hike but man are comfortable out of the box. I have a hard time finding shoes / boots and keens are winners.
Runner up and more fashionable have been my blundstones
I am glad that you have had luck with Keen. I tried 2 separate pairs, one work shoe, one hiking boot/shoe and they both fell apart within 6 months in spots where they used adhesives instead of stitching. Never again.
Jackie's FridgeSame here. I still have two pair sandals and one pair shoes, all held together with ShoeGoo after separating.
Weird. After years of use, the first thing to go was a lace
Same here - I got a pair of Keen abut 5-6 years ago for hiking and they are the most comfortable boots I ever had - sometimes I wear them instead of sneakers. However they haven’t had as much use in the last few years.
I imagine all boots are slightly different and all feet are slightly different, so it’s a matter of finding that perfect fit for your feet at the time
Timberland, classic for a reason. I originally got them for doing DIY work around the house (and they have saved me from a nail in the foot at least twice so far) but now I legit pick these over my sneakers just for going out for a walk sometimes because they are comfier.
If you don't mind heavy-as-f***, Carolinas. Insulated, composite toe, waterproof to a foot and change deep. I learned about these from a guy who wears them to fight forest fires in the dead of winter. They're very comfy and put in a lot of work but holy gods are they heavy.
UsernameblankfaceRedbacks are the most comfortable boots I’ve ever tried yet.
I always go for the wide shoes whenever I can, because I know my feet are wider than average, and arch supports because I know I have flat feet. You might want to find an expert who can show you many different shapes of shoes or a foot and ankle specialist who can diagnose if you need extra support or anything.
owatnextMy Demonia boots HURT after a few hours. They look so cool though. My husband says his Docs are comfy though.
Danners bull run chelsea boot
I dont fuck with laces First boot I’ve ever put on that I had no complaints out of the box. Perfectly comfortable and good all day. I got them because I was looking for a laceless work boot that I could get re-soled as I kept wearing through the soles of my old boots while the leather was still in good shape. I’ve only had them for about 6 months and so far so good. We’ll see how the leather holds up.
Stillsounds like you’ve just not found boots that fit you right, I’ve had pain wearing many types of shoes untile I’ve found the size that works be for me,
I got a pair of timberlands that are quite comfortable tho they don’t last very long
Work boots? Try Thorogoods, redwings, even a few of the Wolverines brands like Bates are awesome.
Casual wear boots are somewhat trickier. Gotta just try em on in person see which ones fit to you correctly.
There is a “break in” period for all leather boots though, where the leather softens at the natural bends when you walk. Takes only a few days if you treat the leather right and keep it clean and moisturized.
You could have nonstandard shaped feet. I have had horribly uncomfortable footwear most of my life - turns out I need wide or double-wide sizes and taller mids (not the arch, but the corresponding top of the foot - the talus I think?).
You might have a local shoe store that offers custom fitting or measurements for work or sports footwear. Visit them and describe how your boots are uncomfortable. They can help figure out what features you need and which brands offer them.
Personally, I found Rockport chukkas to be perfect for me in the wide sizes. Very little break in time and decent quality (my current pair are 3 years of daily wear and going strong). That said, if you find a pair that work for you, but two and alternate wearing them to give them time to air out. They will last longer.
TakatakatakatakatakBoot weirdo reporting in. I wear boots pretty much all day every day.
My current favourite are “Steel Blue” brand, model: Argyle.
They’ve been around for years now and each iteration has actually been an improvement.
These things are so god damn comfortable, which is quite rare in a boot with such protection and a 300C sole.
Can’t recommend them highly enough.
I bought a ridiculously expensive pair of hiking boots and ended up going back to my steel blues because they just fit me so well.
The two most important things that most people don’t think about is making sure you get the right width of boot, and get a pair of quality insoles(they are just as if not more important than the boot they go in). I hated all the boots I wore until I got some superfeet insoles. As far as boot brands go I can back thorogoods as my goto.