Boots fall apart?

I've had that happen with 2 pairs of Rocky's. The soles literally disintegrated off the boots in a couple of years. I will never, ever, ever, buy another pair of them! I go totally with Lacrosse now.
 
I was going through cheaper boots at the rate of a pair about every 6 months at work. Decided to break down and buy a pair of Rocky's Midway had on sale. Fantastic pair of boots!! Feet never got wet in them, unless I went over the top of the boot in water; have never done a thing in respect to treating them in over 16 months. Light - Comfortable - Fit Well... only place I would fault them at all is the material in the sole is ungodly unsafe on any surface that might be slick.

Wearing the soles out on them, I dug and searched and tried to find another pair of the same model to no avail. Found one that looked VERY SIMILAR, payed more for them than the last pair... They're junk! Have a pair of $50 - Dr. Scholl's custom fit insoles in them to even make them tolerable to wear. Still not as comfortable as the last pair. They're cut too big, and don't fit well. They don't keep my feet dry, haven't since the first week I've worn them. Pretty sure I'm going to get about the same service out of these as I was getting out of the cheap boots, and paid 3 times as much for them.

But yeah... they all fall apart prematurely these days. If the soles stand up, the inner liners rot out, the stitching put in stress points rots or tears out, soles break... they're pretty much all junk anymore.

 
I have worn Redwing for 25 years, then tried Timberline about 4 months ago. Big mistake, the Timberline have started to come apart (lace eyelets) after just a few months, and they are chafing the soles of my feet.
 
Well I have to give credit where it is due, I sent my 1 year old Timberlands back for "evaluation".
They sent me a brand new pair, no charge.
I really liked the old ones, they were extremely comfortable, and waterproof, until the soles fell off.
I don't know if the replacements will last. Possibly not, but at least Timberland did replace the first pair. In the interim I bought USA Redwings, we'll see.....
 
Quality and craftsmanship is getting to be a thing of the past. A lot of companies are producing pure junk when it comes to footwear. One company that has produced a quality product for over 100 years is White's Boots. If you want a quality boot that will last, look at the White's. Kenetrek and Lowa also produce a quality boot. Although these brands are more costly, you will get your money's worth.
 
Been wearing my Muck Masters for the past 5 years. Slip on, slip off, waterproof, decent warmth with wool socks, plenty of traction...
 
With my line of work I chew through boots pretty fast (blacktop) and I have tried just about all the mentioned boots and Rockies seemed to be a good boot usually lasted a season April to November but the last few pairs were not so tried Carolina's they have done great got almost 2 seasons out of them actually the sole wore out and just started to separate but I'll take that for walking on 300 degrees and getting a shot of diesel fuel once in awhile.
But just my 2cents,
Good luck in the boot hunt,

Scott
 
Altman ripple sole desert combat boots with gutted 550cord laces and Dr shoals insoles. 5 years and still going strong. They are fantastic in desert (sand,rock, mountain....in east TN they do great besides walking along the side of a hill) they've done everything from rucking through the mountains to welding in the shop. The soles are hard enough that they give great support to your knees and back but flexible enough your feet smile... after 200+ miles being cloaked in blood sweat mud and god knows what else, I call them my Ninja slippers!
 
Originally Posted By: yotyfoxQuality and craftsmanship is getting to be a thing of the past. A lot of companies are producing pure junk when it comes to footwear. One company that has produced a quality product for over 100 years is White's Boots. If you want a quality boot that will last, look at the White's. Kenetrek and Lowa also produce a quality boot. Although these brands are more costly, you will get your money's worth.

Whites are garbage nowadays. Last pair I bought went in about two years. I could have gotten that out of a much cheaper pair of boots. Had a rebuild done on another pair this last summer and the rebuild lasted all one ONE DAY. $300 for one day is not putting out a quality product. They are still round because of reputation only.

Nicks boots have impressed me. Their boot seems to be what Whites used to be but I've only had a pair of Nicks for a year and a half so I dont have any long term experience with them yet.
 
Originally Posted By: Rocky1Pretty sure I'm going to get about the same service out of these as I was getting out of the cheap boots, and paid 3 times as much for them.

... they all fall apart prematurely these days. If the soles stand up, the inner liners rot out, the stitching put in stress points rots or tears out, soles break... they're pretty much all junk anymore.




My prediction was almost correct... rather than getting 6 months out of the $100 Rocky boots I bought on sale for $90, like the 6 months I was getting out of the $35 Wally World boots, and the $60 Tractor Supply Boots; I got a whole 3 months out of these before the seam up the side of the boot simply vanished into thin air, leaving a big gaping 3 inch long hole in the side of the so called waterproof boot, just like the others, after twice the time!! Only good thing I can say about the deal is, I ordered them on Amazon and Return Request netted a postage paid return mailing address label via e-mail, in less than 12 hours. With promise to replace the boots, or reimburse me the cost thereof, upon return. Which is good, because I was going to be REALLY GRUMPY if they hadn't.


In looking at NUMEROUS brands on Amazon to replace them, the same complaints are seen in reviews of many of the name brand supposedly "American Made" boots. Danners for instance, were seriously talked bad about in hiking and work boots costing up to $350. Rockys... made the Danner story pale in comparison; lots of complaints there!! Red wing got the same nature of complaints, as did LaCrosse, as did..., as did..., as did...

By the same respect however, the very same boots got glowing reviews by most customers. The majority said the boots had worked flawlessly for MONTHS, "most comfortable pair of boots I've ever owned; like walking with pillows on my feet." "Wore this boot for over a year, 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, working in mud and water, and while the boots got seriously WET often, my feet never did!" One said he wore the toes out in a week, the next one says he hasn't scuffed the boots hiking through lava rock on deserted islands for a year. I wouldn't doubt them, but the first two were found on the pair of boots I bought and found to have no support, unomfortable as [beeep], cut too large, and falling apart in 3 months; on top of making your feet smell like something that might attract a hungry coyote. It honestly makes you wonder why one pair is so wonderful, and another pair is SOOOOOO... CRAPPY!!! Like maybe, good reviews aren't at times honest, like maybe employees get paid to write them, or something.

And, then you look at the sizing review, "Does this boot fit as expected?" Uhmmm... 60% said yes, 14% said it was too small, 8% said it was WAY TOO SMALL, 12% said it was too big and 7% said it was WAY TOO BIG. And, this wasn't just on one pair of boots either, this was found on numerous different models, styles, and brands of boots. I sort of figured maybe this is just a difference in where folks have been buying shoes previously, and them not knowing what size they really wear in their old age, like me, until I started reading the reviews. One guy said, he'd not had good luck with a given pair of boots, and had received 5 pair in a year's time, and NO TWO PAIR FIT THE SAME. Another said he ordered a pair of boots in his regular size, and they were too small, so he returned them and ordered a size larger, and they were still too narrow, so he had to order them in EE width, and they fit beautifully but the fabric in the toe was rolled up and unbearable to wear, and he returned that pair. Upon receiving the next pair they were too narrow again, and when he checked the boots, they were 12 D boots in a 12 EE box. He returned those, received a second pair of EE boots, this time in a box that was sealed with the manufacturer's embossed factory tape, and same scenario, 12 D boots in 12 EE box. He finally gave up and requested refund!!

Virtually everyone cites the same suspect in all issues with problem boots they received... All say they found "Made in China" stamped somewhere on the box.
 
Wolverine has been great for me, and that is an understatement, wear them at work and in the field, they are many, many years old. Several pairs of laces wear out before the soles have much wear on them. I am on my third set of Dr Shoals inserts after the original inserts wore out...how good is that? These are old Wolverine boots.

Also, I suspect that there are different levels of quality in each brand. Redwing I just got tired of and gave them to my brother, he is still wearing them many years later.

Rocky's are the worst of them all.
 
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Redwings still last pretty well. There are cheaper boots but I haven't seen any that meet my criteria


1) Made in USA
2) Waterproof (GoreTex required not a "water resistant" silicon spray down that lasts a day)
3) Last for a year


I've been wearing 2412's for around 15 yrs as a work boot and get at least a year and generally 2 yrs out of them. For a $300 boot I don't think you can beat them.
 
I have a pair of Cabelas boots that I bought 5 years ago. They are still in good shape with no problems. Also have a pair of Herman boots I bought 15 years ago when I worked construction. Wearing them daily in mud and water. They are still in good condition but the sole is worn down. They have a lot of miles on them.

The quality of just about everything now days is gone. Even American made is junk. It is all about making a buck. I never did like Redwing boots. They make my feet hurt.
 
Originally Posted By: basdjsI've had that happen with 2 pairs of Rocky's. The soles literally disintegrated off the boots in a couple of years. I will never, ever, ever, buy another pair of them!

DITTO
 
My old leather Hunting boots are 30 yrs Old.? & every few years I take them to my local Shoe Maker for resoling & I re treat them with the Sno- Seal & they are ready to go for another few years.?
 
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I recently bought a pair of Lowa extreme hunters and have been very happy with them. They are the not cheap but buy once cry once. I would rather pay more for a pair of boots that will hopefully last me a couple of years. I also have a pair of Asolo boots that I have had for 15 years and I still wear them, excellent product.
 
I had a similar problem with Wolverine boots which after breaking them in, they sat in the closet for a few years. When I took them out to go into the woods, the soles disintegrated after one hour.

When I called Wolverine, the very nice lady told me it happened due to lack of use. She sent me a new pair and told me to use them and not leave them in the closet.

We'll see.
 
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