Work Boots

 "Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things." - Epictetus

It's *that* time of year again.  The time of year when it's either raining or snowing for several months.

It's been a while since I treated the old work boots, so this afternoon, I removed the laces and went at it.  This stuff seems to work pretty good - I'm no expert on waterproofing footwear.  I never really had to worry it until moving to North Idaho.  It's a good idea to water-proof your boots for winter if you are outdoors very much.  Your feet may eventually get cold, but at least they won't also be wet.

It's wise to remove the laces to get good coverage, and lay the goop on heavy at the seams where water can easily enter the boot.  Of course I found a frayed lace, and afterwards as I tied up, it broke.  Just what I needed.  Fortunately the new supermarket carries a matching lace, so I didn't have to drive all the way to town to replace a broken shoe string.

Below is the current pair of boots - a pair of Carhartt Rugged Flex CT Waterproofs.  They are nearly three years old at this point, which is impressive.  They are not the greatest boots I've worn, but are not the worst by a long shot. 

The worst boots I ever owned were "Caterpillar" brand that I bought twenty years ago from Wal-Mart for forty bucks.  They looked great, but they were the only boots that ever made my feet hurt - and this was long after they were broken in.  They hurt because the soles had very little cushioning.  Part of the reason I bought the Caterpillar boots was because my employer would only cover $40 for work boots.  Cheapskates.  Inexpensive work boots are incredibly painful when you are on your feet all day.

 

Some work boots I've really taken a liking to are made by Danner.  This particular model has a composite toe.  Composite is preferable to steel in a cold climate, because it doesn't conduct the warmth out of your toes like metal does.  These boots are a bit painful during the break-in period - they poke you in a few places.  But once they are broken in, they fit like an ankle-deep slipper, and they hold up for a long time.  Below is the Danner Trakwelt with the 8" upper.  Super comfy.

The company I'm with now has a great annual boot allowance, and so I have accumulated a couple of unopened boxes of these wonderful Danner boots.  They will be ready to go when the Carhartt boots finally wear out.  

I've heard good things about Red Wing, Georgia, Keen, and Carolina.  I've owned a few different models of Wolverines and liked them - although not as much as the Danners.  Below, a Wolverine boot with the DuraShock sole - an excellent work boot, not quite as comfortable to my feet as the Danner.

 

The model of Wolverines that I liked quite a bit are below: 

However these wore out really fast.  You might be able to spot the problem.  Both pairs of boots split open at the seam on the side, where the ball of the foot flexes.  I really liked the boots, but with both pairs, the stitching failed and the seam split open due to flexing, within a year.

I'd like to hear some opinions from people who work on their feet a lot.  Brands and models!  I've got another boot allowance coming up in January and I'm open to suggestions.  No slip-ons!  I don't wear those.