Boots

[Justin m roberts]

anyone recommend a waterproof boot that is comfortable for all day activities. I walk a lot during my day job and need something that is comfortable. I do not need it to be steel toe.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Justin and welcome to the Creek.

My job required safety toe shoes. Mine were from Red Wing. Only one pair was comfortable.

Just before my retirement a friend in the medical field suggested Chippewa Shoes were more comfortable.

After about eight years of retirement medical reasons had me shift to shoes without laces while recovering from CABG surgery. My old work boots only are worn for rough n tough work now.

jtk

[Adam Herman]

what kind of work? I really liked My wolverine boots, I have tried many brands and worn many boots out working on oil rigs. The only way to keep a leather boot waterproof is to keep them oiled up with mink oil. I did mine about once a week. The chemicals can really kill them if they soak into the leather, like all the stuff in Frack fluid, condensate, crude, drilling mud, etc. some of my crew carried the big rubber overboots for the really muddy locations, or heavy snow, or if we were swabbing out crude with our tools.

I really like my Columbia insulated boots for winter as well, my feet have not been wet when out plowing the drive or whatever working outside. I may get some composite toe insulated though, as i will be doing more winter tractor work on this property. I'll be leaning towards wolverine again but will consider others now that there are more made in usa options. does not hurt that wolverine is based in my home town. they also make hush puppies, Cat, Harley, Merrill, Sperry and several other brands of shoes.

I also have a pair of "muds" by noble outfitters that i find more comfortable than "muck boots" brand stuff that i wear exclusively doing farm chores when I will be in contact with farm effluent if you get my drift. they are rubber and can get hot in the summer and never come in the house.

I would advise, if you are doing any heavy work, to go for a composite toe that is comfortable. even around the property i have been happy to have them a few times, and even if you only "use" that feature once, its worth it. don't want to start a saw stop debate though.


use the right tool for the job. don't cheap out on boots if you are spending more time in them than sleeping, or spend time in them sleeping as we did. I had an operator that did and the glue melted and his boots fell apart one particularly hot day in the outback. sand temp was something like 150 degrees in the sun. haha.

i have a lot of opinions on this topic.
i think this is the equivalent to my last pair, its been a few years since i was in the field.

https://www.wolverine.com/US/en/ramparts-8-inch-boot/40771M.html?dwvar_40771M_color=W190020#cgid=men-footwear-view-all&prefn1=workFeatures&prefv1=Built%20In%20USA&start=1

[Jim Becker]

I've heard very good things about Keen...and they do make waterproof/water resistant type footwear for work.

[Nathan Johnson]

Are you sure you want waterproof? Waterproof means not breathable, and you're going to have hot, sweaty feet.
Personally, I prefer a breathable shoe with high quality wool socks.

Winter boots for something like ice fishing would be a different story.

[Lisa Starr]

My husband lives in his boots and really needs waterproof in the winter. He's hands down favorites are Keens. In the summer he wears ankle high Keen boots and in the winter prefers 9" with 1100 grams of Thinsulate. With those, he can work in standing water on the worst days of winter when answering emergency commercial (flat) roof leak calls. In the 40 years he's been in the trade, he's tried every boot made and the Keens are the only ones that work and manage to last two winters.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

All of the above have been good. Keen has been excellent at honoring their warranties. It all depends upon what you plan to use them for and what environment you will be working in.

[Brian Tymchak]

All of the above have been good. Keen has been excellent at honoring their warranties. It all depends upon what you plan to use them for and what environment you will be working in.


I've heard very good things about Keen...and they do make waterproof/water resistant type footwear for work.

About 18 months ago I went boot shopping. I also heard from a friend that Keen were excelent boots. However, I could not find wide widths anywhere for Keen boots.

[Scott T Smith]

I wear safety toe work boots 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Several years ago I switched over to Keen products and have been very pleased. A good portion of my day is spent on a concrete floor and the Keens have been comfortable. I'm currently wearing the Dover model, but for your needs would also consider the Philadelphia model since it is waterproof.

I keep two pair in service, alternating them daily with the pair removed at night placed on a Peet boot dryer.

[Rob Luter]

I wore Keen when they were first out. They were made with a wide last and roomy toe box that fit my hobbit feet well. Like Crocs, they’ve narrowed them up for the mass market and I can’t wear them any more.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

About 18 months ago I went boot shopping. I also heard from a friend that Keen were excelent boots. However, I could not find wide widths anywhere for Keen boots.


Try this search
https://www.keenfootwear.com/mens-boots/?prefn1=width&prefv1=WIDE

[George Yetka]

kind of a personal question. Every foot is different. The one I landed on after 15 years of trial and error was Danner

[Mike Null]

I wear Keen hiking shoes, not boots, but I am very pleased with the construction and comfort. Unlike others, I found this shoe to be a little too wide but still very stable and comfortable. They are waterproof though I don't need that feature.

[Tom M King]

I don't know how anyone can recommend boots for someone else. I live in Nike running shoes, after Much trial and error of different brands, which fit my feet like they're made for them. Any stiff boots I've ever tried, and I include any leather boots in what I call stiff, slow my movement up enough to be a bother. I run, jump, slide, pivot, and need my ankles to be able to flex, or I get really tired, like from being tied down. If I wear boots, at the end of a work day I feel like I've worked two days.

The only waterproof boots I find that are bearable are Nike duty boots. The foot part fits like the running shoes I wear, and they're decently flexible. I wear them when I need boots to keep stuff out of my shoes, like when running a chainsaw.

I did try a number of snake-proof boots before finding some that were almost bearable, but on days that I wear them, my feet get Really tired from having my ankles stiffened up, and my movement has to be thought about, since it's limited.

[Jim Becker]

I'm with you on that, Tom...I wear Sketchers Go-Walk with "custom off-the-shelf" inserts personally. I mentioned Keen above, however, because I've heard a lot of good things about them relative to waterproof work boots.

[Ed Fang]

i wholeheartedly recommend Zamberland boots. I frequently hike all day in a couple pairs I own. that being said - they arent necessarily work boots, but just outdoor boots. They have water resistant as well as waterproof. Great soles, and most of them can be resoled.

[Scott Winners]

I have had two pairs of absolutely water proof boots lately.

I am currently in a pair of Xtra toughs (the brown ones with khaki trim) available in many styles and insulation thicknesses. Mine are rated to -20dF and have a composite toe, but there are many options. Good boot, not closely fitted. Good durability, accurate temp rating, not comfortable for long distance walking because they flop around on my feet.

Before that I had a pair of Boggs that were comfortable for long distance walking. The trouble with the Boggs, and likely any close fitting boot, is the rubber flexed with every step, cracked to let water in but didn't drain the water back out.

If you are looking for good/ excellent water resistance rather than absolutely water proof, Danner, Wolverine and Keen all make excellent boots. I am sure there are other brands as well. I would choose the one that fit my feet best, which might be a different brand than you choose, and I would use mink oil on the leather.

I personally use Wolverine in the dry season (mink oil), Xtra toughs in the short shoulder seasons for durability and whatever it was that fit best (silicone spray) in the winter months. Some permuation of Red Irish Setter Dog for the winters, the ones that fit me best with a relative bunch of thinsulate.

If I was still hunting a lot (moose and caribou both occur in the wet autumn season here) I would likely spring for more Boggs knowing they would last 1-2 years for the long distance comfort, rather than Xtratoughs that can last 3-5 years.

If you go with full waterproof, plan on a PEET dryer to hang them on for the overnights. Getting neoprene boot lining dry without PEET is a problem.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Justin SE4660. It’s a cowboy style with a rubber sole. I love these enough that I bought a second pair for dress use. I love the saddle vamp because often I use my feet to support stuff, and I can rest things on the saddle vamp and it protects my foot. They are fine wading through puddles. I always add mink oil or other protectant to boots to add to the waterproofness.

I used to make fun of rubber sole cowboy boots, but unless you’re riding horses all day, they make sense.

* always fit a cowboy boot to slip a little in the heel when new. It will tighten in the heel as you stretch the width when you wear the boot.

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