Hello, everyone. I'm about to drop a paycheck on some real workboots, and thought I would solicit some opinions here. A British chap I work with recommends/wears boots by White, which cost a bundle, but are apparently rock-solid...waterproofed to the calf, and purchase price includes 2 complete rebuilds. Anything else I should look at?

i'd go with those if they aren't hideous.

i had some steel toe "industrial" doc marten's that i managed to kill in about 2years. so not those.

caterpillar i hear are ok.

I think the Doc Marten line has long been delagated to 'Hot Topic', in the sense of a marketable commodity being assigned to an obvious target demographic, with the typical declines in quality. The last pair I had lasted about 9 months. I have seen some Cat boots that may have been OK, but I think they are going the way of the Docs...i.e. plaster a plastic CAT emblem on them, have preteens in China sew them up, and sell them at Wal-Mart...

These Whites look better and better. The rebuilds are what might rope me in...my job is pretty rough on the footwear. Here's what I'm looking at:

http://www.whitesoutdoor.com/store/product.php?category=Boots&id=700

Damned expensive, but I'm willing to go to the food bank for a week or two to have some real leather on my foot. That hardtoe that isn't metal is the seller...steeltoes are rumored to be dangerous when working with larger lighting rigs (lots of current, cabling, and highly conductive truss/etc around).

rayj wrote:I think the Doc Marten line has long been delagated to 'Hot Topic', in the sense of a marketable commodity being assigned to an obvious target demographic, with the typical declines in quality. The last pair I had lasted about 9 months. I have seen some Cat boots that may have been OK, but I think they are going the way of the Docs...i.e. plaster a plastic CAT emblem on them, have preteens in China sew them up, and sell them at Wal-Mart...

These Whites look better and better. The rebuilds are what might rope me in...my job is pretty rough on the footwear.

yeah. i hope for your sake those boots aren't hideous. the rebuild is awesome.

rayj wrote:These Whites look better and better. The rebuilds are what might rope me in...my job is pretty rough on the footwear. Here's what I'm looking at:

http://www.whitesoutdoor.com/store/product.php?category=Boots&id=700

They have a heel that looks bigger than a cowboy boot. Hmmm.

I have a pair of boots that are (supposedly) used by SWAT teams. I don't think they would be ideal for rigging, but they look badass.

I think steel-toes are insulated enough that current would not be a problem. Also, with Vibram soles, there's no ground. At least, that's what I was told.

burun wrote:They have a heel that looks bigger than a cowboy boot. Hmmm.

Yeah, I was considering that. It is shallower than the average classic cowboy boot, but it is still a heel. However, I used to wear those classic Frankenstein/ring-strap boots (don't know what they are called) religiously, and was so acclimated to the 2"+ heel that I used to skate in them.

But...hmm. Pricey for something that might be a hindrance.

rayj wrote:But...hmm. Pricey for something that might be a hindrance.

As someone who has a lot of leg/knee/foot problems, dropping coin on good shoes is a large part of my life. I cannot wear cheap crappy shoes.

That said these look so awesome that I have to figure out a way to get myself a pair.

I bet there's a place you can go try them on and see how high they are, exactly.

burun wrote:That said these look so awesome that I have to figure out a way to get myself a pair.

I'd go for 'Nicotine-Ostrich'. Whatever that is. For nearly a grand, that ostrich had better light your smokes for you...

It will roll your cigars on the thighs of luscious Cuban ladies.

wow. that's unfortunate. those are hideous.

absolutely hideous.

i wouldn't wear them.