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Show us your SHOES !!!

John_Z

One of the Regulars
Messages
152
Was wearing these today.

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Fifty150

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,304
Location
The Barbary Coast
People who own these shoes have strong opinions about them. Mostly positive. On my feet, they both feel good. I'm a little disappointed that Red Wing never has a sale or coupon for their Heritage line boots. $349 for Iron Rangers is quite a bit to pay. Wolverine seems to have sales and coupons - often enough that I would never buy at full price. No way would I pay $400, if I can just wait until they are $200.

There are differences. Some would say that they're completely different. Which they are. But to my feet, both feel good. And I don't notice the differences when I'm wearing them.




I'm disappointed that Wolverine does not offer recrafting. I'm disappointed that Red Wing no longer uses that neo-cork sole. I wish that Iron Rangers would offer 360 degree welted model. I would like it if 1000 Mile Boots had a leather insole.


Overall, at the end of the day, my feet don't notice.








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Fifty150

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,304
Location
The Barbary Coast
I bought a 2nd pair. Jim Green is the best leather to cost shoe @ $149. Real value.


They're very hard to break in. Your feet will hurt. Double layer of leather with a single piece vamp. A 3rd layer of leather on the toe cap and heel counter. Leather insole and midsole.

Now buttery soft on my feet.








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Fifty150

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,304
Location
The Barbary Coast
Another pair from the 2011 Catalog. These have just been discontinued. They had a good run. Admittedly, it's not "the best" shoe in the world. But for whatever reason, they feel very good on my feet. Maybe my foot works well with their 65 Last. Maybe it's the full leather lining. It could be the boot's low heel height. Or the rigidity of the double layer of leather as a midsole and outsole. The leather sole is one of the things that I don't like. I just don't like slipping and sliding. My leather bottom boots have sole savers. I would have liked speed hooks. Maybe a veg tan leather insole instead of that leather covered poron footbed. At Resole time, a good cobbler may be able to rebuild more to my liking. But I'm not spending that kind of money. If they need new soles, they will get them. But I have no intention of spending more money to customize the boot, than I paid for the boot.













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Fifty150

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,304
Location
The Barbary Coast

There's an ugly side to the business that nobody talks about. Toxic chemicals, coupled with boiling hot water and steam. Fumes that could, at the very least, make you very high. At the end of the day, neurological damage, and eventually death. Not just the fumes we're breathing. But dermal absorption. You ever wonder why the guy in the back alley behind the restaurant seems a little off, or acts kind of strange?



Along with the rubber apron and rubber gloves, which I buy with my own money, are heavy duty boots. Made to protect workers in different industries, Helcor is there when the orange chicken sauce spills or when rats are gnawing at your toes.​










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Fifty150

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,304
Location
The Barbary Coast
Faux Moc Toe look. An interesting leather. The leather is soft. Not a work boot. Supple. Light weight. Very comfortable. I can't appreciate it. I don't see a good reason to buy another shoe in Lux leather. The old Chromexcel is fine by me.



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Fifty150

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,304
Location
The Barbary Coast
We all have different feet. Different shoes will fit different.

You hear about going down a half size from Brannock for boots, shoes that are not sneakers, and with certain brands and their lasts. My Brannock measurement is a 10 D. A few times, I tried a 9 1/2 D.


I don't have an "apples to apples" comparison. Just my own experience from the few times that I tried going a half size down. The length of the shoe is fine. Plenty of room in the length. A generous "thumb's width". The half size down squishes my toes. It's at the sides. As the shoe comes to a taper, my last three toes are pushed together. Nothing painful or unbearable. I can still wear the shoes all day. But it is noticeable.

Obviously, this will be different for everyone.



This is a pair of Bates. Bates is a Wolverine brand which is sold as a uniform shoe. Postal, law enforcement, and such. Most of these shoes are built for comfort, with components that are not meant to last for years. They're typically not built to be rebuilt. Most agencies issue new shoes annually. My Brannock of 10 D.



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Here is a Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot in 9 1/2 D. They're not exactly built on the same last, nor have a similar design.




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I have Allen Edmonds in the 65 last. According to Allen Edmonds, it's a long last. This is true. There's almost an inch of space from my toes to the end of the shoe. Other than the extra room at the end, which I don't mind, all of my 65 last shoes fit and feel good. So I bought a few pairs going down a half size. My toes squished.







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For an apples to pineapples comparison, these are Jim Green in size 10. Jim Green are supposedly sized to Brannock by length, and have a wide fit.​




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