Work Boots

[Cobar]

I need suggestions on relatively inexpensive steel toed boots.

Normally I go with the buy good stuff that will last for years, but boots at work get torn up fast. Lots of stuff tearing at the leather toe area just tears it up. I don't want to spend $300 on good boots just to be looking through the leather at the toe cap in six months.

Currently I have been cycling out the wally world $40 specials, but I am tired of how uncomfortable they are. That said I am looking for decent boots in the sub $100 range (cheaper the better) but are more comfortable than the crappy walmart stuff.

[First Shirt]

We stock Carolina brand at work, and they run about 95 bucks a pair, in the six-inch version, and 110 for the 8-inch. These are met-guard steel toes, with heat-resistant soles (its a steel mill, after all). The company pays for two pairs a year, and I usually go through three.

Hy-Tek are okay, and a bit cheaper, but I haven't found a pair that are comfortable, (and they only have six-inch tops), or that hold up as well.

Georgia Pacific are another good one, but places that carry them are few and far between, and you really need to try them on, because their sizing is a little weird. (Like Olive Oyl: "I wear a 7, but and 8 feels so good, I get a 9 1/2.)

[BadgerVet]

You only got two feet, man. Try a pair of Red Wings.

[Darrell]

I used to wear cheap steel toe boots at work, then went to Red Wings. You really do get what you pay for.

One caveat: not all Red Wings are made in the USA nowadays. Some are made in China. I've been wearing their 2244s for the last few pairs, nice and light with a composite toe instead of steel. They are very comfortable.

http://www.redwingshoes.com/red-wing-sh ... boot-brown

I paid quite a bit less than the $199 MSRP, $144 IIRC.

[Netpackrat]

I have normally worn the US made Danner work boots for many years. About a year and a half ago, I bought a pair of the Chinese Danners for work, because my employer would reimburse partially for safety toes, and they didn't make the US ones both with a composite safety toe, and sufficient insulation for winter. I beat the hell out of my boots and these have been holding up surprisingly well. They appear to have the durability of the US made units, if not the same level of attention to detail in terms of straight stitching, etc.

[Cobar]

I may have to make the trip down to the Redwing store, seems they make an H width. They aren't quite as expensive has I remember, although the China thing may have something to do with that.

[Steamforger]

The Redwing Chinese knock offs are labeled as "Worx". I've had two pair over the last 7 years, working on large civil construction projects and they've held up well enough.

ETA- do to the incredibly flat nature of the soles on some Worx boots, they are utter shite on ice.

[Cobar]

The Redwing Chinese knock offs are labeled as "Worx". I've had two pair over the last 7 years, working on large civil construction projects and they've held up well enough.

The Redwing site shows that quite a few of their branded boots are made in China.

[PawPaw]

Bates Lites. I've buy one pair a year. The old pair becomes hunting boots, the two-year old pair goes in the trash.

[Termite]

You only got two feet, man. Try a pair of Red Wings.

Badger makes a good point. Take care of your feet. You aren't getting any younger, and the older you get, the more you need really good boots.
I'm partial to Wolverines.