American Made Roper Boots...

[Murphy Slaw]

I've done some research and it seems the Tecovas are pretty darned well built. I don't think a leather sole is a good idea for a "beater" boot that will see a lot of wear and weather but they do seem to be a well built boot. I'll probably go with the Double H purely for toughness and American (union) made, but the Tecovas have a story, for sure.

They're no Charlie Dunn, but hey...

 

[fq55]

I've got a busy year lined up, even though I'm retired, construction/property maintenance and such. Chinese slip-ons are easy, but not durable, and are stupid expensive. And they're Chinese.

I used to wear Red Wing "Pecos" boots in my younger working days, but we don't have a Red Wing dealer around here anymore. And I remember them being heavy. Not steel toe, just regular boots. I have a pair of beater cowboy boots, but they are pointy toe and not very comfortable.

I'm seeing Tecovas advertised a lot, but have never had a pair.

Any other ideas?

Not sure if you worked something out but there is talk about RW bringing the Pecos back. Not sure why they even retired that model.

I would recommend a wedge sole, they are supportive, have some additional cushion, don’t track mud and stones that scratch up floors, and most importantly are cheap and easy to resole.

I have a pair of Nicks Chore boots on order as they are about $100 more than a RW would be.

8oz very thick leather and all leather construction. Also available on a Thurman last. That mean the toe shape is wide and made for toe spay.

The wait time is a major down side though at about 20 weeks.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Not sure if you worked something out but there is talk about RW bringing the Pecos back. Not sure why they even retired that model.

I've found some American built Double H "Jase" boots at the local Rural King. Haven't pulled the trigger yet, my beaters are still holding together.

I would consider the Pecos if Red Wing built them in the U.S.A. The last pair of Red Wings I bought were Chinese and fell apart within a year.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I’m pretty sure that the Red Wing Pecos has never been discontinued and probably will never be discontinued as long as they’re in business. Anecdotally I think they are probably their most sold boot. Also, I’m pretty sure they have never been made in China. At least not made in China in recent years… They are made in the USA at the moment and have been for I don’t know how long.

SuperSole® | RedWing

Heavy-duty, pull-on 11-inch boot featuring electrical hazard and steel safety toe protection in Velva Boomer Leather. Shop now! | Red Wing Shoes

www.redwingshoes.com

They’re the toughest work boot there is. Period.

 

[Hickory n steel]

They’re the toughest work boot there is. Period.

I would disagree based on the construction which isn't welted and not intended to be resoled, but that doesn't mean they're bad just not the toughest there is.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

Just recently ive started wearing some new footwear....

There is a youtube channel by a leather designer/maker who bandsaws shoes and boots in half and analyzes them? I think it's called Rose Anvil?

Anyway, he did a collaboration with a South African company called Jim Green. They make all kinds of shoes, boots, and even flip flops now (they call them "silp slops" in SA.

I bought what's called their "Barefoot African Ranger". It has a wide toebox to let your piggies wiggle around. and the barfeoot part is thin sole, with zero rise. Very weird.

All their models are very basic and very utilitarian. It would be like Ethan Becker designed boots. That's what these look like.
They have neat videos how the shoes are made and their features.

the shoes are designed to be serviceable and reparable with simple skills. Good leather, good rubber. Made by people.

Because of the leather insoles, and their crude, beefy, simple designs.... It took a LONG time to break in. More than a month. Ugh....
Just now they are Super comfortable.

I'd recommend taking a look. I'm definitely going to buy more.
I'm used to the wide "Clown-like" toe box, and I don't think I wanna wear other footwear now.

*Edit. Oops.... didn't first realize the title said American Made...?

 

[fq55]

Just recently ive started wearing some new footwear....

There is a youtube channel by a leather designer/maker who bandsaws shoes and boots in half and analyzes them? I think it's called Rose Anvil?

Anyway, he did a collaboration with a South African company called Jim Green. They make all kinds of shoes, boots, and even flip flops now (they call them "silp slops" in SA.

I bought what's called their "Barefoot African Ranger". It has a wide toebox to let your piggies wiggle around. and the barfeoot part is thin sole, with zero rise. Very weird.

All their models are very basic and very utilitarian. It would be like Ethan Becker designed boots. That's what these look like.
They have neat videos how the shoes are made and their features.

the shoes are designed to be serviceable and reparable with simple skills. Good leather, good rubber. Made by people.

Because of the leather insoles, and their crude, beefy, simple designs.... It took a LONG time to break in. More than a month. Ugh....
Just now they are Super comfortable.

I'd recommend taking a look. I'm definitely going to buy more.
I'm used to the wide "Clown-like" toe box, and I don't think I wanna wear other footwear now.

*Edit. Oops.... didn't first realize the title said American Made...?

May not be American made but I can vouch for Jim Green. They make very solid and honest boots that are probably some of the best deals going right now.

 

[oldmanwilly]

Just recently ive started wearing some new footwear....

There is a youtube channel by a leather designer/maker who bandsaws shoes and boots in half and analyzes them? I think it's called Rose Anvil?

Anyway, he did a collaboration with a South African company called Jim Green. They make all kinds of shoes, boots, and even flip flops now (they call them "silp slops" in SA.

I bought what's called their "Barefoot African Ranger". It has a wide toebox to let your piggies wiggle around. and the barfeoot part is thin sole, with zero rise. Very weird.

All their models are very basic and very utilitarian. It would be like Ethan Becker designed boots. That's what these look like.
They have neat videos how the shoes are made and their features.

the shoes are designed to be serviceable and reparable with simple skills. Good leather, good rubber. Made by people.

Because of the leather insoles, and their crude, beefy, simple designs.... It took a LONG time to break in. More than a month. Ugh....
Just now they are Super comfortable.

I'd recommend taking a look. I'm definitely going to buy more.
I'm used to the wide "Clown-like" toe box, and I don't think I wanna wear other footwear now.

*Edit. Oops.... didn't first realize the title said American Made...?

May not be American made but I can vouch for Jim Green. They make very solid and honest boots that are probably some of the best deals going right now.

I'm glad y'all brought these up. I stumbled onto their site and am interested.

How tough/ thick are the Soles in practice? I'm in an exceptionally rocky area where most of the plants have mean thorns. In your experienced opinions, would these boots hold up?

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I would disagree based on the construction which isn't welted and not intended to be resoled, but that doesn't mean they're bad just not the toughest there is.

The criticism of them not being able to be resoled is fair. That said, I think it’s irrelevant. The upper on any boot that can be resoled isn’t going to outlast the pecos either. You can put the pecos up against any other boot in the harshest work environments there are and the pecos will absolutely last 2-3 times longer. You won’t be looking to resole the others. You’ll be looking for the nearest trash can to chunk them in. You’ll be throwing the pecos away too, just 4-8 months later than the others. IMHO

Edit: I can see the ability to be resoled as an advantage in a less harsh environment.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I'm glad y'all brought these up. I stumbled onto their site and am interested.

How tough/ thick are the Soles in practice? I'm in an exceptionally rocky area where most of the plants have mean thorns. In your experienced opinions, would these boots hold up?

They have a variety of sole styles. Normal stuff.
Mine are of the barefoot variety. The idea is thin, so you can "feel" the rocks and earth under foot.
mine are used by the game wardens in Africa, protecting herds and fighting poachers. They walk around all sorts of sticks and bush.
They also have thicker/normal soles on Other boots.

Me personally, even with the thinner soles that I have, i am not worried walking around in North American woods. Great Footwear,

 

[oldmanwilly]

They have a variety of sole styles. Normal stuff.
Mine are of the barefoot variety. The idea is thin, so you can "feel" the rocks and earth under foot.
mine are used by the game wardens in Africa, protecting herds and fighting poachers. They walk around all sorts of sticks and bush.
They also have thicker/normal soles on Other boots.

Me personally, even with the thinner soles that I have, i am not worried walking around in North American woods. Great Footwear,

Thank you! I shouldn't be surprised. I think I'll get me a pair.

 

[fq55]

The criticism of them not being able to be resoled is fair. That said, I think it’s irrelevant. The upper on any boot that can be resoled isn’t going to outlast the pecos either. You can put the pecos up against any other boot in the harshest work environments there are and the pecos will absolutely last 2-3 times longer. You won’t be looking to resole the others. You’ll be looking for the nearest trash can to chunk them in. You’ll be throwing the pecos away too, just 4-8 months later than the others. IMHO

Edit: I can see the ability to be resoled as an advantage in a less harsh environment.

Most boots that have thick leather and use quality components will last almost indefinitely. There are variables of course. Work environments that have certain boot requirements for heat, steel toes can be bent or wear through material. Or work places that will expose your boots to chemicals will shorten the life span of almost any boot.

Personally I’ve found rip rap is hell on leather but these are out for their first resole. Whites Smoke Jumpers.



Had to send the cobbler photos to make sure they would take on the job.

If a boot is well made and taken care it can be a long term investment.

For Ropers however, most tend to be used as more casual weekend chore boots. Slide them on, get them dirty and slide them off.

 

[fq55]

I'm glad y'all brought these up. I stumbled onto their site and am interested.

How tough/ thick are the Soles in practice? I'm in an exceptionally rocky area where most of the plants have mean thorns. In your experienced opinions, would these boots hold up?

Their razorback line is very durable and the soles they used aren’t as squishy as they look. They are made for the African bush and although not finely finish I think they are a high quality boot.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

oldmanwilly

 

[Crag the Brewer]

oldmanwilly

Id read up on sizing them.
Id say they run pretty close to size. But on my next pair I might go a bit bigger to account for thicker, wool socks.
My size I ordered was good for a shoe size

 

[Hickory n steel]

The criticism of them not being able to be resoled is fair. That said, I think it’s irrelevant. The upper on any boot that can be resoled isn’t going to outlast the pecos either. You can put the pecos up against any other boot in the harshest work environments there are and the pecos will absolutely last 2-3 times longer. You won’t be looking to resole the others. You’ll be looking for the nearest trash can to chunk them in. You’ll be throwing the pecos away too, just 4-8 months later than the others. IMHO

Edit: I can see the ability to be resoled as an advantage in a less harsh environment.

I don't think S-B foot ( the tannery Redwing owns ) even tans leather as thick as the Seidel and Horween leathers most of the PNW boot makers use.
I'm sure those are good boots, but there is just no way the uppers will last 2-3x longer than any boot from the PNW makers like Nick's Frank's Whites Wesco & JK when the toe is usually wears out first and all the PNW makers have models with a leather toe cap which these particular redwings do not have.

Thicker leather and a who second layer of that thicker leather in the heaviest wearing part of the upper means these boots will absolutely not last 2-3x longer because that is just not the kind of boot they are.
I am assuming that your assessment of these boots comes from your experience with other boots which were cheaper, the tougher heavier PNW boots I spoke of mostly range from $500-$750.


There are different types of work boots.
Cheap disposable comfortable at 1st barely boots, boots made to be comfortable and fairly durable/ long lasting but ultimately disposable like your redwing Pecos, and those that are just meant to be the toughest longest lasting boot money can buy because they're depended on in the harshest work environments you can possibly imagine.

 

[Hickory n steel]

oldmanwilly

Their vellie chukkas are awesome.

My 1 year old pair of standard vellies in Khaki rough out that I dubbed with obenaufs & beeswax.

These are my summer beaters and shop shoes I put on to head out into my garage in the winter.


And my slightly upgraded Vellies that I ordered from the Jim Green custom shop a few months ago.

These are my more cared for casual summer shoes.


I prefer American made footwear in most cases, but nobody in the US makes a durable rugged chukka like the JG Vellies nor are they using the awesome wide toe box JG last that gives you the toe room as well as doing so without looking odd.
You cannot deny the value of JG footwear or hate them when their business practices material sourcing and employee treatment is all done right.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I don't think S-B foot ( the tannery Redwing owns ) even tans leather as thick as the Seidel and Horween leathers most of the PNW boot makers use.
I'm sure those are good boots, but there is just no way the uppers will last 2-3x longer than any boot from the PNW makers like Nick's Frank's Whites Wesco & JK when the toe is usually wears out first and all the PNW makers have models with a leather toe cap which these particular redwings do not have.

Thicker leather and a who second layer of that thicker leather in the heaviest wearing part of the upper means these boots will absolutely not last 2-3x longer because that is just not the kind of boot they are.
I am assuming that your assessment of these boots comes from your experience with other boots which were cheaper, the tougher heavier PNW boots I spoke of mostly range from $500-$750.


There are different types of work boots.
Cheap disposable comfortable at 1st barely boots, boots made to be comfortable and fairly durable/ long lasting but ultimately disposable like your redwing Pecos, and those that are just meant to be the toughest longest lasting boot money can buy because they're depended on in the harshest work environments you can possibly imagine.

No argument here for the most part. I should say that I’m comparing them to similarly priced offerings AND I’m speaking about their superiority in a general labor sense, excluding specialized occupations. Different boots for different applications. Speaking from experience, about the harshest general labor work environment I can think of is working floors on a drilling rig. Those PNW boots would absolutely not cut it.

 

[beeinak]

Interesting thread. I love the Redwing super-sole for being amazingly non slippery on ice. I was wearing cowboy boots when I moved to AK, and slipped on the ice probably an hour into first getting here

A couple of years ago I went in to the Redwing store to get some more boots, and the owner said that supply chain had been really affected to where he had no American made models in my size, and told me that he did not want to sell me the non-American styles as they were not at all up to the standards I was used to.

I have only owned one pair of White’s boots (pack boot), and they were absolutely phenomenal. An iron worker up here told me it is actually cheaper for him to wear White’s as they last so much longer than other brands.

 

[Hickory n steel]

No argument here for the most part. I should say that I’m comparing them to similarly priced offerings AND I’m speaking about their superiority in a general labor sense, excluding specialized occupations. Different boots for different applications. Speaking from experience, about the harshest general labor work environment I can think of is working floors on a drilling rig. Those PNW boots would absolutely not cut it.

If you're job demands the toughest boot possible the PNW companies make a boot that's up to it, they have all have various models and different sole types in their inventories.

I'm not saying they're the best option for every person and every situation, they're just the best when you need the toughest longest lasting boot possible.