Red Wing work boots?

Terry M.

Terry M.

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Feb 5, 2006
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I need a new pair of workboots and wondered if anyone had a pair and how you liked them? How do they hold up?
 
I have had 2 pairs of Red Wing work boots, both steel toed, and neither pair held up very well at all. Part of this is due to the nature of steel toes, but the stitching and sole wear was poor also. I don't wear steel toes anymore but I still won't buy any more Red Wings. I work in a weld shop (I don't weld much anymore) and for me, the best work boots are Whites and Hathorne boots. They are not cheep but they are the only boots that will last me mutliple years of use. :thumbup:
 
I haven't had good luck with Red Wing, either. Do you need steel toed? If so, Iron Age is a good company to deal with. If not, Wolverine makes a good boot- but avoid buying Wolverines from the discount stores, as they would probably be factory seconds, and you know what that means.
 
I used to wear Red Wing boots, until the outsole developed a hole after two months of wearing (sorry, I don't recall the model). My local Redwing dealer put a patch on the boot . . . that was a joke.

Needless to say, I have since switched boot manufacturers. I tried several brands after the Red Wing hole-in-the-sole incident: Georgia Boots, Wolverine, and Danner. I wound up settling on Danner, and especially love their lace-to-toe models. Attached is a picture of my danner desert acadia, recrafted with a wedge outsole. (The knife is a Victorinox One-Handed Trekker. Hey, this is Bladeforums -- gotta show a knife somewhere!:D )

Andy
 

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Red Wings have been good boots, and shoes for me.

I've only had two pair but they both have been good. I've been wearing their rubber sole versions like these.

Both sets lasted about 18 months, little more probably. I wore both of them pretty much every day.
 
I used to love redwing workshoes and boots until they sent part of their production overseas, to China. They now either build them here from Chinese parts or send materials to China to have them built, one or the other. And they're crap in comparison to what they used to be. Another sad case of a great American company going to China and sending back garbage for us to buy, AT NO DISCOUNT! Anyway, as you can tell, I am no longer a Redwing fan. The last two pairs I bought fell apart on me in a matter of weeks, literally and I have yet to find a good replacement company.
 
stevengregory said:
I used to love redwing workshoes and boots until they sent part of their production overseas, to China. They now either build them here from Chinese parts or send materials to China to have them built, one or the other. And they're crap in comparison to what they used to be. Another sad case of a great American company going to China and sending back garbage for us to buy, AT NO DISCOUNT! Anyway, as you can tell, I am no longer a Redwing fan. The last two pairs I bought fell apart on me in a matter of weeks, literally and I have yet to find a good replacement company.
Click to expand...

Here is the White's website. http://www.whitesboots.com/index.php

Made in Spokane Washington and absolutly the toughest boots I have ever owned. The only difference between the Whites and the Hathorne boots are that the Whites are hand stitched and the Hathonres are machine stitched.
 
I have a good luck with Red Wing boots (steel toed), it's kinda heavy tough. A lot of my colleague wear red wing, and they all look satisfied with them. I personally prefer Rocky boots (roustabout model), it's comfortable and light.
 
Five years on my black pull on pair, wearing every 2nd day in bush, on site.... Oil tanned made in USA and very resistant to abuse, deep mud in Nigeria. They are currently being retired and as they are no longer in Botswana I have aquired handmades.

I would not be interested in them if they were made in China as it digresses from their core specialised production.
 
I have had a pair of simple Red Wing steel-toe boots since 1993, and they are holding together fine. No loose stiching or anything like that. The soles are worn smooth and the heels a worn from over-pronation, but other than that, they were on of the most comfortable, longest-lasting pairs of shoes I have ever owned.

7 years ago I bought a new pair of Red Wing boots. They were different from my original pair. They are nice boots, but they didn't fit as well as the first pair. I wore them for a while, but eventually went back to wearing my orignal pair on a daily basis again. The reason I bought the different pair was because at the time money was tight, and they were less expensive than the model I had.
 
I just recently purchase a pair of Red wing oxfords. I heard they were good on concrete and very comfortable. I have worn them for the past week and they are among the most uncomfortable shoes I've worn. I was told they were slip resistant (I work restaurants) and they are as slippery as can be. I would not buy them if given the oppurtunity.
 
locomike said:
Here is the White's website. http://www.whitesboots.com/index.php

Made in Spokane Washington and absolutly the toughest boots I have ever owned. The only difference between the Whites and the Hathorne boots are that the Whites are hand stitched and the Hathonres are machine stitched.
Click to expand...

Thanks locomike. I'll give this site a really good look and maybe try out their product. I would rather pay $200.00 for a really good pair of shoes or boots than $20.00 for garbage that falls apart fast.
 
For the past 15 years or so, I've been wearing 6 inch Work n' Sport Landscaper boots (style #9336) sold at Farm & Fleet, a midwest chain store. I have never paid more than $60 for a pair. They are made in Wisconsin by Weinbrenner USA and are similar to this Weinbrenner style:

http://www.weinbrennerusa.com/dspNavCategory.cfm?catid=12&subcatid=15&level3=70&productid=154

I stick with them because they are more comfortable than any other boots I've tried and are well made in USA. I walk a few miles 7 days/week, usually on pavement. The soft cushion insert and Vibram neoprene sole absorb impact. The neoprene is oil resistant, too.

A local shoe repair guy puts a new Vibram sole on them after I wear them down. The pair I have on now is on its 3rd sole. The only disadvantage I've found is that the sole isn't aggressive enough for good traction in snow, though they work great in the woods and in my field.
 
Ethelred said:
I just recently purchase a pair of Red wing oxfords. I heard they were good on concrete and very comfortable. I have worn them for the past week and they are among the most uncomfortable shoes I've worn. I was told they were slip resistant (I work restaurants) and they are as slippery as can be. I would not buy them if given the oppurtunity.
Click to expand...

I bought a pair of the dressier Red Wing steel toed shoes because they said "excellent comfort on concrete." I work at a big box home improvement store, so my feet are beating concrete all day. I gave the shoes some break-in wear before taking them to work, but it didn't help.

My feet hurt at the end of the first 8 hour shift. By the time I went home the next day, I was limping. It might just be my pair, but these Red Wings suck.
 
All the RedWings and Wolverines I've had since 1972 have held up just fine, here in the oilpatch.
 
I thought that all the 'Red Wing' branded boots were made in the US. Their other brands were made over seas.
 
Hi All-

Wesco is yet another classic, old-line American company. My preference would be for Wesco Highliners or Jobmasters for overall customization and utility. I would opt for the more aggressive sole rather than the smooth one pictured if used outdoors.

9710Large.jpg

~ Blue Jays ~
 
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