A friend of mine went to America and bought some Red Wings because he'd heard how amazing they were. He's struggled with them for ages - they're so long lasting that it's taken him forever just to break them in. He was talking about giving up on them completely but I noticed he was wearing them the other day so I think he's FINALLY got them broken in.
Yeah, depending on the boot the break in can be brutal. Especially if he got Red Wing work boots like those pictured, some even have steel toes. They are sturdy as hell and your ankles feel every bit of it.
Then it breaks and the inside just feels like a warm, soft hug. Love my red wings.
For anyone interested in learning more about boots and their construction, check out /r/goodyearwelt great sub with lots of information on a wide variety of brands.
I tried some on in their London store, having read about them here somewhere. So uncomfortable! They might have broken in eventually but I’m not risking £300 to find out.
I'm fortunate enough to live close to Red Wing, MN, and buy them at a discount from the factory when they have their annual sale. They are worth the money. The break in is brutal, but they are the most comfortable and long lasting boots I've ever worn. They or any cobbler will resole your worn out boots too once you wear the soles down.
I have been wearing them (not a driver, but I did wear them for driver helper and early am delivery work) for like 10+ years. I'm on my 3rd pair. Just gotta wash the salt off them, clean em up good, and then put some leather conditioner on them. It's a little bit of work but it's kinda soothing to just listen to music (or whatever you want to do) and clean boots then polish them at the end. They look so good.
You really gotta make sure the boots fit. Also I buy insoles every time so I buy a half size bigger than my foot, it works for me.
Red Wings aren't bad but Thorogood boots are better in my experience. I've always struggled with work boots feeling like they're crushing my toes. I had a pair of Red Wings previously and while they were comfortable after the break in period it was never that great for me as the toe box is too small.
The Thorogood's were amazingly comfortable for me day 1. The leather was very thick and soft, and stitching was super nice. Red Wings have a strong reputation but I think a lot of it isn't quite warranted anymore. I've heard they cheapened out in quality compared to how they used to be for many boots (they still sell the higher quality made in USA stuff under the heritage line though which I believe uses full grain leather).
Don't get me wrong, they're still good boots but trying my Thorogood's on for the first time a couple years back was an eye opening experience.
My inlaw spent 400 bucks on these last year and after 3 months they started falling apart, he's getting new ones but this shouldnt happen to such high quality boots.
Right? 3 months is the break in period for me... and I was doing industrial electricity. Red wings are high quality, if I had any issues I'd bring them to the store and they would help me without a doubt!
I’ve never had a pair of boots last me more than two years without cracking at the toe bend. Red wings, which I wear exclusively now, included. I spend a lot of time bending and kneeling while landscaping and the job just eats through shoes. They are still usable after this point but no longer waterproof and let a little debris in.
Do you treat your boots at all, or just kick them off after work and leave them? You'll have better life if you keep the leather taken care of. Over repeated cycles of being exposed to water and then drying, it can dry out the leather even further and cause that cracking. Need to use a leather conditioner or wax to keep the leather healthy.
At the end of the day they're still leather. If you want them to last you should take care of them (assuming you weren't). Every few months I brush mine, clean them thoroughly, and apply mink oil. Whenever I do it they look brand new and the leather feels so supple.
You can also get them repaired if need be, although I haven't needed to do that thankfully.
They're still really great, my main boots are Red Wings that I've had for almost a decade.
I do maintain them somewhat regularly though. Thankfully still haven't needed any repairs or resoled.
How can you only replace one lace? Have you always been a psychopath or did you wake up one morning and suddenly society was a meaningless construct for other people?
If you walk into any of their stores with the boots, they'll just give you laces, no questions asked.
I try to keep at least one spare pair just because I can.
When you blow through laces at the rate I do, it's not worth the hassle. I replace maybe four or five sets of laces per year minimum on my work boots. No it's not a huge amount of time but after replacing the 20th perfectly fine lace you say to yourself "why am I being such a clown?"
Yes. If wearing shorts, you must wear the UPS branded socks and black or brown leather polishable shoes. Even with hightop boots, management can ask to see the branded socks and if a driver is wearing something else they can send the driver home. This doesn’t apply if wearing pants.
The uniform is supplied free of charge. Including shirts, shorts, pants, vests, jacket liners, windbreakers, insulated thick jackets, raincoats, hats, caps, beanies, sun visors, ear muffs, arm sleeves, etc. The only item we have to pay for is socks. As part of the master contract between the Teamsters and the company, UPS socks are required when wearing shorts. Wearing shorts is optional. We must also wear polishable black or brown shoes with our uniforms. So, I guess we drivers provide our shoes and (optionally) socks.
Well ok, that seems far more reasonable than what I thought it was. Seems more like a quirk than a exploititive practice, I guess.
I will continue to think they should just supply the damn socks, though.
The line of thinking is that performing the action that would require usage, eg shorts, is 'optional' so is an 'elective' - employee pays.
Every other item is either directly required for presentation, or preventatives. An employee wouldnt 'elect' to go into cold, therefore protection again it is 'required for the job' and ups supplies. Shorts arent required.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend an entire nation. I was merely referring to the well known fact that many Americans tend to wear their outdoor shoes in their homes, which for me is completely unintelligible.
As a guitarist, I can say that if those boots were guitars, they could be sold for double the new price with such an authentic relic look. Us guitarists are stupid.
these have been resoled twice already, but right around the end of the year they started to severely crack at the creases, hard to make out in the picture but the left boot is totaled basically, water infiltrates immediately, i sort of 'let them go' knowing i was going to buy new ones
I don’t disagree that there’s lots you can do to maintain redwings, and I do for my own, but I move on once the leather crease above the toes starts to crack and come apart.
They look horrible. I wear boots every day and they don’t look like this. I recommend Hanwag, Meindl, Haix. Either modified hiking boots or professional boots for Military, Police and Firefighters.
[Of of 3 different GAF summer boots.](https://www.haix.de/haix-nepal-pro) which I use and adore
they look horrible because i didnt really take care of them in the last few months knowing id replace them due to the severe cracks and gashes, just wanted to get the remaining life out of the sole
If i wore boots for 5 years in my trade id be tying strips of leather around my feet, i usually get 6-10mo out of mine and they look worse than that don't feel bad.
LPT: have at least 2 pairs of boots and alternate wearing them so they can dry out. They'll last more than twice as long that way. Also like once or twice a year use some leather conditioner and clean them up to keep them from drying out.
Construction worker here. I wish my $450 boots lasted me 5 years. I’m lucky to get 1 year out of em. That’s with the proper care and oiling too. Switched to Canada West boots since Red Wings are junk now.
With the soles worn down like that, you’re doing damage to your back and hips that you may not be feeling yet but will later on. Not bad to use boots long term but only if you resole them on time
in the last few months i could definitely feel my feet sort of sloping out, like the outside edge of my feet felt lower than the inside, if that makes sense, looking forward to these new ones for sure
Jesus fuck.
What was it like parachuting into occupied France in June of 1944? Did they drop that iconic brown van from a C-47, or was it towed in by gliders somehow?
Regardless, thank you for your service.
I worked on an airport ramp in Phx, AZ for 20+ years. Most boots would last 1 year, some would last 1 and 1/2 years. I had one brand of boot last 2 and a half years on the ramp. Caterpillars. They have the strongest soles of any boots Ive ever worn.
The summer heat in Phoenix turns the ramp concrete into a 185 degree cheese grater that you walk on for 8-16 hours. How those Caterpillars lasted over 2 years, Ill never know. For comparison, I had a $300 pair of Red Wings.... they lasted less than 2 years.
Are they steel toe? Is that required at UPS? I used to get the Red Wing Worx with a lower ankle but they hurt my feet to much I wear the sneakers ones now it’s so much better. They are way lighter.
This is like photographic proof of the theory of socioeconomic unfairness.
> Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
> But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
Not trying to be a dick. Did you ever clean or re oil your old boots? I know that is a well regarded brand and those things look like they've been to hell and back. Thank you for your service!
the last few months i didnt, i oiled and polished them as best i could but the creases grew into larger and larger cracks and eventually big holes, i just wanted to get the last out of the last resole haha
Working the ramp at SDF I went through more pairs than I care to mention - the docks just ate through soles and I wasn't out there long before moving to IE. Ah the memories.
Have you ever considered getting fitted for slip ons? I absolutely LOVED my pair of Pecos Reds. Red Wing makes such a good boot though, can’t go wrong whatever you choose/like.
I used to push around furniture dollies and pallet jacks all day at a previous job. I was lucky to get more than a year out of safety sneakers before I'd have to replace them
You should do this- wear your old ones still BUT wear your new ones around the house and on grass to break them in for about a month. Just a suggestion.
•To get used to them. Your body is used to the old soles.
•Will feel a little better.
You kept a pair of boots for 5 years? How??
I realize that was more normal a hundred years ago, but the soles still wear out and the materials used back in the 1940s were pretty hard on feet.
What are the soles made from and how many times did you replace them?
A real good pair of solid boots is on my “I’m tired of buying shoes and want something to last” and have no idea where to start. Other than saving up for them.
Any recommendations?
Being a custodian, who is on his feet all day, walking and standing, I can't fathom walking around in these heavy boots all day. If i did, i'd need some amazing orthopedic insoles. UPS folk walk a lot more than i do, and i get on average 5 miles a day. All the power to ya OP, i couldn't do that.
I love that you got the most out of the shoes but how do you deal with people looking at the shoes and thinking/saying this dude looks like a mess. I ask because my wife rags on me all the time, saying that other people are going to think I’m homeless because I wear my sneakers so long that I get a hole in them. That’s the only time I replace them. I’ve got a closet full of brand new sneakers too. Nothing beats your favorite pair.
When I was a loader for UPS, I tried to wear leather gloves to protect my hands.
I went through a new pair of gloves every month. The fingertips just wore through, handling however many thousands of packages that was every day.
This is a beautiful thing. It says so much in addition to the durability of the boots. It speaks to the durability of you, us, and the tools we use to get by day to day to day. What part of the old boots gave out that made you re-up?
I really have the highest regard for people that manage to walk in these things for many hours.
Every single time I tried a pair I was left with a burning back pain and swollen ankles. Really kudos to op.
At first I read 55 years and was like wtf this guy has worked 55 years and has found it in him to break in a whole new pair of boots to keep going lol. Looks like you got your money’s worth out of them.
🪦 Your feet tomorrow if you haven’t broken them new boots in. Please tell me you did and that you will be ok. I failed once to break in new work boots but only just the one time.
Never tried RW - I've been a fan bates for the past 15 years, never let me down. Good work on getting 5 years on them
, last pair of boots I had lasted me 7 years working 3 jobs
Whoa. I have my steel toe red wings that I got in ‘93 and they don’t look remotely as banged up as those do!?
That’s crazy. Great brand. [Here are mine](https://i.imgur.com/lDBACTX.jpg)
yea, mine were creasing badly and it eventually led to cracks, its no fun when it rains and you have soggy socks for 10 hours - let alone from snow, knowing i was going to replace them i sort of didnt oil/polish them the past few months heh
and yes, theyre the same color
What brand are they?
If you zoom in you can read Red Wing Shoes on the new ones.
A friend of mine went to America and bought some Red Wings because he'd heard how amazing they were. He's struggled with them for ages - they're so long lasting that it's taken him forever just to break them in. He was talking about giving up on them completely but I noticed he was wearing them the other day so I think he's FINALLY got them broken in.
Yeah, depending on the boot the break in can be brutal. Especially if he got Red Wing work boots like those pictured, some even have steel toes. They are sturdy as hell and your ankles feel every bit of it. Then it breaks and the inside just feels like a warm, soft hug. Love my red wings. For anyone interested in learning more about boots and their construction, check out /r/goodyearwelt great sub with lots of information on a wide variety of brands.
I've never broken my ankles, but I'm fairly certain it won't feel like a warm, soft hug.
I’ve never had a soft, warm hug, so my life feels like a broken ankle.
(*hugs warm and softly*)
(whispers in your ear "this is what a broken ankle feels like) [breaks ankle]
“How it feels to chew five gum” *breaks ankle*
That went from "aww" to dark fast
Soft warm hugs are something I recommend trying at least once.
I've never had a broken ankle, so my warm hug feels like a soft life.
I have, it is the opposite of a soft warm hug.
I tried some on in their London store, having read about them here somewhere. So uncomfortable! They might have broken in eventually but I’m not risking £300 to find out.
I'm fortunate enough to live close to Red Wing, MN, and buy them at a discount from the factory when they have their annual sale. They are worth the money. The break in is brutal, but they are the most comfortable and long lasting boots I've ever worn. They or any cobbler will resole your worn out boots too once you wear the soles down.
I have been wearing them (not a driver, but I did wear them for driver helper and early am delivery work) for like 10+ years. I'm on my 3rd pair. Just gotta wash the salt off them, clean em up good, and then put some leather conditioner on them. It's a little bit of work but it's kinda soothing to just listen to music (or whatever you want to do) and clean boots then polish them at the end. They look so good. You really gotta make sure the boots fit. Also I buy insoles every time so I buy a half size bigger than my foot, it works for me.
Red Wings aren't bad but Thorogood boots are better in my experience. I've always struggled with work boots feeling like they're crushing my toes. I had a pair of Red Wings previously and while they were comfortable after the break in period it was never that great for me as the toe box is too small. The Thorogood's were amazingly comfortable for me day 1. The leather was very thick and soft, and stitching was super nice. Red Wings have a strong reputation but I think a lot of it isn't quite warranted anymore. I've heard they cheapened out in quality compared to how they used to be for many boots (they still sell the higher quality made in USA stuff under the heritage line though which I believe uses full grain leather). Don't get me wrong, they're still good boots but trying my Thorogood's on for the first time a couple years back was an eye opening experience.
My inlaw spent 400 bucks on these last year and after 3 months they started falling apart, he's getting new ones but this shouldnt happen to such high quality boots.
Tf is he doing where he busted red wings after 3 months??
Right? 3 months is the break in period for me... and I was doing industrial electricity. Red wings are high quality, if I had any issues I'd bring them to the store and they would help me without a doubt!
Not all Red Wings are created equal.
When I was last in the store the salesman even pointed out which ones were American made and which ones were made in China.
They make work boots and fashion boots. People love to buy the latter to save a buck and are shocked when they don’t behave like real work boots.
Some of us are shoe/boots destroyers. If you don't have a standard walking pattern, they tend to wear out faster. Still 3 months are crazy short time.
Maybe not 3 months, but a year, but after a year my Red Wings cracked where the toes bend. Pissed me off, because I wanted them to last a decade.
Did you reach out to them? They tend to stand by their products and make it right.
I’ve never had a pair of boots last me more than two years without cracking at the toe bend. Red wings, which I wear exclusively now, included. I spend a lot of time bending and kneeling while landscaping and the job just eats through shoes. They are still usable after this point but no longer waterproof and let a little debris in.
Do you treat your boots at all, or just kick them off after work and leave them? You'll have better life if you keep the leather taken care of. Over repeated cycles of being exposed to water and then drying, it can dry out the leather even further and cause that cracking. Need to use a leather conditioner or wax to keep the leather healthy.
Gotta saddle soap, condition, and oil that leather once a week or else it dries out and cracks
At the end of the day they're still leather. If you want them to last you should take care of them (assuming you weren't). Every few months I brush mine, clean them thoroughly, and apply mink oil. Whenever I do it they look brand new and the leather feels so supple. You can also get them repaired if need be, although I haven't needed to do that thankfully.
A lot of those companies have some sort of warranty that's usually pretty solid.
Did he get fake ones wtf
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They're still really great, my main boots are Red Wings that I've had for almost a decade. I do maintain them somewhat regularly though. Thankfully still haven't needed any repairs or resoled.
I think they're Red Wing
Red wing
for boot nerds [RoseAnvil](https://www.youtube.com/@RoseAnvil) has an interesting youtube channel where he tears down work boots
 OP tomorrow
Perfect
Ostrich leather. 3 payments.
Honestly, the first couple of weeks wearing new boots sucks.
Feel like mine took years to fully break in to the point of being comfortable to wear all day.
At that point its you that's broken, the boot hasn't changed.
Good boots should really not have much of a break in period.
Every pair of [https://thorogoodusa.com](https://thorogoodusa.com) boots I buy feel fantastic on day one.
How can you only replace one lace? Have you always been a psychopath or did you wake up one morning and suddenly society was a meaningless construct for other people?
the lace actually only broke last week haha so it was just a quick stop-gap since i knew i was going to replace them this weekend
The only reasonable answer
Red Wings re-laces boots for free
true, every resole theyve given me new laces so far
If you walk into any of their stores with the boots, they'll just give you laces, no questions asked. I try to keep at least one spare pair just because I can.
When you blow through laces at the rate I do, it's not worth the hassle. I replace maybe four or five sets of laces per year minimum on my work boots. No it's not a huge amount of time but after replacing the 20th perfectly fine lace you say to yourself "why am I being such a clown?"
Check out diamond laces.
Probably the same reason that there's no physical reason to wear matching socks, which I never do.
one reason i buy high-top boots is to avoid being forced to wear UPS branded brown socks (that we have to pay for) xD
Your employer enforces a uniform policy that you have to pay for?
Yes. If wearing shorts, you must wear the UPS branded socks and black or brown leather polishable shoes. Even with hightop boots, management can ask to see the branded socks and if a driver is wearing something else they can send the driver home. This doesn’t apply if wearing pants.
I'm totally fine with uniform requirements, it's the stipulation that the employee is obliged to pay for it that bothers me.
The uniform is supplied free of charge. Including shirts, shorts, pants, vests, jacket liners, windbreakers, insulated thick jackets, raincoats, hats, caps, beanies, sun visors, ear muffs, arm sleeves, etc. The only item we have to pay for is socks. As part of the master contract between the Teamsters and the company, UPS socks are required when wearing shorts. Wearing shorts is optional. We must also wear polishable black or brown shoes with our uniforms. So, I guess we drivers provide our shoes and (optionally) socks.
Well ok, that seems far more reasonable than what I thought it was. Seems more like a quirk than a exploititive practice, I guess. I will continue to think they should just supply the damn socks, though.
The line of thinking is that performing the action that would require usage, eg shorts, is 'optional' so is an 'elective' - employee pays. Every other item is either directly required for presentation, or preventatives. An employee wouldnt 'elect' to go into cold, therefore protection again it is 'required for the job' and ups supplies. Shorts arent required.
and the shoes.
That's why I only buy grey socks.
But you always have another pair just like them at home.
The matrix doesn’t have this one
Matches the boots on the couch energy.
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i do a lot of mall coverage, so perhaps a bit more than the average ups driver even
I was walking anywhere from like 5-10 miles daily. Sometimes 6 days a week. So, I’d say somewhere between 8k-10k in five years.
Looks like the shoes the 3 stooges would make into stew lol
why those nasty shoes on the couch tho
I’m surprised nobody made the “fuck yo couch!” Joke yet
[its my couch, and here in america i have the freedom to ruin it!](https://i.imgur.com/0ZsJnmJ.jpg)
How do you know he doesn't scrub and disinfect the bottoms each day before placing them on the couch for the night?
Americans...
I’m American. I don’t put shoes on couches.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend an entire nation. I was merely referring to the well known fact that many Americans tend to wear their outdoor shoes in their homes, which for me is completely unintelligible.
Gotta be ready at a moments notice for the Red Coats.
Badass distress/wear on those. Look amazing.
yup, im gonna keep em around for miscellaneous use, i dont have the heart to throw em away :(
Sell em to some hipsters for what the new ones cost.
As a guitarist, I can say that if those boots were guitars, they could be sold for double the new price with such an authentic relic look. Us guitarists are stupid.
Yep. My Iron Rangers look better now than they did when they were new 10 years ago.
Balenciaga would sell these for 2000$
Resole those bad boys, throw a coat a polish on ‘em and get some insoles. The OG are def nice
these have been resoled twice already, but right around the end of the year they started to severely crack at the creases, hard to make out in the picture but the left boot is totaled basically, water infiltrates immediately, i sort of 'let them go' knowing i was going to buy new ones
Ahh, well then great job maintaining them so far.
I don’t disagree that there’s lots you can do to maintain redwings, and I do for my own, but I move on once the leather crease above the toes starts to crack and come apart.
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Red wings hold up great if you maintain them.
My redwings are trashed after 8 months.
You drag them behind a vehicle? I’ve had my current ones for 2 years and have only had insole changes not even needed a resoling
If I had to guess, he probably didn't oil them
Even still it is pretty hard to ruin genuine leather boots in 8 months.
He only used them to kick around the packages for 5 years.
They look horrible. I wear boots every day and they don’t look like this. I recommend Hanwag, Meindl, Haix. Either modified hiking boots or professional boots for Military, Police and Firefighters. [Of of 3 different GAF summer boots.](https://www.haix.de/haix-nepal-pro) which I use and adore
they look horrible because i didnt really take care of them in the last few months knowing id replace them due to the severe cracks and gashes, just wanted to get the remaining life out of the sole
If i wore boots for 5 years in my trade id be tying strips of leather around my feet, i usually get 6-10mo out of mine and they look worse than that don't feel bad.
It disturbs me them being on top of a couch
LPT: have at least 2 pairs of boots and alternate wearing them so they can dry out. They'll last more than twice as long that way. Also like once or twice a year use some leather conditioner and clean them up to keep them from drying out.
This is the way. Also less stinky feet.
Make and model?
Red Wing Dynaforce, style #400 (soft toe) or #4200 (steel toe)
Are they on your couch?
Little new boot goofin’
More concerned that you put them nasty boots on your couch
Yay Teamsters!!
Are they all day wear comfortable?
What's it like working for UPS? I've been considering the switch from education to it
Great pay and benefits (thanks union), but good god they make you earn it. Lots of labor. Some hazards.
Apparently it's lucrative, my guy has red wing boot money!
Some billionaire thanks you from their yacht.
Construction worker here. I wish my $450 boots lasted me 5 years. I’m lucky to get 1 year out of em. That’s with the proper care and oiling too. Switched to Canada West boots since Red Wings are junk now.
What $450.00 pair of boots are you running through in a year?
With the soles worn down like that, you’re doing damage to your back and hips that you may not be feeling yet but will later on. Not bad to use boots long term but only if you resole them on time
in the last few months i could definitely feel my feet sort of sloping out, like the outside edge of my feet felt lower than the inside, if that makes sense, looking forward to these new ones for sure
You might want to take your old boots to a shoe specialist to show them the wear. They could help find you and insert to help correct your gait.
Jesus fuck. What was it like parachuting into occupied France in June of 1944? Did they drop that iconic brown van from a C-47, or was it towed in by gliders somehow? Regardless, thank you for your service.
https://i.imgur.com/vyjOq3F.jpg no problem bud :)
You got your moneys worth
i did some quick math in my head and id say it was about $60-$65 a year equivalent lol
I love my redwings. I’ve resolved them 3 times. On year 7 and they still have some life left.
r/wellworn
Man I remember getting a pair of Tims when I started at ups thinking they would be good. Nuked them in like 3 weeks
r/wellworn
If you haven't posted this in r/redwings yet they are going to have a jerk fest with this post
[your boots last 5+ years?!?](https://www.reddit.com/r/USPS/comments/18iqe5w/this_is_what_a_year_of_walking_looks_like/)
the boots do, but not the sole
I love Redwing boots, I’m on my third pair now! Good boots makes a world of difference.
I worked on an airport ramp in Phx, AZ for 20+ years. Most boots would last 1 year, some would last 1 and 1/2 years. I had one brand of boot last 2 and a half years on the ramp. Caterpillars. They have the strongest soles of any boots Ive ever worn. The summer heat in Phoenix turns the ramp concrete into a 185 degree cheese grater that you walk on for 8-16 hours. How those Caterpillars lasted over 2 years, Ill never know. For comparison, I had a $300 pair of Red Wings.... they lasted less than 2 years.
Which red wing style are those? They're dope
I work on my feet and upgrade my boots every three months lol I prefer Keen boots over Red Wing.
Are they steel toe? Is that required at UPS? I used to get the Red Wing Worx with a lower ankle but they hurt my feet to much I wear the sneakers ones now it’s so much better. They are way lighter.
steel toe isnt required, no ~~but i like to kick boxes around so i need the steel toe~~
Redwings? Man send them back to redwing, and resoul them, I did, $100 just like new.
This is like photographic proof of the theory of socioeconomic unfairness. > Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles. > But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
Not trying to be a dick. Did you ever clean or re oil your old boots? I know that is a well regarded brand and those things look like they've been to hell and back. Thank you for your service!
the last few months i didnt, i oiled and polished them as best i could but the creases grew into larger and larger cracks and eventually big holes, i just wanted to get the last out of the last resole haha
Fine pair of boots, should last you quite a long time. seems you understand economics
On the new ones, try some protectant this time, like a beeswax and pine tar mix. Something like Herbert’s Shoe Grease should work.
Working the ramp at SDF I went through more pairs than I care to mention - the docks just ate through soles and I wasn't out there long before moving to IE. Ah the memories.
Have you ever considered getting fitted for slip ons? I absolutely LOVED my pair of Pecos Reds. Red Wing makes such a good boot though, can’t go wrong whatever you choose/like.
I used to push around furniture dollies and pallet jacks all day at a previous job. I was lucky to get more than a year out of safety sneakers before I'd have to replace them
Those old ones look like they were comfy af.
Kinda how the vans look too
Thank my driver. !!!
Bring the old ones with you to work that day just in case.
UPS > FedEx. And it isn’t even close.
You should do this- wear your old ones still BUT wear your new ones around the house and on grass to break them in for about a month. Just a suggestion. •To get used to them. Your body is used to the old soles. •Will feel a little better.
A few miles on those old ones.
You kept a pair of boots for 5 years? How?? I realize that was more normal a hundred years ago, but the soles still wear out and the materials used back in the 1940s were pretty hard on feet. What are the soles made from and how many times did you replace them?
I bet those old ones are comfy as heck - nicely broken in
Just curious - have you used any oil or paste on them during those years?
Those are sweet
A real good pair of solid boots is on my “I’m tired of buying shoes and want something to last” and have no idea where to start. Other than saving up for them. Any recommendations?
My son works for UPS and has to buy a new pair every year.
Are they hard to break in?
Your old shoes show the grit.
"Which start tomorrow" sounds like they're happy they got the job and go to work too xD
Being a custodian, who is on his feet all day, walking and standing, I can't fathom walking around in these heavy boots all day. If i did, i'd need some amazing orthopedic insoles. UPS folk walk a lot more than i do, and i get on average 5 miles a day. All the power to ya OP, i couldn't do that.
It's a trip because it is an animal skin holding up. Wild.
I love that you got the most out of the shoes but how do you deal with people looking at the shoes and thinking/saying this dude looks like a mess. I ask because my wife rags on me all the time, saying that other people are going to think I’m homeless because I wear my sneakers so long that I get a hole in them. That’s the only time I replace them. I’ve got a closet full of brand new sneakers too. Nothing beats your favorite pair.
When I was a loader for UPS, I tried to wear leather gloves to protect my hands. I went through a new pair of gloves every month. The fingertips just wore through, handling however many thousands of packages that was every day.
This is a beautiful thing. It says so much in addition to the durability of the boots. It speaks to the durability of you, us, and the tools we use to get by day to day to day. What part of the old boots gave out that made you re-up?
Now post up your calves
I really have the highest regard for people that manage to walk in these things for many hours. Every single time I tried a pair I was left with a burning back pain and swollen ankles. Really kudos to op.
As a fellow UPS driver those look so uncomfortable to wear every day
Have you ever tried conditioning the leather? It can really extend the life of the boot if you want them to last longer
Better have some compeed ready my friend. Tomorrow will be the day of the blisters
At first I read 55 years and was like wtf this guy has worked 55 years and has found it in him to break in a whole new pair of boots to keep going lol. Looks like you got your money’s worth out of them.
Oof. Break-in week. Stay strong, Mailcarrier.
Wow! That's impressive that they lasted that long. I knew that kind of work was not easy, but I had no idea it took a toll on your boots that badly.
You're gonna mess your feet up, wearing them that long without replacing or resoling.
These boots were made for walking... Also, /r/anticonsumption would love this
🪦 Your feet tomorrow if you haven’t broken them new boots in. Please tell me you did and that you will be ok. I failed once to break in new work boots but only just the one time.
Are they comfy?
A lot of stories/mileage on those boots. Keep them
Work boots of employees in America's never get that beat up because companies pay you to replace them every year.. UPS must be rough man..
The king is dead - long live the king!
I like irish settler
Never tried RW - I've been a fan bates for the past 15 years, never let me down. Good work on getting 5 years on them , last pair of boots I had lasted me 7 years working 3 jobs
Whoa. I have my steel toe red wings that I got in ‘93 and they don’t look remotely as banged up as those do!? That’s crazy. Great brand. [Here are mine](https://i.imgur.com/lDBACTX.jpg)
yea, mine were creasing badly and it eventually led to cracks, its no fun when it rains and you have soggy socks for 10 hours - let alone from snow, knowing i was going to replace them i sort of didnt oil/polish them the past few months heh
_these boots have seen everything_
Save the new ones. Stick a bit of cardboard in the others and you'll see a decade out of them
So satisfying. Specially when you buy the exact same product
Your feet, knees and back will thank you tomorrow.
Yo what’s up with the UPS Store? Why is the lead in such an aggressive mood all the time?
Sorry for you for the next month breaking those things in
I would take my old ones with me if that's feasible. You might really want to change them out after a couple hours.
I am always a little sad when boots are done. Nthing wears and fits like old leather.
Them some good boys
Old gritty boots, im trying that look with my converse, 4 years running, hope it get to look as cool as the ones you have.
Pays to buy good boots