Submitted by Frost0REAL t3_zysqsp in BuyItForLife
Hey all(new to the sub) New electrician and wanting some good reliable slip on steel toes. Like the (cowboy or western style ish type). Budget doesn’t matter really just nothing over $250 i’d say.
Edit. I live in the USA east part of that makes any difference
Not sure about western but these are comfortable
https://www.blundstone.com/stout-brown-mens-or-womens-premium-leather-pull-on-boots-style-140
https://www.canadawestboots.com/workwest You might need to order these from Canada. I'm assuming you are American since you don't say, and if so the exchange rate is in your favour.
It would help to say what country you are in so we know what currency you are talking in and what is likely available.
Just updated it sorry. I’m in the u.s.
Gotta get a composite toe. Depending on where you work steel toe isn’t allowed by osha.
These are pretty good, work boots aren’t bifl expect to replace them every 3 years. You can buy them on whatever site you want. If you have very small feet you may not be able to get your size though.
Their website lists a a couple US vendors, but you might have better selection ordering from Canada. Just make sure to run the exchange rate if they look over budget but these will do exactly whatcha want and can be repaired. Make sure you take care of the leather!
I've always been a fan of Ariat and Caterpillar, but Cat boots are usually lace up so for you I'd recommend Ariat. Work boots aren't BIFL by any means just because they get this shit beat out of them, but I homestead and my Ariats will generally last me a couple years. There's a reason they make up 70% of the footwear at your local Tractor Supply.
Def a "buy it in person" thing with any cowboy/engineer boots; even within the same company, different boots (in the way that a company will sell 3 nearly identical shoes but each has a different name and a slight design variation, not 3 boots that are actually the same boot) can have very different fits, so you'll want to try them on and make sure the toe box and heel fit right. You can do that with online stores but the added time for the returns/exchanges process is a hassle IMO.
Also, free LPT: when breaking in your new boots, don't use moleskins. Go buy the smallest size training pads (panty liners) you can find. They do the same thing, stick to your skin better, are perfectly shaped for your heel and the ball of your foot, and you can buy about 100 of them for the same price as 6 little squares of moleskin. Used this trick all the time in the army.
I’ve owned countless pairs of Redback slip on boots
How about something more like a slip on shoe than a boot? I've been wearing the same Redwing 6700 and 6702 for the past decade and they're pretty good, but they were discontinued with no replacement.
That last bit really has me confused.
How do you find the sizing ?
People often get blisters and hot spots when breaking in shoes. Moleskin is a patch you stick to your skin or the inside of your sock to mitigate the rubbing until they break in, to prevent those issues. Pads work the same way and they're cheaper, and will cover the entire area.
They give you us and euro sizing chart I got a local store I got to try on also.
So my first pair I got from local store and after that I’ve been buying online when I see it cheaper
I've been wearing Made In Canada "Mellow Walks". My first two pair were slip-ons and I loved them. Very comfortable and wore them 40+ hrs/week for years. Next pair were a well priced CL find of a new pair of lace-ups and I've been wearing them for at least a year.
I do wear them with old Barefoot Science insoles but not sure those make the shoes anymore comfortable. I walked 30 min to work during this last snow storm and the shoes did a great job keeping feet warm and keeping me upright (only one slip crossing a street didn't fall!).
I love that they are made in Canada, comfortable, don't look like steel toes, and seem to last forever.
Edit to add that I use Nikwax on all my new leather shoes, at least once when I first buy them (another great BIFL product a cobbler sold me 20+ years ago and I still haven't used the first tube up!) I then polish from time to time with Kiwi.
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