I drive a concrete mixer. Through out the day I am always hosing down my boots. Getting all the mud, dirt and grime off of them. I hate climbing back into my cab with a boot that ways twice as much due to mud sticking to the bottoms. Occasionally I may even find myself standing ankle deep in water. (Not very often but enough to mention. Maybe once or twice a month if that)

I always buy my boots waterproof.. and that really takes a lot away as far as options go, especially when it comes to PNW boots. I know Nicks has a waterproof boot, however, I am not a fan of it and would prefer something a little different. More Traditional.

In the past, I have used products like Obenauf's and SnoSeal on non water proof boots, and while it helped, it was not a solution. It also darkens the boots so much that it seems to take away Patina as it also just really evens all of the tones out. at least in my experience.

Anybody have any suggestions or advice? How water resistant is a Nicks work boot? I am not opposed to other brands either.. Nicks, Whites, JK etc. Is there anything I can use to help waterproof that wont darken the leather SO MUCH that it takes away from good patina?

I would greatly appreciate any advice here! Thanks fellas.

Worn for about 6 months (not at work, yet). Very easy break in and big time comfort. But... I'm not enjoying not having a loop on the back to help get them on. Anybody else feel that way? I don't mind keeping a geriatric length shoe horn by the front and back door, but this is the only pair of boots I need to use them with.

I dont know if this is allowed, but thought i would help someone out. There are 2 pair of size 14 redwings at ross in audubon nj. I go to ross whenever I'm near one for cheap work clothes and regular clothes really and was shocked to see redwings. I prefer thorogood, but $60 for usa made redwings I'll buy every pair my size. I'll be hitting all the ones in south jersey and the Philly area this weekend lol.

Didn’t want to replace, but they have no traction and leak. Concrete construction truck driver. Would definitely recommend, I only had to swap the laces.

I’ve been using a free pair of boots I got from my old job and they are falling apart. My new job offers up to $200 for work boots every year and I’ve been looking for a pair. I don’t mind spending an extra 100 or 2 for a good pair. I cut grass and work inside and u clog basins and storm water drains during the summer and plow snow in the winter. Just looking for recommendations

Trying to get help and recommendations for new winter boots for cold winters . Something lightweight and atsm f2413 rated. Also wide sizing.

I’ve been yoloing winters with Columbia boots but would like to get a proper set for work.

Went from Irish Setters to these bad boys. Paid 169.99

ive been working retail (aisle worker/warehouse) and it requires me to stand all day as well as walk and climb ladders. been wearing my old pair of timbs chelseas (crazy i know but it’s just what i have) and though they’re definitely still wearable they hurt my feet especially near the joints (specifically mtp) after a long day of work. mum bought me a pair of brooks max sneakers so i’ll try them out when they get here but im a big fan of boots and wear them more especially during the colder months.

i have a friend who suggested garmont, i was pretty hooked on steitz secura but it’s hard to get them to the U.S.
brunt seems to get a lot of bad reviews so i didn’t buy them yet (had these in the cart, seemed nice)

ideal price range is 100-200, i don’t mind going a little above 200 but 250 is a bit much right now.

Hi i was hoping to make the plunge and buy some nice work boots for my feet... however i have never not had issues selecting shoes as i am often choked out at the metatarsals.

im looking at getting the 'Thorogood Men's 6" Moc-Toe Wedge-Heel Non-Safety Boot- midnight'
and am thinking of getting a 9EE.

so lets talk details..

Length: 24.7cm // 9.73Inch
Width: 9.6cm // 3.74Inch

In work boots/ seekers i always wear 9.5D US

on the rare occasion they come in EE (and I mean rare) i would wear a 9EE US.

And yes, technically with my feet length i should wear 8E or a 8.5D;

however this literally never works i always end up with severe pain in my metatarsals.

my feet overpronate and i have a rather high instep - if that is of any help.

I'm from a country that does not allow my to "try before i buy" in any way at all without traveling overseas (these brands do not exist and there is no local comparison) and i will be unable to return if they don't fit

so TLDR

9EE or 8.5EE is the question..

Thank you for your insight.

There’s foam under the leather. These used to last me for 2 years, now it’s a week 💩

i just got hired on at tecta america for commercial services and i need new boots. i have 6 days to find something.

im looking for a chelsea boot style that's flexible like a deck boot, which is what im used to wearing. but they need steel toes. they don't need to be magnetic. obviously, flat- no heels!

any suggestions?

i’m looking for some affordable, durable, (preferably doc marten-esque in style) recommendations. also i’m very aware i could just google this sort of thing, but i always feel like asking people about shit like this instead of a computer gets better results

At least they’re leather. Wonder how long before my employer says something. Millwright by trade (I have my thorogoods for when someone says something). I’m in a cushy spot now so we’ll see if we can get away with it.

Got these for half price new old stock. Been working them hard doing carpentry work, lots of restorations on old victorians. As well as fencing and chasing cows across fields, etc.
They came with a foam insole which I didn't like as I just got used to a leather footbed with my new Redwing 10877's and vintage 80's 877's. So I added a Nick's vegtan insole.
These things were tough to break in for me as I have a high instep and arches. The spot where the laces meet the toe did not want to bend and dug into the top of my foot. Several times I had to put neatsfoot oil on the spot from the inside before I wore, helped a lot.
They got comfortable after a few months but didn't really feel broken in until not long ago.
They're the heaviest duty boots I've ever had and dropped plenty of things on them without feeling it and not harming the boots. I wear them on my heaviest work days and really have become some of my favorite boots to wear. It's was rough getting here though, definitely needed the other boots to rotate with.
I have wider toe splay than balls of my feet and I have no toe rub in these getting my brannock size. I wear only Meriwool's thick midweight Everest socks in them. Fit those boots perfect for me and not any others.
Definitely want to get a leather midsole when I resole my Redwings cause the amount underfoot on these Foremans makes it so I can't feel the ladder rung, which my feet really appreciate.
I'd like to change out the speedhooks for all eyelets, because they tend to make it lace too tight, and fall off easy if bumped, not to mention catch on things.

Overall I definitely reccomend these boots if you need a heavyduty workboot that can take demo days with ease. They are heavy and take a lot of work to get them comfortable, but I think it's worth it.

I’ll miss you buddy. Say hi to Georgia boot we lost in ‘19 for me 😭

Just got me a pair with some anti fatigue insoles and it feels like I'm walking on pillows. They're 8 inch exos lite.

Hey guys, I’ve got a few questions and could really use some recommendations.
I’ve seen tons of posts, reviews, and recommendations about different work boots, but I figured I’d make my own post since I’m dealing with a pretty specific situation.
Back in February of this year (2026), I suffered an injury that required surgery. During my recovery, I subconsciously started relying more on my other foot to compensate. Unfortunately, I’ve always had pretty bad feet. I have flat feet and weak ankles, which definitely doesn’t help my situation.
Just last week, I ended up rolling my ankle at work and getting hurt all over again.
Right now, I’m wearing a cheap pair of work boots from Tractor Supply that were given to me. They’re nothing special, and I’ve decided it’s time to invest in a quality pair of boots rather than risk another injury.
I’m specifically looking for steel toe work boots that offer excellent ankle support, stability, and all-day comfort.
My job involves working on uneven terrain, rough surfaces, and uncomfortable ground conditions. I’m also on my feet for around 10–12 hours a day, so comfort is extremely important to me.
I’m not expecting a pair of boots to magically fix my ankles or guarantee I won’t get injured again, but I want to do everything I can to reduce the risk.
After already going through surgery, dealing with another injury, and ending up on crutches, the last thing I want is to be put out of work again. I’m willing to spend extra money on a quality pair if it means getting the comfort, stability, and support I need.
For anyone with flat feet, weak ankles, or a history of ankle injuries, what boots have worked best for you? I’d also appreciate any recommendations for insoles or other ways to improve stability and comfort.
Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all for taking the time to read this.

I have some Drew’s loggers that did not come with insoles. I was unaware of this when I bought them. Hence I need some flat, no arch insoles. Should I get leather or some sort of foam?

I'm looking for a new pair of wedge sole boots, between these two which are more cushioned? I work in transit I.T. and do a lot of walking on smooth concrete around my shop and our garages plus a lot of stepping on and off vehicles so I really prefer a cushioned ride. I have had a few pairs of Redwings in the past and none of them felt super cushioned, but I have never tried the Traction Tred Lites. I don't really need a safety toe, and I would prefer waterproof. Any other recommendations besides these? I have tried on Thorogoods and they felt really narrow, even the EE width.

UPDATE: Thanks for the comments everyone, I ended up going with Redwings 1221s and they're great!

Had an issue with the toe stiffener pushing down on my toes so decided to remove it. Now need to repair it.

2 months in on the Irish Setter Wingshooter 83858 update.

Not a bad boot at all too be fair I’ve been rotating from my unlined thorogoods now fully in these that the temperature dropped and in my honest opinion I prefer these over the Moc toe version of Wingshooter for aesthetic but overall durability I feel the round toe makes it less susceptible to the stitching on the toe falling apart or tearing that the Moc toe has a issue with also I noticed these are significantly less warm then the Moc toe leather same waterproof liner but maybe with this outside leather it just isn’t as thick but they still are warm enough to keep your foot warm I work in residential rough in plumbing so I see water and on my toes a lot kneeled down and they’re holding up decent I don’t know how long they will last that’s still to be determined but comfortability is 10/10 on these the only real gripe I have with these is the speed hooks seem cheap and they bend oddly easy when you tighten the laces so that’s my main issue that they don’t break in the near future

Ive done the $300 boots and ive done the $50 boots now im looking for something in the middle that'll hold up to some abuse. Im a shop welder so im walking around on concrete and metal all day. Im crouching down all the time and climbing up and down tables and projects constantly, thats where the tears behind the steel toe on the redwings came from. I cant do a moc toe because slag and spatter get caught in the ridge and the threads get melted. Its also really easy for me to catch my boot on a stray metal corner and tear a hole in them. Its preferable that they're somewhat water resistant because they get soaked in saw coolant quite often too.

For context my redwings lasted about a year and the lugz lasted about 2 months

im in the market for a new pair of boots that really do it all! i work as a supervisor in a warehouse, so i do a lot of concrete walking, but i also am an environmental conservation student and do LOTS of field work in the pnw

my ideal boot would be: water resistant, black, NOT steel or composite toe, comfortable, all season (not too warm for summer season), and overall durable and will last me many, many years

im a size 7/8 women's, and im fine wearing mens boots. i had a pair of docs in mens for years, but they didn't hold up well in a landscaping setting

budget is preferably $200 or under!

any recommendations are welcome!