Good sturdy shoes?

[SmallFarm]

I have never been one to want to spend very much money on fancy clothes, so pretty much all my life I've been a wearer of cheap, ten-to-fifteen-dollar-a-pair shoes. It seems more and more though that these cheap (usually purchased at Wallmart #-o ) shoes wear out faster as each year goes by. What am I going to do if I can't buy shoes any more?
And so I've decided I'm going to spend more money and get some shoes that will actually last me for longer than nine months X( . My only problem is I have no idea where I should go to get shoes and what brands would be best (I'm looking for a sturdy workboot without steel toes).
I would be thankful for any suggestions.

[Rand]

The more you are willing to invest the better shoe you will get, and they are worth it. I like backpacking boots. Get a boot that is resole-able. The upper will last a long time, it is the sole that wears out.

Brands: Vasque, Asolo, Keen, Salomon, Timberland, in a descending order of quality from my take.

You can do work boots. Redwing is the old standby. You are looking in the $150 to $200 dollar range. I like REI, Cabelas, or Sportsmans Warehous.

Good luck!

[Songbird]

Ecco and Earth Shoes are great.
I am a big proponent of wearing good shoes because if your feet hurt, nothing feels good. Not only that, I think that good shoes help with the alignment of the body....but that is just me.

[bobhenstra]

Best boots I have ever worn are the same shoes issued to the military. However there are a lot of knock offs on the market, so be careful. They're expensive, but they'll last a good long time, when the heel or sole wears off they can be replaced. Danner, Chipawah, and Redwings are the boots we cling to with Danner's being our favorites. But we're happy with Redwings. Danners for Summer, Redwings insulated boots for winter.

Bob

[Original_Intent]

I like shoebuy. I have only purchased from them once, but will be buying from them again.

Here is their workboot page(s) http://www.shoebuy.com/mens-work-boots.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Moss Man]

Make sure you have a shoe storage just like food storage. Buy a few pairs for work, rain/snow, casual, etc.

Georgia Romeos are an excellent work boot and inexpensive.

[kathyn]

Having good shoes is absolutely vital! I was having hip pain and was fitted by a specialist at Ossine' shoes and it has made all the difference. It has helped my knees and hips so much. Cheap shoes will not last and aren't worth the money. I also like New Balance shoes. It might also be wise to invest in some inserts for added cushioning, etc.

[Spence]

If you want shoes that will last for several years danner or belleville should work well.

[bbrown]

Xtra Tufs are the local favorite for just about everything (people even wear them under their wedding gowns locally because they are the "ketchikan sneaker") and they make them with most every option you might like include steel toed. So it is basically a rain boot but they DO last forever, or close enough! We've bought them for cheap, well-used at garage sales and gone on to use them 5-10 more years. They are made to be somewhat tighter around the ankle, though, so that is worth knowing (they don't clomp around and slip on/off too easily so it is more of a safety thing).

http://www.xtratufboots.com/Pages/default.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For winter/snow boots (you're not asking, I know, but might as well put it all in one place) we LOVE our Sorel's. They are almost knee-high, insulated, comfortable, waterproof, and have great traction. I bought mine about 10 years ago (still look and wear great) and my husband bought his about 15 years ago (you'd have to ask him) and they still work great...can't says his look fabulous, but that may have to do with wearing them out to go milk and feed chickens, etc too!

For regular around-town shoes I wear Danskos now. I bought my first pair about 2-3 years ago and picked up two more at thrift stores and garage sales. I love that they are still in great working order and I don't have to buy other shoes. That said, they are NOT made for ice/snow. Too high a sole and too little traction. And with daskos you have to buy them from a place that has lots to try on. Find out what your size is (38 here) and then try a bunch on to get the right arch fit...each pair is different and if you buy the wrong arch (they're firm, not squishy, so how they support your foot also takes a little getting used to at first, wearing in) you'll never be happy with them. Get the right arch and it'll be like an extension of your foot and after you get used to it you'll never notice it.

All of the above run between $70-120 locally (meaning probably less elsewhere!), but all are worth it IMO.

CB

[Jason]

Best boots I have ever worn are the same shoes issued to the military. However there are a lot of knock offs on the market, so be careful. They're expensive, but they'll last a good long time, when the heel or sole wears off they can be replaced. Danner, Chipawah, and Redwings are the boots we cling to with Danner's being our favorites. But we're happy with Redwings. Danners for Summer, Redwings insulated boots for winter.

Bob

I'm a fan of Danner and Redwings....although I need a new sole on my Redwings. You can find them occasionally on clearance. For example there's a Redwing outlet in Heber (Utah I know - sorry) where you can get about 50% off....but they usually just have a couple sizes they have a ton of.

[mirkwood]

Magnum Hi Tech. Been wearing them as a duty boot for 15 years. My feet never hurt and I typically wear them 1-2 years without a need to be replaced.

[linj2fly]

how about some good brands for kids...any suggestions? I'm running into the same problem...seems to be a lot worse in the last year or two, even with previously 'reliable/sturdy' brands.

[SmallFarm]

Thank you for you kind suggestions all. I had another thought: where would one go to learn how to make/ repair their own shoes? Might be useful in a post-industrialized world