Boots?

[Big Hoss]

I know its been discussed a million times before and everyone has there own preference, but its time for a new pair of boots and I'm fed up with Redbacks not lasting for more than 6 months.

Has anyone got a pair of Mongrel boots? Are they as light as the Redbacks and as comfy? How do they last? Any other suggestions for non-safety boots? Blundstone are also on my radar.

 

[Spencer]

Blundstone are very good boots.

 

[Pingu]

Gone from red backs to blundstone not out of choice all they had at time, they are ok not as comfy if on feet all day still get rubbing after 6 months I won’t have another pair. So stuck between finding some more redbacks or looking at others

 

[kiwi pom]

No British stuff out there, even if its a UK company that has them made overseas?

 

[rhsl]

Just gone to Steel Blue boots with side zip as my Red backs have had it and have led to plantar fasciitis in left foot, seem far more comfortable.
Foot pain seems to be decreasing as well.

 

[Kidds]

Try Rossi. Same but different.

 

[Pistonbroke]

V12 boots seem well made but no experience of their dealer boots

 

[Lazy Eric]

Most by Bucklers I rate.

 

[Farmer Roy]

I know its been discussed a million times before and everyone has there own preference, but its time for a new pair of boots and I'm fed up with Redbacks not lasting for more than 6 months.

Has anyone got a pair of Mongrel boots? Are they as light as the Redbacks and as comfy? How do they last? Any other suggestions for non-safety boots? Blundstone are also on my radar.

dunno about "non safety" boots as I always wear safety boots

for what its worth, I am a great fan of Oliver AT zip sided boots, very comfortable, my number 1 boot

I currently have a pair of Blundstone zip sided safety boots ( because i got a voucher for a pair of them ) which I also rate very highly

I have also had a couple of pairs of Steel Blue lace ups which I found very comfortable at the time

due to the severe drought ( 4 years with no farm income ) we recently went through, I now work full time ( I still farm 800 ha arable ) for our local Council, with Parks & Gardens, being responsible for ALL green areas, parks, sports fields, public toilets, outdoor recreational facilities, cemeteries etc in Gunnedah Shire. We spend a LOT of time on our feet. Our standard issue boot is a Mongrel safety zip side boot. I have never worn Mongrels before, but I have to say, I am VERY impressed. Comfortable straight out of the box, no breaking in period & ( to me ) very light.

I just have to say, all 3 of the above boots I have mentioned I quite happily wear as work boots, casual footwear or walking / hiking boots, they are all very comfortable to wear all day on a variety of hard or soft surfaces. I would rather wear them than trainers / joggers - which I ONLY wear when I am actually at the gym or jogging . . .

but if you are interested in Mongrels, from a comfort point of view, I cant recommend them highly enough, I think the next pair of boots I actually buy for myself, will be Mongrels. Coming from an Oliver AT wearer ( in my opinion the "pinnacle" of work boots ) that is a big call . . .

 

[Farmer Roy]

as for how long do boots last ?
how long is a piece of string ?
how long do a set of tyres last ?
there is a lot of variation depending on how you use them & the conditions you are in

one of the tradeoffs of really comfortable light soles, is the multi density construction of them that makes them comfortable, doesnt last as long as a sole made out of one solid, harder material. But what is the priority ? getting a million miles out of a set of tyres, or ones that grip & are safe ?

for what its worth, i will say that Oliver & Steel Blue, the sole will give out before the upper. I used to work on around 12 - 18 months.

my Blundstones. I dont know, because of the Council job I dont wear them all day every day like I used to, but they seem to be wearing well. Old Blunnies always used to give out on the sole first, but these ones have a more comfortable & more sophisticated design, so i dont know. My guess is they would be similar to Oliver / Steel Blue in that regard.

I am on my second pair of Mongrels with Council & it is the uppers that go first, but if you clean them & treat the leather they would probably last a lot longer. I also think that the Public Toilets work, with wet conditions & harsh cleaning chemicals / disinfectants is particularly hard on the leather, but tbh thats better than wearing gumboots ( wellies ) in our conditions, especially when the boots are supplied for free. We spend a lot of time also on hard surfaces / concrete & the soles seem to stand up to it well. In these conditions, the uppers tend to last about 9 - 12 months, but as i said, if you looked after them then they would probably last a lot longer

 

[Farmer Roy]

PS - I have never owned, worn or even tried a pair of Redbacks, so I cant compare or comment on them

 

[Farmer Roy]

PPS - we have a very large mining & construction industry here, so "Australian" work boots have a very high level of design, technology & comfort built into them. For what its worth, elastic sided work boots are no longer considered acceptable "safety" footwear in the mining & most construction industries, hence the popularity of the zip sided lace up boot. The security & firmness of a lace up boot, but the ease of "on / off" of an elastic sided boot. That has transferred over to Agriculture as well.

Mongrels, for what its worth, are still made in Australia ( I think Redback are as well ? )
Most of the other Australian brands are actually manufactured in Indonesia, Vietnam or China. To high standards of course, but to keep manufacturing costs down, as with everyone else . . .

 

[unlacedgecko]

I live in Dedito High Moorland boots. £210 a pair delivered. I get about 8-12 months out of a pair.

Currently got 3 pairs on rotation, so I can keep them cleaned and oiled weekly. These should last me 3 years or so.

 

[Farmer Roy]

I live in Dedito High Moorland boots. £210 a pair delivered. I get about 8-12 months out of a pair.

Currently got 3 pairs on rotation, so I can keep them cleaned and oiled weekly. These should last me 3 years or so.

I just cant understand the mentality of people trying to save money or skimp on buying quality footwear. We spend so much time on our feet, they need to be comfortable, supportive & safe.

so what if they cost a lot & "only" last 12 months ? If you wear them all day / everyday & your livelihood & personal long term health & mobility is at risk, then they are cheap at whatever price

 

[Estate fencing.]

I know its been discussed a million times before and everyone has there own preference, but its time for a new pair of boots and I'm fed up with Redbacks not lasting for more than 6 months.

Has anyone got a pair of Mongrel boots? Are they as light as the Redbacks and as comfy? How do they last? Any other suggestions for non-safety boots? Blundstone are also on my radar.

I bought a pair of mongrel boots back in November, they are really comfy and as light as trailers. I have had red backs and couldn't get more than 4 months out of a pair.

 

[JD6920s]

I just cant understand the mentality of people trying to save money or skimp on buying quality footwear. We spend so much time on our feet, they need to be comfortable, supportive & safe.

so what if they cost a lot & "only" last 12 months ? If you wear them all day / everyday & your livelihood & personal long term health & mobility is at risk, then they are cheap at whatever price

A few years ago I had a Morton’s Neuroma in my one foot, which was extremely painful, and caused by wearing badly fitting boots that were too narrow for me, but I thought they would wear in.
Anyway it was extremely painful which led to an equally painful procedure with a very long needle between the toes for a steroid injection right into the neuroma, which sorted it out.
Anyway the consultant told me I “must spend as much as I could afford on my shoes and my mattress, as when you’re not in the one you’re in the other” so don’t skimp on comfort for the sake of a few more months wear.

 

[nick...]

Worn bucklers for years until they fall apart.soles often come away from upper part but worn in dry and wet and mud so can’t complain and I’ll keep buying them.current pair nearly four years old and steel starting to come through the front of boot.obviously don’t wear them all the time.a friend who bought a pair find them heavy but that’s never occurred to me.after a short while it’s like wearing slippers.reccomend them
nick…

 

[vinnie123]

I live in Dedito High Moorland boots. £210 a pair delivered. I get about 8-12 months out of a pair.

Currently got 3 pairs on rotation, so I can keep them cleaned and oiled weekly. These should last me 3 years or so.

Just had my first pair turn up last week , liking the comfort

 

[melted welly]

I find Strauss boots are very well made.

 

[Spencer]

Don’t think you’d be able to call a set of boots “mongrels” in the UK ... It would offend somebody/thing