Feels like a dumb question, but I haven't ever worn a pair of boots that didn't hurt in some way. Is this just a feature of boots, or am I doing something wrong?
Find a well -rated outdoor store nearby, and go in and ask them to help you find a good pair. Be completely open about having no idea how to fit boots, and try to be as descriptive about the most common issues you've experienced. You can usually get free return if you wear them inside the house for a day or two to check fit.
It can be time consuming to find the right pair, but once you find a good pair it'll make a huge difference and give you somewhere to go from one they eventually wear out.
Don't take specific brand advice from the internet because everyone's feet are different shapes. It's a very individual thing.
Yeah so all shoes were uncomfortable, then I realized my feet are shaped too differently for mass produced shoes. I started making my own on a custom last, and now all my shoes are comfortable. Steep learning curve, though.
Work boots: check red wings, Irish setters, Georgia boot, Wolverine, timberland pro, Thorogood
Casual: check Clark’s desert chukkas, timberland 6”, red wing heritage, Thursday boots, blundstones, Jim greens.
Haven’t owned them all but I have spent a lot of time researching boots for comfort since I’m a big dude on his feet all day. Currently have traction tread lite 6” red wings steel toe for work. Going on 7 months, swapped insoles twice (I like walk hero from amazon for arch support, $20.), and they feel better every day. Seriously worth it in my opinion.
Surprised nobody's mentioned this yet--
What kind of socks are you wearing?
Boots used to always suck for me. Double check your sizing, and I recommend mid to heavyweight socks. Quality insoles help a lot, too. (Darn tough socks have been a game changer for me)
I don't remember the exact reason anymore, but sometime back on reddit someone told the story how all his life his feet and shoes felt bad but he got used to it. Until at some point he found out he had some foot disease, I think it was athlete's foot or something.
Unless of course its only boots that bug you, not other shoes, then carry on...
Most likely it was plantar fasciitis, which means that he just needed arch support. Same thing happened to me. I thought I was just cursed with sore feet forever until someone explained what it was and how simple it was to fix. It's amazing what good arch support can do!
Timberland, classic for a reason. I originally got them for doing DIY work around the house (and they have saved me from a nail in the foot at least twice so far) but now I legit pick these over my sneakers just for going out for a walk sometimes because they are comfier.
If you don't mind heavy-as-f***, Carolinas. Insulated, composite toe, waterproof to a foot and change deep. I learned about these from a guy who wears them to fight forest fires in the dead of winter. They're very comfy and put in a lot of work but holy gods are they heavy.
You might have flat feet or need more arch support, go to a place where they're specialized in selling shoes and boots and tell them you're always uncomfortable.
Also, cute looking shoes are more often than not not built to be good for your feet, I can't believe the number of girls/women I've met that freeze all winter because they refuse to wear actual winter boots because they're ugly...
Keen all the way. They're not dressy, you look like you're going for a hike but man are comfortable out of the box. I have a hard time finding shoes / boots and keens are winners.
Runner up and more fashionable have been my blundstones
I am glad that you have had luck with Keen. I tried 2 separate pairs, one work shoe, one hiking boot/shoe and they both fell apart within 6 months in spots where they used adhesives instead of stitching. Never again.
Same here - I got a pair of Keen abut 5-6 years ago for hiking and they are the most comfortable boots I ever had - sometimes I wear them instead of sneakers. However they haven’t had as much use in the last few years.
I imagine all boots are slightly different and all feet are slightly different, so it’s a matter of finding that perfect fit for your feet at the time
Redbacks are the most comfortable boots I've ever tried yet.
I always go for the wide shoes whenever I can, because I know my feet are wider than average, and arch supports because I know I have flat feet. You might want to find an expert who can show you many different shapes of shoes or a foot and ankle specialist who can diagnose if you need extra support or anything.
The two most important things that most people don't think about enough is making sure you get the right width of boot, and get a pair of quality insoles(they are just as if not more important than the boot they go in). I hated all the boots I wore until I got some superfeet insoles. As far as boot brands go I can back thorogoods as my goto.
I'm ready to go to a foot dr whenever I can find the time. I work 10 hr days (sometimes 12-14 hrs when I'm on the road for work). Most if not all on concrete. I've tried Keen boots, Sketches, Timberland Pros, etc. Different insoles as well. They all fail way too quickly. I think it's my feet. I've spent well over $400 this year on boots and insoles alone. I'm thinking of trying the Timberland Pro Mudsill boots as my last resort since they have built-in arch support, which is what I think I need. I feel a tearing on the middle of my feet after a long day's work, which I believe is the plantar fascitis thing.
You might need custom orthotics but you can't expect your boots to last if they're your work boots and you walk on concrete all day. I would go through 3 pairs of shoes/boots a year as a valet.
My employer gives a $75 voucher for boots per year. Would be great if I could find a solution to make them last that long. I should probably invest in an anti-static mat I can put at my US general box since it's my desk/standing desk lol.
I have iron rangers that took about two weeks to break in, and now they're like an extension of me. So comfortable. But the break in period was...trying.
Before Covid I was wearing redwings as my daily and they were so comfortable, bought a second pair in a different style (which is a big investment for me) and then Covid hit and now I spend 90% of my day in Ugg boots, socks or no shoes.. oh well, I think I have a lifetime worth of boots there
I don't know if you have this in your town, but there's an old school shoe store near me that has actual sales people who know their stuff. They've never led me astray.
My current ones are Ecco boots, but I credit the store more than the boots.
I dont fuck with laces
First boot I've ever put on that I had no complaints out of the box. Perfectly comfortable and good all day.
I got them because I was looking for a laceless work boot that I could get re-soled as I kept wearing through the soles of my old boots while the leather was still in good shape.
I've only had them for about 6 months and so far so good. We'll see how the leather holds up.
You could have nonstandard shaped feet. I have had horribly uncomfortable footwear most of my life - turns out I need wide or double-wide sizes and taller mids (not the arch, but the corresponding top of the foot - the talus I think?).
You might have a local shoe store that offers custom fitting or measurements for work or sports footwear. Visit them and describe how your boots are uncomfortable. They can help figure out what features you need and which brands offer them.
Personally, I found Rockport chukkas to be perfect for me in the wide sizes. Very little break in time and decent quality (my current pair are 3 years of daily wear and going strong). That said, if you find a pair that work for you, but two and alternate wearing them to give them time to air out. They will last longer.
I have hooves (very wide, not long feet) and I have great luck with the Red Wing King Toe. They're a hard toe that's super wide. I started wearing them when I was a tradesman. I'm no longer a tradesman but I keep buying them because they're sneaker-comfortable, at least on my feet.
Cozy and like armor. The hard part is finding something that properly fits. I like hardened toes, and need double wide for my ogre feet and its hard to find with something that's actually good and comfortable in my size.
Get boots made for construction workers. They are on their feet and in boots all day. I got a pair of redwings a few decades ago and they were my daily walking shoes until I got a car.
I wore steel toe boots for several years for work and while they do tend to be uncomfortable at first they eventually break in and improve. For me the most comfortable were the wider boots and especially those with a larger toe box. I no longer need a safety boot so now wear the Lems boot which I find super comfy.
It's about boots, it's about socks, it's about insoles.
The Redwing Burnside boots are MIGHTY comfortable just right out of the box. But the soles are on the soft side, they won't last much over 2 years of hard labor. They can be replaced with I think it's the Montana vibram sole for $100; it's compatible but also harder. So...bonus.
It's hard to beat the socks at Buffalo Wool Co! Buffalo wool socks breathe well, and they're tough, too. They wear very very slowly. Don't hold an odor. Have adequate cushion.
When the regular insoles of the boots wear too thin, it's time to switch over to SuperFeet insoles! I get the 'Orange' ones.
That combination should get you some very comfortable, high quality boots.
Food for thought, my military minded friends talk about jungle "Mickies". I think. They say you will hurt & blister breaking them in over a few months, but then it's a very comfortable pair of boots that last a long time. And they're pretty cheap, too. I'll talk to them again & update my post with relevant info.
Yeah, I have some really comfy walking boots (by a brand called Vegetarian Shoes, I think they're made in Italy) and a pair of everyday boots by Superga which are also really comfy. You'll usually need to break boots in - maybe wear them around the house a bit with some thick socks on whilst they get used to your feet.
I have some swedish brand boots that are pretty comfy... Wait, are we talking about rubber boots, Dock Martin's or just boot boots(for booting)? because I never wore the first two, so can't help there.
I've always had Doc Martens boots for casual wear in the winter. They're really comfortable as long as you break them in by wearing them around the house for half an hour a day for a week or two before going outdoors with them.
I've only slipped over in my current pair once in 4 years or so - but I'm in the UK so winter boots for me are more about warmth and rain resistance than snow!