Dr Martens Boots/Shoes?

[baggiez]

I got these when in the UK recently http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/s...s/classic-dr-marten-s-airwair-939-689936.html

Made in Thailand but really comfortable straight out of the box which is different than back in the day when they had to be 'broken in' for ages.

 

[KM-instructor]

Been wearing DM's for forty years or so, I love em,.

 

[TenorClef]

although doc martens arent made in england anymore they are made under the name solovair just google it, same factory same boots just a different name

Dr Martens are made in England check them out under their 'Vintage' line.

 

[Grumpy Typewriter]

I used to love them, but now I've been wearing Blundstones for my boots and Fleuvogs for my shoes.

Nice to see Blundstones (Aust) are getting out there in the world.

 

[ieschwoch]

I've been wearing my "vintage" Doc 1460's nearly daily since March 2009 and they still look brand new. I would highly recommend them if anyone wants to buy a solid boot that is still made in the UK. A word of warning though: they are truly "vintage" in that they take forever to break in. Seriously, plan on about a month of blisters and aching feet before the leather softens. Apparently all boots were like this back in the day; modern boots have the leather pre-softened in the factory to break in more easily (which coincidentally weakens the leather, shortening the life of the boot).

 

[bassopotamus]

I've been wearing a pair of black 8 holes for 11 years now. Got them resoled last year finally (and the place I sent them to did a horrible job, fortunately, I found a local guy who made them right). There is a line that is still made in England, but they are about double the price of the Chinese ones (which are about exactly the same price as my English ones were when I bought them). Great shoes. I'm hoping to get another 10 years out of them. I also have a pair of Kelly green 3 holes that I don't wear much.

 

[ieschwoch]

This blog has a good post on the merits of the "Made in England" docs vs others:

http://www.alphabetcityblog.com/2009/05/doc-martens-made-in-england-vs-made-in.html

He ends up actually favoring the "Made in China" and "Made in Thailand" docs. I still like my "vintage" docs, though.

 

[bassopotamus]

This blog has a good post on the merits of the "Made in England" docs vs others:

http://www.alphabetcityblog.com/2009/05/doc-martens-made-in-england-vs-made-in.html

He ends up actually favoring the "Made in China" and "Made in Thailand" docs. I still like my "vintage" docs, though.

That is a great comparo, but two comments

1. My older English ones have the logo stamped on the side
2. He is wrong about the insoles on the English ones. At least the ones from the 90s are absolutely awful. So his pair is at least correct, if not pleasant

 

[ieschwoch]

That is a great comparo, but two comments

1. My older English ones have the logo stamped on the side
2. He is wrong about the insoles on the English ones. At least the ones from the 90s are absolutely awful. So his pair is at least correct, if not pleasant

Agreed on Point #2. "Traditional" docs have never had insoles (nor have any traditional work boots or combat boots, for that matter). I'm not sure what he expects walking on hard rubber to feel like.

 

[scottish steve]

A word of warning though: they are truly "vintage" in that they take forever to break in. Seriously, plan on about a month of blisters and aching feet before the leather softens..

I remember, when I was a regular Doc wearer in the late '80s, feeling fear just looking at my new pair. A pair of Docs used to last me 2/3 years- about twice as long as any other footwear at that time. The leather was always ok, but I'm hard on soles and never took the bus then. I should have gotten them resoled of course, but I didn't know where to get that done and it never occurred to me at the time.
P.S I think my Loakes might just be about broken in now after about a year in Scotland followed by another 2 summers in Suzhou.
I went out in them for 5 hours the other day and they felt..very nearly perfect. The reason I bought them was they reminded me so much of the original Docs. Tough decision on my feet, but ultimately worth it.

 

[desmoface]

I like Doc's but haven't been able to get them in my size for some time. Frustrated, I visited my local Redwing store and spent the extra $ for their 4473's
(Not my pair)

What sold me on the Redwings is their ability to be re-soled at the factory. With the Doc's, after they wore out, they were pretty much trash as we don't really have any good cobblers around here that I'd trust to re-sole them..

Steve

 

[dannymayo]

Any fans of Doc Marten's shoes/boots? I just gave my boots a cleaning and a good bit of saddle soap and they look damn near new. I've had these boot 10 years and the get worn about 5 months a year.

 

[Piper Down]

Those are beautiful. I have a similar pair in black, unworn for a decade. I have two pair of DM shoes--black and cordavan--that I've worn daily for more than a decade. They don't look as good as your boots, but they do look pretty good.

 

[Greg1911]

I liked them better when they were still made in England.

 

[cueball]

I have two pairs of boots that I alternate between each day for work and they are very comfortable.
These are the English made boots. I have no experience with the Chinese made version.

 

[DNG]

I have a pair of Docs back from my high school days, they were quite popular back then. Quite rugged but at the same time comfy. I still have them in the back of my shoe closet somewhere but I never wear them.

 

[bassopotamus]

I have two pairs. Some green 3 holes that I almost never wear, and some black 8 holes that I wear constantly in the cold months. I think they are 13 and 11 years old respectively. I had the black ones resoled last year, and they aren't as cool looking with black soles as with the stock amber ones, but I still wear them. I'm thinking the next boots I get will probably be Red Wing's of some variety.

 

[yung puck]

yup i love my Docs very comfy boots got the red ones and liked them so much had to get the black ones.got them off 6pm.com never ordered boots off line before but the price was right and they ended up fitting perfect too

 

[MrMurphy]

Never saw the reasoning behind paying more for fake combat boots than I did for my real ones.....which have lasted 15+ years through field, garrison, hunting, five countries and a deployment before finally dying on me.

 

[dannymayo]

Never saw the reasoning behind paying more for fake combat boots than I did for my real ones.....which have lasted 15+ years through field, garrison, hunting, five countries and a deployment before finally dying on me.

I wouldn't consider Doc Marten's boots "fake combat boots". I've had all kind of issued boots; standard issue, jungle, jump, and the newer beige standard issue. The Doc's have a really different feel to me and I never thought of them as combat boots.

I believe the Vintage line of Docs is still made in England.