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Dr. Martens 1461: Vintage vs For Life

On the one hand, you're paying for UK crafted footwear that caters an honest wage to the ones involved in their production.

The other hand, you're paying for China and Thailand crafted footwear that caters questionable wages to the ones involved in their production.

I've owned 2 pairs of 1460's. This was pre-outsourcing for manufacturing. All Docs were made in UK. The quality was exceptional back then. If it's any consolation, they are still being made in the exact same factory as the ones I used to have (which are now called "vintage"). Truth be told, the soles wore down to nothing before I ever had issues with leather wear, which is contradictory to the "For Life" claims.
 
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The Vintage UK versions use Quilon leather which makes them really stiff. They are more of a handmade shoe, so they have slight inconsistencies in the stitching. The fit and finish is good, but not perfect. As expected the insole on the Vintage is also very stiff. They are built like tanks, but expect at least a 2 or 3 week break-in period. Nostalgia is imported with these shoes since they are as close to the originals as your can get.

The For Life versions use Hardlife leather with is softer and actually pliable compared to the stiff and hard Quilon leather. The finish on the For Life is more of a matte finish where the Vintage appear to have a more shiny appearance. I am guessing the For Life versions are made mostly by machine since the stitching and the fit and finish are near perfect. The insoles on mine had some cushion. The Hardlife leather feels heavily treated and seems more abrasion resistant compared to the Quilon leather. The break-in was several days to a little over a week.
 
My little input on the subject. I've been wearing Doc's for the past 25-30 yrs. still have a pair of 1460 and 1461 that are probably close to that age. When they moved the factory the quality went to crap. Bought two pair that were made offshore, soles were horrible as well as the leather. Barely lasted two years.

Take a look at Solovair. One of the original doc makers, still made in England. http://britboot.co.uk/engine/shop/category/Solovair/Boots

don
 
My little input on the subject. I've been wearing Doc's for the past 25-30 yrs. still have a pair of 1460 and 1461 that are probably close to that age. When they moved the factory the quality went to crap. Bought two pair that were made offshore, soles were horrible as well as the leather. Barely lasted two years.

Take a look at Solovair. One of the original doc makers, still made in England. http://britboot.co.uk/engine/shop/category/Solovair/Boots

don
I've heard a lot of good things about that brand but unfornitely it is a pain in the *** to get a pair in the US.
 
Some bits which might be useful, sorry but I didn't look up the model numbers.

I've a pair of the regular 10 hole brown boots, the leather is not good, they have delaminated through the creases after a couple of years. I don't wear them a lot. I can't read the label, but I think it says Made in Thailand.

I've a pair of 'For Life' black shoes, I have for a couple of years, and I'm really pleased with them. I wear them 3 or 4 times a week, and that would include walking a fair distance in them as I try to walk 10,000 steps every day. Leather is in good shape, I polish them pretty frequently. Soles are wearing, tread has pretty well gone. I'd buy them again. The soles, and also the overall 'look' of the shoes are a bit chunkier than the regular and Made in England equivalents.

I've a pair of Made in England Shoes and also 10 hole boots. both I bought from the US website, taking advantage of various sales. Both are OX-blood which are a different shade (redder) than the Asian made ones. I was curious about the comment above about the stitching, have to say that I couldn't spot a difference, but I don't have a particularly accurate eye.

I've a pair of the 'greasy look' Chelsea boots, which are made in Thailand, had them a year, got them in the sale, and wore them in the winter, would have been the alternate for the for life shoes. They have worn really well both soles and the leather. (I've never polished them).

My original, crappy made in Asia boots were bought from the British Boot shop when I was living in Australia, so they do overseas sales (from what I remember, they didn't do VAT free sales though). I was in their store a couple of years ago (wife wanted a pair) and I was complaining about the delaminating leather. They said that in their view, the Solvair boots are better than any of the current doc range, including Made in England, and those would be the ones to buy.

I night treat myself to a pair of black boots sometime, and then I'll try the Solvair.
 
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Some bits which might be useful, sorry but I didn't look up the model numbers.

I've a pair of the regular 10 hole brown boots, the leather is not good, they have delaminated through the creases after a couple of years. I don't wear them a lot. I can't read the label, but I think it says Made in Thailand.

I've a pair of 'For Life' black shoes, I have for a couple of years, and I'm really pleased with them. I wear them 3 or 4 times a week, and that would include walking a fair distance in them as I try to walk 10,000 steps every day. Leather is in good shape, I polish them pretty frequently. Soles are wearing, tread has pretty well gone. I'd buy them again. The soles, and also the overall 'look' of the shoes are a bit chunkier than the regular and Made in England equivalents.

I've a pair of Made in England Shoes and also 10 hole boots. both I bought from the US website, taking advantage of various sales. Both are OX-blood which are a different shade (redder) than the Asian made ones. I was curious about the comment above about the stitching, have to say that I couldn't spot a difference, but I don't have a particularly accurate eye.

I've a pair of the 'greasy look' Chelsea boots, which are made in Thailand, had them a year, got them in the sale, and wore them in the winter, would have been the alternate for the for life shoes. They have worn really well both soles and the leather. (I've never polished them).

My original, crappy made in Asia boots were bought from the British Boot shop when I was living in Australia, so they do overseas sales (from what I remember, they didn't do VAT free sales though). I was in their store a couple of years ago (wife wanted a pair) and I was complaining about the delaminating leather. They said that in their view, the Solvair boots are better than any of the current doc range, including Made in England, and those would be the ones to buy.

I night treat myself to a pair of black boots sometime, and then I'll try the Solvair.

Wow thank you for the break down. All that being said, which line would you recommend and which age the best?
 
Wow thank you for the break down. All that being said, which line would you recommend and which age the best?

the last two pairs I've bought have been Made in England, shoes were in the last sale, the boots much have been in last years black Friday sale. I'm hoping that the leather is the same quality with the same durability as they used to have in the 'good old days'. I remember having a pair for years, and it was the soles which finally wore through not the leather. (literally, the air pockets became water pockets in the rain).

But, in the next breath, I guess it depends on how often you are wearing them, and for what purpose. I bought the 'for life' specifically because I like to walk a lot, and I was wearing through shoes at an alarming rate. For this purpose, I'd get them again.
 
I ended up getting the For Life boots. I was gonna get the shoes but got turned off after a closer look at the dress shoe style.
 
the last two pairs I've bought have been Made in England, shoes were in the last sale, the boots much have been in last years black Friday sale. I'm hoping that the leather is the same quality with the same durability as they used to have in the 'good old days'.

Unfortunately, leather is not the same quality. I bought Made in England 1461 oxblood about two years ago, and leather started cracking at the ankle area after 6 months of wearing. My old MIE Docs were built like a tank.
 
I have a pair that are a few years old. They are the Made in England ones and they are a dream to wear. I have the same pair in black that are about 20 years old and they are of similar quality.

Wow! Sorry to hijack this thread, but those shoes are really nice looking! The 3-Eye Gibson in Oxblood is pretty tempting. Anyone have any experience with how well these shoes hold up? Also, do they not offer US 1/2 sizes?
 
I was kicked in the face during a Violent Femmes concert in 1981 having wandered too close to the mosh pit.

Those were good sturdy boots.
 
Dr. Martens have gone downhill alot in the years since I was a young hooligan If your going for sharp looking well made boots of UK origins, I suggest Grinders hands down when my last pair of docs crapped out on me after 2 years I went to them and haven't looked back.

if you find a vintage (UK made) pair of DMs in good condition, by all means go for it but if your buying new I would skip on the yellow stitches.
 
I've got a pair of DM MIE 1460's i bought a couple of years ago, i wear them 5 days a week to work.

Other than the tread wearing down on the ball of the foot so its almost smooth there, they have no other wear.

I almost bought some Solovair's instead at the time, I'll probably buy a pair next to compare.

The leather on the non MIE DM 1460's ive seen in shops is probably half as thick, they seam very flimsy to me.
 
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