I loves em, but they don't come in half sizes. So I stick with Red Wings - Which can also be re-soled by the manufacturer.
Steve
Steve
Dr Martens Boots/Shoes?
- Thread starter TenorClef
- Start date
It is indeed!
I wear Black 1460's for work nearly everyday.
I wore out 2 pair, well worth the money. I don't have any right now because the local shops quit carrying them.
What style are these? I may need to get a pair.
That was why I stopped wearing Docs.
I wore the soles down on a pair and the local cobbler declined to resole them. He also indulged himself with telling me "I just don't think they're good shoes and don't want to work on them." I quit the cobbler and Docs as well that day. Kill the messenger and the message, I guess...
Roger
As I understand it Doc Martens could only be resoled at the factory, they use their own special system to welt the sole onto the boot so a local cobbler just wouldn't be able to do it. They stopped offering this service when the factory moved to China.
I have a 10 hole cherry red pair. They say Made In China inside. I think the Air Wair Bouncing Soles might be made in england but all the upper leather and stitchwork is done in china.
Even the 'Cherry Red' coulor seems to be a bit off from the original.
Your best choice for good combat boots is an Army Surplus.
A good DE shave and some nicely polished boots will take you along way in a night.
Even the 'Cherry Red' coulor seems to be a bit off from the original.
Your best choice for good combat boots is an Army Surplus.
A good DE shave and some nicely polished boots will take you along way in a night.
Solovair used to make shoes for Doc Marten in the UK... They are now branded as 'Solovair' and still made in the UK... The design is similar to Doc Martens... I got a pair and they are nice.
Docs never go out of style, but when I recently look at a pair and saw the made in china stamp I quick put them down in disgust. They do still have a few type made in the U.K.
They still have many models made in their homeland, they are pricey but worth ever penny in my option.http://www.dmusastore.com/p-2848-capper.aspx
The leather on the U.K. boots seems to be of better quality ...and I'm speaking of the 1460 style.
I have several old pairs of Docs seconds i bought for a few pounds each pair from one of the factories that used to make them for DM. Griggs in Wheatstone, on the edge of Leicester.
My daughter was at Leicester University and we often had a trip to Griggs as the DM's were always popular with her too!
They are all mostly still in good condition. Surprisingly, I've since bought a Chinese pair as my old black ones were getting a bit tatty and they seem to be far more comfortable for my feet! A much better last shape I guess. Don't know how well they'll last though.
As someone says above, if you are looking for Brit made Docs, take a look at the NPS/Solovair company who were one of the several companies that made DM's for DM (They never had their own factory as far as I know). They are still making "Docs" in Northampton though they can't call them Docs!
NPS/Solovair
They make many other styles of shoes including bespoke high quality benchmade shoes. Just check on the Solovair link. You'd need to check where you can buy them. They do have links to suppliers on the web site.
Gareth
My daughter was at Leicester University and we often had a trip to Griggs as the DM's were always popular with her too!
They are all mostly still in good condition. Surprisingly, I've since bought a Chinese pair as my old black ones were getting a bit tatty and they seem to be far more comfortable for my feet! A much better last shape I guess. Don't know how well they'll last though.
As someone says above, if you are looking for Brit made Docs, take a look at the NPS/Solovair company who were one of the several companies that made DM's for DM (They never had their own factory as far as I know). They are still making "Docs" in Northampton though they can't call them Docs!
NPS/Solovair
They make many other styles of shoes including bespoke high quality benchmade shoes. Just check on the Solovair link. You'd need to check where you can buy them. They do have links to suppliers on the web site.
Gareth
I have several old pairs of Docs seconds i bought for a few pounds each pair from one of the factories that used to make them for DM. Griggs in Wheatstone, on the edge of Leicester.
My daughter was at Leicester University and we often had a trip to Griggs as the DM's were always popular with her too!
They are all mostly still in good condition. Surprisingly, I've since bought a Chinese pair as my old black ones were getting a bit tatty and they seem to be far more comfortable for my feet! A much better last shape I guess. Don't know how well they'll last though.
As someone says above, if you are looking for Brit made Docs, take a look at the NPS/Solovair company who were one of the several companies that made DM's for DM (They never had their own factory as far as I know). They are still making "Docs" in Northampton though they can't call them Docs!
NPS/Solovair
They make many other styles of shoes including bespoke high quality benchmade shoes. Just check on the Solovair link. You'd need to check where you can buy them. They do have links to suppliers on the web site.
Gareth
My daughter was at Leicester University and we often had a trip to Griggs as the DM's were always popular with her too!
They are all mostly still in good condition. Surprisingly, I've since bought a Chinese pair as my old black ones were getting a bit tatty and they seem to be far more comfortable for my feet! A much better last shape I guess. Don't know how well they'll last though.
As someone says above, if you are looking for Brit made Docs, take a look at the NPS/Solovair company who were one of the several companies that made DM's for DM (They never had their own factory as far as I know). They are still making "Docs" in Northampton though they can't call them Docs!
NPS/Solovair
They make many other styles of shoes including bespoke high quality benchmade shoes. Just check on the Solovair link. You'd need to check where you can buy them. They do have links to suppliers on the web site.
Gareth
I like Docs and looked into buying a pair of the retro oxfords recently. I was very disappointed to find that all their shoes and boots are now visibly branded and since I don't wear logos or branding at all I didn't get them.
The china thing doesn't bother me. All the money is going there at the moment anyway.
TN
The china thing doesn't bother me. All the money is going there at the moment anyway.
TN
- Thread starter
- #196
Really I have no interest in who makes the shoes be it China, England or Thailand........if the quality is there that's what counts. The 'kappa' style seems pretty solid from China as does the 'Quilon' from the UK... pretty sure my correspondents from Thailand are holding up nicely too. However i had two pairs of 3 hole UK shoes which I recently had to have serviced as I managed to wear pretty bad holes in the back on them after about a year and half's wear however my local Timpson's shoe repair shop was able to sew in some pig skin to cover the damage.....we'll see how long that covers the wearing. I should add however that these two pairs of shoes are my 'go to' shoes for most days of the week....I try to alternate as this allows some drying time......ideally I want them to last forever. Am I asking to much from a pair of DM shoes????
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I would say at least a 10 years life span is to be expected, 15 year if your lucky. It looks like you are lucky enough to have access to a good cobbler.
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The trick is to have several pair and use them in rotation, just like shaving brushes 
- Thread starter
- #199
the trick is to have several pair and use them in rotation, just like shaving brushes
rotation is the key!!!
- Thread starter
- #200
These look a good idea for the heavier chap or ageing Doc boot/shoe-
