Gents I need help. I wore these Chippewa pull on boots for years. Double tough, great comfort, and getting quite expensive. Bordering on $200 per pair depending on where you buy them. When you can find them. I love the danged things but have developed a problem that has gotten worse as I age. I am running my heels over to the outside. Particularly on the right side. This beyond annoying. It leads to foot pain after awhile and requires expensive heel repair at the local cobbler. My "solution" to this last spring was to buy a pair of Dr. Marten's Industrial line of lace up work boots. Nice boot, pretty comfortable, and a bit less damage money wise at around $130. A serious problem arose a few months later when they developed a HORRID mildew odour. I still can't get it out. This isn't foot odour as you would normally think of it. I am lucky in that I don't get that issue from 99% of the footwear I own. This was due to the lace up nature of the shoe not allowing air circulation around the foot. My pull ons allow a lot of air to move around your foot. So I head off to Vanderbilt's (you chaps from the midwest and prairies states are probably familiar with this chain of stores) to look for a new pair of pull ons. I am also cursed with wide feet. A double e (EE) width is the norm. Sometimes wider depending on brand. I tried boots from Double H, Justin, and Ariat and found that even their wides didn't feel right. I couldn't get them on my feet. The state of production boots is horrible. Quality. What quality? Aside from that is the proper lasting that makes each foot of a boot or shoe fit the way it does. I looked at one pair that were listed a "extra wide" and they couldn't have been three inches across the ball of the foot! Someone who wears medium (D) width would have an issue wearing them. Where do look guys? I am getting desperate. If I have to go the way of the $79 throw away each year I guess I can but it bothers me. On the other hand, I really need to buy two pairs so I can alternate each day. With the Chips that would leave me out $400 fast. I just can afford to do it. Please give your opinions about size/fit of your favourite boots. Particularly width. I wear 9.5 EE in Chippewas, Tony Lama, and most shoes. Yet a 9.5 E worked a treat in my old Red Wing Pecos. Those are NOTHING like they were "back in the day". I just have no idea where to look. I would love nothing more than hand made customs but all the better makers are booked with 1-3 year turn around time and most pairs start at $500 and up. Some go well over a thousand dollars. Ouch.
Regards, Todd
Regards, Todd
