Shoes

[hashbrown]

I don't know if its just my area but I can never find shoe shine/shoe care products in the stores anymore. I like to polish our shoes and take care of our boots all i can ever find is some can of spray on junk or sneaker cleaner. I can always buy it online but never locally. Do people not use shoe care products anymore or do they just throw their shoes away when they get a little roughed up?

 

[Double R]

In my opinion the answer is yes. Throw them away and get a new release pair. Like people and their phones. Nothing wrong with their current phone just want the latest, greatest and coolest.
We tend to get a long life of our clothes/shoes/boots but we try and take care of them and we don’t care if they aren’t the latest and greatest.
Our feed stores generally have boot/shoe care items but the selection does seem to be dwindling greatly over the last few years. Product of a disposable society I think. We stock up when we find our oil/waterproofing for our boots. Doesn’t go bad and don’t have to hunt for it nearly as often that way.
Is there a boot barn anywhere in your area? I’ve seen some shoe/boot care items there in the past.

 

[goshengirl]

I remember going to a shoe repair shop - a little old couple. Lose a heel? The repaired it. Some stitching comes undone? They repaired that too. Haven't seen a cobbler in ages. Last time I looked for any supplies, I had to buy off of Amazon. Fortunately I just needed black polish. But how would you pick shades on Amazon?

 

[Bacpacker]

Wife has a 2nd cousin that owns the last shoe repair shop I know of around here.

 

[Double R]

I miss our little shoe repair place. Used to get new soles put on our boots instead of replacing good boots. That place has been gone a long time now. Was a great shop. Nice family. Quick work and definitely never had a problem with soles coming off like we do with new boots.

 

[goshengirl]

You know what else I miss? A nice, simple seamstress shop. Nothing fancy, just basic tailoring and repair. There are times when I need someone with more skills than me to make a repair - not to mention that detail work gets harder as I get older. But the last seamstress shop I knew of closed several years ago.

So often clothes could be repaired rather than tossed, but people just toss and buy another.

 

[Double R]

We used to have several that did it out of their homes. All gone now. Then a dry cleaner opened in the new shopping center. They did that kind of stuff. How well I don’t know. Covid did that place in.

 

[backlash]

I agree with you all. A good shoe/boot repair place would be great, I haven't seen one in years.
I keep my boots clean and polished. I just bought a new pair of Romeos and the first thing I did was polish them.
Several years ago I went into Ranch and Home looking for saddle soap. There were 4 guys and a girl working in the shoe section, well they were standing around in the shoe department. I asked them where I could find saddle soap and one said I guess in the horse department. I shook my head and said where is the shoe polish. They all went with me to that area. I picked up a can of saddle soap and explained how to use it. None of them had ever heard of such a thing. I pointed to one guys dirty boots and said you should try it.
The boots I wear cost over $200 so if I could get them repaired it would save me money.

I just did a search and there is a shoe repair place about 40 miles from me. I had no idea. I may stop next time I'm in town.

I took 2 pair of new blue jeans in to be hemmed. They charged me $15 a pair. The jeans only cost me $20 a pair.

 

[LadyLocust]

I don't know if its just my area but I can never find shoe shine/shoe care products in the stores anymore. I like to polish our shoes and take care of our boots all i can ever find is some can of spray on junk or sneaker cleaner. I can always buy it online but never locally. Do people not use shoe care products anymore or do they just throw their shoes away when they get a little roughed up?

Most of the "marts" here have it. I have the kiwi brand of black & brown as well as brushes etc. Funny last time I bought a can, there was about a 90 year old man also buying some. We had a quick conversation about how it's probably not that common any more. But I guess we're all supposed to wear flip flops or crocks. Nothing says class like plastic shoes.

 

[hashbrown]

In my opinion the answer is yes. Throw them away and get a new release pair. Like people and their phones. Nothing wrong with their current phone just want the latest, greatest and coolest.
We tend to get a long life of our clothes/shoes/boots but we try and take care of them and we don’t care if they aren’t the latest and greatest.
Our feed stores generally have boot/shoe care items but the selection does seem to be dwindling greatly over the last few years. Product of a disposable society I think. We stock up when we find our oil/waterproofing for our boots. Doesn’t go bad and don’t have to hunt for it nearly as often that way.
Is there a boot barn anywhere in your area? I’ve seen some shoe/boot care items there in the past.

The work boots I buy are $250 a pair they have to last me a long while. When I was young and hard on boots I wore a Redwing logger boot. I would wear them a year and take them to a cobbler have a new soles put on and the boots refinished when I got them back they looked like new and I would get another year out of them.

 

[Peanut]

Fall/win of 2020 I'd gotten the puppy. One night he chewed up most of my shoe laces. Didn't chew the shoes, just the laces!

There was a shortage of good shoe laces that winter. It took me 2 months just to find enough crappy shoe laces.

Not long afterwards while doing a fill the gap order for preps I ordered good laces and polish. Amerzit or one of their sellers had them.

Around here, no more old fashioned shoe shops or cobblers. Haven't seen one in years.

 

[hashbrown]

Most of the "marts" here have it. I have the kiwi brand of black & brown as well as brushes etc. Funny last time I bought a can, there was about a 90 year old man also buying some. We had a quick conversation about how it's probably not that common any more. But I guess we're all supposed to wear flip flops or crocks. Nothing says class like plastic shoes.

Walmart or Target here never have anything!

 

[phideaux]

I use leather care products from the horse supplies department at farm supply stores and from the Amish general store.

Jim

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Our grocery store has an aisle end cap of shoe and boot laces, plus Kiwi polish.
I have worn work boots and jeans for the last 50 years. I own one pair of "dress shoes" and one pair of cowboy boots.
I like to keep my boots looking as good as I can, I'm an Old Soldier after all.

 

[Spikedriver]

I use leather care products from the horse supplies department at farm supply stores and from the Amish general store.

Jim

I second this. Farm stores and western boot stores are the place to look for boot care products.

@hashbrown do you still wear RedWings? They still do the recondition service for at least some of their boots at the Red Wing stores. And they carry some good boot care products.

 

[hashbrown]

I have been working on boots this evening is what made me think about it. This is a pair of Harley boots that are several years old. I like to watch tv and work on them. It’s amazing what 30 minutes will do. Before and after.

 

[hashbrown]

I second this. Farm stores and western boot stores are the place to look for boot care products.

@hashbrown do you still wear RedWings? They still do the recondition service for at least some of their boots at the Red Wing stores. And they carry some good boot care products.

Yes sir my work boots are always Redwing

 

[Spikedriver]

I wear these. Red Wing #4402. They're about 235 bucks but I get a little discount through my employer.

They're tougher than a 2 dollar steak and waterproof.

 

[hashbrown]

I wear these. Red Wing #4402. They're about 235 bucks but I get a little discount through my employer.
View attachment 79384
They're tougher than a 2 dollar steak and waterproof.

Are they comfortable?

 

[Spikedriver]

Are they comfortable?

Yes, for my feet they're some of the most comfortable boots I ever found. But the insole that comes in them is crap. I throw them away and get Spenco insoles.

 

[Acdoctor]

It’s hard to go wrong with a good pair of Redwings, one of the best in my opinion.

 

[hashbrown]

Yes, for my feet they're some of the most comfortable boots I ever found. But the insole that comes in them is crap. I throw them away and get Spenco insoles.

I bought some insoles from Redwing a few years ago that you put in the oven and got hot and then put in the shoe and wore them a few minutes and they formed to your feet. I liked those really well but haven't seen those in a quite sometime.

 

[Spikedriver]

I bought some insoles from Redwing a few years ago that you put in the oven and got hot and then put in the shoe and wore them a few minutes and they formed to your feet. I liked those really well but haven't seen those in a quite sometime.

I've never seen those. How long do they last? I gave up on the ones that come in my boots when they crumbled in less than a week. The Spenco Total Support Max insoles are $50 and are great for Plantar Fasciitis. They are durable too, I've got over 2 years on the ones in my boots and they're just now giving out.

 

[LadyLocust]

I bought some insoles from Redwing a few years ago that you put in the oven and got hot and then put in the shoe and wore them a few minutes and they formed to your feet. I liked those really well but haven't seen those in a quite sometime.

Go to a sporting goods store. That's what they have for ski boots.

 

[INresponse]

Look for a uniform shop in your area. In theory, police officers are supposed to shine their shoes if they still wear leather. Military dress shoes need to be shined as well. Maybe even a military surplus store if you have one nearby. Maybe a Red Wings shoe shop? I suppose it can still be found on line but I prefer local as well.
For my brown leather work boots I give them a regular dose of olive oil or similar. And by regular I mean before they forecast a few days of rain or a decent snow. It darkens them up evenly and softens the leather and goes on easier than bear grease or similar paste type sealers.

Several mentioned just buying new shoes/boots so I will add in my year long experience with the Oboz band. A Montana based company (not sure if some or all are made in the USA or China because it's been over a year) but by 13 months old shoes still offer great arch support, the soles are still firm enough to step on rocks without feeling them, they are still comfortable with no holes or leaks, and the soles still have decent tread even though they are my daily choice for working around the house and homestead. I will by another pair in a month or two and will never wear another brand. I had a good pair of brown leather work boots for a year and the sole wore out so i took them to the local shoe repair place the the replacement sole is junk, the glue on the edge of the soles came loos and the soled are glued and screwed on instead of being stitched. I bought them because the soles were stitched to allow for repair but the replacement soles were very disappointing. Probably just a lame repair shop but it's the only place within about 500 miles.

 

[Spikedriver]

@INresponse I've got a pair of Oboz. They were one of those pairs of shoes that I really liked in the store, but when I got out in the world and wore them for several hours straight they made my feet hurt. I don't think they're bad, just not right for my feet. I bought them for light trail hiking but I can't use them for that, so they're gathering dust...

 

[backlash]

I wore cheap shoes for years and my feet suffered for it. I finally got off my wallet and bought some Redwings. I switched to Carolinas about 15 years ago because they stopped making the ones I work. Now Carolina stopped making the one I wore.
Since I'm retired I don't really need "work" boots. I have an old pair for when I need boots.

 

[Double R]

I wear these. Red Wing #4402. They're about 235 bucks but I get a little discount through my employer.
View attachment 79384
They're tougher than a 2 dollar steak and waterproof.

Yes, for my feet they're some of the most comfortable boots I ever found. But the insole that comes in them is crap. I throw them away and get Spenco insoles.

Going to look into these. Time for new work boots for both of us (like those) and the ones we’ve been getting for me have been out of stock for more than a year. My hubby’s are in stock but don’t last nearly as long as we’d like. He does a lot of hiking nightly.

 

[Spikedriver]

Going to look into these. Time for new work boots for both of us (like those) and the ones we’ve been getting for me have been out of stock for more than a year. My hubby’s are in stock but don’t last nearly as long as we’d like. He does a lot of hiking nightly.

I'm not sure if Red Wing has a women's version of the 4402. Can you wear a small men's size boot?

 

[Double R]

I'm not sure if Red Wing has a women's version of the 4402. Can you wear a small men's size boot?

I do often. Rarely wear woman’s shoes/boots. Mens hold up so much better and seem far more comfortable. It is a challenge to find the right size though often