I have heard a lot of great things about Red Wing Boots and was wondering where I could try them on and buy them in the Northeast? I live in NH but work in MA. Any help?
Regards,
Buzzsaw
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Replies
I get mine at the Winterport Boot Shop just east of Bangor, Maine
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Thank You. A reason to visit Maine...Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
If you go to the Red Wing website, they have a store locator function - plug in your zip code and they'll tell you where the closest store is.
http://www.redwingshoe.com/
Luckily for me, since I live in Minnesota it's pretty easy to find Red Wing boots...lots of stores carry them and the factory is just a short (and scenic) drive down the Mississippi from here. :-)
No wonder the Mississippi is so dirty down here in the south...you guys are throwing your old boots in the river.
Just kidding.
"No wonder the Mississippi is so dirty down here in the south...you guys are throwing your old boots in the river.Just kidding."Interesting that you should mention that...there are a couple tanneries in the city of Red Wing that supply the leather for the shoe factory. They produce a lot of wastewater from the tanning process, but it has to be treated before it can be dumped into the municipal sewer system. The municipal wastewater treatment plant sends its treated effluent into the river, but it's pretty clean by the time it gets there. However, I have seen the river flood in the spring, putting the whole treatment plant under water - you wouldn't want to go swimming anywhere downstream when that happens.
Thank you Stuart,
I found a Red Wing store about 5 miles from my house. Now I have no excuse to go to Maine....:-)
Can you, or anyone else, recommend a specific style?
Thanks for your help...Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I wore Red Wings, but they hurt my feet so much I set them aside and didn't wear them.
Used, they sell well on eBay. My wife gave them to the church goodwill store.
I guess I don't have RedWing feet.
Greetings
I prefer style 4418. Steel toe, Vibram sole, best boot I've ever worn. Red Wing boots do take a while to wear in, they are quite stiff initially. But, if for some reason, you can't get comfortable in them, take them back. They have great customer service. Ive worn my current pair everyday for almost 5 years, and they just now need to be resoled.
Redwing #914 uninsulated, goretex, nonlug sole, buy the toe guards that redwing sells
I've been wearing Style 982 for a few pairs now. They're not a steel toe but do have an extra layer of leather on the toe.
http://www.redwingshoe.com/shoe-zoom.cfm?style=982
My last three pair have been the 981. Guess I like those.
Last two pair I found as factory seconds - I really could not see what was wrong with them, so I took them for half the price of new.
As Stuart said - lots of Redwing dealers around here. I punched in my zip code on the store locator and it came up with 52 stores in a 50 mile radius.
edit to add: forgot to mention - one pair of the 981s had a little more flimsy hooks for the upper lace. Would ocassionally have a problem at the end of a long day crawling around doing base or tile where I would get home and have the hook bent all the way over to the point that I had to pry it up with a screwdriver to get the lace loose enough to get the boot off. Other pairs had a strait solid stud sticking up with a notch cut in it for the upper part of the lacing - those worked great.
Edited 10/27/2005 9:24 am by Shoeman
Off Course Suggestion ( I do not live or work in the NE): After you find a style and size that works, when it is time for a new pair, order them over the internet.
I recently did this, having worn out a pair, and remembering going form store to store looking for a style, color and size that worked. I ordered the same style, color and size from an internet shoe store with success.
I got the boots at a discount price, did not pay tax and received free shipping. Next time I'll order befroe the holes develope. I am abusive to good boots.
Buzzsaw..... FWIW , I just bought a new style after a bad experience with Red Wing style #606....the first pair of those had sole separation on the toes of both boots, they were replaced with the same style, and the same thing happened to that pair as well.
I have seen that problem on the boots of my co-workers as well,andit ws that #606 in those instances as well, the dealer admits there is a problem , but they keep selling that boot regardless
Thanks for the information. I have read somewhere a glowing report on Style #4473. It is my understanding that I am looking somewhere close to $200 for Red Wing boots, at least style #4473. I'm sure varying styles cost varying prices. Can anyone comment on whether it is worth getting the optional zipper vs laces and any pros and cons on this? Obviously the pros are ease of putting on and taking off but how durable are the zippers? It also sounds like there is a lifelong warranty at least if I buy my boots at the store in Nashua.Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I don't now jack about zippers on boots !
I have had the dealer add studs or hooks to the top four eyelets though"
redwings are the best boot made but the worst to break in. I have never worn out a pair. But because they are so hard to break in, I will never buy another pair. my feet just cannot take three weeks of hell. Alot of people will take a shower in them and walk them dry.
I'm beginning to feel the same way,
but every time I try a different brand I end up back with RW, ever since they morphed and changed the Irish Setters line into what it is now , their quality has declined...IMO"
Here are some REd Wings with zippers...
Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I can't make up my mind if the zippers make them easier to put on .............or get the boot off in a hurry...since the kit is optional ,.........go for it...it seems the zips would be more stiff if you are on your knees a lot !"
I believe Red Wing has an outlet store on South Willow St in Manchester. I prefer Chippewa shoes - try them at Joe King in Concord.
You may know that Concord has a "Midnight Madness" sale between Thanksgiving and X-mas where many downtown merchants (including Joe King) have sales. Sorry I don't know the night.
Hi Buzzsaw. I was looking around at RedWings last year myself. I didn't like the way most of them looked or felt on my feet. I did a little research and found that Red Wing also makes a few other brands of boots that are targeted to different markets.
I bought a pair of Irish Setter hunting boots that are made by Red Wing. The quality is fantastic, but as you've found, so is the price. I liked this particular pair of Irish Setters because they look a little nicer than the Red Wings (just my opinion) have a ton of Gore-Tex in the uppers, and the sole was better suited to the work I do. They have a very low heel and are not a lug sole, so they feel good on roofs and don't track mud either. They're not heavy either and still feel good at the end of the day. I can stand in 6" deep water and stay dry.
Do be prepared to break 'em in though. I could only wear them every other day for the first couple weeks. It's a lot like breaking in an Occi toolbelt. Once they're broken in, they're totally 'yours'.
Here's the pair I chose. A great boot for under $150.00.
http://www.rwss.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=846&Category_Code=WINGSHOOTERS
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dp,
Do you think that these would be available at the Red Wing stores? Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I really don't know.
I wouldn't let maddog's post bother you though. (No offense maddog). I'm wearing the pair I bought last March right now. I've worn 'em pretty much every day framing houses and they still look great. They feel even better. I'll take a picture of 'em if you want. ;)
EDIT: I had the wrong guy.
Edited 10/27/2005 9:13 am ET by dieselpig
Sure I would love to see a picture of them. Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
LOL.... ask and you shall recieve. Can you tell I'm supposed to be estimating plans right now? I'm currently welcoming any and all distractions.
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thanks dp,
glad to be a diversion today... i'm hoping to at least find those boots to try on...so many boots, so little time...Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
brian.... right now i'm wearing a pair of redwing #202 , an 8" , 7-eyelet speedlace top, not insulated
my feet sweat to the point of rotting boots out from the inside if i don't rotate them... so i like to rotate at least 3 pair....(did learn a few things in the Army.... that was one of the best )
anyways.... is that boot available in a short version ? uninsulated ? or is it insulated ?
View ImageMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike,
They're uninsulated and I'm not sure if you can get them insulated or in a shorter version. Measured from bottom of heel to top cuff, mine are 9".
I've come to learn that 90% of the winter I'm better off relying on a source other than my boots for insulation... socks and sock liners. I find that boot insulation gets compressed and clogged fairly quickly and soon stops working. Then it just becomes another layer that needs to dry out before you can wear them again. I'm a 'sweater' too Mike, so I find that just picking the right pair or pairs socks for the days and wearing them with an uninsulated boot works well.
That other 10% of the winter where it's just ridiculously cold out I wear a pair of Columbia pac boots. They get stuck in the rungs of the ladders though. ;)
Sometimes in the winter I actually have to change into dry socks to keep my feet warm. When I'm working my feet sweat like crazy. Then I go stand at a set of sawhorses for an hour on frozen ground and my feet are freezing. Even with wool. I've also found that resisting the tempation of using the floor heater in the truck on the ride to work helps keep my feet drier. Dashboard heat only in the truck for me.
...none taken .....its all subjective anyway eh?my new boots are givin me fits today though, hahaha"