Alden Indy vs Wolverine 1000 Mile vs Red Wing Iron Ranger

[alaskamcghee]

I have a pair of Alden Indy 405's from 8-9 years ago. Cotton lined.
I also have a pair of redwings 953's
No Wolverine's though.

First off let me say I really do hate lacing hooks.... Hate. I will avoid buying another pair of boots with them for as long as I live. They take that much longer to tie up and take off. When you live in Canada and you take your shoes off every time you walk into a house its a pain in the ***.

Alden. I bought them because they are Indiana Jones boots. Yes that is really the only reason. I will never get rid of them because they are so expensive I could never buy another pair even if I wanted to. But here is what I hate about the boots.
- Lace hooks. Not only do I hate them, one broke on me. Bent right off with the original laces. I had it replaced and now use after market round laces.
- The tongue slips to the side and rolls under my foot. I can straighten that thing fifty times a day and it will still slide down. (re-tying my shoes with lace hooks.)
- The sole is great on dry land. Ice, snow, rain, dampness, they are slippery. very very slippery. So they are fair weather boots, indoor boots, or you take your life into your own hands boots.
- They are bottom heavy. The soles weight a lot compared to the rest of the boot. I compare them to Converse high tops in that regard.
this is what I like about them.
They are comfortable, fairly durable, and Indiana Jones's boots.

Redwing. As I say, I don't have Iron Rangers, but I do have 953's. I have had them for 14 years now and they are still going strong. I would not hesitate to have them re-soled. If they wore out I would most likely buy a pair of Beckman's (no lace hooks). I take them hiking and use them with yard work. Strong, durable, and can be recrafted. Love them. Love them. Love them!

No comment on Wolverine's.

If it was me I would buy Redwings but I would buy the Beckman's so there are no lace hooks.

My two cents worth.

 

[Neognosis]

Wolverine 1000 Miles in Color 8 Cordovan (cowhide).

I had some vibram raptor soles put on.

 

[Neognosis]

First off let me say I really do hate lacing hooks.... Hate. I will avoid buying another pair of boots with them for as long as I live. They take that much longer to tie up and take off.

I think you are doing it wrong. They are called "speedhooks" for a reason.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you. How are speedhooks not faster than eyelets? Can you elaborate? Are you not fully unlacing your boots with eyelets? I'm confused.


And for the tongue thing... is it possible that you aren't wearing the right size?

 

[global_dev]

Nice 1ks. I need to get my 721s a half sole soon.

 

[LogisticEarth]

I think you are doing it wrong. They are called "speedhooks" for a reason.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you. How are speedhooks not faster than eyelets? Can you elaborate? Are you not fully unlacing your boots with eyelets? I'm confused.

Yeah, that was confusing as well. Speed hooks are so handy and take about 5 seconds per shoe to put on. It's way better than having to tighten/loosen the laces through eyelets.

 

[alaskamcghee]

I have never found them fast or handy. Particularly taking them off. Add to that the extra laces that get wet from melting snow by the front door. Doesent stop me from wearing them, they are still in rotation. Just not my cup of tea.
Johnny

 

[global_dev]

By the front door means inside or outside?

 

[alaskamcghee]

Inside, the snow does not melt outside until April.

 

[musicman1951]

I love mine, speedhooks and all.

View attachment 405354View attachment 405355

 

[Neognosis]

I regret buying a boot made with Chromexcel and will never do so again.

So, the redwings I got were way to narrow, so I sold them.
The wolvering 1K miles fit and feel wonderful, but the chromexcel leather is really not fit for boots, IMO. It seems more fit for watch straps and belts, IMO.

I'm going to order some boots from White's in a few months, I am saving up for them right now. The chromexcel on my W1Ks is probably not going to hold up to daily wear for very long, and i don't think it will survive more than a season or two of daily motorcycle riding.

I would not be surprised if using chromexcel for rugged boots is a new phenomena. I feel like I wasted my money on a leather that is not dyed through, scratches extremely easily, and even gouges far more readily than other leathers. Which is too bad, because I really love the boots otherwise.

 

[musicman1951]

For me the Chromexcel is probably the best thing about the boots. I had a broken little toe and the leather was very receptive to being stretched. I can see the problem with everyday use and motorcycle riding, but I never do either. These are so damned comfortable that I have toyed with the idea of purchasing another pair so I can wear them every day.

 

[LogisticEarth]

I have never found them fast or handy. Particularly taking them off. Add to that the extra laces that get wet from melting snow by the front door. Doesent stop me from wearing them, they are still in rotation. Just not my cup of tea.
Johnny

Whatever floats your boat. I'm still failing to see how they take longer to remove than eyelets unless you're using them in some really weird way. Also, if your laces are getting wet, tuck them inside the boot after they come off. Problem solved. I do this anyway so they don't flop around and get caught on stuff.

 

[Neognosis]

These are so damned comfortable that I have toyed with the idea of purchasing another pair so I can wear them every day.

I agree, the chromexcel is very comfortable and doesn't require any break-in.

But I think you will hate them for every day wear, unless you don't mind buffing out scratches every night.

After just two months of daily wear, my chromexcel boots look like they are 5 years old.

It seems this is what the hipsters like nowadays though, and someone figured out how to sell them an inferior product with a huge price tag with some clever marketing about "patina" and "character."


To each his own though, and I absolutely see the appeal of the no-break-in-needed aspect, and nobody can argue that they are very comfortable right out of the box.

I find it amusing though, that lots of the boots made with chromexcel are marketed as retro, 1930's era boots.... well, my grandfather, who left us a long time ago, would have been extremely angry if he paid the equivalent of 350 dollars for a pair of boots that looked 2 years old after 2 months of regular, daily wear.

 

[timebomb]

All of them are amazing looking boots and have reputations of quality. From what I hear IRs are the hardest to break in. I would say whichever you find the most comfortable is the one you should go with.

 

[Ted Danson]

I have a pair of Wolverine 1kM Courtland's on the way. I will chime in next week after I have had some time to wear them.

 

[LogisticEarth]

After just two months of daily wear, my chromexcel boots look like they are 5 years old. It seems this is what the hipsters like nowadays though, and someone figured out how to sell them an inferior product with a huge price tag with some clever marketing about "patina" and "character."

I hear that. On another board I frequent there are plenty of people who chide others for worrying about scuffing up their boots, or are interested in how to protect them, or polish, or whatever. The boot hipsters are all about "they're WORK BOOTS, they're supposed to look beat up". What's hilarious is that I have my actual work boots which look like crap, and I buy Iron Rangers, 1000-mile, etc. as fashion boots, because...they are fashion boots. Just built on old-style work shoes. If you walked on a construction site today with Iron Rangers they'd probably kick you out. I buy them to look nice, so I want to keep them looking great.

 

[Neognosis]

I think that things should look beat up and worn AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY BEAT UP AND WORN honestly.


You didn't earn that look, you got it with an inferior product that scratches and fades too easily.


That's how I feel about chromexcel and it's current trendiness, and that's about all I got to say about that.

 

[musicman1951]

I hear that. On another board I frequent there are plenty of people who chide others for worrying about scuffing up their boots, or are interested in how to protect them, or polish, or whatever. The boot hipsters are all about "they're WORK BOOTS, they're supposed to look beat up". What's hilarious is that I have my actual work boots which look like crap, and I buy Iron Rangers, 1000-mile, etc. as fashion boots, because...they are fashion boots. Just built on old-style work shoes. If you walked on a construction site today with Iron Rangers they'd probably kick you out. I buy them to look nice, so I want to keep them looking great.

I'm mostly retired, but I did wear these to work on Tuesday - teaching school. I personally would not pay $500 for work boots.

 

[musicman1951]

I have never found them fast or handy. Particularly taking them off. Add to that the extra laces that get wet from melting snow by the front door. Doesent stop me from wearing them, they are still in rotation. Just not my cup of tea.
Johnny

Back in the early 70's I had a pair of very high boots with a ton of hooks. I would do one lace at a time, alternating hooks all the way to the top. It was very fast.

 

[musicman1951]

Back in the early 70's I had a pair of very high boots with a ton of hooks. I would do one lace at a time, alternating hooks all the way to the top. It was very fast.

For what it's worth: if you lace your boots this way it makes for a very quick unlacing - just select the lace you started with that morning and it will pull the other lace off as you go.