Whites, WESCO, or Nicks Boots?

TeaBagger2006

Im a Garrett Nut Swinger
May 11, 2008
3,123
15
38
Bis ND
georgia boots gets my vote. best boots ive ever owned . on my second pair in 4 years. i would wear them everywhere but they dont match well with nothing with all the concrete paint,etc...:rofl:

i paid $160
 

bullfrogjohnson

Big Girl!
Nov 20, 2006
4,167
1
0
39
Locust, NC
I had a pair of Smoke Jumpers. They where great untill some ass clown stole them from the bed of my truck. Who steals custom made boots? Anyway

I would assume you have someone who is a real dealer and will do the measuring correctly? I would have someone who sells them do the measuring and not do it yourself. I wouldn't have known to give them little info that made the boot fit better. A good boot guy will ask lot's of questions and get you in the right boot.

Break in time will be long and rough, be prepared to not wear them very long in the begining. I haven't owned a boot with better construction. Stitching and leather is very high quality and very stout. I like the heavy steel shank and lot's of stitching. It's simply a better made boot. I have been doing more research latley because I want to get another pair. I'm in the same boat as you with just being fed up with boots that simply don't hold up.

I would rather spend the extra up front money of having a boot made for my feet and putting on a new sole when it wears out. I can deal with putting on a new sole, it's like replacing tires on your truck.

My current job is really rough on boots and have worn out some good named boots in quick order, like 6 months. I just had Danner give me full refund on the latest boots I bought from them. They leaked water badly and the sole was worn completly flat in 6 months. The leather and stiching basicaly came apart as well. The boot fell apart, I wasn't impressed. I'm running a Georgia logger right now and they are better but the fit isn't the greatest. I like a lace to toe boot and these aren't. Just trying to get by untill I get a set of White's. I get $100 boot refund from my employer every 6 months. I have to wait another 3 months before I can get that again. I hope these current boots last that long.

The closest dealer is over 3 hours away and that's what I'm worried about. I will most likely have to do the measuring myself and I'm scared I'm gonna screw something up.
 

bullfrogjohnson

Big Girl!
Nov 20, 2006
4,167
1
0
39
Locust, NC
I've got a pair of Chippewa's logger style that are going on 2 years. I wear them 4 days a weeks for work. I've worn through the toes on them but that happened with in the last couple months. I have a second pair that I wear for casual wear or whatever you want to call it. Plus they are American made.

The only thing that I have had a problem with has been that the outside of the heel as worn quicker then the inside and that causes my feet to hurt after being on them for 12+hrs. I think that is mostly because I must walk on the out side of my heels more. If I could stop that some how, they'd be still really comfortable boots.

http://www.chippewaboots.com/boots/logger/29435

That's what I have right now except in lace to toe. I like them but the leather is not holding up and neither are the soles. I work around alot of oil and its eating the vibram soles up.
 

LarryJewell

Back with his honey :)
Jan 21, 2007
10,152
0
36
57
San Angelo
I wear Justin's, but as soon as I buy them they go to Ashley Boots and get a custom wedge sole, makes all the comfort difference :D

This should be in the Texas section :hug:but I wont move it this time
 

Potthoffdmax

Member
Mar 2, 2010
534
11
18
Kingman az
white's and nick are one the best boots you can buy. Im a wildland fire fighter and they last me two year at 220 pounds and thats a lot of hiking!!!
 

Big Block 88

Multiple choice muscle
Nov 3, 2008
4,665
0
36
37
Kansas when I am home
I've gone to ariat and wolverine ropers, they are the only boot that fits my wide foot and tall arch, but I use a lift on my heel and and double my arch lifts in both boots helps me a ton.
 

05' Ditry Duramax

New member
May 3, 2008
1,294
0
0
41
Port Orchard Washington
The closest dealer is over 3 hours away and that's what I'm worried about. I will most likely have to do the measuring myself and I'm scared I'm gonna screw something up.

Well, that might end up being a problem. I would call White's and measure your foot while on the phone with them, OR they might know a guy closer. Also, ask them since your dealer is 3 hours away, how the warrenty or rebuild will work for you. See if can call them and send them in or if they have go thru the dealer.

I fogot, tell them to put on an extra toe cap if you will be getting the steel toe. It's worth the extra leather over the toe so the steel doesn't show if you knock them hard.
 

kx500

New member
Dec 17, 2010
39
0
0
Montana
Anyone have any experience with Whites, WESCO's or Nicks Boots? I am sick of cheap work boots and will do anything to make my feet quit hurting. Anyone have any experience?

Whites boots is the only way the go. I work for the rail road and on my feet alot. The boots are custom made for your feet. Whites have really high arches and run about $450.
 

Burn Down

Hotrodder
Sep 14, 2008
7,093
28
48
Boise Idaho
Travis
I work on the same iron you do. I wear Whites or nothing. I went through the same thing you did, I tried every boot made, some were comfortable but only lasted a year, some weren't comfortable and lasted a year... My friends wore Whites & kept telling me try whites, try whites, I gave in finally and ponied up 375 bills for a pair of smoke jumpers. That was 15 years ago. I have bought 3 new pair of whites. I get 3-4 years out of a pair before they need rebuilt my latest pair cost me 490.00, my last rebuild was 180.00 & they came back looking brand new.

If you have normal feet, off the shelf whites will work fine. If not you should make the 3 hour drive and get fitted.

I promise the break in is miserable (about 2 weeks) but they are the baddest boots on the planet & the only boots I have found that hold up in our line of work.

If you pick up a pair I have some break in advice. So let me know.
 

RENODMAX

Dead Wrong
Mar 4, 2008
3,602
0
0
Travis
I work on the same iron you do. I wear Whites or nothing. I went through the same thing you did, I tried every boot made, some were comfortable but only lasted a year, some weren't comfortable and lasted a year... My friends wore Whites & kept telling me try whites, try whites, I gave in finally and ponied up 375 bills for a pair of smoke jumpers. That was 15 years ago. I have bought 3 new pair of whites. I get 3-4 years out of a pair before they need rebuilt my latest pair cost me 490.00, my last rebuild was 180.00 & they came back looking brand new.

If you have normal feet, off the shelf whites will work fine. If not you should make the 3 hour drive and get fitted.

I promise the break in is miserable (about 2 weeks) but they are the baddest boots on the planet & the only boots I have found that hold up in our line of work.

If you pick up a pair I have some break in advice. So let me know.

Oil them with some Obenauf's and skip the hooks on your ankle to wear that area in faster. Thats what I did anyway
 

Cbum

New member
Feb 2, 2010
96
0
0
Church Point Louisiana
I wear Twisted X they fit well and last about a year at my weight that is pretty good considering there price and the fact they are comfortable from day one . I even wear them as walking shoes .
 

gsmas

New member
Apr 23, 2011
1
0
0
While going down a flight of stairs two days ago, the heel of one of my Wesco Jobmaster boots caught on a stair riser and ripped the midsole half off the boot. Most of the roughly 30 visible nails weren't even cleated so naturally they easily pulled out. I’m 65 years old, retired, and have rheumatoid arthritis so I couldn’t abuse a pair of boots if I wanted to. I phoned Wesco’s repair department and was told due to the extensive damage it would cost $150 to repair them but it would be better to have them totally rebuilt for $225. This I just don't understand. The soles are less than half worn out. I was under the impression Wesco boots were superior quality, but I now know the truth. I'm amazed they lasted as long as they did. Prior to purchasing my first pair of Wesco boots, I purchased a pair of Justin boots. The Justins have been more comfortable, lasted longer, and seen much more abuse and were less than half the price of Wesco boots. Maybe they had a bad run of boots but if they did they should stand behind them even though they are out of warranty. If they weren't a bad run, they seriously need to change the way they assemble their boots before they loose all their customers. My wife purchased a pair of Whites a few years ago and they stood behind their boots even though she purchased them used and out of warranty. I'll NEVER recommend Wesco boots to anyone again nor will I purchase another pair of Wesco's!

Today I took the boots to a well known and highly recommended boot and saddle shop. He said the boots were improperly assembled and would have immediately fallen apart within the warranty period if they hadn't been so gently used. He also verified my thoughts that the nails used were too short and therefore hadn't been cleated when assembled. He just shook his head when I explained what Wesco said that the nails had straightened out when it pulled apart. He then said when he gets finished with them, that will never happen again. They'll be ready for pickup the first of next week for......$30.00. That's less than I would have had in shipping both ways to send them back to the factory. Now our local boot and saddlemaker also knows how Wesco treats their customers too.
 

blk smoke lb7

<-----Lots of green $
Nov 8, 2010
5,694
0
36
57
belvidere,ill
Cant go wrong with sears diehards,i bought a set on work steel toes and installed a set of dr sholls inserts and i have had them for 2 1/2 years they are still in great shape and and they feel like im ealking on clouds.Id rather were them then tennis shoesa. good luck :thumb:
 

dordtrecht5

Regular Cabs Rock
Jul 21, 2009
900
0
16
Wherever I am working
I typically wear Red Wing 877. My job pretty much requires that I wear a wedge sole and these boots are pretty much trademark Ironworker boots. I can usually 2 - 3 years of heavy use out of these boots, but will require three soles in that time frame, at least. Another good boots is Danner ForemanGTX. The Danner takes a little longer than the Red Wing to break in, and I prefer the red wing because they are lighter.

I have considered having a pair of wesco boots made for me because I like all of their options on the custom side, but it's a lot of money to fork over for a boot when I am perfectly happy with a $200 boot.


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