Brunt work boots
- Thread starter doublebase
- Start date
They moved most of their non-traditional work boot / shoe making offshore.
The tried and true boots from Thorogood, like the ones Brunt tries to copy, are made in the USA. The chinese-made Thorogoods don't cost $200 or more. They are in-line with Brunts/etc.
Yes, I own a few pairs of Thorogoods. I'm no long-timer, I just got here a couple years ago. $240 is tough to swallow for a pair of boots, but I don't work them hard, I'm a cube farmer most of the time. They are very comfortable, extremely durable and under my type of use, will last me a decade or more with 3-4 re-soles. I have replaced the OE footbed with a Timberland honeycomb footbed, I generally do that in all my shoes/boots anyway.
Red Wing still makes their boots that got them where they are in the US. I don't care for Red Wings, I don't like their stitch pattern or slightly different look than the Thorogood 814-4XXX style that I have. I've contemplated some Carolinas, but there's too many hit and miss reviews.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2014
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I’ve never worked in a Thorogood boot, but I’d certainly consider buying them. By all accounts they are very durable. I usually go with Red Wings (I’ve had great luck with them). I’ve also done well with Chippewa. So far the Carolina‘s have been good - I’ve absolutely pounded them for three weeks now...not sure how long they’ll last. But so far so good.
The China made Thorogoods are $230 dollar boots. The Red Wing Vietnam boots are $250. And sadly, the Vietnam manufactured Red Wings that I bought were outstanding. Possibly the best boot I’ve ever owned (traction tread lights). Most durable, light, comfortable boot I’ve ever owned. Not even close. But I hated the way they looked, so I tried something else. And the Brunts were nothing but toys. Maybe my next boot will be a Thorogood.
Well there won’t ever be Chinese made footwear in my house that cost $230.
I’d hate to break it to you but a USA made and sourced material boot you will not find many for under 250 Dollars.
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- Dec 28, 2014
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Yeah, I don’t think people realize that the American made boot they are wearing is really just assembled in the USA. Many of the materials are sourced from other countries (leather uppers, insole, midsole, foam, fiber boards). A lot of midsoles from South America.
If you want a true American boot, it’s going to start at around $310 bucks, and go up from there. There’s a boot company up in Maine that attempts to make an all American sourced boot, and they look really nice. Prices starting at $300.
I think the real story of a boot is from the American wearing it. The guy or girl that laces up their boots everyday and spends 10-12 hours in them, earning to pay their mortgage, pay for their kids braces, and college. I’d buy American if I could, but unfortunately life’s commitments are a real never ending tug of war for me.
I have 4 pairs of redwings.
2 pecos and 2 iron rangers. The pecos is almost 10 years old and my work site/dirty boots and the iron rangers are my daily office boots. Yes, they’re expensive but are made in USA and they’re all able to be resoled.
My Redwing 3507 collection I have another pair at work as a spare. None of these have a failed sole or leather. I wear them 8to 10 hrs a day in a chemical solvent environment I always recommend this boot for any mechanic that needs gas or oil resistant boot as they will never see the amount of solvents that these boots have ever seen.