$115 or $280? What are you willing to pay?

I recently had to buy a pair of light boots because my 15 year old Made in the USA Dexters had the heel come loose, I think I'm going to try and glue them back together as there is really nothing wrong with them. Wanting a product Made in the USA I set off looking at Red wings which is one of the last pair of shoes Made in the USA. Upon inspection even some of them are now only partially made here with labels that say "Made in the USA with imported Materials". I have a new pair on my feet right now as I couldn't find a pair of light boots that simply said "Made in the USA". Cost was $150.

About 10 years ago I bought a pair of Red Wing loggers for $180 if I remember correctly and still have them because they happened to be in my car during the recent fire I had. This pair of boots now costs $280.



Red Wing also has imported version called Worx by Red wing. These boots are entirely made outside the US and by what I can tell this model is very similar to the Red Wing one. Cost is about $115:



How can US products possibly compete in this market? $280 is a weeks worth of pay if you're making minimum wage. Granted many people would not be buying boots like this but all the Red Wing shoes/boots are at least $150 and they are sitting next to imported models half their cost.

This country better wake up, we need to level the playing field. I think we should start by demanding anyone importing products into this country must also be enforcing the same environmental and labor laws we have here in the US. It's just a start but we have to reverse this trend. We can all do our part, spend that extra hundred and get the Red Wing model, not the Worx by Red Wing.

I choose to pay the $280.00 and always have!!! Red Wings its is for this guy... I wear one of these 3 pair every day of my life (not so much the loggers in the middle, not user friendly for truck drivin') and they were all purchased on my truck driver salary... Sure they are a lot of money, but I also find the benefit in spending it... My experience, they fit better, last longer and can be re-soled, plus free laces for life... So in the long run I feel that I at least break even not having to replace them every year or so...And even if I don't break even, who cares, they are made here in the USA keeping people at work and thats good enough for me...

Murdoc

The lack of American made boots bugs me too. There is a local Red Wing dealer that used to carry Chippewas which was my boot of choice years ago. The local dealer tells me they are no longer available. Maybe I misunderstood because just now I found them here.
http://www.americanmadeworkboots.com/ I might have a set ordered before the sun comes up.......well before the sun goes over the yardarm anyway.

I have more Red Wings than any one person should be allowed to have. Maybe 7 pairs. I won't wear sneakers, even in summer. My job bought me new safety boots one per year. I always went out of my way to find Red Wings, made in USA. And a pair of Wings would last many years. Now, more than half the line is made with imported materials as Richard has stated. If you look at the old style basic boot, it is usually 100% made here. Buy the $280. They will last you 5yrs ( probably longer )if you take care of the boot. And your feet won't sweat if you stay away from the boots with the added man made padding. Buy 1/2 size bigger and add the sole cushion.

I've been waring Red Wings since I was a teenager. 3 or 4 years ago They took a big price increase and I went shopping for a less expensive alternative. Simply put... I found nothing that even came close to quality & comfort, so back to Red Wings for me.

For the first time ever, this last April I did what I've always wanted to try.... I bought two identical pair & rotate them. Rumor has it boots will last a lot longer if allowed to "rest" for 24 hours or more. I'll let you know when these wear out! A pair usually lasts me three years. Will these two pair last more than 6?

The Red Wing store I used to buy mine at before I moved would also re-waterproof your boots for you at no charge, drop them off one day & pick them up the next. Don`t know where I`ll get my next pair, never thought about it till now, mine are about 4 years old & still going strong, once retired I don`t need to wear them as often.

I had a set of Red Wings once. No idea where they were made but they were the biggest piles of feces I ever had. In less than a year, one of the soles cracked straight through where it flexes.

Maybe it was one of the imported models, but that is the risk these companies take when they do it. I'll never walk into a Red Wing store again.

jpete wrote:I had a set of Red Wings once. No idea where they were made but they were the biggest piles of feces I ever had. In less than a year, one of the soles cracked straight through where it flexes.

Maybe it was one of the imported models, but that is the risk these companies take when they do it. I'll never walk into a Red Wing store again.

I to had a problem with Red Wings made in the USA with imported materials. Mine split front to back on one side of the sole about 3 inches. I'm still wearing them but don't step in puddles. The soles didn't wear through, they just split. I'm thinking about taking them to a cobbler and see if they can be resoled. The uppers have more life in them yet.

If you want US made just buy Govmt surplus. I've worn different types according to the weather for years. Cannot be beat for price and quality.

jpete wrote:In less than a year, one of the soles cracked straight through where it flexes.

Did you give the dealer a chance to go good on them? I'll bet you'd have gotten a free pair on the spot and Red Wing would want the bad ones for inspection. If they put out an inferior product they want to know, they want to fix it.

hophead wrote:If you want US made just buy Govmt surplus. I've worn different types according to the weather for years. Cannot be beat for price and quality.

I've had a pair of Micky Mouse boots for years for when the mercury dips below 20. I think I paid $55 for them almost 10 years ago. They are kind of clunky but they are warm.....even when my socks are soaked with sweat. Make sure they are warm when you put them on though. (Don't store them in an unheated breezeway.)

The Altama boots that I have had, had problems with cracking soles as well. For the money they are ok but the soles are their Achilles heel.

Take a good look as to where your Red Wing boot is made. Some are actually Made in China now. They have gone from having imported materials to imported on some of the models.
Tom

Freddy wrote:

jpete wrote:In less than a year, one of the soles cracked straight through where it flexes.

Did you give the dealer a chance to go good on them? I'll bet you'd have gotten a free pair on the spot and Red Wing would want the bad ones for inspection. If they put out an inferior product they want to know, they want to fix it.

I know what you are saying and I thought about it but I didn't really want another pair of shoes that were going to fall apart in a year.

I've had $20 boots I bought at Payless Shoes that lasted a million times longer than those Red Wings. And I banged around half the junk yards on the East Coast with those things. I crawled on garage floors and cleared tons of snow. I think I just threw them out a year or so ago. Not because they were wore out, but because they were so gnarly, I couldn't bring myself to put my feet in them anymore!

I'm a typical consumer, and I worked in retail for a long time. I know that impressions matter. I also work in manufacturing so I know products are generally tested before they hit the market. If they can't make a shoe that's not going to crack exactly where a shoe is supposed to flex, then I'm not willing to give them a second chance.

That is unfortunately, the way most people operate and why the goal always has to be "zero" mistakes.

I have been wearing Red Wing Pecos boots for years, and they hold up well. I buy them from a local Amish guy and when i went to buy i new pair last spring the price went up out of site, so i tried another Amish dealer that carries Double H boots, made in the U.S.A for less money than the Red Wings, and they seem to be a better boot, no break in time at all.

best boots ive had in many years are cruiser works. up until recently they were made in canada . my first set lasted 5 years and sole cracked. they have a program for resole for 50 bucks and 1 week service. You can stand in the creek above you ankles and not get wet feet..... for hours.... although they were $280 well worth it because they are the lighest ever...

http://www.cruiserworks.com/
I stand corrected, looks like thier re-sole program is now 65...