I just pitched a pair of leather uppers/high toppers...because the rubber lowers "feel apart"... I have a pair of Red Wings that I re-soled years ago...but then again they are the "sticthed" variety of boots not the glued type. Maybe I am just a throw back to the time when throwing away a perfectly good upper was not acceptable..\ Anyway... I am looking for a solid pair of leather boots (not work) for outdoors all season (not extreme heat or extreme cold) I generally use socks to provide additional warmth or comfort.

Your thoughts....?

Get a pair of Danner 8" Rain Forests. You won't find anything better.

Alternatively, you could get your old boots recrafted, had you not tossed them. Here's the link:

http://www.danner.com/category/boot+recrafting.do

I just got two pair of Dickies, for boots as cheap as they were, I am extremely happy with them. Leather uppers that are stitched, not glued or welded to the soles. I like a pair of boots you can resole, about the time you have the uppers broke in, it seems you have walked through the bottoms.
I have had these Dickies for almost two months and they are comfortable and relatively light weight. Take a look at a pair at a local store and see if they work for you as well.
Of course they are not Tacticool so you won't look like you just got off the plane from Basra, but that is not a criteria I use in purchasing clothing.

Dr Martens 1460 FOR LIFE boots come with a lifetime guarantee

http://www.dmusastore.com/p-2770-1460-for-life.aspx

If they wear out you just send them back to be repaired or replaced.

http://www.dmusastore.com/t-madeforlife.aspx

+1 on Danner boots!They are the Cadillac of combat boots.Danner boots are a joy to wear on looong treks.Most come with a removable orthotic(of which I use in my work boots also)that makes airing them out easier.They do make boots designed for hunting that I saw at Gander Mountain.Warning for the pocket book,Danners are expensive.But they are worth every pennyand made in the USA last I knew.The cost is off set by their quality and long life.I have seen Danners last 10 years of daily wear with an occasional resoling.A favorite of many police and military...

BOATMAN
John

I like Georgia. I have had a two pairs of them. They have a very springy liner, it was like that for a while (around 6 months of daily wear) then it kinda packed down into a form-fitted insert that stayed the same. I can see how that could be applied to pretty much any pair of boots, the liners are "like" a pillow top. with wear they pack down to more of a conventional liner with a deeper mold. Feels to me like a custom fit. I currently am wearing my "Giants" daily and love them. I like the brand, especially for the money (mine were about $100 @ Farm and Home). No complaints about them.

Redwings are great boots, but they are to pricey for me.

Leighs are a decent boot, moderately priced, but are pretty much disappointing in the long run. I ran into problems with the seams coming apart and the steel shank (the metal in the arch, I think its called that) becoming dislodged and migrating towards the ball of my foot within a couple of years.

Wolverine were a vast disappointment to me. The side seams failed, they chewed threw liners at the rate of 1 per 3 months. i have heard good things about them, but IMO not worth buying.

No affiliations or kickbacks, just a guy that likes boots.

+2 on Danners, also, look into Hi-Tec, if they are still around. I have a pair of 15 year old hitecs that have been through hell, and still work fine.

L.L. Bean Cresta Hikers ($179 + shipping) are fantastic boots that have received great reviews for many years.

Mine felt WONDERFUL from day 1 and have held up real well.

RED WINGS TO PRICEY? Are you kidding. I bought my pair back in 1971 and they are as good today as they were then. Back then they cost me $70.00, I bought them for a Boy Scout trip. I bought them...not mom and dad. SO ....no they are not expensive...they are probably the "Cheapest" boots going. I just pitched the cheap ones.. Those Red Wings were great. Just having a hard time finding them. I may not be looking in the right place. After all ...if you cannot have all the toys...at least get the best of what you can have.

Thanks for your help friends,

FWIW boots that will last 5 years are excellent. I am pretty brutal on all of my gear, and at work they are subject to oil and various industrial cleaners. So for me, Redwings are too pricey to abuse and have to replace. If I was looking for boots that I would wear for 10 years to hike, fish, hunt, or just knock about in I would definitely look at Redwings and other high dollar brands. (I have heard great things about Justin, but have no personal experience.)

Boots are a very personal decision. The boots I hike in have become lighter, lower, and relatively cheaper over the years as my ankles have developed strength. My current hiking boots are basically low cut sneakers. There are many different brands available. Vasque is one of my favorites.

The high cut leather boots are obsolete for any significant hiking, but are great for work situations like fire fighting where ankle and lower limb protection is needed. I have two pairs, one with steel toes (Redwing), and one without (Georgia - steel toes are a no-no on the fireline. A lot of wildland firefighters use their first OP check to purchase a pair of Whites. I have no experience with them.

White's Boots are great. They are all leather and custom made to your feet, so they fit very well. The company will rebuild them too, for a price of course. I have a pair of their hiking boots that are a couple of years old, so I haven't had to have them rebuilt. They are rugged and provide a great deal of support, which is important to me since I have one ankle that occassionally gives me problems from old injuries.

They are rather heavy. There are lighter boots out there that use synthetic materials, but for ankle support and durability White's can't be beat.

No affiliation to the company other than being a satisfied customer.

http://www.whitesboots.com/

Custom made - of course! That makes them worth the money. Years ago I had a pair of custom boots (Peter Limmer). Right out of the box, they were comfortable. Never gave me a blister in the more than ten years I used them.

Today's hiking boots are also blister free, since they use lighter and more flexible materials, but they definitely lack the durability of the older stuff.