Dr Martens, Yay/Nay?

[Epaulet]

It's with a heavy heart that I finally have to say "Nay."

I want to love these boots. I respect the history behind them. I dig the look. I sang for a ska band. I ride a vintage scooter. Every fiber of my being wants to like and wear the **** out of a pair of docs.

But I'm throwing in the towel. When I bought my first pair 15 years ago, I had no idea what a pair of quality boots should feel like. I went through the bleeding break in and finally made them comfortable after a month. I wore them all the time then.

Last year, I went into a nostalgia kick and picked up a MIC pair of 10-hole cherry red's. I tried in vain to break them in for over a month, but nearly severed my achilles tendon off their cheap-ass, hard-as-nails leather. I was thrilled to find out about the MIE reissue. I bought a pair and started wearing them immediately. And man, I've got to give up. Like Danny Glover, maybe I'm just too old for this ****. Or maybe I've been spoiled by the likes of Alden, RM Williams, and Trickers. I've been trying to wear these F***ers for months, and they're still stiff and uncomfortable. I'm going to put them up for sale.

 

[Fury]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

I always size up to the next full size so I couldnt tell you if they stretch much

Ideally I'd be a UK7.5, but I go with 8 as the 7 is a bit too short lengthwise

Strange thing is that the length on the size 8 seemed fine. I even sat the boot right next to the shoes I was wearing that day and I'm sure they werent any smaller. It's other places where it feels cramped which doesnt make sense to me since I dont have wide feet at all and the orthotics I wear only raise my heel up.

So I cant tell if the tightness in some spots is because they are too small or just need breaking in. I think I'll go back and try them on again before ordering online.

 

[tetsuo]

I commented early on in this thread about how I love Docs and think they are classic, but I have to give credit to my older brother for that. I grew up seeing him wear Docs, so I've always had this high esteem for them. He used to give me his old pair when he got new ones, and even though they were beat up, i still cherished it. They were the classic Made in England ones, which were some of the most comfortable boots I remember wearing. I was sad to see that for a while they weren't being made there anymore, but now MIE are available again and I want to buy a pair for my brother. if he wears 9.5 in Chucks, what size would he need in MIE 1460's?

I dont see him much anymore, but I hope he would feel deep gratitude if he received a pair of these from me. Help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Get Smart]

^ kinda hard to say but he'd either be an UK 8 or UK9

Ideally he'd be a UK 8.5 but they dont make half sizes, IMO Docs run about .5 size small so *I* would say go with the UK9 and use an insole if it's slightly big. but YMMV

 

[iwhelan]

Originally Posted by Epaulet

It's with a heavy heart that I finally have to say "Nay."

I want to love these boots.


I hear you. I am sure there are plenty of nice boots that are more comfortable out of the box. Those MIC boots seem like they're not even worth it. I would definitely not have bought a pair if the MIE reissues had not been released. It took a while to break mine in but they were never actually hurting me or giving me blisters, just felt stiff (although not nearly as the MICs would probably be). The exception is where the toes bend on top of your foot. That took months (!!) to stop giving me serious pain as it pressed into the top of my foot as I walked (but only on my left foot!). Argh. It has gotten better now but when the leather is cold it is still a bit tight and I can feel it press as I walk until the leather warms up and then it isn't a bother. Not really painful anymore though. I tried all kinds of methods of softening that spot on the boot but nothing really helped besides time. To make matters worse, as it was getting better I decided I wanted a pair of insoles in the boots. This made it worse again and I had to wait even longer because the insoles raised my foot up a bit inside the boot and made it more snug.

Anyway, sorry to hear they didn't work out for you, but I am surprised you're having trouble with the MIE since the leather seems pretty nice, albeit very thick. It seems to break in nicely though eventually. The MIC leather seems practically like some kind of synthetic.


By the way, one day when I have money again, I will make the trip out to your shop in Brooklyn. I work in Union Square, but live in NJ so I don't get out to Brooklyn very often. I have been impressed by those chambray shirts you're making though. I hope you still have them in a few months when I might be able to get one!

-Ian

 

[Fury]

Originally Posted by tetsuo

if he wears 9.5 in Chucks, what size would he need in MIE 1460's?
Probably size 9UK. I'm a size 9 in chucks and leaning towards the size 9 boots, if your brother is half a size bigger than me I'd imagine the size 8 boots would be too small.

Originally Posted by iwhelan

The exception is where the toes bend on top of your foot. That took months (!!) to stop giving me serious pain as it pressed into the top of my foot as I walked (but only on my left foot!).
The top just behind the toes is where the pair I tried on dug into my foot the most. Are they are meant to feel tight around there to begin with?

 

[iwhelan]

Originally Posted by Fury

The top just behind the toes is where the pair I tried on dug into my foot the most. Are they are meant to feel tight around there to begin with?

I dont know what they are supposed to be. I don't have a high instep so I was surprised that this would happen to me. I imagine on someone with a bulkier foot, this would be a greater problem. I wondered if there was a slight manufacturing defect, but it isn't anything that I can see. Seems strange that it only happened on one foot.

I should mention that when I was in high school, I had a pair of steel toe MIE boots and I don't remember them being uncomfortable at all and they broke in very well. The steel toe is taller though and this could give you more room. I think the leather of the MIE Reissue is a bit different from the old MIE originals. Maybe a little thicker?

-Ian

 

[Get Smart]

an original pair of ultra rare Doc Marten "hawkins" boots recently on ebay

they ended up selling for 161 GBP (about $260)!!!

 

[iwhelan]

Those are cool. When were those made? The leather above the toe box is shaped differently on the side (where the triple stitching is), but what are the other differences? I see the lack of yellow welting, which is cool.

I like that my MIE cherry reissues have this kind of look with the brown laces and the completely brown soles.

By the way, does anyone here actually wear DMs in the warmer months? I have 8 hole boots so they're not too tall, but I am afraid my feet will really sweat. They would get sweaty sometimes even in the winter while in the office all day. Too warm sometimes. Maybe I don't have the right socks though.

-Ian

 

[Get Smart]

^^ I believe they were popular around 70/71ish

these have 11 eyelets, which all the rare models had (like the Highlander and Southerner boots)

I wear 8i boots in summer, here in LA, where it's hot as ****. Not a big deal but my feet don't ever get that hot. And I've been known to rock the boots/camo shorts combo to my wife's chagrin

 

[JustinW]

^ Cool. I used to have some Hawkins boots and shoes in the mid-1980s. I actually wore the black 3 eyelet Hawkins shoes with my school uniform.

 

[Epaulet]

Originally Posted by iwhelan

I hear you. I am sure there are plenty of nice boots that are more comfortable out of the box. Those MIC boots seem like they're not even worth it. I would definitely not have bought a pair if the MIE reissues had not been released. It took a while to break mine in but they were never actually hurting me or giving me blisters, just felt stiff (although not nearly as the MICs would probably be). The exception is where the toes bend on top of your foot. That took months (!!) to stop giving me serious pain as it pressed into the top of my foot as I walked (but only on my left foot!). Argh. It has gotten better now but when the leather is cold it is still a bit tight and I can feel it press as I walk until the leather warms up and then it isn't a bother. Not really painful anymore though. I tried all kinds of methods of softening that spot on the boot but nothing really helped besides time. To make matters worse, as it was getting better I decided I wanted a pair of insoles in the boots. This made it worse again and I had to wait even longer because the insoles raised my foot up a bit inside the boot and made it more snug. Anyway, sorry to hear they didn't work out for you, but I am surprised you're having trouble with the MIE since the leather seems pretty nice, albeit very thick. It seems to break in nicely though eventually. The MIC leather seems practically like some kind of synthetic. By the way, one day when I have money again, I will make the trip out to your shop in Brooklyn. I work in Union Square, but live in NJ so I don't get out to Brooklyn very often. I have been impressed by those chambray shirts you're making though. I hope you still have them in a few months when I might be able to get one! -Ian
The leather does feel a lot better than the MIC boots, and I'm sure that these would break in nicely over time. I just have so many boots these days that I just don't have the patience to keep uncomfortably wearing them over and over again. But, I also bought them on discount for a little over $100, so the product was in line with the price. I've got no complaints. I'm going to pass them along to someone who will beat them into shape. And sure, come by any time! The Chambray has been the best-selling shirt that we've ever put out, so I'm sure it's going to be a regular staple for us.

 

[Vagran7]

What would be better to use on docs, the dr martens wonder balsam or sno seal?

 

[the.chikor]

yeah!

 

[Fallen Angels]

sigh I'm really tempted to buy the grey Raf Martens 1461, but I cant help but think they are overpriced Docs for being made in China. My desire for them has nothing to do with them being a Raf collabo either (I own zero Raf items), I just really like how these look. Does Dr Marten make a grey 1461 that are not brogues?