$200 logger boot shootout

[Farmchuck]

Regarding fit, I recently discovered a high logger heel kills the whole back side of me from my heels up my legs and back. I expect/hope I can only wear my Carolinas in soft mountain dirt. Might try lowering them.

Right there with you. Heels aren't bad in the soft dirt but any other surfaces don't agree with my spine either.

 

[Farmchuck]

I think it great that mainer in ak is taking the time to make this boot test for us. Thank you sir!!!

 

[davidwyby]

Hey Catbuster. No need to defend Nicks I love the boots and the company. I'm not sure what its called but it is the lowest heel they had without going to a wedge sole. I tried insoles ( even the thinnest ones I could find) but they make the boots to tight on my feet, even with thin socks on. I ordered the boots with the Speeco insoles Nicks sells hoping to use them but they were to tight as well. Unfortunately I just can't seem to make them work for me.

Soak n wear?

 

[Farmchuck]

Soak n wear?

Thank you. That’s about the only thing I haven’t tried only because nicks doesn’t recommend it. But I guess at this point, I have nothing to lose by trying it.

 

[Farmchuck]

These are the Nicks boots in question:

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Farmchuck,
You can't have leather that thick get dry and those boots are dry.

Remove insole if it has one and grease the entire inside of boot with danner boot wax. Coat the entire outside with boot wax as well. Let's the dressing set in for 24 hrs.

Next day: Quickly rinse out inside of boots with warm soapy water. Just pinch of top of boot and shake vigorously with boot full ah water. Do the same to rinse a few times.

DONT SOAK those boots!

Get em right on a boot dryer after cleaning the insides.

Might need to wear boots another 8-12 hrs but they will start softening up in areas that hurt yer feet.

 

[Farmchuck]

Farmchuck,
You can't have leather that thick get dry and those boots are dry.

Remove insole if it has one and grease the entire inside of boot with danner boot wax. Coat the entire outside with boot wax as well. Let's the dressing set in for 24 hrs.

Next day: Quickly rinse out inside of boots with warm soapy water. Just pinch of top of boot and shake vigorously with boot full ah water. Do the same to rinse a few times.

DONT SOAK those boots!

Get em right on a boot dryer after cleaning the insides.

Might need to wear boots another 8-12 hrs but they will start softening up in areas that hurt yer feet.

Thank you so much for the info! I will try that as soon as I get home this evening!

 

[Stump Shot]

Soak n wear?

That's how I always broke in a new (or freshly rebuilt) pair of White's smoke jumpers. Would fill them to the top with water sitting in the bathtub overnight and dump 'em out in the morning and put 'em on. Which was the worst part. By the end of the day though, they were dry and feeling pretty good. Followed up with an oiling and greasing and was all set with comfy boots for work always after that treatment.

 

[Stump Shot]

Speaking of White's, I found it much better for my feet, back and overall wellbeing to spend the extra money on them and then have them rebuilt as I went. I think I have like three pair so I could keep them in rotation.

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Nother little observation:

The newer Vibram logger tread patterns on the Redwing and Thorogood clear out mud better than the old Carrarmato-style vibram sole on the Danner. The wide tread lug spacing on the red wing is impressive then fire and ice tread too. Might be a good choice for constantly muddy areas.

 

[hacskaroly]

The newer Vibram logger tread patterns on the Redwing and Thorogood clear out mud better than the old Carrarmato-style vibram sole on the Danner.

I can see that being a two-fold bonus, first easier to clean out, second, impacted mud and rocks add weight to the already hefty boots, so if you can easily get the stuff out, the better it is!

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Carolina, Chippewa and Timberland boots arrived. Spent the entire day in the Carolina loggers. Was scouting out a stand of saw logs and determining boundaries with my local foresters. Lots of hiking, lots of atv travel. I'm exauhsted, so will follow up tomorrow with details.

Real quick: Looking at pictures a few weeks back, I almost laughed off the Timberland attempt at a logger boot. BUT, they are complex and very radical. There was some serious thought and design ehancement that went into them. They are legit!

More to follow tomorrow.

 

[Farmchuck]

Keep the updates coming & thanks!!!

Carolina, Chippewa and Timberland boots arrived. Spent the entire day in the Carolina loggers. Was scouting out a stand of saw logs and determining boundaries with my local foresters. Lots of hiking, lots of atv travel. I'm exauhsted, so will follow up tomorrow with details.

Real quick: Looking at pictures a few weeks back, I almost laughed off the Timberland attempt at a logger boot. BUT, they are complex and very radical. There was some serious thought and design ehancement that went into them. They are legit!

More to follow tomorrow.

Keep the updates coming & thanks!!!

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Apologies on the delay. I've worked the Carolina and chippewa boots.

Working the timberlands today. Soon as the work has cleared, Lots of info to come on these 3 pairs.

Carolina logger true to size. Chippewa true to size.

Timberland not true to size. Half size too big. Ended up in size 9.5D, wheras ALL the other boots are size 10d.

 

[redline4]

Carolina, Chippewa and Timberland boots arrived. Spent the entire day in the Carolina loggers. Was scouting out a stand of saw logs and determining boundaries with my local foresters. Lots of hiking, lots of atv travel. I'm exauhsted, so will follow up tomorrow with details.

Real quick: Looking at pictures a few weeks back, I almost laughed off the Timberland attempt at a logger boot. BUT, they are complex and very radical. There was some serious thought and design ehancement that went into them. They are legit!

More to follow tomorrow.

For what it's worth, the Timberland Pro Boondock is the only boot I can get a year out of in my world. 10+ hours on concrete and saturated in engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant and whatever else a car can vomit out.

 

[davidwyby]

I always thought timbalands was just for rappers...or was a rapper? or both?

 

[redline4]

I always thought timbalands was just for rappers...or was a rapper? or both?

Yo and śhìt...

 

[Dub11]

I always thought timbalands was just for rappers...or was a rapper? or both?

Well that's why they started making the "pro" line.....

 

[mainer_in_ak]

I always thought timbalands was just for rappers...or was a rapper? or both?

Gawd dmn it David. I'm more country than deliverance. But I'll try to free style for you:

Dis red man got dose red wings.

But baby gurl, them wings were just flings.

I wearing timberlands, i aint got no fans.

You found them at good will, so just chill.

Baby gurl I wear what you bought, or so I thought.

Yeah.

Timbahlayend pros. No more ho's.

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Worked the chippewas, the Carolinas and the timberlands. Last pair of this boot shootout arrived: Danner loggers just started breaking them in.

A few observations.

The chippewa loggers are one of only 2 pairs that has an abrasion resistant patch on the inside back of heel. Smart! As this is an area I always wear a hole into. Where my heel rubs the back of the boot.

Very bulvis, padded tounge. It's a pain to get the tongue in place when lacing up boots. Hopefully it settles down after the boot breaks in. No serious pain. Was able to work the chippewa a full 8 hrs, right out of the box. Lace tension was critical. A little roomy, required a thick sock.

The Carolina loggers rival the georgia low heel loggers for comfort. Probably the best orthodic insole of the bunch. Vibram compound is soft enough where I can walk on hard pack gravel and not get that sharp shock up yer spine with each step. Cadillac of logger boots.

Timberland loggers are very sophisticated. Probably the most advanced, most stoutly constructed of all the boots. Also the heaviest. Fire and ice vibram sole. Then the center tread sets 1/8" taller than the outer tread lugs. Center tread has a hollow cavity that cushions the tread lugs. They actually conform to whatever yer standing in. Fkn crazy! Collars has finger pockets on both sides, to aid in pulling on the boot. Quadruple stiching. The synthetic heel counter is VERY round and doesn't rub the back of my heel. If that wasn't enough, there's also an abrasion resistant material on the inside back of the heel. There's also a lip that will hold on climbing spike straps or aid in kicking off the boots. The arch of the vibram tread has ribs in front of the heal to aid in grip when standing on ladders rungs or roots.
As stated before, not true to size. HEAVY. The safety toe is really tall and overly roomy. Requires a thick sock.

No serious input yet on the overseas Danner loggers. Best shaped, rounded heel counter of the bunch. Lightweight. The danner Logger heel has the best hollow grind finish and contour. That matters alot in mud. Tied with carlolina for best orthotic insole. Not a $200 boot. They can do better on pricing.

*** I'm surprised how easy it was to tune each boot for an 8 hour day of work. Lace tension, sock thickness and selective application of boot grease to areas that painfully rub. 16 hours of break-in or less, and every dmn pair were comfortable enough to work all day.

*** A logger boot that hits the 3lb mark, I loose spring in my step. End of the day feels like I'm dragging my feet. 2.75 lbs or less and I can speed walk through the woods all day like a fkn caribou.

Low heel logger like the georgia g8010, its more versatile. The lightest of the boots I wear them most on days where its a mix of chores: building, milling, driving wood truck, scouting my timber sale, supplies runs, loading/unloading firewood.

Days where I'm doing nothing but cutting in shtty steep terrain: heavy high heel logger everytime!

Chippewa 2lb 10oz
Timberland 3lb 3oz
Carolina 2lb 11oz
Danner 2lb 10oz