Resolable, rebuildable work shoe

Anybody familiar with nicks boots?

I’m considering ordering (gulp!) a pair of zero drop striders. I’m hoping that their fitting/measuring system works well. I bought rugged repairable hiking boots for myself 30 years ago, they didn’t fit well, and they destroyed my feet (it sucked and I have weird odd colored heels from the enormous blisters). I’ve learned a lot since then about fit of footwear.

My current work boots (also zero drop) are nearing their last legs (soles) and are not resoleable. It’s my 3rd pair (they fit me really well), but they’re not very cheap and seem to be harder to find.

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Originally Posted by bodywhomper

Anybody familiar with nicks boots?

I’m considering ordering (gulp!) a pair of zero drop striders. I’m hoping that their fitting/measuring system works well. I bought rugged repairable hiking boots for myself 30 years ago, they didn’t fit well, and they destroyed my feet (it sucked and I have weird odd colored heels from the enormous blisters). I’ve learned a lot since then about fit of footwear.

My current work boots (also zero drop) are nearing their last legs (soles) and are not resoleable. It’s my 3rd pair (they fit me really well), but they’re not very cheap and seem to be harder to find.

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I don’t have a pair of Nick’s but some of my coworkers have them (and White’s). All are very happy. Often it’s guys with super big feet or otherwise weird feet. Once they have your foot measurements they can make additional boots on order…

Like any quality full grain boot - break in will be horrendous but once broken in they will be the most comfortable boot you own…

I’ve thought about it but a $300 pair of Thorogoods or Redwings will last me 2-3 resoles (and be relatively trashed by then). I don’t think a $700 custom boot will last 7 resoles….


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Thanks for the response and sanity check.

I haven’t owned a boot or shoe that takes a true break-in in a long time.

Their strider models are a little cheaper than many of their other models because there is less material.
https://nicksboots.com/strider-zero-drop/
https://nicksboots.com/strider-zero-drop-byo/

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Originally Posted by bodywhomper

Anybody familiar with nicks boots? I’m considering ordering (gulp!) a pair of zero drop striders. I’m hoping that their fitting/measuring system works well. I bought rugged repairable hiking boots for myself 30 years ago, they didn’t fit well, and they destroyed my feet (it sucked and I have weird odd colored heels from the enormous blisters). I’ve learned a lot since then about fit of footwear. My current work boots (also zero drop) are nearing their last legs (soles) and are not resoleable. It’s my 3rd pair (they fit me really well), but they’re not very cheap and seem to be harder to find.

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I’ve been a Whites guy for many years, but worked on fires with a lot of people that wore Nicks, they swore by them and said they’re excellent. I believe them.

I believe that if you follow their fitting instructions the fit is guaranteed - check with them, but that’s the impression I got from scanning the website. My Whites fit so fucking well because I followed their instructions. I have the logger/smokejumper (for fighting fire and general working in the woods) and semi-dress styles (post-retirement for looking and feeling good.).

I wouldn’t worry too much about nickwm21’s concerns. I believe that the uppers of Nicks boots - like Whites - are rebuildable, not just resoleable. You can check with them. I had my Whites smokejumpers rebuilt a couple-three times (2 different pair over 30 years) - the uppers were repaired/rebuilt when they wore out. Point being, they can (if I’m right) be fixed beyond just resoled. Caveat: that was when Whites was indie, before they got bought out by LaCrosse. Another caveat: I took good care of the boots - greasing regularly and sending them in for repair in the off-season.

Now, this part isn’t recommended by the makers, but to break in my smokejumpers I filled one boot with really hot tap water, then filled the other one, then I dumped out the first one and then dumped the second one and wore them around for a couple hours doing easy stuff. The theory is that’s like sweating hard in them, helping them conform to your feet. I don’t think less than a minute of hot water inside the boot will hurt them. I take no responsibility for this idea, just sayin’ it worked for me.

I've worn nicks low heel/low arch fire boots for 10 years. Really like them. I have low volume feet and put thin cork Sole insoles in them for arch support. They are the most comfortable footwear I own. Which is good cuz they're also the most expensive.

A couple things: The fit sheet and phone consultation is good, but they generally won't do a true custom fit around your foot unless you insist. They prefer to get your measurements and then put you in the closest thing to it. My first pair was 9D, which was a little too snug across the ball of my foot, second I told them that and they sent me a 9E, which was good in the front but a little too much volume in the heel. Third pair I insisted they go full custom, with a narrow heel relative to the forefoot. Which is perfect. I resole mine every year and get new ones every two, but I'd imagine you are planning to buy one pair and use them for a long time, so it would be hard for you to do this. (Most of my coworkers have more normal shaped feet and don't worry about this. Or they put up with not quite perfect better than I do). They will happily do custom sizing around the calf if you choose. Definitely call them to order, the online selection boxes don't cover all this

Awesome feedback!

My time in work boots ebbs and flows. I currently don’t live in them for full seasons like some of yall, though I have in the past (w/ lots o pain).

I will call them when(if?) I order…. Still working towards swallowing the pill. I have wide and flat forefoot and narrow heels.

I’ve used the boot interior/foot in water technique with my old boots to try to improve the fit. It helped a little, but there is only so much that the leather will stretch.

Cheers

MeadowSkipper's warm water trick can be referenced to ColinFletcher's, The Complete Walker, from the 1960s -
Fletcher was needing to accelerate the break-in of a pair of Italian mountaineering boots, and it apparently worked well enough he included it in his book.

Good luck with whatever you choose -
I have worn three soles of a six-inch boot before the heel contour broke down
( unfortunately, my boots were not rebuildable ( but they weren't 700. either ) ;

it's not a simple decision when the cost of resoling equals the price of the show ; But I like they feel of a worn-in shoe, more than I like a *new* shoe.
ymmv.

Good luck -
There is a stretch of years that it is nice to not Work in Cold Rain, or Outside at -20F.

Good luck ! skiJ

I have since warrantied 3 pair of blundsens now which is what they call them in AUZ

https://webbbootco.com/ my buddy Matt Web learned his trade in Nelson, he makes some awesome boots for loggers and wildland fire fighters and they are fucking expensive

MeadowSkipper's warm water trick can be referenced to ColinFletcher's, The Complete Walker, from the 1960s -
Fletcher was needing to accelerate the break-in of a pair of Italian mountaineering boots, and it apparently worked well enough he included it in his book.

Good luck with whatever you choose -
I have worn three soles off a six-inch boot before the heel contour broke down
( unfortunately, my boots were not rebuildable ( but they weren't 700. either ) ;

it's not a simple decision when the cost of resoling equals the price of the shoe ; But I like they feel of a worn-in shoe, more than I like a *new* shoe.
ymmv.

Good luck -
There is a stretch of years that it is nice to not Work in Cold Rain, or Outside at -20F.

Good luck ! skiJ

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Originally Posted by XXX-er

… https://webbbootco.com/ my buddy Matt Web learned his trade in Nelson, he makes some awesome boots for loggers and wildland fire fighters and they are fucking expensive

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Those look pretty awesome. I was thinking $1500 for ready-made was really steep, but then I remembered that was Canadian, so I guess they’re just kind of expensive in real dollars. ;)

I don't know much about the boots Wildland fire fighters and loggers will shell out the big bucks for but Matt has a backlog of people willing to pay the large bucks for a hand made boot, I think he might be the only cobbler in the narth,

Matt teles so I dropped a pair off that I do not wana will never use

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I don’t have a pair of Nick’s but some of my coworkers have them (and White’s). All are very happy. Often it’s guys with super big feet or otherwise weird feet.

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I have weird feet. My Nicks were the most comfortable work boots I ever owned.

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Originally Posted by Bunion

I have weird feet.

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User name checks out.

[emoji3]

Another guy with weird feet. Hesitant to get something that fits too well because my feet are very sensitive. I am wearing my new sneakers loose because the tongue creates hot spots on the top of my foot. Years ago my mom got a pair of shoes from Limmer and she ended up not wearing them very often because they flexed in a way that caused the upper to crease and rub. They fit too well. Standing still she said they were dreamy. I think they tried stretching, but they just never became super comfortable. I think it boiled down to how that design flexed. My feet are prone to similar issues and I won't know if the boots or shoes will fit properly until I'm way past the point of no return. Her hiking boots from Limmer were amazing, and dreamy. When she died 15 years later they were worn but in great shape.

maybe you ^^ got a high arch I never got a good ski boot fit until I realized high arch/ wide forefoot/ skinny heel the top of foot always hurt until I got intuiton power wraps and i have 4 pair the laced versions did not work FOR ME

Matt Web the boot maker / cobbler told me to get leather shoes soaking wet and walk around in them for 12 hrs also spray a 25% water alcohol solution where ever the leather needs stretching

“Purchasing a handmade boot without trying it first can be nerve-racking. But we believe it doesn’t have to be: Nicks will return and exchange any boot in new condition.

Buy with Confidence: Don't fit? Don't Worry. We can exchange them. (In stock boots can be returned for store credit or a refund)

We also have this handy chat tool that can narrow down your decision with a few questions. Just click on the chat icon when the page opens.

Concerns about the product you just received? Let us know. Email customerservice@nicksboots.com”

https://nicksboots.com/buy-with-confidence

^ There ya go.

I believe they’re sixteen to eighteen months out, but wesco does fully custom boots where you go into the store and they measure you. Price is similar to other pnw boot brands.


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Bodywhomper, the links you posted sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. The page I ended up on said they no longer do full custom sizing. It was updated a year ago. I ordered my last pair of nicks 18 months ago, so didn't know about that. Pretty big bummer. The return policy is cool and all, but it's hard to get a read on how the fits gonna be without breaking them in, especially since you haven't worn multiple pairs of the same boot in the past. Not saying it's a bad option, just something I didn't know.

I'm breaking in a pair of JKs currently, between wearing an old pair of nicks. I melted/burned the soles off a 4 month old pair of nicks last fall. My feet were fine thankfully. The lead times at that point for nicks led me to get JKs. JK had a longer lead time than they said so kinda a wash-the JKs didn't get here before this fire season either. Too new to have a report on fit

Jim Green

Shout to JK's outta Spokane. Comfortable, rugged and fit my super franken feet. I have the OT. Check em out.

https://jkboots.com/collections/o-t

Since Whites, Nicks and JKs are all in Spokane, it might be worth a trip to go in and talk with them.

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Originally Posted by GoldMember

Since Whites, Nicks and JKs are all in Spokane,...

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Yeah, what’s up with that? I’ve wondered why those outfits are all located in Spokane.

https://builder.wescoboots.com/About.aspx

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Originally Posted by GoldMember

Since Whites, Nicks and JKs are all in Spokane, it might be worth a trip to go in and talk with them.

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Originally Posted by Meadow Skipper

Yeah, what’s up with that? I’ve wondered why those outfits are all located in Spokane.

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White’s is the OG.
Nick worked at White’s
JK worked at one of the above.
Spokane is kinda geographically central to the western logging industry.


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