Buy it for Life

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A place to share practical, durable and quality made products that are made to last, with an emphasis on upcycled and sustainable products!

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BFL boots (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 2 weeks ago by PennyRoyal@sh.itjust.works to c/buyitforlife@slrpnk.net

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I’m looking for some boots that are available in the UK, with a similar aesthetic to the standard 6” Timbaland leather ankle boot, but not rubbish. Suitable for wide toes would be a massive bonus, as would available to try on in a shop outside of London.

Having had two pairs of tims just plain fall apart on me, I’m really looking for a plain simple leather ankle boot with a softened top for day to day wear. I live in the countryside so I want them to be actual functional boots, not just a fashion statement.

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[–] Fondots@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

I don't know how available they are in the UK, but I'm a big fan of Danner boots. Most, if not all of their styles are available in wide, a lot of them are recraftable so the sole, shank, heel counter, and liner can be replaced either by sending them back to Danner or by a competent local cobbler. They have a lot of options and I'm pretty sure at least one of them is somewhat similar to a classic timberland.

I have a pair of Danner lights with some hard miles on them hiking and close to daily wear. I got about 4 years out of them before it was time for a resole and the uppers are still in pretty good shape, and I expect to get at least another 4 years out of them.

IMO, no shoe is truly BIFL if you wear them regularly, especially anything that's going to get put to serious use and abuse. Keeping them clean, the leather conditioned, letting them dry and rotating your footwear will go a long way towards extending their usable lifespan, and getting quality recraftable boots, while a bigger upfront cost, will save you money in the long run.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 7 points 2 weeks ago

IMO, no shoe is truly BIFL if you wear them regularly, especially anything that's going to get put to serious use and abuse.

I think it's at least possible in a Ship of Theseus sense, if you want to have a cobbler keep replacing individual parts.

I doubt that it'd be economical.

[–] fake_meows@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

quality retractable boots,

I think Danner calls it "recraftable". Each item on their website has a page and in the details it will list if the footwear can be recrafted. A few of their shoes cannot be (but a lot can).

I think RedWing also has a repair service (for Red Wing + Irish Setter brands), but it's a little more confusing about which of their models can and can't be resoled.

[–] Fondots@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, autocorrect was doing me dirty there

[–] OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago

Damn. I came in here to recommend Danner and their the top post! Fantastic boots. Much better than all other brands and I've tried them all. Just keep the oiled and don't let the leather get dry of oil. They last years and only get better with age.