Friday, June 12, 2009

These boots were made for walkin'

In our Union Contract we're provided vouchers for the required steel-toe safety boots every 12 months. The Red Wing Shoe truck shows up, we try on a pair, hand over the voucher and walk out with the boot of our choice. My boot of choice is the 6" lace-up steel-toe. $189 retail. As I said we get new boots every year, but me being the way I am I'll wear a pair of boots until they're falling off my feet. The above pictured pair I got in August of 06' when I started here... I've worn them almost religiously for the past three years.
At some point they looked like this, but since about 85% of my job is walking I get a lot of miles out of my footwear and it won't take long for them to resemble the previous photo. I have to tell you, they're the most comfortable pair of boots I've ever had the pleasure to wear. After only about two days of "break-in", they feel like high-end sneakers and you feel like you're walking on air.

Today I'm retiring my old boots and will start the break-in process of the new ones. I've still got another pair still in the box, brand new I got last year. I'm amassing Red Wing boots like Amelda Marcos. In a few months I'll get another voucher for another pair of boots. Happiness in well -made footwear! Being ex-infantry I really do appreciate good shoes!

Life is good.


Photos & meaningless drivel Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

8 comments:

The Ramblin Hillbilly said...

Ahhhhh Tom the boots look like they could go another 3 years.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... you may find you need those pairs of boots for a work camp where all the conservatives are going to be sent to be re-educated. Of course they won't let you keep but one pair. They will give the others to some person they deem needy, well not even, more likely be kept by the confiscator. You know how that goes. They'll have to write a new song...

weatherchazer said...

I need a new pair of sneakers from running the last pair to death- Only problem is, I'm too cheap to buy them!

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

Bill: They probably could... they're that good of a boot.

Leazwell: I'm afraid I'll never make it to one of the new Re-Education Camps, because once they finally come for my guns, I'll give them the ammunition I've stockpiled, one round at a time.

All joking aside, I hope it doesn't come down to that, but I fear it just might be on the horizon.

Weatherchazer: If you take a 10 1/2men's regular I'll send you a pair I haven't worn in over two years that are in pretty good shape!

Anonymous said...

Hahaha RT, it will be all said and done then won't it? No me either but there are faint shades of it happening now. Remember the somebody Washington actor (Grey's Anat.) who had to go to be re-eded about homos? And then after he did it they still wouldn't give him a job!

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

Leazewell: I think people should be given a copy of Orwell's "1984" to read right now...

Magnum said...

I drill water wells for a living and am always on the lookout for a good pair of boots. Heard alot about Red Wings, but are they water resistant/water proof. Most boots on my job might last a year.

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

The boots I get aren't waterproof, but I silicone seal them. It's quite damp here, but I'm not walking through water a lot. Red Wing boots are the best I've ever worn, and I spend a lot of time on my feet here on the railroad, I'd say about 80 to 85% of my jb is off the locomotive and ond the ground walking trains. I'm pretty sure they make a waterproof boot. Thery're expensive, but in the long run they're well worth the extra money spent. Again, I was in the infantry for a few years and I know how a good pair of boots should wear. Red Wing Boots do it for me, hands down. I'll never own another brand of boots again.