Rocky Boots

[Emcee Bunzing]

As an electrician and living on a farm i'm always on the lookout for a good boot, and i recently stumbled upon "Rocky" boots. I know there has been a boot thread or two in the past but seeing as a lot of the spyderco crowd are outdoorsy i was wondering if anyone has experience with Rocky boots, their snake-proof boots in particular, although any information on the quality of their work and hiking boots would be appreciated as well.

[sharpguitarist]

Hey Emcee,
I just bought a pair of Rocky steel toes for work about two months ago.
I got lucky and found them on clearance for $70.
I walk an average of six miles a day on concrete.
It took a couple weeks of breaking them in, but after that, they're very comfortable.
They seem to be very durable and sturdy, and are holding up well.
I guess it's all subjective though. A guy at work has the exact same boots, and he hates them.
Probably doesn't help much, but that's my .02.
Later,
Don

[jeep45238]

Before I entered the military, I wore Red Wing 9" leather boots that were electrical/acid/water/slip/steel toe. I found their King Toe composite series to be nice as well if you didn't need all of that stuff.

Our issue boots are made by Bellvill (and other companies, same design). They've got Goretex and are relatively comfortable, but are heavy as **** and suck to do any sort of facing movements on asphalt with.

On base, boots by Rocky and Tactical Research (made by Bellville) seem to be the most popular, outside of people who refuse to buy new boots and keep using worn out BMT boots. I personally have the Tactical Research Flyweight boots, which weigh about the same as my running shoes (keep in mind, I don't kick in doors for a living). I'm very, very happy with them.

[Evil D]

I bought their version of the zip side paratrooper boots and absolutely loathed them. They were like huge clown shoes. I'm quite a boot aficionado so my taste is probably more acute than most. I really like Corcoran 1525's. Redwing make some nice boots too, their 607 is one of the finest 6 inch boots you can buy. I have a pair now that have over 10 years of wear on them and just need resoled and they'll be ready to go. The tread isn't even wore out, it just came unglued.

[Oofa]

I've had the same experience as Evil D. I am a big fan of boots and quality of leather so Rocky boots don't do it for me. I've tried several pair of hikers and work boots and they just don't fit well and seem like some kind of low end Walmart cast off. I too have a pair of Redwing 607 boots that are solid and worth their price. For super comfort Corcoran 1525's have worked for me for decades. Lot's of toe wiggling room and tough, durable leather that won't quit.

[Emcee Bunzing]

Thanks for the info guys, I've been eyeing some Redwings for a while, but i really like the look of the Corcorans, comfort and durability are top of my list. How do you find the sizing of them? Unfortunately where i live, (rural Australia) with things like American boots my buying options are limited to online only. I know of a place or 2 that might have redwings in-store but they're a few hundred K's away, and i had never heard of corcorans until you guys mentioned them.
The last boots i bought were ridiculously overhyped and overpriced considering they only lasted a year before falling apart, so i'm back to using my classic Aussie "mongrel boots", but they're a bit lacking in the comfort and variation department for someone who is wearing them all day every day.

[Oofa]

I've had a few pair of Corcoran 1525 boots and they all seem to be half a size larger than my regular shoe size. I wear a size 10.5 U.S. and my Corcorans fit perfectly at 10 U.S. I suggest you buy half a size smaller than your regular shoe size and purchase from an online store that allows easy returns.

[Evil D]

I've had a few pair of Corcoran 1525 boots and they all seem to be half a size larger than my regular shoe size. I wear a size 10.5 U.S. and my Corcorans fit perfectly at 10 U.S. I suggest you buy half a size smaller than your regular shoe size and purchase from an online store that allows easy returns.

I'll second that. I wear a 12 in most everything, but 11.5 in Corcorans EXCEPT for the 978 model..that one seems to be more true to size because I can't even get an 11.5 on in that boot.

[Simple Man]

Rocky boots are the only ones I've found that stay waterproof until they are too worn out to wear. I'm on my third pair (6" steeltoe) of the same identical model for work, and have 2 other ones for other stuff (8" steeltoe and Wellington). I have a pair of Redwings I tried for 10 years now to break in, and the sole is disintegrating before they ever got comfortable enough to wear 2 days in a row. Wolverines are comfortable, but do not last for me. I have not tried the higher end stuff even past Danner's. Rocky's are a great value IMO.

[Evil D]

Rocky boots are the only ones I've found that stay waterproof until they are too worn out to wear. I'm on my third pair (6" steeltoe) of the same identical model for work, and have 2 other ones for other stuff (8" steeltoe and Wellington). I have a pair of Redwings I tried for 10 years now to break in, and the sole is disintegrating before they ever got comfortable enough to wear 2 days in a row. Wolverines are comfortable, but do not last for me. I have not tried the higher end stuff even past Danner's. Rocky's are a great value IMO.

My Redwings weren't the most comfortable either, until i broke down and soaked them in hot water for a bit and then wore them for a few hours wet. This was even after about 6 years of wear and amazingly they broke in even further to the point of being really comfortable. Then i just greased the crap out of them and they're still being worn occasionally today and i'm even considering having them resoled.

[Jarhead90]

I can't speak fro their boots, but I do have a pair of their patent leather shoes I wear for work, I don't have any complaints.

[Divo]

Hmm
So many different people, so many different feet.
Foot-anatomics can be very different from person to person.
What fits one perfectly, is complete **** for another.
With shoes/boots you need to look what fits your personal anatomy and also your personal preferences. That means you need to go to stores to compare and try them in person.

[Emcee Bunzing]

Hmm
So many different people, so many different feet.
Foot-anatomics can be very different from person to person.
What fits one perfectly, is complete **** for another.
With shoes/boots you need to look what fits your personal anatomy and also your personal preferences. That means you need to go to stores to compare and try them in person.

Hmmm, what's the exhange rate at the moment? I suppose I could write it off as a business trip :D , but i'm not sure i could justify $2000+ for a $150 pair of boots..... although i could also stock up on spyderco's while i was over there.

[defenestrate]

Most rocky models are considered "pedestrian-grade" by the pros who prefer Red Wing. If they're what you can afford, you probably will do no better, but given the choice I would save up and buy A pricier boot from Altama or Red Wing (I tend to like mil-spec and lineman's boots and those two are easily the best manufacturers of major brand versions of each) - my 15 year-old Altamas are still going strong after those 15 years despite the uppers tearing from scrambling up rock faces in them - and they are just black generic "Nam-style" jungle boots.

Do the research - the best manufacturer for a given purpose-built boot will vary per type. I would only buy Red Wing lineman's boots but nobody in the USA ever got fired for buying Red Wings (unless they spent the petty cash on them )

[defenestrate]

One thing I do like about Rocky is that they have kept a large portion of their manufacture in America - after 80 years, most footwear makers are sourcing or manufacturing overseas, but not Rocky. That qualifies them for bona fide (excuse my Latin) Ultra-nationalist street cred here in the states.. Don't let the sun set on you wearing Chinese boots if you're in American skinhead territory - and please don't ask me to explain why

[tobii3]

Noticed a trend here..summa y'all got some SMALL feet!! Would love to have a "normal" size instead of the 14 at the end of my legs!!

Emcee,

Only problem I've had with Rocky's was their composite heels. Perhaps it was just dumb luck on my part but I ended up with the boots that were either glued together by a monkey or sewn by a recovering drunk after a weekend bender. Keep in mind I retired from the Army after 24 years...

I get update mails from Hit the Breakroom for Danner boots. Been wearing versions of Danner boots since the 80's...and yes, they are STILL serviceable. New soles and heels of course!

[Evil D]

So, back to this thread. Since i last posted i believe i've had a pair of Rocky's, a pair of Corcorans, and now back to what is easily my most favorite and loved boot ever made, the classic Altama infantry boot. I've had so many pairs of these boots over my life (and i'm not even ex military) and I just keep coming back to them. They're a major PITA to break in, but once you get them shaped to your foot, it's hard to find a more comfortable pair of boots. I think the only pair i've ever owned that came close were my old Redwings. They're also Made In The USA.

[tobii3]

...the classic Altama infantry boot...

Same here...

Green with 550 cord laces..then w/speed laces...then Black w/ speed laces...then Desert...

[JD Spydo]

About 7 years ago I bought a set of ROCKY BOOTS from a major sporting good store here in Kansas City, Missouri. I didn't wear them for the longest time and had them stored in a dry, temperature controlled storage area.

After 3 years of not using them I finally wore out my favorite pair of REDWING boots and got them out to go on a hunting trip. The boots literally came apart at the metatarsal area on both boots.

I immediately called the company and they wouldn't do anything about it>> even though I offered to send them back to the company on my nickel so they could inspect them to see that they had never even been worn or used.

I also got ahold of the Sporting Good store I got them at and they pretty much told me the same thing. Oddly enough I still had the receipt in the box to prove when a where I bought them.

After that experience I will NEVER, Ever buy any boots made, marketed or sold by ROCKY :mad:

Even since then I had a former Green Beret that I've met twice at 2 survival seminars and he told me that Danner and Redwing truly had the most durable boots on the market. He also said that he had miserable luck with Rocky boots as well as far as them not holding up in demanding conditions.

I really thought that was absolutely appalling the way that company did me. Because even though I had stored the boots for a long time they were never used or exposed to anything that would have hurt them. But that is all right because I have a good memory and a big mouth at times :D

[BAL]

Just for the opposite side of the story, I bought a pair of Rocky's, maybe even
from the exact same store as JD, Cabela's in KC near the Nascar track. I love them.
The best boots that I have ever had. They are the Rocky Lynx model and I wear
them on the farm thru snow, water and whatever. I have went thru pair after pair
of other brands thru the years and these are the best that I have ever had.

They are 10+ years old and still going strong. Now, I don't wear them everyday,
only in the winter months, as they are insulated. I have been looking at getting
the exact same model and brand to keep my older ones as rough work in the mud.
However, the old ones keep going, so maybe I'll get another Spydie instead.

So, I guess that it might matter on the situation, maybe the modle type, the particular
lot or year that they come out. I just thought that I would mention it, for the other
side of the story.