Shoes

My Bridlen Tanker boot was delivered yesterday. The construction is good and fits well. It’s also light and doesn’t look very different from the pictures on their website.. The leather needed more conditioning though. In terms of detail, they even put the gentleman’s notch - a small cut on the side of the heel to prevent trousers from snagging, but unfortunately as the picture shows , they did this on only one heel and not the other one. Not a big deal as I wear my trousers with a quarter break.View attachment 63515View attachment 63516View attachment 63517
@moktan Got the marine detroit boot recently after reading your general review of Bridlen. Its a bit too hot to be wearing boots at the moment, but i'm very imprssed with the construction. Thanks for the tip!
 
I prefer boots, never owned more than a pair at a time and, wear them 7 days a week - to work, with casuals, while riding my bike, in the rain and even during mild treks. Timberland Premium 6" Waterproof Boots did it for me. With this kind of usage, a pair used to last for about 3 years.

After Timberland exited India (in 2014 I think), Myntra used to import them occasionally in limited quantities and with limited choices of models, colors, fit and sizes. Seems they don't do that too any longer. Importing them directly or via Amazon will cost a bomb these days.

After almost of decade of sticking with Tims, time has come to move on. This is what I've settled for now: Clarks Desert Boot 2 Beeswax Leather.

One.jpg
Two.jpg

And, I need to find something else for the rain and the treks.

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi
 
I prefer boots, never owned more than a pair at a time and, wear them 7 days a week - to work, with casuals, while riding my bike, in the rain and even during mild treks. Timberland Premium 6" Waterproof Boots did it for me. With this kind of usage, a pair used to last for about 3 years.

After Timberland exited India (in 2014 I think), Myntra used to import them occasionally in limited quantities and with limited choices of models, colors, fit and sizes. Seems they don't do that too any longer. Importing them directly or via Amazon will cost a bomb these days.

After almost of decade of sticking with Tims, time has come to move on. This is what I've settled for now: Clarks Desert Boot 2 Beeswax Leather.

View attachment 70653
View attachment 70654

And, I need to find something else for the rain and the treks.

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi
These are Chukka Boots..very nice all purpose design to have . I do have one from Fellmonger with deep rubber treads in Cognac brown

I think these are Blake stitched +Cemented construction.
Very nice. I love Chelsea boots.
Even I have come to develop a liking for Boots, especially Chleseas over time and ended up with a couple of pairs from formal to casual :)
 
I prefer boots, never owned more than a pair at a time and, wear them 7 days a week - to work, with casuals, while riding my bike, in the rain and even during mild treks. Timberland Premium 6" Waterproof Boots did it for me. With this kind of usage, a pair used to last for about 3 years.

After Timberland exited India (in 2014 I think), Myntra used to import them occasionally in limited quantities and with limited choices of models, colors, fit and sizes. Seems they don't do that too any longer. Importing them directly or via Amazon will cost a bomb these days.

After almost of decade of sticking with Tims, time has come to move on. This is what I've settled for now: Clarks Desert Boot 2 Beeswax Leather.

View attachment 70653
View attachment 70654

And, I need to find something else for the rain and the treks.

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi

Last rainy season in Bangalore and the floods that followed made me realize one thing:- the Clark's Desert Boots are simply not going to cut it; the footwear have to be waterproof de facto. If you often roam the city on foot, you have to be prepared to encounter piles of construction debis, broken glass pieces, unevenly laid concrete slabs, heaps of tangled cables, dug up footpaths, mud, garbage and whatnot! Post sunset, the dark streets take the game to the next level. To navigate through these challenges, in addition to Super Mario's skills, I felt that a pair of rugged boots would come in handy. At the same time, I don't want to look like a fireman or a ranger walking around in those!

With these requirements in mind, I started looking for made in India alternatives. Realized that none of the footwear made locally, including those from the renowned brand Woodland, are not up to the mark. Can't really complain here as I could only come across a handful of options worldwide. Finally, I came full circle and narrowed down my choice to this one model: Timberland PRO Men's Direct Attach 6" Steel Toe Waterproof Work Boots. Their design takes after the iconic Timberland Premium 6" Waterproof Boots, which I had before getting the Clark's. While the premium line-up are used to make a fashion statement and are available in several choices of colors, the PRO line-up are available only in limited choices of colors. But, as their name suggests, the PRO models are waterproof, have a rugged steel toe construction, are insulated and have heat, oil, abrasion and slip resistant outer soles made of rubber. To me, it seems as though they are purpose built for city life!

Coincidentally, Amazon.com, USA has resumed their exports to India. In spite of the recent hikes in import duties, Amazon.com has done a wonderful job in keeping the overall pricing competitive - they were offering a 40% discount (only for this model and color in the PRO line-up by the way) and relatively cheaper shipping charges compared to the pre-Covid era. The boots were delivered in two weeks after placing the order. Aramex was the shipping partner. Customs clearance took about one day.

T.jpg

We can expect a break-in period of one month for the steel toes, according to Timberland. I hope they'll last a decade!

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi
 
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,/ the PRO line-up are available only in limited choices of colors. But, as their name suggests, the PRO models are waterproof, have a rugged steel toe construction, are insulated and have heat, oil, abrasion and slip resistant outer soles made of rubber. To me, it seems as though they are purpose built for city life /
Congratulations. I always assumed that for true waterproofing you need the old Gum Boots

Incidentally came upon a piece which mentioned that Brogues were invented to walk in the marshes of Scotland and the decorative holes were for water to be pushed out !
 
Hi @arj ,

Congratulations. I always assumed that for true waterproofing you need the old Gum Boots

Incidentally came upon a piece which mentioned that Brogues were invented to walk in the marshes of Scotland and the decorative holes were for water to be pushed out !

From my experience, Tims do well in heavy rains and while wading shallow puddles (less than about 4 inches deep). But yes, they are no match for Gum boots when it comes to waterproofing. But then, Gum boots can't be worn for casuals :)!


Yes, I have checked their collection. They have waterproof hiking boots. Those are relatively larger and don't go well with jeans like Tims do. When I tried a few of them, I felt they were less comfortable compared to my older pair of Tims. And, I don't think they have steel toe models 😎.

Caterpillar also sells waterproof, steel toe boots in India, but they are not as rugged as Tims. I had them before I got my last pair of Tims and they did not last a year.

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi
 
Hi

It seems very interesting thread. So wanna step in and ask for some recommendations. I am looking for some winter boots, comfortable for walking. Would be good if there is an inner lining as well. Can some one please recommend?

Thanks.
 
Last rainy season in Bangalore and the floods that followed made me realize one thing:- the Clark's Desert Boots are simply not going to cut it; the footwear have to be waterproof de facto. If you often roam the city on foot, you have to be prepared to encounter piles of construction debis, broken glass pieces, unevenly laid concrete slabs, heaps of tangled cables, dug up footpaths, mud, garbage and whatnot! Post sunset, the dark streets take the game to the next level. To navigate through these challenges, in addition to Super Mario's skills, I felt that a pair of rugged boots would come in handy. At the same time, I don't want to look like a fireman or a ranger walking around in those!

With these requirements in mind, I started looking for made in India alternatives. Realized that none of the footwear made locally, including those from the renowned brand Woodland, are not up to the mark. Can't really complain here as I could only come across a handful of options worldwide. Finally, I came full circle and narrowed down my choice to this one model: Timberland PRO Men's Direct Attach 6" Steel Toe Waterproof Work Boots. Their design takes after the iconic Timberland Premium 6" Waterproof Boots, which I had before getting the Clark's. While the premium line-up are used to make a fashion statement and are available in several choices of colors, the PRO line-up are available only in limited choices of colors. But, as their name suggests, the PRO models are waterproof, have a rugged steel toe construction, are insulated and have heat, oil, abrasion and slip resistant outer soles made of rubber. To me, it seems as though they are purpose built for city life!

Coincidentally, Amazon.com, USA has resumed their exports to India. In spite of the recent hikes in import duties, Amazon.com has done a wonderful job in keeping the overall pricing competitive - they were offering a 40% discount (only for this model and color in the PRO line-up by the way) and relatively cheaper shipping charges compared to the pre-Covid era. The boots were delivered in two weeks after placing the order. Aramex was the shipping partner. Customs clearance took about one day.

View attachment 72236

We can expect a break-in period of one month for the steel toes, according to Timberland. I hope they'll last a decade!

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi
Hi Sandeep

I like these shoes. Could you please confirm if the size you ordered for yourself is same as in other brands? I wear UK 9 so I can safely order UK 9 from Timberland as well?

Thanks.
 
Hi Sandeep

I like these shoes. Could you please confirm if the size you ordered for yourself is same as in other brands? I wear UK 9 so I can safely order UK 9 from Timberland as well?

Thanks.
Hi Vivek,

Before I got this model, I had used three other non-Pro Tim models and all were of size US 10W. This was the first time I was getting a Pro model, so decided to refer to their size chart. It turns out that they have separate charts for Pro and non-Pro models. While US sizes for non-Pro models directly map to the respective US sizes for Pro models, it doesn't seem to be the case for UK sizes (for example, in your case, UK size 9 in the non-Pro size chart is for feet length of 27.5cm and the same 27.5cm length in the Pro chart is UK size 8.5). Before making the purchase, I measured both my feet in the evening, several times, as recommended and the bigger foot measured approx. 27cm (my right foot consistently measured slightly longer than my left). Since Pro models are said to be true to size, going by their size chart, US 9W would be the right fit for me. Since I have been using US 10W all these years, I chose the middle ground and ordered a US 9.5W :) .

To be on the safer side, I recommend you to measure your feet, refer to their size chart and order.

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi

P.S. Unlike regular leather shoes, the steel-toe models require quite a long time to break in. Turned out to be > 200hrs in my case. And, they break-in at different rates for standing, sitting, walking and driving. After using them for 2 months, I found them to be okay for everything except driving. These days, I spend 2-3 hours altogether in bumper to bumper Bangalore traffic. These shoes don't bend easily around the steel toes and operating the foot pedals was causing pain in the toes and the arch after about an hour of driving, even after 2 months.

P.P.S. I purchased from Amazon.com and they give a return window of about a month. Though it was well past the return window, I tried my luck and wrote to them explaining my problem. Surprisingly they accepted the return, but said that I'd have to ship the shoes back to their US warehouse at my own expense. So, I shipped the shoes back via India Post and after the package was received, they issued a 100% refund. And, an additional Amazon coupon of 20$ was also issued. I had to get in touch with their customer service a couple of times though. Now, I'm planning to get the soft toe version in a different color, once the Amazon.com prices come down. Till then, I'll manage with my Clark's.
 
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Hi Vivek,

Before I got this model, I had used three other non-Pro Tim models and all were of size US 10W. This was the first time I was getting a Pro model, so decided to refer to their size chart. It turns out that they have separate charts for Pro and non-Pro models. While US sizes for non-Pro models directly map to the respective US sizes for Pro models, it doesn't seem to be the case for UK sizes (for example, in your case, UK size 9 in the non-Pro size chart is for feet length of 27.5cm and the same 27.5cm length in the Pro chart is UK size 8.5). Before making the purchase, I measured both my feet in the evening, several times, as recommended and the bigger foot measured approx. 27cm (my right foot consistently measured slightly longer than my left). Since Pro models are said to be true to size, going by their size chart, US 9W would be the right fit for me. Since I have been using US 10W all these years, I chose the middle ground and ordered a US 9.5W :) .

To be on the safer side, I recommend you to measure your feet, refer to their size chart and order.

With regards,
Sandeep Sasi

P.S. Unlike regular leather shoes, the steel-toe models require quite a long time to break in. Turned out to be > 200hrs in my case. And, they break-in at different rates for standing, sitting, walking and driving. After using them for 2 months, I found them to be okay for everything except driving. These days, I spend 2-3 hours altogether in bumper to bumper Bangalore traffic. These shoes don't bend easily around the steel toes and operating the foot pedals was causing pain in the toes and the arch after about an hour of driving, even after 2 months.

P.P.S. I purchased from Amazon.com and they give a return window of about a month. Though it was well past the return window, I tried my luck and wrote to them explaining my problem. Surprisingly they accepted the return, but said that I'd have to ship the shoes back to their US warehouse at my own expense. So, I shipped the shoes back via India Post and after the package was received, they issued a 100% refund. And, an additional Amazon coupon of 20$ was also issued. I had to get in touch with their customer service a couple of times though. Now, I'm planning to get the soft toe version in a different color, once the Amazon.com prices come down. Till then, I'll manage with my Clark's.
Hi Sandeep

Thanks a lot for very detailed and informative reply. I am more interested in winter boots from Timberland due to cold here in North and abroad when I travel or when I ride. My toes get swollen in every winters so need something comfortable and weather proof.

I see that Timberland has Indian site as well so planning to buy from there I think less hassels and economical.

I would measure my feet to check the size, thanks for the heads up.

P.S I have a pair of steel toe shoes from CAT. That's for professional reason only. I bought them sometime in 2017 and for long time they were in storage only. Started using them for my home site now as they are tough and rugged for a construction site, not comfortable at all, heavy as well.Qyality was they are superb, no sign of age even after 5 years.

Regards
 
Hi Sandeep

Thanks a lot for very detailed and informative reply. I am more interested in winter boots from Timberland due to cold here in North and abroad when I travel or when I ride. My toes get swollen in every winters so need something comfortable and weather proof.

I see that Timberland has Indian site as well so planning to buy from there I think less hassels and economical.

I would measure my feet to check the size, thanks for the heads up.

P.S I have a pair of steel toe shoes from CAT. That's for professional reason only. I bought them sometime in 2017 and for long time they were in storage only. Started using them for my home site now as they are tough and rugged for a construction site, not comfortable at all, heavy as well.Qyality was they are superb, no sign of age even after 5 years.

Regards

you could checkout the winter boots from columbia. If you travel abroad then you could get it there.
 
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