[TowerTalk] Tower Climbing Boots

[Jim Brown]

On 8/7/2014 5:46 PM, Donald Chester wrote:
> Most of the boot stores that claim to carry work boots seem primarily concerned with fashion statements, like fancy cowboy boots and other footwear, crap that would be useless for serious "work".

I went through a similar exercise nearly two decades ago. We live in a 
world where much of what we can buy is an imitation of the real thing. 
As recently as 25 years ago, I could buy quality shoes in narrow widths 
to match my narrow feet, and even dress shoes with a steel shank were 
easy to find. Two major changes -- manufacturing moving off shore, even 
outsourced to unrelated companies, and corporate acquisitions. For many 
years, my everyday shoes were hiking boots. I found boots I liked, wore 
them every day, and by the time I needed to replace them, the mfr either 
no longer existed, had been acquired, or had gone into the imitation of 
a boot business.

The last time few times I bought boots from Zappos, carefully studying 
the online data, ordering 3 different pairs at a time, sending those 
back and trying again.  Last time around, it took 9 pairs to find 
something that was no better than adequate.  And this was after visiting 
at least a half dozen stores that SPECIALIZED in boots. If I had found 
what I wanted, I would have bought from them.

In my retirement, I've been wearing New Balance, which still comes in 
widths. But no steel shank. :)

73, Jim K9YC