Walking shoes/boots advice, once again after 6+ months

[Patrick Moore]

Over 6 months ago I provoked a thread about comfortable and durable footwear for ~ 5-mile hikes that are also seemly for casual about-town wear. Many kindly replied, and the upshot was that I set my red and beady eye on Redwing's Chukka model.

In the event, the proposed trip provoking the question did not materialize. But in the interval since, while continuing to research "hiking shoes," the algorithms have called up many ads for "Thursday" boots highlighting the buzzwords of l"value" and "no-nonsense" and "Goodyear welt" and "durable," and the reviews are generally favorable. I am looking particularly at Thursday's "Captain" model at $199.

After that long run-up: have any of all-y'all personal experience with Thursday products generally or the Captain particularly? I am tempted to pound the "Add To Cart" button for a personal Xmas present, but of would be grateful for any available* preliminary guidance.

I welcome *rational and considered comments, even tangential if rational and considered.

Thanks.

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Patrick Moore
Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[Patrick Moore]

As always, forgot to say that "Thursday" trips positive synapses because of Thursday Bicycles, which in turn triggers feel-goods because owner started on Navajo reservation about the time I was doing hard time in Gallup, NM.

muttonmaster.htm

The Muttonmaster:

Navajo grandmothers who will whup any foolishness out of you:

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[Nikko Mendoza]

Hey Patrick, 

I’d suggest going the Redwing or Chippewa route. The Thursday boots use poor leather and have stiff soles compared to the other two mentioned brands. They’re more fashion than function. 

Best,

Nikko Mendoza

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 8, 2020, at 7:41 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Patrick Moore]

Nick: This is the very kind of information I am looking for. 

I'm going to press your hard: Do you know from personal experience, or otherwise have hard evidence, that Thursday uses inferior leather, and that their products are merely fashion items?

I am asking hard but meaning well, because I am taking your assertion seriously: in short: how do you know that?

Thanks, Patrick

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[Nikko Mendoza]

My experience is second hand, although that experience was just seeing the shoes in person everyday from day 1, a coworker got them new. I was able to watch them degrade much quicker than any other pair of boots I’ve owned. Visually, it was easy to tell that the leather was inferior by the way it wore down and the fact that I couldn’t help my friend condition the leather the way I have done so in the past. I also used to be entirely too involved in the /r/goodyearwelt (https://www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt) subreddit. You can check there for reviews (both good and bad). 

My general understanding of the Thursday boot is that it’s catered to folks who want to wear a boot daily in a fashionable manner to their office job vs Redwing and Chipps (at that price point of ~$200-300) are the more rugged and functional boot. 

A majority experience is mostly based on collecting boots and being a hobbyist for a long time. 

I will note that their handmade in the USA collection looks more promising than the original collection that I’m more familiar with. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 8, 2020, at 8:24 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Patrick Moore]

Nikko: Thanks for this clarification. I wondered if the online ad copy didn't hide inferior quality. So, this is the sort of information that will help me make a good choice. From what you say, my own inclination is back toward the Redwing Chukka.

You mention the "made in USA" product line versus the "original" line. The most recent copy touts "made in USA or maybe Mexico" for the Captain, so I wonder if the current model is different. But I lean now toward the local Redwing store, even though Thursday advertises free return shipping. Most likely, I'll procrastinate -- a useful fault, often.

Thanks.

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[Justin]

IMHO Thursday boots are a hard pass. My experience is from years wearing and working with actual quality USA and Japan made footwear, although I've handled only one pair of Thursday moc toe boots. Yes, the leather feels subpar when you've handled many other brands using better tanneries. Just browsing the Thursday site one big red flag for me is that every boot appears to made on the same last, a pointy toe dress last, not exactly the last anyone should choose for 5 mile hikes, again IMHO. Speaking of hiking, the lookalike Dannite sole on the captain boot is not great for hiking and is again usually used on dress/casual shoes just like the last. A decent hiking boot will use some kind of lugged sole, even a recessed lug like Vibram 430 would be better than Dannite I'd think. 

It's tough to find a quality boot in the $199 price range these days but I think you'd be better off with a purpose built work boot with a decent sole for hiking of another brand. But, what do I know? I've never understood the idea of "a boot I can *blank* in and also wear around town". 

[Patrick Moore]

Well, this is why I ask my questions. Thanks both of you. I've scratched Thursday. They do have good marketing copy, though.

Redwing it is.

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[Patrick Moore]

And I just learned the meaning of "hard pass."

On Mon, Nov 9, 2020 at 8:17 AM Justin <illum...@gmail.com> wrote:

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