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Best dress shoes for working outdoors

ssnyderjr

ssnyderjr

Cyburbian
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I love Timberlands, in fact I own about 10 pairs due to their ruggedness and style. However, in the last couple of years I have been disappointed in the "urban flair" that has been added to their boot styles. Among the designs in their new styles, they all now have oversized tongues, large brandings and fold-down uppers. It is disappointing to say the least. I love my timberlands, but they are becoming dinosaurs of the fine products that Timberland used to produce. Any suggestions? What do other engineers/planner wear for work casual dress indoor/outdoor shoes?
 
I have a pair of Eastlands that I wear that fit the bill; however, they're a few years old, and I didn't see my particular style on their website (www.eastlandshoe.com) when I looked a few minutes ago.
 
ssnyderjr said:
I love Timberlands, in fact I own about 10 pairs due to their ruggedness and style. However, in the last couple of years I have been disappointed in the "urban flair" that has been added to their boot styles. Among the designs in their new styles, they all now have oversized tongues, large brandings and fold-down uppers. It is disappointing to say the least. I love my timberlands, but they are becoming dinosaurs of the fine products that Timberland used to produce. Any suggestions? What do other engineers/planner wear for work casual dress indoor/outdoor shoes?
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Merrell's--the best arch support with a full range of styles from hiking boot to dress shoe
 
Track II Plain Toe Low
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It also comes in back.

I have the boot version of this. It looks dressy enough for work, but it is great for site inspections in the summer or winter since it is Gore-tex® lined and has an aggressive tread on the dual density polyurethane sole. Best part of them is the design of the foot bed is structured to match the contours of your foot with supports for both the longitudinal arch as well as the transverse arch. These often come with a fiber-cushioned insole that has a leather lining. This will allow the insole to form to the shape of your foot and provide for the best fit possible.

Hands down, the best shoe company ever. I own 3 pairs of Ecco's and they are well worth the price. I would own more, but a pair of dress wing tips, a durable boot that looks like a dress shoe, and a pair of casual shoes supply me for just about any occasion that I would need.
 
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I wear blundstones when I have to go on site visits and as winter boots. The good thing about them is that they come in a "green patch" safety version.

I typically wear a pair of black oxfords or a pair of brown wing tips. I need to get a new pair of shoes soon as both are getting prety old and while they still fit well they look a bit dated. I wish good shoes were not so expensive.
 
Not that I work outdoors very often, but I would suggest a pair of steel-toed Doc Martens.
 
Greenescapist said:
Keens are great- they are light, waterproof and look sorta cool. They're sold at REI, EMS and stores like that.
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Keens are the best! The arch support is like magic. I could walk forever and never get sore feet. I wear them 24/7 at home as soon as winter is gone. I don't think they're quite nice enough for work, though. But men can get away with that more easily than women.
 
Bought a light hiking shoes from Cabela's on Monday - New Balance (though after an exhaustive Internet search I was unable to find the model I was replacing in my wide and hard-to-fit size) I have to be mighty particular about what I buy. Irish Setters fit well. Red Wing Shoes are my standard. I also have a pair of boots made in Hungary that I paid like $20 for over twenty-five years ago and they still work for me.
 
i second michaelski's. ecco's are the greatest. looks great in the office and functional for the field. on my fourth pair of those track ii low tops.
 
michaelskis said:
Hands down, the best shoe company ever. I own 3 pairs of Ecco's and they are well worth the price. I would own more, but a pair of dress wing tips, a durable boot that looks like a dress shoe, and a pair of casual shoes supply me for just about any occasion that I would need.
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Are these made by Michigan based Wolverine?
 
I have a pair of $14.00 waterproof boots I got off the kids' rack at Target 6 years ago that are warm, comfy, and durable. I can wear them to work, in the field, camping, etc. Bwahahahahaha......:-D So, what did you guys spend??

Obviously, there are no women's "work" shoes that will suffice in the field, nobody makes pumps for swamps and women still have to dress like June Cleaver at work (excpet me, I can wear jeans every day).
 
I paid $40 + for most of my timberlands, getting them off ebay and Timberland outlet stores. I don't think I bought any of them for full price. I think $75 was the most I paid for a pair. They are great work/dress boots.
I did get boned on a pair of Timberland Chukkas I bought off ebay for $5.00 though, they had holes in the soles and a seam was ripped. The pictures looked good though....buyer beware, especially if you get a pair for 5 bux. The seller returned my money, but I am still out $10 for the shipping. I guess I can wear them for mowing lawn...;-)
HEY GUYS, HOW DO THOSE SIZES ON THE ECCO'S RUN? I WOULD LIKE TO PERSUE A PAIR ON EBAY, ARE THE SIZES SIMILAR TO ADIDAS OR ASICS OR TIMBERLAND? I AM FAMILIAR WITH THEIR SIZING.
 
What's all this outdoor work y'all talking about? I sometimes drive by the project site (even I slow down and roll the wind down if it's not too hot or cold). That's about it. ;-)
 
Zoning Goddess said:
I have a pair of $14.00 waterproof boots I got off the kids' rack at Target 6 years ago that are warm, comfy, and durable. I can wear them to work, in the field, camping, etc. Bwahahahahaha......:-D So, what did you guys spend??

Obviously, there are no women's "work" shoes that will suffice in the field, nobody makes pumps for swamps and women still have to dress like June Cleaver at work (excpet me, I can wear jeans every day).
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You're lucky you don't have arch issues. It would kill my feet to walk in archless wonders like you describe.

Women's wear can vary office by office. Not fair since men can get away with the kackis (sp?) and buttondown anywhere. Right now I'm in a pretty casual office and I wear women's Merrells and Clarks with my casual skirts or slacks. And they're versitle enough I can walk a site in them. Previously in a more formal office I had to find comfy shoes that would go with suits. I just don't do the heels cr*p anymore-- What a scam.
 
I do wear heels all the time (speaking of arch issues, they are actually more comfortable in my case) anyway...on days I know I am going to be in the field I just wear boots...no not boy lookin boots, I have black, leather knee high boots that I can wear just about anywhere...they do have a heel but its too wide to sink in the mud...many times I don't know I am going to be in the field and end up with mud caked high heels by the end of the day :-{ I have ruined quite a few pairs of shoes around here...
 
Combat boots?

Jaxspra said:
I have black, leather knee high boots that I can wear just about anywhere...they do have a heel but its too wide to sink in the mud.
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Sounds like you wear combat boots. Yo momma wear combat boots too?
 
I wear hiking sneakers (Columbia), snow shoes (Bean's), Sorel's, or wellies (Harrod's, yes, they are snobby) depending upon the weather and the ground conditions - I usually keep them in my office or at least in the trunk of the car because you just never know -
 
ssnyderjr said:
Sounds like you wear combat boots. Yo momma wear combat boots too?
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Definately not combat boots...and they are definately not for working outside in the construction field...but just to walk on site they are fine...they are "fashionable" black leather boots, just work better than my typical heels...
 
I won't wear anything I can't walk 5 miles in, regardless of the occasion. I've got some Vasque trail shoes that are unobstrusively colored right now. Not the best I've ever had, but good. I had a pair of Columbia Trail Grinders that were similarly unobstrusive and were great, but the last models I looked at were too colorful. For real field work I either wear my New Balance trail runners or Vasque Clarion GTX boots.
 
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