What happened to the quality of redwing boots

Always have worn their Irish setter wingshooter. Last pair i got about a year ago is dang near unwearable. Last pair I'll buy. Not working anymore so this pair should last a long time if I can ever get them broke in. And yeah, a lot of Redwing went from made here to made in China.
I also have Irish Setters Steel toe. they are well broken in, but rub my heels and pull down my socks. Not as good as they were known to be. Jim
 
I had exactly the same experience recently. I used to always buy Terra boots. Made in Canada, extremely good quality, and the most comfortable footwear I've ever owned. Then they moved factories and the quality dropped off completely - Still made in Canada, but they fell apart after a few months. Switched to Redwing, and they were quite good, but a pair wore out while I was away for work and no one around sold them, so I bought a pair of Redback slip-on work boots (RedBack - not to be confused with RedWing). The Redbacks were by far the best boots I've ever owned. Then about two months ago the Redbacks finally gave up while I was in the US for work again. I needed another pair of work boots ASAP, and the only ones I could find my size in the town I was in were Redwing. Bought them, and they were the most uncomfortable footwear I've ever had. Simply awful. I kept hoping they'd break in and get more comfortable, but nothing doing. It's like they had negative arch support: High at the heel and toe, but a big dip right in the middle where you needed support. I eventually gave up trying to wear them last week and bought another pair of Redbacks when I got home. I'll keep buying Redbacks as long as their quality keeps up.
 
Might try Blundstone. Come in either steel toe or composite toe. They are slip-ones that I have had good luck with. Originally made in Australia but I think they are now made in China. Have a good warranty if you follow the instructions.
 
I wore redwings for years and the quality in my opinion has dropped off. They offer boots made in varying locations. This may have something to do with it, maybe not. I have switched to Danner boots. This last pair took a while to break in but have been very comfortable since. I also have been happy with the quality. Not cheap. Little over 300 per pair.
Danners aren’t what they once were. With Wisconsin roots and Washington state pride they were sometimes mentioned along with White Boots for high quality. I wore many pair when I was a younger man. They were tough, comfortable, and had good soles for winter construction. About 2 years ago a bought a pair of insulated boots and they fell flat because I fell flat. They aren’t the same boot. Danner was bought by LaCrosse and is now owned by ABC-Mart and have been cheapened.
 
Been wearing the redwing slip on boots for probably close to 30 years pair after pair always seemed identical I bought a pair 6 months ago and they are the most uncomfortable boots I've ever had in my life I've tried 3 different insoles and still can't wear them feels like ripples on the bottom of my feet anyone else notice this .I'm going to try another brand but just looking for recomendations.
I wore 2408s for over 20 years. I never had any quality issues. I always got 12 to 18 months out of a pair. When I started in construction, about 70% of the boots on jobs were Redwing, 15% Thorogood and 15% garbage. At least 60% are Thorogoods now.

The local Redwing store got to be a real pain, always trying to up sell stuff. 2 years ago I stopped In to order a new pair of 8 1/2 EE 2408s.

The salesman tells me, "we'll have them in about a week."
I say, "I'd like them shipped directly to me."
Salesman, "can't do that."
Me, "why?"
Salesman, "you have to try them on."
Me, "I've been buying them this way for 20 years. "
This went back and forth for a while before I walked out.

Between that interaction, the loss of the $20 discount (use to be 20%), the boots pushing $300, and nearly everything in the store is made in China (including the American Flags) I switched to Thorogoods.

I'm very happy with the 4364
Thorogoods. They size is the same as the Redwings. Break-in is better too.




 
I wore 2408s for over 20 years. I never had any quality issues. I always got 12 to 18 months out of a pair. When I started in construction, about 70% of the boots on jobs were Redwing, 15% Thorogood and 15% garbage. At least 60% are Thorogoods now.

The local Redwing store got to be a real pain, always trying to up sell stuff. 2 years ago I stopped In to order a new pair of 8 1/2 EE 2408s.

The salesman tells me, "we'll have them in about a week."
I say, "I'd like them shipped directly to me."
Salesman, "can't do that."
Me, "why?"
Salesman, "you have to try them on."
Me, "I've been buying them this way for 20 years. "
This went back and forth for a while before I walked out.

Between that interaction, the loss of the $20 discount (use to be 20%), the boots pushing $300, and nearly everything in the store is made in China (including the American Flags) I switched to Thorogoods.

I'm very happy with the 4364
Thorogoods. They size is the same as the Redwings. Break-in is better too.




I also have a pair of these:

I didn't think I'd like the wedge sole. I do.
 
I wear an A width and have found no one else that fits. I too have been disgusted with my last pair (to the tune of $380)! Most miserable boots, used to be my most comfortable! I don't know what I will do when I need a new pair-I tried Justins but their narrow is a B width and they did not fit well. I wear the 6" lace ups btw.
 
I wear an A width and have found no one else that fits. I too have been disgusted with my last pair (to the tune of $380)! Most miserable boots, used to be my most comfortable! I don't know what I will do when I need a new pair-I tried Justins but their narrow is a B width and they did not fit well. I wear the 6" lace ups btw.
Might be worth calling Thorogood.
 
I bought my first pair of Redwings in 1975 with graduation money. 30 years later I bought my first pair of Thorogood. Best boots I've ever had.
 
I used to wear Redwings, and with prescription orthotics they worked well for me. I retired 15 years ago, so I'm not on concrete floors all day anymore, I still have a couple of pair, wear them when I'm working around the tree farm. Now we do a lot of hiking in the mountains of Arizona in the winter, and I wear a Oboz hiking boots, and love them. Last winter we hiked 15 miles through the mountains in one day, and are planning another long one for next winter, we love it! We see too many people that want to sit on their buts all the time, pretty soon that's all they can do!
 
Many years ago Red Wing started sourcing its boots in China. But the best boots were still made in the USA, and that's what I always bought. It's been several years since I bought a new pair, so I can't speak for the current situation, but the last pair I bought about five or six years ago are of good quality. These are lace-up boots.

A few years ago I got tendonitis wearing my lace-up Red Wings. I suspect they were a bit tight, but since then I only wear them when I'm doing something that calls for steel toes. Most of the time I wear hiking boots. I have narrow feet and most brands of hiking boots aren't made in narrow sizes. The only brand of hiking boots I can find now in narrow widths are Lowa, which is a German brand made in Slovenia. I've been very happy with them. They're not cheap; about the same price as US-made Red Wings.
 
I bought a pair of Brunt and they are the most comfortable boot I have ever owned! Had them a year now and still in great shape.
 
Been wearing the redwing slip on boots for probably close to 30 years pair after pair always seemed identical I bought a pair 6 months ago and they are the most uncomfortable boots I've ever had in my life I've tried 3 different insoles and still can't wear them feels like ripples on the bottom of my feet anyone else notice this .I'm going to try another brand but just looking for recomendations.
Maybe you just got a bad pair? Condemning a brand over one bad pair is hardly scientific or rational.

Redwing offers a 30 day comfort warranty and a 12 month defects in materials and workmanship warranty. You just need your proof of purchase.
 
China does not market them directly to consumer.
The importer such as Redwing, Wolverine, etc. can, IF THE WANT TO, demand a certain quality.
If those importers want quality, China will make it to whatever level of quality the importer wants.
But they are not going to do it for free.

Many of the products made in China are or were first made by machines exported by the USA company after the USA company closed their USA manufacturing facility.

So who is to blame for a USA company that imports from anywhere, or for that matter willingly builds and sells junk here in the USA as well??
The goal of the company is to keep the prices to the consumer stable. That more than anything keeps them buying. Raise the price, and the consumer seeks out a cheaper alternative (then complains about how it's no good and doesn't last blah blah blah...).

With the costs of labor, materials, facilities, taxes, etc. going up-up-up every year, how do you think they do that? Use your imagination.

What if you could get a quality American made set of Redwings but they cost double what the offshore ones cost? How many of you would say the quality is worth the money? Very few would. Most would complain about the price and go buy some cheap pair at Walmart.

It's a no-win situation. If a company maintains quality and country of origin, you complain about the price. If they move production offshore to keep prices stable, you complain that they're made offshore. If they have to pull back on quality to maintain the price, you complain about the poor quality.
 
As is the case in nearly all areas, most people insist upon price shopping.

Manufacturers must cater to the market in order to remain viable.
X2. Go back and read jhwis's reply. Back in 1971, I paid $150 for a pair of hiking boots. At the time, that was crazy expensive. I wore those boots for 15+ years, the last 10 in sewer construction. I wish I could by the same thing today, no matter what the price.
 
Who is buying boots at over 3 bills? Good grief. That's just dumb.

When you turn wrenches for a living (or any other similar trade job) you HAVE to have good quality footwear. Otherwise you're gonna be physically hurting BAD.

So far I've had good luck with the Red Wings I've got. I used to wear a different brand but I could only get about 8-10 months out of those. We'll see how well the Red wings hold up. The guy helping me when I got them said these are probably the most durable boots in the whole store. I'll have to see if I can find the model
 

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