Jim Green Archives | Stridewise

Dr. Martens boots suck. Why? They’re expensive, poorly made, wear out fast, and you can’t resole them easily. They don't even make half sizes! (No one wants to wear thick socks every time because their boots are loose.) It's a pity, because Dr. Martens used to have a pretty good reputation for a British heritage company, despite being founded by a German who served in World War 2. (As a doctor, to be... fair?) But in the early 2000s, they moved 99 percent of production off British shores, and today, they're owned by giant conglomerate Griggs Group Limited. The quality took a hit with the outsourcing, and modern Docs are sort of like the McDonald's of edgy combat boots. Now, what do you do if you want a boot with a chunky sole, a comfortable cushioned insole, and glossy black leather in a six-inch combat boot style? Read our list of Doc Marten alternatives that don’t suck, of course. Enjoy. (Just note that Dr. Martens actually trademarked their iconic yellow stitching and has sued over it before, so none of these options will have that particular touch.) https://youtu.be/U7WTXNs49kg OUR TOP PICKS Best Overall: Thursday's Stomper Most Similar to Docs: Solovair's Hi-Shine Derby Best British Made: Goral Sharman Best USA Made: Red Wing Blacksmith Best 8-Inch: Jim Green AR8 Best Chelsea: Blundstone 510 The yellow stitched boot is the Dr Martens — they trademarked that element, you'll never see it imitated! Best Overall: Thursday Boot Co. Stomper Why we love it: Easily resoleable High-quality leather Shock-absorbing Poron insole Steel shank boosts stability Wide range of sizes What to consider: Leather is less glossy than Docs Pricier than Docs ($235) The sole isn't as bouncy as Docs, Goral, or Solovair. Lower profile than standard "combat boots" Thursday Boot Company makes the best Dr. Martens alternative. Just about all our complaints about Docs are remedied here: better welt, better durability, better stability, better sizing. It has a real Goodyear welt made of vegetable-tanned leather, which any neighborhood cobbler can resole. (Docs have a synthetic welt that most cobblers won't touch.) The construction includes a Poron insole, vegetable-tanned leather midsole, and cork filling in the welt cavity — those last two help the boot conform to the shape of your foot over time, like a good boot should, but the Poron gives it better shock absorption than old-fashioned boots. See Also: Thursday's Hero Boot Thursday sells a zillion boots, and if your dealbreaker is the sleeker toe on the Stomper or the slightly more matte leather, consider the more combat boot-looking Thursday's Hero boot. We prefer the Stomper because the Hero uses patent leather, which isn't quite as durable. But it might do a better job of scratching your itch for a Dr Martens alternative, plus it's cheaper at $199. Whichever you choose, it's a better boot than Dr Martens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vqGzq7-Rt62k Our Solovair vs Doc Martens Video Most Similar: Solovair Hi-Shine Derby Boot Why we love it: Looks the most like Docs Original manufacturer of Docs Made in England Tougher, thicker leather Sole is both more bouncy and harder-wearing What to consider: Not easily resolable No leather underfoot in the construction But Dr Martens shares these same "cons" and Solovair's better, so. The shank is wood, which I broke once. Steel is better. Solovair is a charming shoe company based in Northampton, England, a town we've visited to explore heritage British bootmakers. They've been making shoes and boots for over 140 years, and most pertinently, they used to make the original Doc Martens boots. When Docs ended their contract, they went right on making them under a different brand as Solovair's Black Hi-Shine Derby boots. They're practically identical, just with grey sole stitching instead of yellow. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Nd1yCdzxksU Other differences? They have a (wooden) shank for better stability, they've got thicker leather, a more durable midsole, and a better heel counter. These are all things the OG Docs cut corners on to make more money, like shrinkflation for your feet. Our pal Weston at Rose Anvil even ran some tests on Solovair's sole to find that it's both bouncier (more responsive) and more durable (has a higher Shoe-A rating), in part because Solovair's finer lattice is better at load dispersal. Solovair is indeed more like the original Doc Martens than Doc Martens are today; this is the boot that made them popular. We'd have preferred a steel shank since I literally broke mine when testing the soles' flexibility, but the real take-home message is that Solovair is made better than Dr. Martens, and it's cheaper than the Made In England Dr. Martens. So it's kind of a no-brainer. Further Reading Dr. Martens vs Solovair – The Great British Boot Off Want to see what happens when you pit two great British boots against each other? Read more → Docs on the left, Goral on the right. Best British Made: Goral Sharman Why we love it: Uses the world's leading casual boot leather, Chromexcel. Durable materials like a steel shank and leather midsole. Holds its shape better than Docs because of the leather lasting board More ergonomic and fits better than Docs Available in wide widths Made in England What to consider: No half sizes and only eight sizes available Still difficult to get resoled The black Chromexcel leather isn't as shiny as Docs or Solovair, and is prone to wrinkling (or loose grain) Very expensive (price fluctuates, but expect ~$400) When small-but-beloved British shoemaker Goral released their Sharman boot, a big song and dance was made about how it was the Dr. Martens Killer. And there are good reasons for that. They stand out on this list for using the most beloved boot leather on planet Earth: Chromexcel from Chicago’s Horween Leather Company. It’s tough but flexible, has a nice pull-up effect from all the oils and waxes in it, and ages beautifully. OK, black leather doesn't age beautifully because you don't get the color variation of lovely old brown leather — that' just how black leather works — but to be fair, the Sharman is available in 6 other colors of high-quality leather, mostly Horween. It's got more durable materials than Docs or Solovair: a steel shank, a leather-topped foam insole, a leather midsole, felt filling, and a rubber outsole. They also use a leather-lasting board that gets stitched to the upper, contributing to the fact that Gorals both fit better and will hold their shape better over time. The more natural leather is more prone to creasing. But it's still not really resoleable. The construction is more sophisticated than Docs or Solvair, with Goral opting for a "hybrid Blake stitch/cup sole construction" that's durable and relatively lightweight, but the fact they've used a cup sole (see how it comes up onto the upper in that picture?) means the sole can only be replaced with an exact match, which you'd only be able to get from Goral. You'd have to mail the boots to England, and all told, the operation would cost you a good $200. They also don't do half sizes — in fact, they only do eight sizes at the time of writing, though they do have wide widths — and they're very expensive at around $400. (The price has been different every time I visit the site as they try to work out what price converts better, a common phenomenon for digital brands.) So it's a great boot, and it's made in England, and with superior construction to Docs. But: limited fits, limited resoleability, and a high price for something with those limitations. Further Reading The Best Boot Socks You Can Buy (CHUP vs Smartwool vs Darn Tough) Looking for the perfect pair of socks to wear with your combat boots? Learn more → Best USA Made: Red Wing Blacksmith Why we love it: Very thick, tough leather Made in America Resoleable Famously durable boots What to consider: Less glossy than Docs Crummy shock absorption More expensive (because you're paying for the good stuff) If you want a vastly superior boot that’s resoleable and made in America, Red Wing’s Blacksmith is worth every cent of its $330 price tag. Red Wing makes these boots in Minnesota with legit Goodyear welt construction, the gold standard for long-lasting footwear. The company even owns its own tannery down the street, which allows it excellent quality control and the ability to price its boots pretty well when you compare them to other US-made boots of this standard. https://youtu.be/2Pre5Vf6m3E Our Red Wing vs. Doc Martens Video If anything breaks, any cobbler can fix it. These are the antithesis of fast fashion. They are not shiny or super luggy, taking their aesthetic cues more from vintage American work boots than combat boots. They are 100 bucks more than the Made-in-England Docs. But they offer some of the best value for money on this list: you'll easily go through a few pairs of Docs before your Blacksmiths need repairs. Further Reading Red Wing Blacksmith Boot Review – Rugged or Comfortable? This is a seriously underrated boot; it strikes a great balance between something a bit dressier without being too fancy. Check out how → One of the six leathers available — yes, black is one of them. Best 8-Inch Alternative: Jim Green AR8 Why we love it: Jim Green donates boots to help park rangers stop poachers They're functional, resoleable, and cool-looking boots We love the steel shank, stitchdown construction, and backstory A lot of boot for $210 What to consider: Not "fashion boots," these are functional tall hikers No high gloss leather; these have a pretty different aesthetic to Docs A budget-friendly, functional boot for people who like supportive hikers and hate poachers. What a pitch. Jim Green's AR8 is resoleable and repairable, it's functional, and you can actually walk in the bush with these. For every 10 pairs sold, Jim Green donates a pair to The Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA) to make sure rangers have good boots. People use these good boots to do good. To learn more, check out our review of Jim Green's African Ranger — that's the exact same boot but a couple of inches shorter. image via Timberland Best Waterproof: Timberland Premier Why we love it: Great shock absorption Waterproof Insulated Iconic streetwear style What to consider: No one is going to confuse these with Docs Not resoleable Everyone knows Timberland, the iconic '90s work boot turned streetwear staple. Most people think of them in the Wheat Nubuck colorway, but these boots are so popular that they come in a ton of other leathers, including Black Nubuck. If you like Docs and Timberlands, this is the fusion of the two. Well, the closest you'll get. They've got chunky soles like Doc Martens, the same shaft height, and are black. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vFCEGgnxukwA Our Timberland vs. Doc Martens Video And while it's no combat boot, they have advantages over Docs: they're waterproof, they're insulated, and the leather's more durable and scratchproof. I know this from experience, having worn both extensively. They also come in half sizes and wide widths, have famously comfortable "anti-fatigue" insoles, and 400 grams of PrimaLoft® insulation. The same stuff is used in ski gloves and warm coats. Further Reading How to Clean, Condition, and Waterproof Your Blundstone Boots Got a pair of Blundstones and want to learn how to clean them. Check out how → image via Blundstone Best Dr Martens Chelsea Boot Alternative: Blundstone 510 Why we love it: Classic Australian heritage brand Water-resistant and functional Steel shank improves stability Great shock absorption What to consider: More muted look than Docs; the sole's less chunky and the leather is less glossy Slightly more expensive Looking for a boot to compete with Dr Martens' Chelsea? Blundstone has them, and about 26 other styles of black Chelseas. Why get these "Blunnies" over the Docs? They're better made: the leather's tougher, the shank gives them more stability, and the shock absorption is fantastic — and that's an area where Doc Martens alternatives often fall short. Further Reading Blundstone Sizing Guide: How to Fit Blundstone Boots Our reviewers have worn a ton of Blundstones, from work boots to the classics, and we've learned a thing or two about getting the perfect fit. Learn more → Downsides? They're pricier, and they don't hit the exact same aesthetic cues, but Blundstones are massively popular for a reason, and if you're getting Chelseas from anyone, Blundstones are the absolute kind of the category. And If You Need a Cheaper Alternative: Bruno Marc's "Motorcycle" Biker Boots We purposely titled this article Doc Martens Alternatives That Don't Suck because there are plenty of black combat boots out there that are made just as badly if not worse than Docs. But if you're here because $150 is too much for a pair of boots and you're looking for something with a similar vibe at an even lower price, check out Bruno Marc’s Combat Boots. They're typically about $50 on Amazon, the zipper makes them easy to get in and out of, and they happen to be vegan to boot. The 10,000-plus reviews on Amazon suggest it sells just fine, and we can't criticize it too much, given it's a $50 boot. We'd be mad if it were $150, but for $50, all evidence suggests it's priced fairly. Further Reading The Best Vegan Boots For Men In 2023 | Cactus, Pineapple, PVC, and More We put together the best vegan boots for men. If you want to find a pair of durable, resoelabe, vegan boots we got you covered. Check out how → Tying Up the Best Doc Martens Alternatives There you have it: one boot that's basically the original Doc Martens before they went to pot, and six more that exceed the original in different ways. Every boot here has its own advantages, and we're confident there's one for you. Above all, these Dr Martens alternatives are more fairly priced, and we're confident that even if you go with a model that isn't cheaper, it'll last much longer than Docs. Because isn't durability the name of the boot game? Who the heck are we to tell you about boots? We're boot obsessives. Our reviewers specialize in work boots, heritage boots, and women's boots. Together, we've written hundreds of articles and videos about boots, visited tanneries, interviewed experts, and traveled the world in search of the best boots for men.

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