My Torrid combat boots are falling apart, so I’m in the market for a new pair that are specifically platform boots that come in black.
Unfortunately, the pair from Solovair (pictured) that I’ve had my eye on for a while (their 8-eye derby platforms) is no longer being sold, and it was replaced with a visually worse alternative where the zippers face outward.
I’ve never owned Martens before, but knowing that Martens aren’t what they used to be, how much do I have to lose by picking up a pair of Jadon III’s instead? If anyone knows any alternatives in the same style that are also Goodyear Welt, that could also be an option.
Here’s the thing: quality Goodyear welted boots do not come with zippers. Zippers are a sign of cheap, crappy boots.
No zippered boots will be BIFL.
So, what do you do if you don’t want to have to deal with laces?
Chelsea boots. https://thursdayboots.com/products/womens-duchess-black-chelsea-boot
I collect and restore shoes, and I can tell you all about construction + types of leather + what truly makes a boot last a lifetime. Feel free to ask me all your questions.
Why is the stretchy bits of the Chelsea boot better than the zip?
I’d imagine the stretchy bits and the the zipper both require binding to the leather.
I’m not a fan of any stretchy fabric from a bifl perspective since it wears out. Depending on design it can be replaced if it needs to be.
The main problem with zippers is that they aren’t really made to be load bearing the way they are when used as a boot closure. It’s an automatic weak spot. It probably doesn’t matter for a fashion boot, but the good designs I’ve seen don’t just have a zipper to the top, they have some kind of additional support to prevent the zipper from being pulled apart.
OP, look up paratrooper boots (aka jump boots). I think they fit the look you want, and it seems like there’s plenty of brands that make them with good materials.
It’s not that it’s better by itself. It’s that zippers don’t exist on good boots.
Can’t really tell you why.
Nicks and Russel Mocs both have models with zippers and they are about as quality as they come.
How on god’s green earth does a side zipper interfere with Goodyear welting? I’ve got a pair of boots with side zips that were advertised to be as goodyear welted and they are in the shop for their first sole replacement right now and you’ve got me worried that I’m going to get a sad call from my cobbler.
It doesn’t interfere. High quality boots just don’t use them.
What brand are your boots?
Samuel Hubbard. They seem to have stopped making anything high quality since I bought my (admittedly already scraping the bottom of the barrel as gyw things go) boots.
Edit: looked at their site. They at least still make stuff that looks gyw. Could be a fake welt though. Can’t say for sure
This is false. For example I have a pair of Carmina zippered boots that are definitely GYW.
Link? I’d honestly like to see that.
It’s this same model but in rusticalf
I think they’re on Inca too.
Yeah, it’s a shame how that specific style seems to be inextricably linked to zippers.
I actually have Thursday’s Explorer boots and have been really impressed with the fit and quality after a year, considering the price point. It actually occurs to me that I could get another of those in black and get similar aesthetic to a platform combat boot without the zipper 🤔
I know generally that Goodyear Welts can usually be resoled and often have longer lifespans, but I’m less knowledgeable about the craft itself, so your Chelsea boot recommendation from Thursday as an alternative is intriguing. In what situations would you prioritize a good leather upper that doesn’t have a resoleable welt, over a boot that has a Goodyear Welt with design flaws in the upper?
I 2nd Thursday Boots. Arguably the cheapest Goodyear welts out there. I got a pair barely used 2nd hand, and so far they are great. Nice thick quality leather that should hold up for years.