Thread: the yellow boots!

I (already famous) move to Brussels has been occupying most of my time and my mental availability. I've been packing up my stuff and moving it back to my Mom's house for safe-keeping, I've been moving out furniture around and all sorts of thinngs. And I've thinking what to take with me and what to leave behind. It's a very harduous task, this moving business.
So, I have to travel light and practical. Things I can buy in Brussels I will not take with me - but I have to think practical.
What will my life be like in my new home? I'll have to walk a lot, that's for sure - my car will stay behind. And I'll have to walk a lot because I'll be searching for a flat to live in.
I therefore decided that I needed a pair of sturdy, strong and reliable boots. What comes to mind is "the" boot, the daddy of all boots - the Timberland Yellow Boot. It costs 192 EUR in Portugal. It's expensive. Very... But I'll be buying a garantee and the promisse that it will last through years of abuse.
It rains a lot in Brussels. In the Winter it snows a lot, I reckon. So I thiught that these might be ideal. I tried a pair today at a Timberland dealer and I was impressed. I was expencting weight to accompany that sturdy look - they felt rather light and nimble. And I compared them to a pair of trecking shoes I tried on earlier at the same shop. They felt a lot heavier... Strange. I figured that I might as well buy the boots. And they looked... in place on my feet. The other shoes looked good but out of place. I shave with a straight razor, I have a mustache... gore-tex and man-made fibers just don't cut it. Yellow it is!
Why this long post, you may ask? Is Timberland paying this guy to praise their products? No, they're not! I was just wondering that, among all these manly-men there has to be someone that has one of these boots. I figured that someone might:
a) talk me out of buying them - "they're ghastly and they won't last weeks"
b) tell me that they are good value for money - "I've had mine for 134 years and they still are good to go."
What do you think?

You may want to try on a pair of Rockports before you spring for those Timberlands. Not that I am trying to discourage you, but I have worn Rockports for years and I consider them a great boot for cold weather, rain and snow.

Thanks! I didn't know that rockport had boots... at least, I've never seen rockport boots in Portugal. I do know their shoes, I've had a few some years ago and they were nice. I always felt that the Timberland shoes were more refined, but just as sturdy.
Thank you!

fpessanha,

I forgot to mention in my last that I've also worn and like Ecco boots. I replaced my Rockports with a pair of those after about ten years or more of faithful service from my Rockports.

I've had many pairs of Timberland footwear, the deck shoes I am wearing as I type this are approaching the 15yr mark.
I have to say the quality of new Timberland footwear is worse now than it was a few years ago.
The best pair of boots I 've ever had are Matterhorn.

I live in belgium and I wear ABl combat boots, they are a lot cheaper the the Timberlands but great quality
and yes it rains often(sometimes the sun even shines) but you really don't need boots for that a pair of normal shoes will do just fine IMHO

regards
Stijn

How about wellies, named after lord Wellington who defeated Napoleon in Waterloo which is a Belgian city? It is said he wore them on the battlefield.

I got a pair of workmans boots over 10 years ago that look exactly like Timberland boots and cost about £30. They've been literally been around the world with me, across the outback in Oz, up mountains and on horseback. They're still going strong and have aged really well!

When they do finally give up the ghost I'll be replacing them.

So have a look on builders clothing websites and see what you can find. They're also usually VAT exempt as well, which makes them even cheaper.

Best boots I´ve ever had: Redback Pull-on Boots I don´t know Mick or have any links to him, other than I bought from him in the past (good guy to deal with).

I got two Redbacks right now, one pair of pure leather and one pair of Redback Nevada UNPU Waterproof Boot

There is no point buying boots on anything other than fit IMO. Find some where locally that have staff who know what they're talking about and know how to fit boots properly.

I asked the same question about you earlier this year, and I learnt that there are many good brands and lots of them are very capable and ruggid.

I went to a local out fitters, told them what I wanted and what I was going to use them for, he measured my feet said 'you need these' and they were absolutely perfect. Not a single blister wearing them most days for 10 weeks.