I’ve done a lot of pondering off camera and while editing this video. I also had my first bad experience with Dr. Martens since filming this vlog. I do think the Solovair boot is better than the Docs but $75.00 USD better EHHHH. It is a very close race almost like Mercedes vs Redbull 2021. After looking at countless boots from brands across the world and the United States such as White’s, Frank’s, JK, Corcoran, Bates, Red Wing, Salewa, and the list goes on. I am still leaning towards the derby “combat boot” design because it is my favorite and most versatile for my life style. All of these boots come with some form of compromise. Hope this video helps someone out there in a similar conundrum. Thanks for watching!
any updates on these? Like a 2-month update, or a 6-month update? Thanks! Or you know just update it. Update it NOW! Should I get the Solovair btw, or the Dr.Martens? Asking for a 1st-time pair and I've heard enough horror stories about Dr. Martens BUT because there's a lot more people buying them. Quality-wise, which is it?
The Solovair is the boot that Dr. Martens used to be back in the 80s and 90s. These days Dr. Martens is absolute atrocious when it comes to quality, even the Made in England series is shit, while the Solovair boots are much better, and yes, they’re definitely 75 bucks better. Not only is the leather or better quality and thicker, but so is also the sole. The stitching is way better and the insole part is thicker and more comfortable as well. Over all the Solovair will last a lot longer than the Martens. Rose Anvil on RU-vid has a comparison video. He cut them both open and took them apart. Quote the eye opener! He also did individual videos on the two brands which are also very interesting.
You're not comparing like with like. You need to compare English made Docs with Solovair. Far East Docs are not boots, they are cheaply made, no shank, fashion items. When DM started losing market to Solovair they launched 'Premium' Docs made in England. The problem is, whilst better made, they are still poor quality vs Solovair. Solovairs are CHEAPER than English made DMs. Solovair vs Far East DMs: you might as well compare Solovair with a sneaker because Far east DMs are not 'boots' in any cobbling definition of the word, they are high leather sneakers
Bought a pair of 1460 Docs, they had to change it within a few weeks, the second one had have a new sole and died in less than 3 years. Bought a pair of Derby Solovairs and they will be 4 years old in a few months. No issues. Price difference was £30…
I agree, after sitting back and editing this video. I couldn’t help but think damn these Solovair look soooo good! So I just ordered a size 8.5 and 8 hopefully one of them fit me perfectly! Thanks for watching!
The English craftsmanship alone is worth the price tag. $271 for boots that will easily last you 10 years, vs $196 for asian made DMs that will likely fall apart at seems after 2 years.
I got the Solovair 8-Eye Derby boot for 6 month now. I have to say that the price difference to the DMs starts with the way better quality. The Solovairs are made with an old traditional shoemaking craftmanship. The shoe is able to fit to your specific footshape over a long time of wearing, so they get more and more comfy over the time. The Seconds Thing is the way the insole is made. The solovairs got a classic hard leather insole that gets the shape of exact your footprint over the time. When i feel with my hand inside the boot, there is my personal footbed now. DMs Just don't have it, it's a simple artifical leather insole that does nothing exept getting broken to fast. My wife and my oldest daughter got DMs and the Long Time quality is a joke. For me there is no question for the price difference. The price for solovairs is absolutely honest. They're Made in England and the way they're made on these old, heavy machines says everything. I got no information about the long time quality of the solovairs. But for me it's absolutely clear that they last for many, many years.
Solovair definitely has a lot of pros, half sizes, new soles available via the website, QC is a little better, customer service is better… but for me living in the states the convenience of walking into a store and buying a boot and trying it on vs ordering and hoping that it fits is one major advantage of DM. My pair of 1460 has lasted over 8-9 years at this point and I would happily buy another pair of DM. Having a brand new pair of Solovair and DM in hand, the differences in my non professional opinion is marginal but not mind blowing. I intend to purchase a pair of Solovair when my DMs finally die. Solovair are better but some people make it seem like Solovair is God tier and DM is trash which really isn’t the case in my experience.
@KRTLyfe it depends on whether the DMs are English made (ok quality) or far east made (on the whole, pretty awful). Pre 1995 Docs were very well made boots, properly shanked, repairable, they were designed for work wear and they delivered. Post 1995 DM moved production to the far east, in the mid 00s they cost engineered and removed the shank, midsole and dropped the quality of the leather. These remove the value of the Doc as a 'boot' (no shank=no boot) and instead turned them into sneakers. Very comfortable for light use, little or no break in vs actual boots (eg Iron Rangers) but hopeless for hard work or walking 10 miles plus day in, also the ones I issued to my employees in 2012 fell apart within 8 months. (Gas refinery engineers) AND those were the 'safety' standard ones. Old Docs NEVER did that. If you are buying Docs for light wear, as you would wear sneakers then there is nothing wrong with them. If you need boots for walking, working on your feet, hard working, day in day out... buy something else like Solovair. Rose Anvil chops up a pair of Docs and a pair of Solovair... it's eye opening. Also, price point you need to compare Solovair vs DM English made not DM Far East. Solovair are cheaper than English made Docs.
@@HarryFlashmanVC The whole Thing with DM's and Solovair is just funny. You get some great England made, long lasting quality boots for just the same price like this asia crap Dr. Martens. I got some Solovair 8-eye Boots for a year now and i love this timeless quality you can enjoy for so many years that come. And the more you wear them, the better and more comfy they get. My wife and my daughter got some Asia DM's and the quality is a joke for this price. I Always recommend to try a pair of solovairs the next time, but DM's are "cooler"
I was under the impression that Solovair boots were Good Year Welted and can be resoled, whereas Dr. Martens are glued and cannot be resoled. That's where the real $75 difference is.
From all the research I did I’ve found that both can be resoled. I’m not a cobbler but it seems easier to get replacement soles and perform the surgery on Solovair boots. I have found cobblers that can resole docs unfortunately none in my area. I’ll link this video of a cobbler performing the surgery. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-y3aVRW0dSCY.html
I have 11 eye high shine and 8 eye greasy for almost a year now and theyre dope. Theyre tough. Ive purposely tried to get them a little beat up and its hard and I live in nyc lol. I dont think Docs would have lasted this long with me.
Nice review and thank you. 🙂 The solovair leather does seem better. I would love to see another review of these 2 boots. Perhaps after a month or so of wearing them etc, the differences. You seem to give a good honest opinion and the comparison of the 2 in the future would be great. 👍🙂
Thank you! I would love to be able to do that for everyone but I am trying to downsize my wardrobe and collecting boots for RU-vid reviews gets expensive! I am a unsponsored channel, so I don’t have the disposable revenue of sponsored channels.
Red Pilling Doc Martens wearers... So, I'm a UK based blasting engineer in my 50s. From 1985 to 1995 I wore Docs pretty much all the time, comfortable, tough, affordable, repairable. 1995 to 2010 I was desk bound so it was shoes and Chelsea boots. 2010 Set up a blasting business, back in the field. Bought 4 pairs Docs, 1 pair Chelsea, 1 pair steel Chelsea, 1 pair laced I pair steel laced. Within 12 months all had fallen to bits, furthermore I had serious lower back and knee issues. Went to see my physio who diagnosed poor footwear. Switched to Solovair... Like wearing the old Docs as they once were. The biggest problem with Docs is they no longer have a shank. Shanks are essential in boots because they give the stiffness and support needed. A boot without a shank is a trainer (sneaker to you Americans). Boots like Iron Rangers use steel Shanks, Solovairs use hard wood (oak or ash), other companies use fibreboards or GRP etc. Whatever you use, no shank=no boot.... Modern Docs.. fashion items Solovairs = boots
Had this pair for a few years, been to many a festival and big night out and not a single scrape on them pure quality. Mine fit like a glove with thick socks on
The biggest difference is in the quality of the leather and the soles (they are resoleable!). Solovair boots are thicker and the leather is of a much higher quality (tighter grain structure), according to Rose Anvils testing. They cut both boots in half and showed that internal components of the Solovair midsole have much better structure with a shank; the outsole is better welded and is more wear resistant with a more aggressive lugs. Even that glossy coating of Solovair is better and is more "high shine" while the Docs look more like a "medium shine" in comparison. Solovair are worth extra money in every way. Solovair having replacement soles easily available is what made me get mine. So they'll last way longer than Docs ever will. I don't imagine I'll buy Docs again
Yeah, at the end of the day it boils down to what variables matter to you. When I compared these two boots they both had pros and cons. When I did more research on the leather failures. Both companies had numerous reported problems with leather on Reddit etc. Even though I like the look of the Solovair better, the way the tongue is designed was a deal breaker for me. It literally will route water into the boot instead of around the boot, and it was impossible to keep the tongue straight.
The thinner ankle area is key for me because it’s easier to lace up and tighten the laces giving a better fit with the Solovair. However that extra area on the Doc 1490 could be better for thicker socks in winter.
I think for a fair apples to apples comparison you should have reviewed a made in england Dr Martens boot vs a Solovair Derby boot, not the astronaut boot. The astronaut boot is a more narrow last.
That extra $75 is going to the local, and traditioned craftsmanship from actual persons in the UK. So one has to ask themselves: Should I proudly wear something made by labor that is compensated fairly, by people that live in actual houses with nice kitchens, or should I wear a product that is made in a sweatshop by persons that live in tin roof structures surviving on soup?
I wish the picture you paint was that simple. Unfortunately international trade is far more complicated for many reasons, the historical impact of colonialism being one.
I do agree with you in a sense. I wish we could go back to products being 100 percent made in country from a raw material level to a finished product. We would probably have way fewer wars, but good luck getting tires if your country can’t grow rubber trees lol.
Well, but what if you think about this this way: "Would I prefer to provide a living for people that can barely eat while leaving without a roof, or buy something from a British worker that is being paid £20 per hour to do that + many possible benefits from the government?" This discussion is much larger than it appears, and even though you may say they are not compensated fairly (base on our standards), they are compensated fairly compared to their own standards (and that is actually very good for their economy)
Only thing I can say is that docs aren't durable shoes... I had 1490 and loved them. Had to get them refunded after 9 months. (I got a new pair) Now my second pair seems to meet a similar fate: The paint flakes and the leather below starts to tear in the regions where they bend when walking. (and yes, they are only coated with paint and not drenched). They will likely have a hole in half a year... And I was very very careful when beaking them in. Always used shoe cream every other month and stuff. It's perhaps because of the massive demand for docs right now. I was watching, because I was considering getting solovairs. So nice Video, helped me out a lot ^^
I’m glad you found this video useful. So when I was looking into these boots it seemed that most complaints with DM and Solovair are linked to the smooth corrected leather. Based on this IMHO as long as you avoid the corrected leather you should be good with either. I like that Solovair has half sizes , more styles and amazing customer service. DM is a bit more affordable in the US and readily available so it’s a catch 22. Pick your poison wisely!
One thing to keep in mind is that once you put creases in coated leather it becomes water permeable and the oils begin to dry out. I find that if I condition the creased areas the coating will still crack but the leather will not.
The Solovair is the better boot and you'll see that when the DM falls apart. You need to research the NPS (Solvair) history and then you might understand
I do not pretend or advertise to be a expert in this matter, however I have been wearing shoes for a few years. I’ve watched all the RU-vid videos and read the Reddit threads pertaining to NPS VS DM. IMHO based on the pros and cons of the models I discussed, I do not think the almost 30 percent difference is worth it. Unless you are a person like me and value design or marginal material differences. I have a pair of 1460s made in Asia that are well over 7 years old and they are still going strong. So IMHO it is more of a game of pick your poison versus this shoe is way better than this shoe.
Hi, just a quick comment and not sure if anyone has said this but Solovair boots/shoes are made in the original Dr Marten factory in England. The Dr Marten brand was sold and hence they're all made in Bangladesh... The NPS Solovair factory is basically make an authentic original Dr Marten boot in terms of the original quality imo.
Wasn’t really going for fair comparison, was comparing two boots that I was interested in buying. All of my reviews are paid out of pocket, no big corporate sponsorships here. I also like the Astronaut boot but the tongue is a deal breaker for me.
I'm in the same boat as you on the size - looking at the astronaut boots, I found a size guide and it says I'm a size 8 uk in the astronaut boot (and I wear size 12 US in sneakers, lol). Debating whether I should really go to that size or try an 8.5 - just thinking about if the Solovairs would loosen up as they break in over time. Thanks for the video
Unfortunately I wont be able to because I returned both of these shoes, I found something much better that I am currently testing and will make a video about in the coming weeks. Thank you for watching commenting and subscribing!
There is a saying in heared longer ago that ment: sometimes expensive things can be much cheaper than cheap things. A cheap thing that last one year is more exensive at the end, than an expensive thing that last ten years. Also in gemany there is a saying: If you buy cheap, you'll buy twice.
A fairer comparison would have been the Made in England Dr Marten, that would have levelled up the price difference a lot, however, over here in the UK, I don't think DM do an English made 1490 today, inly 1460. That said, trust me, if you come back after 6months of equal wearing, you'll be telling us that you'll never buy an Asian made DM again, because they're not even worth the 196usd you paid. The corrected grain cheaper leather will be splitting and cracking, the shankless soles collapsing, and the heel badly worn out! Solovair rule, still made in the NPS factory in England where DM started before they decided to put profit way before quality and slash their production costs by being inconsistently made all over Asia.
Yeah I searched far and wide for a reasonably priced pair of Made In England 1490s. Couldn’t find one they are beat to death or $$$. I have a pair of 1460s made in Asia over 7 years old and they haven’t fallen apart at all. I water tested them recently and they are still very much water resistant. Isn’t the Solovair high shine a corrected leather as well? I’ve seen on reddit and the Solovair website reviews stating that the high shine models crack. I’m not certain that every human needs a shank everyone’s biomechanics are different. I personally do not need a shank for certain. I did have my first bad experience with DM this weekend. I tried on 3 pairs of 1490s in the DM store and they all fit slightly different specifically in the vamp area. They also fully glued in the insoles on some of them and partially on others! SMH I do agree QC at DM isn’t what it used to be but I still don’t think for most consumers the extra $75 dollars is worth it. Unless you prefer the Solovair aesthetics.
@@KRTLyfe The Price difference is more substantial your side of the pond unfortunately too, there's probably only 20 to 30 pound in it between made in england DM and Solovair Derby's here in the UK, on occasions the Solovair have been less! Yes the hi-shine Solovairs are corrected grain, but here in the uk the DM's seem to suffer much quicker and far worse for heavy cracking. Solovair aren't entirely strangers to it , but their aftersales customer service is also on a different level to DM, they will do what they can to keep us happy, and that's worth a few quid!
I've been told that the Made in England Docs are only really assembled in the UK, and the parts (specifically the leather) is the same relatively low quality stuff that is in the standard range, so you're only really paying for the increased wages and a slimmer chance of a factory flaw.
Solovair used to make Doc Martin, there's no comparison nowadays Solovair are different league quality wise, I've been to the factory, everything they do is top quality
You might have been to the factory but I’ve seen the final product after QC and it was only marginally better than DM, more so each had pros and cons. I think it’s a massive stretch of the imagination to say Solovair is in a different league, but to each their own.
I,ve been the owner of many doc martens, and the first problem with the 1460 or 1490 is that the toe of this boosts have been change from the old models, the old ones were much sharp and pretty. On the other hand, doc martens stoped the half sizes, and for me is an important problem. Doc Martens must consider to start creating a new 1490 and 1460 with the toe style from their 101 suede boots (this was the original style of the boots without iron toe). On the other hand, Solovair Astronaut boots have better desing, better leather and better finish.
Yeah but they don’t have a gusset, and the way the tongue meets toe box is stitched on the Solovair water runs directly into the toe box. So if you get caught in a down pour wearing these your feet will for sure get wet.
@@KRTLyfe thing is got both the brown and black version (Chelsea that is).Totally different. Black is more snug and the brown is so roomy. But really love the dr Martens. Stylish. Keep the channel going btw. Great vid’s as always.
I think for men Solivar is better not only in quality, but they also offer more zip versions of their boots in 8,11,14, 20 holes and in mens larger sizes.
If the price is that close I would definitely go with tthe Solovair! Here in the states the Solovair Customer service is much better! The Astronaut Boot looks much better and the materials are slightly better. For an extra 20 pounds that’s a no brainer!
im debating burgundy rub off, oxblood, or the cherry red!! I have a random pair of dr marten boots in black that are still kicking, a purple pair of solovairs, & an oxblood gripfast boot… still deciding on what color to get 😩
The Solovair has the much better sole construction. You will have your own footprint on the inside over time. Also thermal insulation to the ground is much better due to the felt material under the lasting board. Modern DMs are junk and lost nearly everything they build their reputation onto. I’ve had 80s and 90s Docs, also the 1st run of MIEs and Thai ones. Go Solovair if you don’t need the yellow stitching.
Solovair wins for me. I have extremely narrow, feet in all over diameter, but they are long and I find that Dr. Martens have a too heavy coated finish for me
Got my Solovair derby 8,and the top box look so bulky, almost like a clown shoes. The model you have here is slimmer and slicker, is it worth to change them? Or my derby 8 will get slimmer with wear?
Better, but only marginally better. They have better customer service half sizes and replacement soles. The downside is they aren’t available in stores in my region, shipping costs and from what I found they have similar leather issues to DM. IMHO it’s pick your poison. They both have pros and cons.
The Solovair are better but with the price difference between the models I looked at I’m not certain that they are that much better. IMHO at that price point I would start looking at other options… which I did. I found something that IMHO is better than both and cost less. I have a VLog coming up soon about this boot.
It’s not a debate, and if you know about shoe construction, it’s not even close. Not remotely. Docs aren’t even at the quality of target shoes. Solovair is what docs were when they were good.
The AirSole, to me, is the most comfortable feeling when I ride a motorcycle. As you come to a complete stop and need to plant your feet on the pavement, Dr. Martens are soft, spongy, bouncy, and grip well. That being said, overall, it's not a great boot. The Bontex insole is not very good. The uppers are corrected grain, with a painted top coat. Who does that? It's not tanned and dyed leather. They paint the color on top. Overall, Dr. Martens are not the best shoe that you can buy. Nor is it the worst. My personal feeling is that they are good enough for things like motorcycle rides, and wearing all day long. All of the Dr. Martens I've owned have lasted over 10 years. Other shoes in a similar price range will offer a better grade of leather, a leather insole, a leather Goodyear welt, a leather midsole, Vibram or Dainite soles, etc. It's up to you to decide what is worth your money.
DM QC is definitely lacking for sure and their customer service isn’t as good as Solovair but for people in my region DM are easily available and my pair has lasted me over 8 years. So yeah Solovair might be slightly better but it’s not so black and white in my opinion.
I love my Martens 1460, it started off my journey, but to be honest, they are nowhere near the Solovair quality, not even the made in England ones. The Asian made docs have such a crap insole that gets compressed after 100 miles, and they will never be that same, similar crap in the made in England docs. Solovair will serve you for decades, they are that quality, and have my own 11 eye astronaut. Night and day, even from made in England docs. The mentioned things cannot be seen, just feels or look up some videos where docs are cut in half, and two shoes compared. Also docs easily develop scuffs, even if oiled from inside out.
