This is a comparison video I made of the Dr. Martens Original and the Vintage (Made in England) 1460 and 1490 boots. Thanks for watching and please subscribe to my new channel!
I'm not the video dude obviously, but I'll say this much. Mine are still good, only thing being that the sole's are worn out flat. I walk a LOT though and wear them all-year around. To their credit, my MIE docs are 4 years old and still kickin ass, whereas my 2 year old pairs of Solovairs .....two bloody pairs, both had the soles detaching from the boot in the inner middle section. I did a diy fix to them with my soldering iron (the cobbler kept gluing them up....DOES NOT WORK)....so now they're kinda okay, but who knows for how long.
Well I had mine for three years about now, the leather cracked a little but not bad for it bein 3 years the soles are about to be worn out. I switched to solovairs and the soles lasted way longer in a year then the mie docs did, I like the classic look of docs but solovairs has the structure of the docs from the 80’s
I have a pair I bought in early 90's, made in England and the inside leather is black. They are broken in well, and still look almost as good as the day I bought them. Have since bought several made in China pairs, and they do not even come close to this cherished vintage 90's pair in quality or comfort.
Excellent video that convinced me to go out and get my own MIE pair after being tired of modern original docs turning to shit after less than a year of working in em. So far I love them and glad I shelled out the extra money. Fits my feet perfectly and though the leather is much more raw and thicker and hell to break in, at least I'll look good while doing so.
A couple of things i noticed upon a much closer look is : 1) the insoles, the mie ones are hard and cant be taken out while the Asian ones you are able to take out. Maybe a concern with some people, but after prolonged wear the hard insole moulds to your foot shape. Almost creating a personalized bed for your foot. 2) I've also noticed the stitching of the Mie docs are not only yellow but the overlap of the stitching is on the outside vs the asian docs overlap on the inside. It may be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I have a pair of vintage docs made about 10 years ago and the overlap
Great comparison video, Eric. I recently got back into wearing Docs after not having them in my life for 20+ years. Wish I would've kept my old ones but hey - alot of careful internet scouring and I'm back in business with two pairs now. One pair are black *vintage* made in England and the other are Original's, which I'm currently waiting for in the mail - both pair are pre-loved, great shape and I lucked out with relatively decent prices. Again, great video....you have a cool sense of style and both you and your girlfriend have great taste in shoes🤘🏽✌🏽
Great video. I have a pair of the vintage 1460 oxbloods on their way to me in the mail. This vid helped me out a lot and may I say you have the most excellent beard Sir.
Thanks a lot! Very informative, I was wondering why my DM's originals were kind of biggish. And I know my size is 6 uk, but these just seemed bigger. I though my feet has shrunk until I saw this... lol. Thank you once again mate.
Thanks for this! I want the 1490s Vintage and I found a pair direct from UK that is much cheaper than Amazon, but they are the newer models, yet are called Vintage and carry all the same attributes of the newer model and have an imprinted Dr. Martens "logo" at the top of the boot.
Thanks so much for this. I just bought a pair of supposedly late 90s DMs from eBay. I trust the seller b/c it's a charity auction (ebay verified), but I still wanted to know what I need to watch out for when they arrive in a week or so
I know it’s three years later but I bought my made in England dr martens and on the inside where the double loop stitch is. At the end of the stitch it sticks up, but my dad said don’t worry about it since they are hand made and since it is the end of a stitch.
Good video! I was considering getting my 3rd pair of Docs from the vintage line but was kind of bummed because they start at a UK Size 4 and I'm a size 3. I went with the original 1460 instead in black. My other 2 pairs are the cherry red arcadia and the Portland Rose 1460s. It's good to see that the differences aren't that extreme so I don't feel so bad about not being able to buy the vintage boots.
Hey great review, I spent the day in a Doc Martens store today, trying on a pair of three hole shoes, I could not decide if I should take the advice and go one size larger or one size smaller so finally I went smaller. I have now worn them for half the day and my feet are hurting like crazy, will they stretch in length even a little or is that a really stupid question? Please help as I have only worn them in the house and should have no issue returning them
Hi Eric, thanks for the video, appreciate the info. I have a pair of the 1490 originals, and have been considering getting the vintage. I have a couple of questions. Firstly, I've read that the MIE are constructed using the 57 Last, while the Originals are constructed with the Comfort Last. The 57 Last is suppose to shape the show to the same as the original, which is more straight and slimmer towards the toe, while the Comfort Last is suppose to provide more room in the toe box, which means a slight wider and rounder toe box. Now, being that I have small feet, I got the women's 1490 which is suppose to be narrower, and I'm guessing similar to your girlfriend's? Do you see any significant difference in shape to the toe box of your 2 boot? Having had docs since the 90s I know the leather tends to spread after breaking in, so I'm wonder if you see differences in shape after the breaking in period? Also, have you had any issues with the blacks scuffing up on the vintage to reveal the raw leather under it? I've heard some people having this issue, but would like your input. My old 90s docs had black leather interiors under the lining, so when I scuffed them up, you wouldn't notice that much, and it just added a worn character to the boots, but I'd be concerned with how noticeable large raw brown leather scratches would be on a shinny black boot. It almost makes me think that Dr Martens left the raw leather in the vintage to have more aesthetic seperation from the originals so that they could more easily and clearly justify the cost markup.
I have a pair from before the doc marten craze began and they have no scuffs on them. Took forever to break in. I got a new pair a few months ago and they already have some deep scuffs. They also didn't take very long to break in.
Eric Munson so I have a little question, you wear size 9 in the UK boots but you ordered 8 and they fit you right, isn't it ? Is because you said the originals runs a little bigger than the UKss, I wear size 7 USA (38) Europe and I want to order a pair of Dr martens vintage, which will fit me better? The 7 USA or the 6 USA ? Thank you very much.
Would you happen to know if there's a certain paint type you can use to paint the raw leather on the vintage ones? Specifically the tongue area. I'm a first time Doc buyer so I'm still debating whether to get the vintage or just originals.
I have been wearing docs since 1988 and I know a lot about them. I do agree with you on one thing. Docs do have shitty laces. But you forgot one important thing Eric, on the yellow good year stitch the ones made in England start their stitch on the outside of the sole and the original ( made in China) ones start their stitch on the inside of the sole. Dead giveaway I could spot the difference by looking at them on someone walking down the street.also the price difference between the price on the original and made in England is only about 30 to 40 dollars more. And it's all because of the labor, they have to pay the Englishman more than the chinaman ,quality has nothing to do with it. For the guy that posted that his made in China fell apart in a year? I don't believe that at all. R Griggs co. Is very strict on the quality of their product and will never let a low quality product leave the factory. So I think he probably got fucked and bought imitation docs!!
maligno1000 I have a pair of classics and had to return them in 2 months from purchase as the leather on one boot had split and cracked in the toe area while the other boot was perfect, shop was shocked and replaced them immediately. Mad thing is I’d treated them exactly the same way as any other doc boot I bought in the past
maligno1000 my originals fell apart in a year and I got them at the doc martens store...but I'm sure its only becacause they were my first pair and I didnt know what I was doing ...
I am from England and used to wear Docs a lot in the 80s. I think they are less popular here now than overseas. I wish I'd kept a few pairs! Nice video btw.
Holy shit I've never seen such a heated comment section over a pair of boots before... Anyway- good video and don't stop rocking Docs because of these keyboard warriors ;p
Hi! loved your video! i bought some Docs today and i am trying learn about them. the problem is that mine say both 'the original' and ' made in England' what does that mean? the insides are raw and the edges. the bottoms look like the made in england one. but im so confused.
Well done comparison review, those vintage soles are the same as original except they are given a dark spray job, shows you on their official videos on here. Thanks
Actually, all the pre-2003 MIE Dr Martens boots have very dark outsole, which looks a bit like peanut butter in colour and the pull tag for the boots was exactly the same as the one in today's DM boots made overseas. After 2003, when Dr Martens started to re-produce its shoes and boots in England again, it has used a golden pull tag for its boots and outsoles that come in various colours to make its post-2003 MIE shoes and boots more distinctive from the overseas ones.
Thank you so much for this video! It really does help me decide which kind of Dr. Martens boot I should buy. Right now I'm thinking between the Original 1490 and the Vintage 1490. I love how the Vintage style looks being less plastic-like. And I have a question. Did yours fit comfortably without any problems?
No problem! glad i could help. for the most part they fit pretty well. Like I said they're very stiff to begin with so thats always a pain to get through. But if you get some leather conditioner like Dr. Martens Wonder Balsam it really helps soften the leather. you'll always want to wear them with thick socks too. That will save your feet from a lot of blistering.
Hi there eric! Would the normal shoe size is still the same with the vintage? Coz im planning to buy online. My size is US 6.5. Thanks in advance for your reply. Cheers!
Eric Munson I tried on the Original 9 US/ 8 UK and the 9US was tight but manageable but the 10US was to big. I want the Vintage but I'm unsure on the best fit. Do you think the 10UK will be a little more snug? Does it get really loose when it break-in? Thanks for any help.
Altama (black) (Made In USA) basic issue Army Combat Boot issued from 1991 -2003 with speed laces, is the best black combat style boot to ever be released when resoled with a Vibraim (hiking boot style sole). Break in time is about 2 to 3 weeks, but once they break in, they fit like none other and look like none other.
what's the deal with the sizing on the vintage MIE? i wear an 11 in normal shoes like nike and skate shoes and a 10-10.5 in timberland boots, what size would you say i am in the vintage MIE? i can't decide if i should go for 11 or 10s bc i know there are no half sizes, any help or suggestions would be appreciated if you have time.
I have a pair of the vintage MIE (you can get 10% off if you sign up to their newsletter) so around £150 and the China ones are around £100. But the MIE will last 3 times longer so best to buy vintage IMV and you can get them re-soled, as the Red Wings do, for around £40. Great to see Red Wing making in the USA and Docs in the UK. Helps support local jobs also. Yep, laces are rubbish, I don't know why they don't improve this as then it would be perfect!
I had couple pairs of ORIGINAL made in England ones back in mid 90's. i have some Thai ones on right now. I think the insole material was changed somewhere along the way. do the vintage and Thai insole material differ??!
I have a pair about 20 years old and they are 1460 originals but they also say made in england on the sole they still like new oh and im from England i must have bought these before they were even made in Thailand good video by the way....
Made in England ones just last a lot longer. I wear DMs for work not poncing around in...the originals lasted 10 months before the leather cracked and I had a gaping hole in the left boot...absolute shit. The originals are for fashion chicks to pose in and wear occasionally, the vintage are made to last, Goodyear welts, heavy duty thick leather only a few colour options..simple , classic and like the ones I wore in my childhood. wear them for years and they look cooler with age...cheap shoes and boots are always a false economy its always worth spending extra
Agreed! I’m still mad at myself for getting rid of the 1460’s and 1461’s i had in the 1990’s. But I have a couple MIE Vintage and I’m pretty impressed, even though the soles aren’t what they used to be.
From year 2004 Dr Martens as a brand making FAKE Dr.Martens boots on their factories (MIE not exception) ! This is very simple explanation and it is not a joke ! Quality of their leather and quality of their soles are worse than Primark shoes !Buy real Dr. Martens boots made in England before 2003 from eBay and they will serve you at least 20 years . And you will never see any holes in their leather and you will never see holes in their out-soles ! -PROBLEM SOLVED !
Hi I was wondering if you could clarify for me which ones run small and by how much. Im wearing womens 9 in the originals and theyre the correct size. However, I would like to purchase some made in england DMs soon. Thanks for the video!
how do they hold up from working? im a first aider and cut fire wood so i move around a lot and my boots get dirty. i found a pare of brown greasy dr martins in a salvation army for $20 and they have held up well for a while. how tough are the vintage boots? and can i replace the souls?
Are you sure you're in size 8UK and ordered 7UK in Dr. Martens? How is it fit? Ordered online, I have the same problem with you, hoping it fits when it arrives
Hi mate, just wanted to share with you some observations on my boots. I have 2 pairs of 1460s Originals - (Black and Arcadia Rogue). The Arcadias have the raw leather interior and the black has the coloured interior. Interestingly enough, my Vintage pair in Black has the painted interior, unlike yours which has the raw. The rest of your video is pretty spot on. Cheers.
I totally agree, Dr. Martens England made are more a durable and better quality. I have couple of pairs that are made from China, I don't like them at all. The size are 1.5 inches bigger.
The Chinese made ones always last me about 8 months at most, and that's with care (there's no care per se' for things like split soles or detaching soles and other weird issues like that)...went through about 3-4 pairs. I just got a pair of UK Vintage 1460's, and I can already tell they're made a lot better and will last longer.
Bought my first pair in '86 at Warbabies on Melrose (Hollywood). 14 eye steel-toe for $70. I used to shine them up to the point that you could see the reflection of the Sun on the ground, surrounding my feet! Yes, I still wear Docs. I always have AT LEAST four pairs. Daily boots, dress-up brogues, gig boots (steel-toe) and regular shoes (3 eye). The quality in the English ones is superior. A few years back I found 14 eye, green, English boots @ a thrift store for $15. That'll never happen again!
I have both a pair of Original 160 in black and Vintage 1460 in Oxblood. There is absolutely no comparison in my opinion. The vintage line are made so much better! Definitely way more comfortable too.
Hi! In the 90s my brother passed me a pair of dr.m. i used, lived, and luved it. I ve try a pair in a store and it s very different product. ( made in idon t know where etc..plastic leather...etc). Where i can find a 90s punk original dr.m boots?thank u!
Interesting point is how early boots incorporate elements from both of these style. Like my early pair of boots say "Made in England" and "The original" on the Bottom. They are all so not raw edged like the MIE boots and have stitching around the top (Like the newer made cheap boots).
Guys I need a bit of help, a while ago I got some Docs in London, they're made in England, 12 eye boots the sole says made in England, but is different than the one shown, they do have a Small union Jack tag on the side that say "DM's" (on yellow) and the stitching is white, red and blue. I've looked all over but I don't know much about the boots. Do you have any idea on the model? I've never seen a red, white and blue stitched Docs. thanks guys.
The best quality DM's are those made pre-2003. The quilon leather was so soft and supple, and it moved like a second skin. I prefer buying DM's from this era when they come up on ebay. The quilon leather being used today is terrible. I have about 25 pairs of DM's, both English and Asian made, and I definitely prefer Asian made DM's. Good video, by the way. Good to see someone who has actually taken the time to spot some of the real differences. One thing I'll add: I'm not sure if they apply the yellow stitching the same way, but the English DM's have tiny scuff marks in the rubber where the yellow stitching has been sewn in, whereas the Asian DM's don't.
tbh, the thai ones are so much more comfortable. paired with the soles these are sweet. my old pairs held up for at least 7 years each (both failed from the sole being worn flat). wear them daily, hopefully the slightly thinner leather holds up. 4 years and counting, only kiwi polish to keep them clean n shiney so far, lol.
That's the first time I've heard them referred to as either the 1460 or the 1490. They were 8 Ups or 10 Ups (in reference to the number of eyelets). The vintage 'Vintage' were dyed on the inside (circa '93-'94), but you can tell it's very high quality died leather (now it looks charcoal-think they always did). My 8 Ups got pinched 19 years ago (which is sacrilegious and hopefully ruined the thief's feet as they were well moulded to mine) and my 10 Ups are over 20 years old now (sh#t!). I suggest no one uses them as their gardening boots in the mud, thinking you've out grown them, especially without a clean and polish after and you wouldn't be left with much if you bought the 'Originals'. Guaranteed you'll want to wear them again in a decade and in two-an essential in any shoe collection (even if they were used to garden in the mud). Buy the 'Vintage', they'll pay for themselves over and over and then your kids will want them and they'll be worth a fortune (especially the oxbloods (not to be confused with the cherry reds)).
I have a pair of 20 eyelet british docs that i have owned for 20 years now. Made in England and still kicking ass in 2017. If you want to know, yes they are still just as shiny as the day I got them. You want to keep them looking good, ask a US marine how to shine your boots.
I've heard the Made in England ones don't come with yellow laces, do you think that's because the sole stitching won't match the laces they have with the other styles?
I bought a 2nd hand pair of Originals for £113. I was expecting them to be more like the vintage ones but the Leather is thinner. Feels plasticky and very smooth, the rest of it, the same description as your girlfriend’s pair. Was I over charged? I was worried they weren’t real leather cos of the way they feel, but your description is exactly the same as mine. Thanks.
That was an awesome review.I've noticed that some of them have the company engraving on the outer ankle area and some don't.But they're both authentic.Even on their website it shows no logo on the side.That's very confusing for me.Wish someone could explain that.
I downsized one size in original dr martens made in vietnam from my regular footwear (vans,converse) and they fit right now i want to purchase MIE horween ones but im im not sure if they run same as original asia made ones or is there a need to go size up from them?how was it in your experience
When I tried on Dr. Martens (I take size 10 U.S./9 U.K.) the 10's felt kind of tight, especially around the toes- the big toe especially! But my feet felt like they were swimming in size 11! Anyway, I bought a pair of Dr. Martens 'Made In England' Oxbloods (size 10 U.S./9 U.K.) a couple of weeks back, and they were tight, and of course- the new, tough, stiff and thicker leather on the M.I.E.'s can scrape the hell out of the back of your lower calves, back of your heels, etc., so I wore two pairs of fairly thick, high socks the first day. The second day was better, and I purposely pushed my toes inside the front of the boots as far as I could occasionally, in order to try and stretch the leather there. Now, I've gone down to one pair of thick socks, wearing them for a couple of hours or so, and they're getting much better, comfort-wise, and fit. At the moment, the 1460 'M.I.E.' Vintage are $269.99 here in Canada, which is a little over $200 U.S., but apparently these things could last a decade (or perhaps even two or more!), unless you work outside all the time or something! That makes their expense well worth it, if the Dr. Martens made elsewhere only last a couple of years or so!
Great review Eric. It would be informative if you could do another comparison at the year mark, so keep your girl friend happy. My personal experience is that the difference in leather between my 90's English made boots and my Chinese pair is considerable in terms of quality and durability. Your review confirmed that the Vintage line is a genuine product vs. a rebadged boot; thus worth the extra $$$.
