@@goldcd I'm sure someone at DM and Solovair must watch these videos. C'mon guys , we challenge you to make a set of mini-boots for the Rose Anvil moggy!
I don't think many people appreciate just how geographically close Solovair and DM are. Literally a 2 minute walk from one business to the other. Glad to see that NPS Shoes is getting the coverage they deserve.
Hey! Thanks for the shoutout, greatly appreciated! Really interesting to see how those Solovairs are put together, I am a big believer in shanks so glad that they are built with one, even if it is just wood. I had heard the heel counter was leather underneath the cloth covering but clearly not! Your channel is great and growing quickly, well deserved; good content and good presentation! Best regards, Chris
I love how young cut them in half to see how they are made. Boot manufacturers have done some some really sneaky cost cutting stuff recently. Its nice to see what they are up to.
I'm pretty sure he doesn't like anything. His voice is telling a lot about his personality. He likes to complain a lot, he is annoyed of everything and really judgemental.
Thanks for explaining the differences between DM’s and Solovair’s, in this great video.Back in 1973, I got my first pair of DM’s second hand from a school mate ,who was a full blown “skin/suede head”-sub culture movement of the late 60’s and early 70’s ,here in the U.K. He told me he was buying a pair of Solovair’s ,as any self respecting skin head would only be seen in a pair of Solovair’s ,and as such, they were considered an upgrade on the D M’s.Yeah,so now I know why Solovair’s are referred to as the “real” Dr Martens. By the way,I paid 75 pence for the boots- about £7 in today’s money. To be fair,my mate had sprayed the boots three different colours,which gave them a highly unique appearance!! Happy days.
Solovair made a post on their Instagram with the following info on the WOODEN SHANK. "Here are some facts: * Our shanks are made from sustainable Beechwood. Their curved engineered shape flexes to support the foot arch whilst walking. * The shank is not easily breakable. You're more likely to break your foot before you damage the internal shank if you tried. (Of course, cutting a shank in half weakens it making it easily breakable as seen in the RU-vid review). * The grey or white (sustainably sourced) felt mid-sole where the shank sits supports the insole, provides cushioning and insulation."
I don't think the shank would be that strong, maybe working together with the sole it adds some reinforcement but by itself without being "weakened" it should still be pretty easy to break since what matters when it comes to wood is the thickness and the fiber direction and that doesn't actually changes in that piece even if you cut through it, still a wooden shank is better than nothing I guess.
I will take a wood shank over no shank any day though ha ha I was really impressed that they reached out and addressed some concerns with their product. Most companies wouldn't do that.
P Suemor I agree, as long as it doesn’t break of course. If it breaks, I feel the shank could move around, making the boot uncomfortable . This came to mind also, but probably highly unlikely? If walking on rough terrain causing the boot to flex a lot, the shank could shift around and poke through the boot. But idk, probably highly unlikely?
Most automakers get their leather from same source, even Mercedes uses the same cheap leather unless you're buying a amg or a maybach and most is not leather it's a combination of leather and vinyl. Ford For a while was using real leather in their seats on the King ranch f-150. But if you go to katskins the website that sells leather for interiors, you can find the leather for your car and for cheap. The leather in the affordable range of Audi's, Mercedes, and bmw is the same leather you'll find in a Honda Accord, a modern Honda, Chevy, Toyota etc has as much if not more technology and luxury than the affordable line of euro luxury cars.
after a decade of wear, my docs are on death's door and the new ones (even the MIE) are just so disappointingly bad. but now that you and DevonReviewer finished your respective comparisons/reviews, i feel confident in making the switch to Solovair, so thank you!! and i'd love to see a pair of Danner hiking boots cut in half (either the Danner Light or the Mountain Light - or both?).
irajaxon ....I wore Docs for years too....then I discovered R.M. Williams Dynamic Flex Craftsman and they’re really nice boots....I have both Chestnut and Black pairs...still have my Docs but yep...these new boots, great....
Nice that you gave Devon a shout out. He reached the same conclusion as you, in terms of finding out the quality, though you took it a step further by doing a proper autopsy on the boots.
i bought a pair of captain from thursday boots a couple months ago. i won't say they're luxury but definitely a nice pair of boots. the trenton and heath video was great but it never harm to have another person doing a review on the same product
Yea, I was almost tempted, but after years of buying stuff from china, and countless "THIS IS GENUINE PRODUCT!" that are obvious lies... It would be $30 wasted dollars, for sure.
My bros and I all had multiple pairs of Docs from late 80's and by the time we gave them away in the a decade later just because they went out of style, all of them were still in superb shape. When I looked at buying them again recently, there is no way I'd pay the current ridiculous prices for the shitty quality.
@@Benzyl Nope. DM's used to be really tough. They were originally made for industrial/work use after ww2. I have a pair that are over THIRTY years old ,from the eighties and no, they aren't wearable now but i promise you the materials and the construction are far better than the over priced fashionista crap they make now.
@@thewomble1509 I wore them from the mid eighties as well and they always fell apart in a variety of predictable ways, certainly the new ones seem to be worse but the old ones were far from being paragons of indestructible virtue.
@@thewomble1509 The guy from a few weeks back that claimed his were in mint condition after wearing them for thirty years was close enough. I get bored with people fantasizing about the fantastic quality of old DMs when my lived experience of them over a number of decades was hugely unimpressive.
I'm so glad to see in newer videos that this guy invested in a bandsaw, as seeing him trying to cut through thick leather and rubber with a knife was making a lot of work... not to mention bloody dangerous if he slipped.
I bought some made in England docs about 10 months ago. I used them as work boots and wore them everyday. They ended up ripping in the back and after contacting their customer service they replaced them free of charge. I wore them until the leather developed a hole towards the front. I bought Solovairs a few weeks ago and i'm pretty happy with them so far. I like that the leather is dyed all the way through. I found that the doc martens looked kind of nasty with the brown leather coming up through the scratches. Time will tell with how the Solovairs hold up though.
I have had this exact same experience with my docs. Im on my 2nd pair and they have desintigrated after only 3 months. Im going to send them back and get a refund and a pair of solovairs, how are yours holding up so i know if this is a good idea?
I once did some art for a couple of Doc Martens releases a few years back and when I was photographing the boot samples I was sent for reference my cat would think I was giving more attention to the boots than him so I have 100's of photos of him "helping" with the photoshoot. So I have a little chuckle each time Toaster gets up to help you out.
I have both models. My Solovair have "commando" soles which are thicker. I've be wearing them for 4 years and the soles are still in very good condition. My DM's are more recent but my guess is the soles might wear out faster. Otherwise, both models are very comfortable and easy to break in. It's true that the yellow stiching adds an iconic touch to the DMs, but some retail stores still have old Solovairs in stock, with yellow instead of white or grey stiching. Made in England is pricy but the quality is good, and once you're used to bouncing soles you don't want to go back to any other kind of soles, like Grinders or Redwings for example.
I like the quality of the solovair boots but I am a sucker for the looks of docs. I love the yellow stitching. I would ideally love to own both, a pair of black docs made in England and those oxblood solovairs look great.
Actually I think the Docs are very hype boots and almost everyone has them, while the Solovair boots are rare and made with best quality. In my opinion, Solovair boots are more interesting.
I found Solovair shoes 4years ago and have bought a pair for every birthday for myself and my wife. They are the only shoe I wear and only shoe I recommend to anyone that wants these type of shoes. I have a pair for winter, hiking, summer, and just everyday. I have not had any issue with any of the shoes ever and they wear so well with very minimal maintenance. Highly highly recommend.
All hail Toaster! We love him. Also, excellent video covering Solovair. I was just watching "Devon Reviewer"'s latest video on his comparison of DMs vs Solovair.
Allen Edmonds is a heritage brand with purportedly great quality leather and construction that lasts for decades. it would be very interesting to see if they live up to the hype for the price. ALLEN EDMONDS!!!!! Higgins Mill style. They retail for $400 but routinely go on sale for $300.
Love to see Blundstone next. Blundstone has a very similar story to Dr. Martens. Working class boot (of Australia instead of England) that purportedly sacrificed quality for profits when switching to overseas production.
Not sure if anyone posted this yet but Solovair outsoles are used by British Timpsons the cobblers to resole Dr Martens. I had it done for £40 and I think the quility and durability is better than the original Dr Martens ones.
Thank you for doing the Solovair!!! I'd definitely be interested if/when you do a video about why shank vs no shank for heeled shoes and shank material/quality. I'd also like to put the John Fluevog's Blake up for vote - it's $300
Your vid popped up in my recommended a few weeks back and I’m so glad I clicked. I don’t wear boots and don’t do leather craft, but you are very entertaining to watch. And that rexxie boy is the best!
Great little vid again. What i can add is we had a repair team in the factory and stripping down the sole and welt was an easy job. Like you show, the yellow welt is not bomb proof but lucky at the time i worked for DM the repair side of things were great. We fitted a new sole Plus inserts and new welt onto the original upper no problem. Hows that for service!. You are bang on with the info about sister factories. Solovair, all those vintage DMs around the world most likely came from them. Original made.
Somehow stumbled onto your channels and just continuously watch you tear apart some good looking, expensive boots... Great content! I’m gonna sub so I don’t miss out! Thanks!
Part of me really wants to see the insides on an rm williams boot, but another (perhaps bigger part) really doesn't want a pair of rm's to get torn apart
Interesting video. I have a pair of the Solovair 'Premium' 6 eye Derby boots which I believe has a different construction to the other boots Solovair makes. It would be interesting to see a video on those too.
I wanted to thank you for introducing me to Solovair via the comparison video. I like my Dr Martens, but the style options on Solovair fill the gaps the Dr Martens doesn't make (like dress Chelsea boots, etc).
These videos are great. I have worn Thorogood work boots for years and would love to see them cut in half and the quality compared to others you have done.
The new soles on thorogood are terrible, i bought 2 pairs wire them for 6 months, gained plantar fasciitis and moved on to danner bull run"s. Much more comfortable for all day on the job use.
I think since Allen Edmonds is a holy grail for some men, including other shoe-oriented you-tubers, they would be interesting to dissect. I really liked this video. If I decide on boots, I would get the Solovair rather than the MIE Docs. My only concern with either is if they run wide enough, as I wear many zero-drop minimal wide shoes and would not like crunched toes.
I've been wearing Dr. Martens 1460s and 1461s since 1994 when I was in junior high. Typically, I get 6-7 years out of a pair of shoes and boots and after seeing this video I bought my first pair of Solovair 1460s in Crazy horse. As a made in England enthusiast that only buys MIE Dr. Martens, I have to say these boots are really nice. The leather is definitely thicker and the soul is definitely more dense and hard. I am excited to give these a try over 2023 and see how they go. The fact that they are $70.00 cheaper is a huge plus. I am sure like so many I had never heard of Solovair but your video introduced me to them and I am excited to report back how I like them. Thanks for the video!
I’ve been wearing DM safety shoes and boots for ~20 yrs. I’ve got wide feet, so on average DM’s toe box is a little wider than comparable solovairs, so for me the fit is nicer on DMs. That’s my $.02. But also, on average the leather and overall build quality has been better on solovairs than basically identical DM shoes and boots. I just wish wider foot patterns were more available for solovair boots/shoes in the US. Also, I prefer the standout yellow stitching on DM over the silver, tighter “flair” goodyear outer stitch on the solovairs.
I guess Steelies could be a different situation (and one I'm unfamiliar with) but your comment about toe box size flies in the face of everything I've heard and experienced. Everyone but you says Solovair is more generous in height and width
@@jeffmitchell72 I have a pair, I love them but they do seem to come up on the narrow side, I've read others saying the same. The 8 Eyes are UK F width I believe.
I like comparisons. It would be really useful if you could bring out The bang for the buck-shoes that meet your quality standards and aren't overly expensive. I mean it's quite obvious that Dr. Martens aren't really as good as their reputation and Solovairs are closer to it but what about an overview of boots? What to choose if you're on the budget or if you can put quality first?
Toaster is new king of youtube!!!! All hail the cuddle toaster! Actually I really was interested to hear the differences here, oddly enough it is incredibly satisfying seeing you take these shoes apart and getting an inside look on shoes.
Thank you for creating and sharing! I've never owned Dr. Martens, but wanted a pair- until I learned of Solovair (and that most of Martens are not made in England). This video solidified my decision on Solovair, so cheers!✌ Btw, shout out to both brands making vegan shoes for the compassionate consumer, otherwise I wouldn't be here lol.
Theres nothing wrong with having leather boots or goods, people will always eat meat, its not gonna go away just because some feel bad about eating a yummy juicy steak or some bacon, if your a Christian, god put them here to sustain us, other animals eat animals, its normal and natural, also most of the leather used comes from the animals that were already being used for meat, so at least nothing is going to waste, there meat nourishes millions of people, there hides clothe and protect millions, there sacrifice does not go unnoticed
I've had a few pair of Georgia/Georgia Giant work boots in a non steel toe lace up and wellington. They were always very affordable even on a high school kids budget. a non steel toe 6 inch lace up was around $50 in the late 90's. they look like hell after a few months of wear, but were always very comfortable. I would love to see what's inside. I think they're made in the Dominican Republic
Hey! Thanks so much for your review. If not for this, I wouldn't know that Solovairs even existed. Went ahead and returned my Docs, and got a pair of solovairs. Very very happy. :D
I would like to see you take apart a pair of $40.00 side zip Walmart boots. They were more comfortable and lasted longer than any pair of boots I had for work in the last 15 years. Better than 200 dollar name brand boots. I would love to see what is hiding inside them. Forget about 500 dollar stuff. I can't afford Allen Edmond boots, I would hate to see them wasted! Thanks for sharing another great video!
Stitching in the sole is the spot where they fail at keeping the water away, as it's quite literally a series of small holes going right to the inside. There are methods of impregnation to "patch" them a little that you can search for on the internet, hot waxing for example. When the thread is impregnated, you just have to care for them like for any leather shoes and they will work well in wet weather.
Đức Anh Trần not necessarily a trend, just more popular. Also the fact that it’s getting more popular is great because it will force companies to create more realistic vegan leather
Have owned & worn both Blundstones & R.M Williams. At least the "R.M's" (high top - 8"/10"?, pull on, sold a lot to farmers,horsemen etc). I wore them mainly as motorcycle boots & as general all purpose hunting,farming etc. Lasted me 10 years with a couple of resoles.
Watching this many moons after its release. Toaster is my favorite part of your vlogs. I come for Toaster and stay for your content. Lol. Love your channel.
So I have found another company from England. Very interested on the brand but unfortunately their is not enough info about them. The name is gripfast boots. I would love if you made a review on them and see if their is any difference between the solovair and Dr Martens... thank you for your awesome channel very informative and full of knowledge much appreciated...
Wow Weston I love your videos, my absolute favorite is the new WW 2 series, just watchin this video 2yrs old you've got the hang of it nowadays, watchin you knife the whole boot in half, compared to your new saw blade style today is freakin funny
After wearing a pair of solovair derby boots for 6 weeks they are noticeably more comfortable on the sole but they definitely are not wide enough and do not give the feet enough support due to the softer leather. The heel collapsed on mine after a few weeks, and the side of the boot offered little to no support and After 6 weeks the stitching fell apart on the upper to lower stitch on the inside of the boot. Boots were worn to work and polished every other week using nps polish.
I've owned many pairs of Solovairs and my wife sells vintage clothing, so from time to time she gets vintage Doc Martens. Of the two it's absolutely no contest, as much as I've loved every pair of Solovairs they have major weaknesses that are misunderstood. The biggest issue is that because the sole is made from a harder material it is substantially more brittle. That's the price you pay. Sure it's harder wearing, but it cracks much more easily. My Solovair soles always crack long before the soles on my vintage Docs wear down to air pockets. The material isn't as repairable when it cracks either. With old Docs a cracked sole can be repaired with a hot knife, the same technique doesn't work on the Solovairs, again because the rubber isn't soft enough, or as sticky when hot. Also you failed to notice that the soles are just hot knifed together at the mid sole, rendering the interior stitching entirely useless. The sole normally parts from the mid sole like old glue after about two years. I've also found the leather to be O.K, but no where near vintage Docs. It's too stiff, prone to cracking and isn't as abrasion resistant. I'm going to sound like a cork sniffer, and I don't know if you got a bad pair, but the leather in vintage Docs is nothing short of witchcraft. I've seen pairs of Docs decades old, soles worn to nub with leather in mint condition, I've taken those Docs and worn them for 5 plus years until there is no sole left and the leather is still perfect. Straight up witchcraft. Solovairs are like caste iron, hard but brittle. Vintage Docs are like fine steel, the may loose their edge faster, but... I forgot where I was going with this analogy.
Really? That seems unlikely from the folks i have talked to about solovairs. !🤔...did you use yours to stop by using your feet on a fast motor bike or something ?? 😳😁
Doesn't really seem fair to compare current Solovair's to vintage Docs. That isn't what was done in this video. Yes, I'll take vintage Doc's over Solovair's, but I'll take Solovair's over anything sold by DM today. Yes, I've heard of the cracking soles, but not anymore than I've heard of that and separation happening on current Doc's.
It'd be interesting for you to start addressing items placing the soles on a sander for 10 seconds each with the same weight to see which wears quicker, and putting pressure on each with the same amount of weight to see which ones may be more cushion on the foot. We could then say this one is more tough and will probably last you longer, but this one might be more comfortable for long term wear.
It seems Doc Martens used this company to make a name for themselves and then tried to kick them to the curb in favor of slightly higher profit margins. Glad to see you bringing attention to quality made goods
Thank you for the review! I bought Dr Martens about two years ago and their sole tore in half... Fortunately I could refund them, but it is still dissapointing. I bought them because I thought they would last longer. I'll try Solovair next time✨
I've never owned either pair, this was the final piece of the puzzle to make up my mind about my next pair of boots. My only question is: can the wood shank break easily?, if so, will it affect the comfort of the boot or will I feel it poking my foot? Great video, thanks for sharing!
My first pair of doc's were from 91.they were very comfortable got the 8 years I had them with original soles. The leather wore out just above the stitching at the toes. That eight years of almost daily wear in a kitchen environment. I want the solovairs.
How well do those perform as a winter boot in mild (equal to maybe NYC but with snow) Winters? Would you reckon they'd be usable as a day to day boot from October to April? I think the Solovairs are much nicer looking than docs, less bulky, more functional. More fitting to a regular waredrobe.
Most times when the shank breaks (nearly in every pair I have repaired) the wearer does not notice. If you get a pair when they are ready for a repair asking the repairer to use a nylon/plastic shank, they are stronger but inmo just as flexible and comfortable as the wood ones
Pablo Papaya It all depends on how long you stay outdoors. They provide excellent water insulation, and nice weather insulation(they are no Sorel’s) . Maybe if you want to use them througjout the winter Id opt for one size bigger than yours, and use thick socks.
I have a pair of Solovair boots where the welt started splitting from the sole. It seems to be a manufacturing error since it appeared only in one spot while the rest stayed strong. I managed to fix it the same way they attached it in the first place, I’ve heated up the tip of a thin knife to red hot over an open flame, stuck it in between the layers and then pressed everything together with my fingers. It holds very well and I recommend everyone who has this problem to use this method, just do so in the beginning right when you spot the split, for I can’t imagine fixing a tear longer than 3 inches.
