Get a high quality wallet, belt or MORE in the Rose Anvil shop here - bit.ly/44jXLNu

Quick tip if you’re about to buy Docs/Solovair: never buy Hi-Shine ones. These boots have some kind of plastic coating on top that not letting shoe creams penetrate to the leather. Always choose for Grain Leather, Greasy ones or any another that actually has real skin pattern on top.

@phipschi4255

Жыл бұрын

your point is right, but the coated leather is the classic look most people want to have when buying a combat boot.

@awethesound

Жыл бұрын

Yup, I have a more dress oriented solovair shoe with this high-shine finish, and it has cracked and wrinkled to shit. No slav squats allowed! My oil leather 10 eye shit kickers from them are going strong after half a decade.

@salskars6637

Жыл бұрын

Are you referring to patent-leather high gloss or even leather that can be polished to a higher gloss (and open pore that absorbs cream and/or mink oil)?

@srafnos2073

Жыл бұрын

I second this, I made the mistake of picking up the hi-shine version and I regret it, since the "flawless" shine becomes obsolete once the leather starts really breaking in and cracking

@raccoonking7566

Жыл бұрын

@@awethesound Off topic, but proper slav squatting doesn't crease shoes. Source: am a Slav. You should keep your feet flat to the ground, shouldn't lift your heels up. That way you can relax your leg muscles and you are more stable. Apparently westerners have trouble doing it properly? At least, that's what I've heard. Something about calf muscle lengths, don't remember it well.

Surprised you didn't mention the main reason I personally bought Solovairs: resoleability. I hate the idea of having to throw away perfectly good uppers because the sole has worn through and can't be replaced

@stefcho9

11 ай бұрын

He briefly says it at 9:56 😂

@utut0506

10 ай бұрын

Quality of materials aside, I think Solovairs and Docs have similar faux Goodyear welt construction, which means the Solovairs are not easier to be resoled than the the Docs. To remove the outsole of the Docs, you just need to pop the yellow stitching and the outsole will come off with the welt. If you have access to a good cobbler, you can easier require them to reconstruct your Doc using a true Goodyear welt construction. As for Solovairs, I am not really sure how one can resole them unless they have the heat blade with them… it is simply impossible to remove the outsole of a Solovair without damaging the upper because it is internally stitched to the welt. I guess the only way to resole a Solovair is to remove the outsole using a knife, then you heat-welted a new outsole back. But if you are able to do this, you can do the same to a pair of Docs… so I wouldn’t consider Solovairs resoleable unless you have really convenient access to NPS. Would @RoseAnvil please comment on the resoleability issue a bit more? I would love to hear more from a true professional🤔🤔🤔

@Fede18402

9 ай бұрын

I agree with you but resoling is pretty expensive, It can easily cost like 75% of the shoes cost , so i understand why it’s not a glaring issue. Even though i do agree that keeping the upper is better as it’s a bit more eco friendly and worn leather just looks nice imo

@billyyank1916

7 ай бұрын

Honestly, that was the number one dealbreaker for me when it came to Dr. Martens. I actually bought a pair of boots that I purchased when I was 16 1/2 years old. I was originally going to get more when I first came across Rose Anvil’s original review of the brand itself and learning about how it would be difficult to get them resoled. It wasn’t an easy choice for me to make up the time, but that’s when I decided that I wasn’t going to buy doc martens ever again. As much as I like the fact that they were cheaper (not including the fact that they upped the price by $20 during 2022), I thought that I was paying for a higher quality boot that looked exactly like doc martens.

@nsierra2297

7 ай бұрын

In the UK Timpsons can resole Dr Martens. However, it can be costly especially if they aren’t the standard sole. I bought some DMs for £90 (down from £120) tried to get them resoled, they quoted £60!

I have a pair of steel toed 10 eyelet Docs that were made in 1987. I stopped wearing them in the late 90s because the steel toe was uncomfortable. I held on to them because they had a double yellow puritan stitch that I’ve never seen on other Docs. After watching your first video on Docs, I dug mine out and cut into the well worn soles. They had wooden shanks that were both broken. I found a place that resoled them with Vibram soles after removing the steel toes. They even preserved the double yellow stitch. I had them put in steel shanks. They’re finally comfortable to wear and the leather is still holding up. The quality is totally different compared to later made cheap Docs. I’d love to see what’s inside of the “Made in England” boots today. Thanks.

@ericp377

6 ай бұрын

Where did you find a cobbler to resole them?

@lateinbloom

5 ай бұрын

Not sure if this is helpful, but they cut the MiE Docs in half in this video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/f3qKqpdudcXFgps.html

@oh_rhythm

4 ай бұрын

I wanna see those yo

So glad you’re re-reviewing these. Haven’t stopped being intrigued by them since the original review

@ThisIsMeArnold

Жыл бұрын

You've sat for 3 years in the "intrigued" state? What an eventful life.

@Sveinbeard

Жыл бұрын

@@ThisIsMeArnold 😂

@Bayou987

Жыл бұрын

@@ThisIsMeArnold they don’t offer wide sizes, or half sizes my man. They’re not an option for me, just intriguing.

@ThisIsMeArnold

Жыл бұрын

@@Bayou987 Their footwear is generally wide, especially if you get the steel toe version.

@Bayou987

Жыл бұрын

@@ThisIsMeArnold yea thanks but they don’t look like they’d be wide enough to be comfortable for me. And not that buying things defines the quality of my life but to ice my fragile ego after you so brutally roasted me 😂 I did get three pairs of Jim greens, slate iron rangers, three pairs of Thursdays and a couple Danner’s to name a few in the last three years

I'm 10 years into my first (and only) pair of Solovairs' 8 eye derby and they are still in such great condition. This is with me going some years wearing them daily and some years wearing them only a handful of times. Just wearing them for regular daily activities (I never worked on the farm in them since I needed waterproof boots) but I did walk miles and miles around campus trying to break them in the first year lol. If you keep them cleaned and conditioned they will outlast all your other shoes. I'm glad I started "buy it for life" back then because this is one item that has saved me money in the long run.

@craigpimlott204

Жыл бұрын

I had my original dr martens for twenty years when they were made out of proper leather and not the crap they use now ..my last pair lasted two months ..the leather split right off around the sole .and the toes cracked through on both where they bend on the toe area ..nothing would stick to them, polish ,dubbin .no wonder they crack so easy .and they were the made in England ones too ,not the foreign made ones ..wouldn’t touch them again ,

It's really cool that you're re-visiting old topics with your more refined video format, even at the risk of cannibalizing views. As an Aussie, I'd love to see an updated comparison between the various Australian Chelsea work boot brands; Blundstone, Redback, Mongrel, Rossi etc.

I have a pair of the made in England Docs and they’re superior in every way to the current regular Docs. They definitely remind me of the ones I wore in the 90’s- much tougher break in but then pretty comfortable. I’d really like to see a comparison between these Solovairs and the MIE docs. Great video.

@LeaderOfTheRedNinjas

8 ай бұрын

there's a comparison video on this channel somewhere. I think the conclusion is that the MIE docs are much better than the china-made crap ones, but the solovairs are still better that the MIE doc's. Not that the solvair's are without their compromises. But it looks like they're some of the best boots *for their low price point*. Sure i could get redwings for like £100 more, but that's like a 50% cost increase

@irakli.asatiani

5 ай бұрын

does it actually fit in? if you wear chinese uk 8 size will the same MIE 8 fit or you need larger?

@legatelaurie

3 ай бұрын

@@irakli.asatianiI think they're made to the same size

The rose anvil channel has come full circle! Your initial video is what made me get my solovair boots, a great purchase

Had my Derby cherry red solovairs for about a year with extremely regular use. They are absolutely amazing and still doing fantastic. Highest recommendation for those who want quality combat style boots

@decade10hl

10 ай бұрын

Is that a High-shine leather boot?

@jaimesantiagolonga

9 ай бұрын

@@decade10hl Mine are a high shine but the same boot also comes in other leather finishes

I’d like to make a suggestion to you all. To be more scientific, repeat each test (like the drop test or the puncture test) at least 5 or 6 times and get an average. Small differences can be statistically significant if you do it that way. Just measuring once is subject to randomness, so it’s hard to tell if the difference between boots is significant or not.

@galvanizedgnome

Жыл бұрын

No. Bad idea

@jorgeo1492

Жыл бұрын

@@galvanizedgnome No. You were a bad idea. Thats how real experiments are done. Also a control variable like a shitty walmart boot.

@Collin_J

Жыл бұрын

They usually show the ball drop is a sample of 5. Not sure about the bar drop

@stauker.1960

Жыл бұрын

Or three, five is overkill

@welshrarebit9238

Жыл бұрын

Haven’t you got better things to do like ….Donating blood ,helping the needy

Dude I've gotten addicted to your videos because they're so informing and help me make better decisions reg. shoes that have good value and are comfortable to wear. I had a bad fall a few years ago which completely destroyed my right foot. While my ankle was (somehow) completely unharmed, I now live with several screws in my bones and have very limited mobility (can't stand on my toes, for instance) and a very sensitive underside that needs custom soles with plenty of arch support. As you can imagine, knowing what to look for in shoes is incredibly important for my health, and being partially disabled also means I don't have stacks of cash to throw around on shoes that need replacing every season. Thanks for the info you're putting out there.

I have two pairs of Solovairs thanks to this channel, and I love them. Great boots and none of the issues that I had with my previous DMs. Only issues I've ever had is with the laces eventually snapping, but its easy to get replacements of their website (and in various other colours). When I've the spare cash i will be buying a third pair of Solovairs

@stephenlamley541

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I fancied a pair of dms but since watching this realised how shitty they are. This could be the answer.

@lymphy12

Жыл бұрын

@@stephenlamley541 I own both monkey version boots and used docs for work they hold up fine. Solovairs are harder to break

@ThisIsMeArnold

Жыл бұрын

The laces are snapping because they use low quality eyelets. The portions of the eyelets that bend around the letter to fasten them break off, leaving exposed, sharp metal that cuts through your laces. Are any of your eyelets damaged?

@koolchem6653

Жыл бұрын

I wonder if filing the eyelets down a bit will help with this.

@ThisIsMeArnold

Жыл бұрын

@@koolchem6653 There's not really a way to do that, if you saw at where the break occurs. The break also causes the eyelet to lose its structural integrity - the pull of the lace makes it stretch out and lose its circular shape. In any case, it's a significant downside to a fairly expensive boot.

I bought these due to your old review. I wanted something cool and functional as a bartender, and I love them. I get TONS of compliments on them too. Thanks for the cool videos man!

Legit rewatched the older review today because I’m considering buying. Great timing as always haha

I was asking for this. Glad to see it. Your original Solovair video is why I currently own a pair of Solovair 11-eye derby boots.

My dad had so many old cobbling machines, leather belts for a bunch of 'em...can't wait to see the treasures you guys found🤩

Phat shouts out to the editors, the vfx are wicked- the highlights on the air-lattice structures were absolute mint

I have so much respect for what you’re doing. Love it. I hope you’ll get a million subs by the end of this year. You deserve it

Happy these got an updated review, so much growth from your testing methodology, it’s cool to see

Bought them ca two years ago after watching your original review. Thanks! Very pleased with them, still looking and going great! Didn't experience any major need for breaking them in and the outsole pattern has almost no losses.

I love that you talk about the history of this as somebody who grew up in Weliingborough Northamptonshire. I am proud to buy and wear shoes still made in our county.

I definitely picked up a pair of NPS Gripfast boots with a steel toe and greasy leather, and I primarily use them for concerts, particularly death metal shows with mosh pits, and these have been absolute champs. The very first day I wore them, they got a beer bath from a mosh pit, and they have not had an easy life ever since. But my feet stay relatively comfortable. If I ever destroy my current pair, I'm absolutely buying again.

If you notice your welt separating on your solovairs/Dr Martens, you can fix it yourself quite easily. You heat up a thin piece of metal (ideally an old butter knife) to red hot over a flame, then you slide it between the separating layers and hold the edges together with pliers. Basically reattaching the outsole the same way they do in the factory. I’ve done this before on my solovairs and it holds up like new. I would recommend doing this when you manage to catch the split early, because I can hardly imagine fixing more than three inch long tear using this method.

@elenaborie2605

7 ай бұрын

I’ve been seeing a lot of Reddit posts lately about Solovair’s splitting quickly. This is my only apprehension to getting a pair. How long did yours take to split?

@lordexcellent5610

7 ай бұрын

@@elenaborie2605 It must have been a factory defect, because it happened right around the time I broke them in. I have two other pairs that I’ve been wearing for years now and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen anytime soon.

I've been wearing the same pair of 11 eye steel toe Solovair derby boots 40-60 hrs a week at work and can attest: they have significantly more mileage than I had expected. So far, the only issue I have encountered with them is the counter cover has just about worn out.

bro i remember just a year ago you were doing just videos and now you got colabs with names like nicks and cobblin your own boots. respect!

I bought the solovair hi shine 8eye derby boot a few months ago I have loved them so far. They have become pretty comfortable I would say like a 7/10 They are very durable, I work on movie sets, so I’m standing and moving stuff all day and haven’t had any fatal flaws. The only con I have noticed is some scuffs and scratches on the sides and toe area in the leather I would say if you are debating buying solovairs, go for it, I have no regrets and have loved the style and performance of mine.

Been watching for years and this video was honestly fantastic, great work

I had watched that video a couple years ago when I was looking into docs. And I'm glad I did. Very happy with the quality of my solovair boots

We were issued with solovair shoes in the UK fire brigade 20 or so years ago. Fantastic hard wearing shoes. I've still got an original pair that I use for the gardening to this day. One thing I would point out the metal rings that line the eyelet holes....make sure they're the ones with the ring outside AND inside the shoe. Some of them have a ring on the outside, but RAZOR sharp tangs inside that held the eyelet ring in place. IN one pair of the later shoes I was issued one of the tangs somehow came out of the leather and I BADLY sliced my finger as I was doing up a lace.

I've resoled my old, mid-early '90s English Doc's Oxfords, but they were more to this construction(more leather lined though), than the (not much later but iirc China made and pre-'04) Doc's workboots I was going to resole but decided were not worth it (needed more interior work than I was willing to do at the time, not just fiber midsole replacement but counter etc). Though both had the wood shanks, the workboot had a thinner fiberboard and the foam instead of felt in the recess but felt filling of the welt. I work mostly standing on concrete. Keen has been my boot of choice lately.

I'm glad you mentioned the MIEs at the end, I couldn't decide whether the comparison was fair or not. I love my Solovairs, but after a lot of work breaking them in and wearing them, I think the lasts they use just don't agree with my feet. Both the shoe and the boot I've had problems with fit. I will say their leather and foam insoles are amazing for their price point. Would overall recommend, just a bit hard to sort out sizing from the US.

I have a pair of Greasy Leather Solovair's for almost 15 years. Mostly wearing them for winter now and for metal concerts. Very sturdy.

Love my solovairs I have a pair of 8 eye greasy leather boots. Worn everyday for a year and a half and they're amazing! Need to be resolved but the most comfortable boots I've owned. Zero break in, not uncomfortable great from the beginning

Your channel totally changed my perspective on footware. I would really enjoy an episode on boat/deck shoes.

I got some Solovairs because of your initial review. Great boots! The sole of one did come apart early on, however. To their credit they covered what it cost to have it reglued locally, but that was a bit of a pain

@Cauldronofbats666

Жыл бұрын

I had the same thing happen with mine but they only offered 15% off a new pair. I had them re glued and they’ve been amazing ever sense.

@borjasaz6611

11 ай бұрын

I had to return many pairs because they come bad welt, and with cracks in the union of upper and low sole, very visible in a lantern light.

@sergiotlx

10 ай бұрын

Ludwig Wittgenstein.

i love their dealer boots, have two pairs of the greasy black ones: one solovair, the other the steel toe "gripfast". Sized down half a size and they fit perfectly

What a great a video. I love listening to anyone really knowledgeable in something and you presented it perfectly. I left with no questions. Subscribed

Great video, the graphics and info have come along way since those first few boot reviews!

Best summary that I've seen and a history of the company that's not just read straight off wikipedia. Rose Anvil shows them how it's done, once again.

Just want you to know that after watching your initial Solovair, doc marten comparison three years ago, I went out and purchased a pair of the Solovair Crazyhorse astronaut boots which I like so much that I then went out and purchased a pair of the greasy Astronauts boots. After that, I discovered that I now seem to have a Solovair addiction. I now own four pairs of Solovair‘s and one pair of Gripfast and my wife gets upset every time she sees me looking at the Solovair website. At this point, she’s threatening me with divorce if I purchase another pair of Solovair’s. All because of your review! lol. Anyway, I want you to know your observations and comparisons were right on the money. They are much better boot, especially when you consider their price, compared to the price of the made in England doc martens.

@jpikl1284

Жыл бұрын

Crazyhorse is probably their most durable leather option too - shouldn't show scratches and creases and should absorb conditioner well.

@reinasherman8009

Жыл бұрын

I have a feeling that's about to happen to me

@reinasherman8009

Жыл бұрын

I started wearing docs because others I wore would wear out so fast and I have feet issues and they have been a lot more comfortable for me being on my feet all day at work but they have not been lasting like my first pair have. Now I know why.

@MrChinabear

Жыл бұрын

I have doc Martens which I purchased in the late 1990s which I can still wear unfortunately when I tried to replace them with the more recent docs I was a bit disappointed. The made in China docs were complete crap. As a matter of fact, there was one pair of Fishermans sandals, which I had purchased where within a six month period I had to replace them three times under warranty.

@mrsthatcher9815

Жыл бұрын

haha me too - i keep buying them

The video where both boots were cut in half is what helped me choose the Solvair. My brother got some docs and he beat them up pretty quick. Where as my Solvairs still feel like I havnt broken into them. Even after a putting countless hours of work in them. I can’t wait to see how they look once’s I start weathering the leather more.

finally an updated Solovair vid!

After watching your vids I bought a pair of hi-shine 8 hole Solovairs. They definitely do seem higher quality. They are definitely less comfortable during the break-in period. I ended up with a couple of blisters; never had that issue with Docs. Docs are significantly more comfortable, at least for now. I like the style of the Solovairs and I'm just in the beginning stages of the break-in process. If they end up being more comfortable I will definitely continue purchasing them.

Love my Solovair Dealer and Astronaut boots. The burgundy rub off color is so cool, too.

Whoever does the editing for these videos does an amazing job!

Swiftly became addicted to your channel bro....... I wore a few pairs of docs in the mid 80s to 90s .... Today the docs feel completely different ... Excellent breakdown and content.... Gonna go buy some solovairs after watching your clip.... Appreciate it bro....

Bought a pair of these because I wanted a sturdy boot that was still made in the UK, they're super comfortable and durable.

I visited the factory and bought some boots. Started talking to the guy sitting next to me and it turned out to be Ivor. Most genuine and down to earth business owner I’ve met. Worth visiting if you’re nearby as the factory seconds are great value too 😊

Thank you for this video! Happy to see you can still gets docs like they used to be :p

I have Solovairs from Vegetarian Shoes in Brighton. Worn them for years on end. No trade work, but lots of walking. I wore through the counter cover, the lining and the midsole (you can see light through the bottom of the boot through the translucent soles) but can still wear the boots just fine. The uppers are nearly perfect still, the soles are slick but not worn through to the cavities. I replace the insoles as I wear holes in them, and the boots are probably the best I’ve ever had. They’re not leather, but they breathe well and are extremely durable.

I got a pair of burgundy gaucho derby boots from Solovair. I watched so many videos before I pulled the trigger, and yours sealed the deal for me. The gauchos are so supple. A pleasure to wear from day one. I'm thinkin' I might need some green ones in that leather.

Be interesting to see some of Solovairs other boots go under the band saw. They do a goodyear welted work boot in gaucho crazy horse with a commando sole that seems to be a little nearer to a PNW boot than their others. As a UK boot enthusiast PNW boots are prohibitively expensive to import, so it would be nice to see you look at more UK boots.

Thanks for this review. Your boot reviews are awesome (I’m less frequently interested in sneakers fwiw). This helped me pull the trigger… I’ve been very curious about Solovairs.

Appreciate the video which led me to buying a pair. Just received my 11 eyelet steel toes, very quality items.

Just bought Solovair few months ago and the feeling during unboxing was amazing.. Like I'm back in 90's.. Truly love them and I threw my old Martens to trash... I love the feeling that I can have same old boots for more than 5 years.. I only miss motorcycle boots from them :)

33 years ago My first pair of Docs were from England and were fantastic and lasted 10 years with a couple resoles. I bought an asian made pair and they lasted 13 months before the sole cracked. I got them re-soled once and the stitching crumbled after another year. Found Solovair and it was like having that first pair of Docs all over again. On my 2nd resole with the same pair and after almost 10 years the leather is starting to fail in the heel. Great boots.

Thanks, looking forward to the Paraboot review 😊

I bought my Dad (now in his 60s) a pair of their full grain chukka boots for Christmas and I don't think he has taken them off. Very easy to maintain too. I use Solovair's own brand of dubbin. The full grain leather on those chukkas is a kind of oiled leather it seems, but different to the greasy & crazy horse leathers

Holy crap. Im so glad i found this video! I had no idea about the history of these things. I almost bought me and my gf some doc martens but now I'm thinking twice! I'm absolutely going to go with the Solovairs! Thank you for msking such an insightful video!

I would love to see a further comparison of the NPS gripfasts. The soles are entirely different and on mine at least there is no internal counter cover - instead there is another layer of leather on the outside heel of the boot, and the steel toe is treated the same. It would really round off the doc martens like series!

Can’t wait to see the new channel Weston! Hopefully you’ll build some of your own limited drop footwear in-house!🙌🏻

Thank you for your effort. Will you please think about breaking down the Russell Moccasin boot please?

I bought some Solovair 8-eye shearling lined boots to wear for winter, and while I do have the complaint that there isn't a removable, replaceable shearling insole, otherwise they've been very good boots so far. What I find interesting and definitely wasn't expecting is how well their crazy horse leather retains a shine. When I got them I used a bit of mink oil to condition them and just a little bit of brown polish to make the shade of brown more warm and reddish, and ever since then all I've had to do is give them a little brush-off with a horsehair brush and they're back to having a shine. Even after getting cobered in snow, scuffed, or dirty in salt residue and mud, all I have to do is brush them off and they look almost as good as new with a decent patina. Not glossy, but very smooth with a nice shine. I own multiple pairs of docs and while they're not difficult to maintain, they do seem to require a bit more care and attention if you want to keep them looking "nice" (unless you prefer the wear-and-tear look of very well-used boots, which some people do).

It’s impressive how small the differences sound on paper but how much of a difference it makes in practice here

I always used to buy DMs. Since your early videos showing the difference, I now only buy Solovairs. Having had so many DMs in the past, I can clearly see and feel the difference in quality of the Solovairs. Grateful to you pointing it out.

I'm wearing Solovair Oxblood Red Chukka boots right now and they're fantastic. Just one pair of many shoes that I have from Solovair and they're fantastic. I couldn't believe how quickly they shipped when I ordered them. I got them within a week to California.

yeah I have a pair of solovairs in gaucho leather and they're great. I think I'd rather have a purple pair or something more interesting now, but they're well built and have been great for almost two years. Not really hard or constant wear, but there aren't any issues with them falling apart and they do feel like real boots... but softer in the sole.

Great breakdown, comprehensive review. Tah

Solovair use white stitching around the boot on purpose. You can dye them yellow yourself, or any colour for that matter. Another point missed is that solovairs last is more narrower than dr martens. They also lace up much more better, allowong you to really lock the boots to your feet. I always find that docs they end up eye to eye when lacing them up, and always feel loose, with less support particularly around the ankle.

@geministargazer9830

Ай бұрын

That’s good info but I liked the roominess of the Docs because I have wide feet

@TheDexxra

Ай бұрын

@@geministargazer9830 Don't worry, they weren't entirely correct. Solovairs have multiple lasts depending on the model, and some of them are even wider than Docs. 5400 is the widest if I remember correctly.

New channel sounds so rad!

Bro, your edits are hilarious. Low key, one of the funniest channels.

You reminded me - I saw an iron Snail video on Russell Moccasin boots. They would be a great boot for you to explore. I would love some too - they look amazing ! Thanks for your great content ! Huw - North Wales, UK

I’m glad your videos helped me choose the right footwear. Plus I got solovairs since the quality is definitely superior than docs and plus they look cool in a classy way.

I wish I had heard of these when I went through my Goth period. I had found a really durable basic GP boot called WoodWorld and had a folded stitched in tongue. the shank broke before anything else. became a bit uncomfortable to wear once the shank went but ultimately were destroyed by a 6mnth old pup. Don’t leave your boots at the back door guys.

I have just sold a few doc martens that I can’t fit into, and my worn out used ones sell for $30 or more. However, I got a pair of Solovairs last year to replace a pair of Docs, it took a couple of months, but I love them. The leather even after just a couple of months is still impeccable where Docs already show slight issues. They get more comfortable with wearing. One other issue with Solovair is, because they are not mass produced, is you may have to wait for the next batch in your size.

i got the solovair monkey boots after watching your reviews! so far i really like them. the online shopping experience was amazing-- i'm living in Japan, and they shipped directly from england to my apartment with free international shipping!! not many other companies do that, so i was instantly a huge fan maybe there's no point because there aren't enough differences, but i'm curious to see different styles from the same brand cut in half and compared!! i'm itching to see the monkey boot style cut in half haha

I am a 62 year old long time Dr Marten wearer...since I was 18. The quality has obviously suffered, but I have persevered with the brand. Until now.......my first pair of Solovair Gibson/1461 shoes has arrived (thanks to this channel). Gaucho Crazy Horse finish. I took the advice from Solovair by ordering a half size down, sadly they are too small and I am returning them to exchange for my true size. Really looking forward to wearing them.

I love my solovairs! I got them a size up and use gel insoles they're perfect

im so glad youre reviewing solovairs again! i bought a pair of chelseas after seeing your previous video, and they are probably one of the most comfortable shoes ive ever owned! for years i was a dm fanatic, but i cant see myself ever buying another pair again after having my solovairs. i can wear them all day at work and barely have sore feet, whereas im ready to rip my docs off after a couple hours. thank you wes! hope to see more of these!

Came out with this video right before I ordered my Solovairs! Great timing. Would love to see you review their greasy leather

I love this channel so much.

First solovair experience today, excellent customer experience and amazingly comfortable shoes that seem very well made.

I have the Hi Shine Astronaut boot. One of the best purchases I've ever made. (4/5 years ago)

I have two blue and two red Martens (made in England,) bought during the 90's here in Spain and they are in pristine conditions except for some cracks due to lack of proper care in one of them. They looks very much like the Solovairs with yellow stitch.

Nice to see them again. Im really hoping to see better heat welt in made in eng pair than regular. This one is great but i still dont know how to feel about declarative stitch. I love that dr martens stitch is actually structural pice you can see and makes it different than other boots. Im looking to have bouncy sole boot in collection but im so confused by the whole thing i didn't pull the trigger on any in the mid time. Solovare leather does feels nicer in life but im not shure how much that tickness has difference. Also there is new veg tanned 1461 line that came out that im really interested to see. Maybe you want to take look at those too

I have a couple pairs of Docs from the 90s that I still wear. I think I had the blue suede ones resoled once. Bought a new pair of Docs about 10 years ago and already tossed them out.

For budget friendly options could you review the red wing loggermax to compare to a nicks/whites boot and the Golden Fox Moc toe? I own both and I really like them.

Hey! That new channel sounds dope! I’m actually getting into cobbling!

Definitely interested in seeing how they compare to the Made in England Docs! I would also love to see a English boot company shoot, similar to what you have done with Pacific Northwest boots. Boots like Trickers and others.

gotta say, to some level you can work in them. i work in a bowling alley/arcade fun center. crawling in and out of machines and i have a pair of steel toe greasy black strap derby boots from Solovair and i love them. going on 1.5 years maybe 2 now, they've been great. only addon i did was some shock absorbing insoles from FP Insoles. they're marketed at skateboarders for absorbing impact from high jumps but they're great for walking on carpet covered concrete all day every day too.

Broke a pair of docs within a month. The leather and sole both ripped. Loved the style and have been wanting solovairs since you first made a comparison video. I'm here since the 10k mark lol

@craigpimlott204

Жыл бұрын

Me too .mine split around the heels and both went across the toes ,in two months of use .couldn’t get dubbin or polish to stick to them like my old 80’s ones did .they lasted me into the early 2000’s so around twenty years ,they hadn’t split .the sole were still ok ,a bit shiney in the middle 😂😂 but still solid .then I give em a mate who was hard up ,,I thought I’d get some new ones a few months back after years of ex army boots .they were utter crap ,supposedly made in England .won’t touch Dr martens again as they weren’t cheap either ..

I remember buying my first Solovair boots after your very first video comparing them to the Dr Martens. Never looked back.

I am gonna be honest, I bought the solovair 8 eye derby hi-shine boot as my first "real" boot while they were on sale for 160~ euro, and was honestly kind of dissappointed. Sure the boot feels nicer than the regular 1460 and I love them, but I feel they are waayyy overhyped. They honestly don't feel substantially different than my roommates' docs, and the leather has cracked terribly, even worse so than the docs, and he is regularly wearing these for the last 5 years. Especially in regards to the leather, besides the ugly cracking, I wasn't impressed by the finishing on the edges and the lining and the breaking in was incredibly painful. Some no name brand vintage derby shoes I picked up on a thrift had better leather and sure they were creased but not in that ugly scarred way. There are people saying that the greasy leather version is way better, and I can imagine why, I might pick them up someday since I love the dr martens silhouette. For the price I got them I can't really complain, but I don't think that the full price is worth it, without counting the shipping. But if you can get them for cheap go for it, since dr martens are getting more overpriced every day, and the only cheaper option for a quality goodyear welted boot is buying second hand.

Got Solovair boots and I wear them for days on end. So comfortable

Just bought the 11 hole steel toe hi-shines from solovair because my english made docs that i bought about 2 years ago have cracks in the leather that have turned into holes despite me apllying dubbing to them pretty regularly

The Solavair just looks higher quality. Thank you for another great video, appreciate you all❤

Great video. Solovair are fantastic boots and the company are brilliant to deal with too. Got numerous pairs which I rotate to allow them to dry out. Last for years if treated well. Can put a leather insole in too for even better wearability. Great info on their site re lasts used etc. Also do Astronaut and Gripfast boots amongst others. Give them a try, you will not regret it. UK made too.

Incredible. Thank you

Great clip, enjoyed that. I have several pairs of Solovair boots and love them, for me personally, far better then docs. Thank you for making that clip and would love to see the comparison with made in England docs. 🙂👍