Let’s face it, there are a ton of work boots on the market. They all claim to be the best and most comfortable. So when Oliver boots reached out to us, I have to admit I was a little skeptical. Over the years I have used and abused a ton of work boots and even when you do find a great pair that is comfortable, once they wear out, you can’t find them anymore. The company went ahead and changed them. I remember one time I bought a pair of boots and about 3 weeks later, my feet and hips were killing me. In fact it was so bad, I saw a doctor and went through a bunch of different tests. Well it never dawned on me that the 3 week old boots could have been the problem. Well I switched jobs and wasn’t wearing the boots anymore. Guess what? About two weeks later my feet and hips were back to normal. Why am I telling you this boring story? Simple, boots can make your life either feel like hell or like you’re living on a cloud. So let’s jump in the Oliver boots and see what we found.
We had a chance to take a look at two of their boots. The Oliver Men’s Mid Industrial Hiker series and the Oliver 45 Series Leather Composite Mid Boot. I have never heard of Oliver boots before this, but after doing some research I found out they are not new to this field. In fact, they have been around since 1887 and they make some serious boots for tough jobs such as mining, welding, oil & gas and more. So you can bet they know what they are doing and they are a boot you can count on. In fact, I thought it was cool that during my research, I found out how much technology goes into each boot.
Oliver Boots – Mid Industrial Hiker
If you like a hiker style work boot, these would be the style for you. Now just by looking at them, you wouldn’t think there was a lot to these boots. However Oliver didn’t just design a cool looking work boot, but they also implemented some practical concepts to these boots. These boots are steel toe and also have a nice toe bumper made from abrasion resistant rubber. How many times have the toes of your shoes worn out first? This tends to happen a lot with boots so this rubber protector is a great idea to help protect the key area to your work boot. As you can see there is a mesh look to these boots. Oliver boots uses a three layer air mesh which helps with heat and moisture dissipation, which I feel like it does a great job. One item I really liked about these boots was it always felt like my foot was locked in the boot. Not where it was unconformable, but it just felt more secure. After reading about the boot, I discovered it is designed with a mid-foot cage, which you can see in the picture. The 3rd lace from the top is offset and this helps lock your foot in place so you don’t get that internal sliding of your foot.
The bottom of the boot has a ton of features but a couple I really want to talk about is the bevel heel which is great for slip resistant benefit. Most work boots I have seen are flat in the heel and that is where someone can slip and fall since that hits first. With the heel having a bevel, you step a little smoother and this can help prevent slips. On the arch of your foot or shoe, there are treads that can help give you better grip on a ladder. Now I can’t say I felt the difference 100%, but I did feel a difference with a leg lock. Now I am not sure if it was the boot or psychological effect, either way I do like this design.
I didn’t cover everything with this boot, but I can tell you that Oliver boots went to great lengths to design a top notch hiker boot that has electrical protection, oil resistant sole, dual density EVA mid-sole and more. Bottom line if you want a great hiker work boot, the Oliver boot hiker series is the way to go. With a 30 day comfort guarantee, it’s hard to go wrong.
Oliver Boots – Oliver 45 Series Leather Composite Mid Boot
If the hiker series isn’t your cup of tea, the Leather 45 series might be up your alley. This has more of the classic work boot, which does look cool and tough. Again, looks aren’t everything, it’s how they feel and how they perform. When I first saw these boots, I thought they would be very heavy. To my surprise, they were actually a light boot. As an FYI these boots come with a 6 month warranty. While the hikers are a steel toe, these boots have a composite toe. Don’t worry, they are just as strong, but less weight. The first thing I noticed was the comfort of these boots. It’s kind of like when you get into a pick up truck and you’re expecting a rough ride, but you find out it’s riding like a Cadillac. Well it’s pretty much the same. I was expecting these to feel like a work boot, but for me, they were very comfortable. Even where the composite toe shield is located, it doesn’t bother me. Not sure if it’s because of the way they are made or the fact they have a protective strip and toe liner for protection and comfort. As with the hikers, these have the same bevel heel. The tread on these are very deep, so no matter what you are walking on, these will surely grip.
Again there is a ton to this boot and I don’t want to sit here and tell you about all the features and sound like a salesman because I am not. Personally I don’t care if you buy these boots or not. However if you are looking to buy some really tough and well designed boots, take a look at the Oliver boots. I really don’t think you will be disappointed.
Overall I like these boots. While I have been wearing them for a couple of months, I haven’t been beating the heck out of them. I have been wearing them day to day, but not always in a construction environment. Overall I really like both styles of boots. They are comfortable and lightweight. I have to admit, I like both the styles and think they look cool. However looks aren’t the most important aspect of boots. Comfort is the most important part of any boot and I have to say that so far these have been great. Oliver Boots have been around for a long time, but this was my first experience with them. After researching and trying out their boots, I am sold and love the style and all the tech that goes into these boots. You can check out these and other Oliver Boots at their website.
