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In the early stages of procurement for a new pair of everyday shoes - Anybody bought these Rieker shoes - they seem to be German, I was impressed with the build quality and general feel. I want shoes that will last at least a year before replacement.
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>> build quality and general feel. I want shoes that will last at least a year
>> before replacement.
Blimey, how many miles do you do in these shoes?
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Does Humph still travel in shoes?
He's the man for expert comment.
I got a couple of pairs of nice, comfy Dr Scholl's slip-ons from here:
www.wynsors.com/mens-shoes-c-1.html
Proved to be reasonably hard-wearing and at £50 for two pairs, something of a bargain.
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"Does Humph still travel in shoes?"
Girls shoes though I think.
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never 'eard of 'em. I'd recommend Ecco or Brasher for comfort & durability.
JH
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I'd never heard of them either until yesterday. I went into Wainwright's in Princes Risborough (proper shoe shop, an endangered species) to replace a nearly new pair of Josef Seibel casual shoes I appear to have left in a hotel somewhere. Second pair I'd had, very comfortable. None to be seen, but they had lots of Riekers which they claim are OK (well, they would).
While I was in there a chap brought back a pair of those expensive Australian ankle boots. He complained that they squeaked when he walked. The assistant who is a bit of a wag said "well at least they're quiet when you're not walking then?"
Don't know about Ecco. I keep looking for some to try but they all look awful.
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I looked at Ecco as well - didn't like the styling. Bit Bangle and all that. The Reiekers were spotted in a proper shoe shop.
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Ecco had several that I liked last last year. Went back to take advantage of x% off voucher and I walked out without buying. It's either a summer / winter thing or the styles change rapidly.
JH
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OK let's put it in terms we all understand.
Ecco = Volvo/Saab
Joseph Seibel = Audi maybe a touch of Mercedes
Rieker = VW/Seat
Clarks = Land Rover
They'll be fine Pug. They are indeed a German outfit but the production is all offshore these days like most of the industry. Highly respected firm in the field of casual footwear. Won't be as techy as Ecco or Clarks but good honest shoes for those who no longer care what they look like.......Should be just the ticket with elastic waisted slacks and a beige anorak....Your new wife should approve, no chance of you pulling in 'em for sure.
:-)
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I find walking trousers very comfortable in this hot weather. They're light and cool and I see no reason to inflict my shiny white knobbly knees on the world at large by wearing shorts. But they have an elasticated waist :-( I'm trying to hide it with a belt.
Brasher are British! Though made abroad :-(
JH
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>>I find walking trousers very comfortable in this hot weather
Ditto. There's a lot to be said for a bit of elastic. And they have many useful pockets. Handy when it's too warm for the gilet-of-many-pockets, also much maligned by Mrs Dugong.
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...OK let's put it in terms we all understand...
What's a CC3? Jimmy Choo, perhaps?
And a Qashqai?
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>>
>> While I was in there a chap brought back a pair of those expensive Australian
>> ankle boots. He complained that they squeaked when he walked.
One of my late mother's old aphorisms was that if new shoes squeaked, it meant that the owner hadn't paid for them yet!
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>>In the early stages of procurement for a new pair of everyday shoes
"Stages of procurement" for a pair of shoes has to be retirement trait. Pleased you've acclimatised so well PU ;-)
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Oh no - this is nothing new, I hate shopping for clothes etc and tend to stick to what I know- I did have a decent pair of Churches' shoes in work - horrendously expensive but worth every penny in the long term, sort of a Bentley shoe. The German shoes do look a bit left field though. The spec for the shoes will be tie ups and not velcro straps....
I also had a pair of RAF issue shoes - which were the best wearing easiest to clean shoes I've ever owned.....but my source has says that the issuing of them has become a little complex now...they sussed he was changing shoe sizes twice a year. They were a Mondeo shoe. Probably stick to Clarks (again).
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>>Probably stick to Clarks (again).
Me too especially as they are available at significant discount at Bicester Village , Gunwharf Keys etc outlets. I think all my shoes and trainers were obtained from Clarks.
Never had any problems with them.
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The last time I was in Clarks was when SWMBO was looking for a handbag. She looked at one but dismissed it. As she was about to leave a VERY young lady picked up the bag and tried to sell it to her. She explained that the price was reduced becasue it was last seasons model. Hmm. Not really getting the customer on your side? Wife said that the strap was too short. Vyl said she could buy a longer one. We didn't ask where. As a handbag shop does not sell handbag straps perhaps there is a chain of specialist handbag strap shops, now sadly gone in the recession? Meanwhile I was accosted by her mate (VERY young man) who wanted to know if the pair of shoes he had brought down from the stock room were for me?
I just wanted to get out asap and I'm not going back! Perhaps your local branch is more civilised?
JH
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>>I just wanted to get out asap and I'm not going back! Perhaps your local branch is more civilised?
>>
I have been to Clarks at the outlets many many times and all the staff do is stock the shelves.
I have never ever seen anyone doing a sales job on anyone so another plus when getting a discount ( if you have an outlet within range).
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The descendants of the Clarks Polyveldt/Nature Trek range have done me fine for the last 30 years. Mrs B and I had a very early piece of shared language where we called them polytreks; it still in the family vocabulary.
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I have to admit, that I have just bought a pair of boots with a cuban heel.
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>> I have to admit, that I have just bought a pair of boots with a
>> cuban heel.
>>
Only one heel Z?
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>> Shorty! :-)
Not at all, I am no Tom Cruise thank you.
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>> >> I have been to Clarks at the outlets
>> ( if you have an outlet within range).
>>
>>
Where is your nearest Clarks outlet henry?
By outlet do you mean a shop or a discount place?
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Main Clark's outlet is at Street - are there others?
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>> Main Clark's outlet is at Street - are there others?
>>
Only been there once.
Others I have visited
www.bicestervillage.com/en_GB/sitemap
I have often been to Oxford and it is just a blast off the M40 (and will be during the next three years). It is only just over an hour from Esher when the motorway is quiet.
www.gunwharf-quays.com/
Often in the area and also a M & S outlet there
www.swindondesigneroutlet.com/
Been a couple of times.
I have been to Bicester and Portsmouth lots of times and none in the shop ever attempts any sales pitch. I cant remember re Swindon.
Swindon is part of www.mcarthurglen.com/index.htm another six outletsaround the country but no info on them.
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Rieker shoes look as if they're constructed entirely of man-made materials. I prefer all leather shoes ~ feet need shoes which allow them to "breathe" ~ and for your stated utility needs I recommend Samuel Windsor shoes. Good quality at a cheap price. www.swshoes.co.uk/Index_swshoes.cfm
Last edited by: L'escargot on Mon 21 Jun 10 at 07:50
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Years ago I wore no shoes but Clarks' Nature Trek - Cornish pasties, my wife used to call them. When I discovered they were being discontinued I went out and bought three pairs at what I thought then was huge expense - one pair to wear and two pairs to put away for the future. After a couple of years the material of the soles/heels of the pair I was wearing suddenly began to disintegrate. To my horror when I started wearing the other pairs, one after the other, they started to disintegrate as well. I've never forgiven Clarks. When I was working in the Street area I always planned to call in and have a go at someone, but you know how it is, I never got around to it.
Meanwhile, I was in Devon a couple of years ago, staying with friends and glanced in the window of the local hospice charity shop. I spotted a 'brand new' pair of beautiful Grensons moccasins. I rushed into the shop, found they were exactly my size, and emerged with them minus a fiver. Best bargain I've had in decades. They are a bit like the Beast - sometimes I just look at them and rejoice that such things still exist.
Last edited by: Mike Hannon on Mon 21 Jun 10 at 11:04
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Mike, the sole disintegration problem is well known in the trade. Oddly enough it wouldn't have happened if you had worn them in rotation. It is the result of non-use which allows the polyurethane sole to harden. When worn after extended periods of non-use tiny little cracks appear in the surface skin of the PU allowing moisture to penetrate. This, in a remarkably short time, causes the PU to become like cream cheese and lose its integrity. Think it's called "hydrolysis" or something like that.
Bit like cars, use 'em or lose 'em !
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PU to become like cream cheese and lose its integrity
What ?!
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Obviously crept up on you and you didn't notice.
Or is it crêped. ;-)
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Why not buy a nice pair of Crocs in a subtle colour? You can wear them anywhere, although they are a little 'gay'.
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>> What ?!
typically goes crumbly and smells a bit odd.
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I have a a pair of crocks - not the NHS issue type but a canvas, loafer type - quite comfortable.
I see what you mean now Humph.
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>> for your stated
>> utility needs I recommend Samuel Windsor shoes. Good quality at a cheap price. www.swshoes.co.uk/Index_swshoes.cfm
You are kidding, Escargot? But then why would a snail need shoes.
I wear Church's shoes for work (and play); painfully but reassuringly expensive. I thought a pair of Mr Windsor's shoes must be worth a try at two pairs for £70. What a load of rubbish they are. The laces are OK though, now doing service in a pair of Church's.
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Church's are among the best known of the quality traditional brands and are indeed very very good. They are though, fairly overpriced and not ( in my opinion for what it's worth etc ) the best non-bespoke manufacturer.
For something really special seek out Crockett & Jones. In my view a far superior product. Still not cheap but wouldn't be as expensive as Church's.
At the risk of naming / shaming I'll reserve my comments on some of the other brands mentioned.....
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www.crockettandjones.co.uk/
Simply outstanding in my opinion.
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I only wear biker boots and cowboys. I'd happily dress as a cowboy all the time if I didn't think people would laugh at me.
Check out these bad boys - note some of the prices
www.rsoles.com/acatalog/online_catalogue_Mens_5.html
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Does your wife get to be the Indian ?
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She keeps trying to get me into sandals in the summer
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What Poles don't know about style for men would fill a warehouse.
London, New York, Paris... Lodz???
I'm sticking with the boots.
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Remember you're an Englishman abroad. Keep your socks on.
JH
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"Keep your socks on"
Damned right!
Last edited by: BiggerBadderDave on Mon 21 Jun 10 at 19:07
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No class that BBD. I have a pair of these, my most fav shoes. In oxblood.
www.loake.co.uk/Shop/Products/Loake+Catalog/PID-BRI.aspx
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Do you wear them with white socks?
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>> Do you wear them with white socks?
Oh yes.
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A shoe with a moustache ?
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Yes it's the shoe answer to Lee Hazlewood
May the genius rest in peace.
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>> A shoe with a moustache ?
At least I am not trying to find a pair that sound like a dutch spliff.
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That's whats called a tassle loafer, very popular in the '70s with Americans and um....bachelors.....
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They were popular in the 70s with white socks, two tone tonics, a ben sherman and a crombie.
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But especially with bachelors
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"They were popular in the 70s with white socks, two tone tonics, a ben sherman and a crombie"
Maybe, but if I were rucking with rockers on Brighton beach I'd rather be wearing these
www.rsoles.com/acatalog/blk_spr_engineer.jpg
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You could always spot a skinhead with a puncture. Used to list to one side.
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I had a pair of Dr Martens when I was working as a mechanic.
They were useless - the various chemicals on the workshop floor rotted the soles in no time.
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"They were useless"
They were indeed. I used to wear them a lot until I started going skiing. Winkle-pickers had ten times more traction in the snow.
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I used to ski in a kilt but found ski boots better for the purpose than cowboy boots in the main.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Mon 21 Jun 10 at 20:11
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Gap in the market... Crocodile-skin ski boots...?
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Feel free to invest your life savings in that one Dave. Might be a runner, you never know......I'll pass for now thanks all the same......
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I see the company is called rsoles...
JH
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"rsoles"
Made with me in mind
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>> You are kidding, Escargot?
I only buy Samuel Windsor shoes for gardening. For everyday wear I have Church's, Crockett & Jones, Alfred Sargent, Grenson, etc. For formal occasions I have bespoke shoes by Carréducker, Paul Thomas, Davidroberts Shoes, Bowhill & Elliott, and a few pairs by Anello & Davide.
My slippers are Church's hard sole "Hercules II" in black mandarin leather.
Last edited by: L'escargot on Tue 22 Jun 10 at 10:44
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>> Anybody bought these Rieker shoes
Not me. I hear they make your feet smell.
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Even leather shoes with synthetic leather linings can make your feet smell. Fabric linings are generally OK but can lead to heat build up, real leather linings are usually best at preventing foot odour, with the notable exception of pigskin linings which can make your feet smell like rotting fish.
Pigskin is quite easy to spot, if you know what you are looking for, the hair follicles are quite pronounced. Looks a bit like fine pepperpot punching. This material can legally be described as leather but is usually best avoided as a lining material but it is one of the cheapest leathers and is often used to cut costs.
Frankly, the only way to ensure good foot health and reduce odour problems is to change your shoes at least twice a day ( ie put something different on when you get in from work ) and never to wear the same pair on two consecutive days. Avoid wholly synthetic shoes like the plague - especially trainers, all that foam interlining is just a bacteria playground.
Even on a normally temperate day a adult loses about a pint of perspiration through their feet. It gets trapped in the stitching and especially the linimgs and takes at least 24 hours to dry out. Wearing the same shoes day in day out is a sure fire way of harbouring and encouraging bacteria.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Mon 21 Jun 10 at 21:59
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In my return to my re-discovered hippiness of youth and in this summer weather I am generally barefoot around the house....
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Ironically so am I !
Edit - It's actually very good for you. Makes you walk as nature intended. If you step outside infrequently at first of course but build up over time your feet will toughen enough to potter in the garden barefoot etc.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Mon 21 Jun 10 at 22:07
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That would really confirm my new neighbours' suspicions...
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Sounds a good enough reason to try it then. I wash the car barefoot in summer. Can't be doing with wellies on bare feet. Too hot and such a bad look........
:-)
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I spend my summer days at home in flip flops.
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>> Even leather shoes with synthetic leather linings
Cough. I'm sorry, it was a (poor) play on words, or pronunciation, anyway.
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Whoops, thought you were serious, see what you mean though !
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Mon 21 Jun 10 at 22:24
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...walking around the house in bare feet...
Not a good idea in the kitchen, with boiling kettles, hot pans and knives knocking about.
I dropped my large kitchen knife in the caravan the other day.
It hit my foot, or moccasin as I was wearing a pair.
Don't suppose the injury would have been that severe had I been barefoot, but the shoe probably saved me a cut.
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I ordered a pair of Riekers last year as round-the-house shoes. Never got as far as trying them on - one didn't even make it out of the box. They were (a) extraordinarily ugly and (b) cheaply made, with sharp edges to the leather round the ankle. They went straight back.
There was a pair of Pikolinos in the same order, which I kept and have worn to death on warm days since. Not heirloom shoes but made of much nicer leather than the Riekers.
On smelly feet, Humph's advice is spot on. I used to wear Eccos to work on grounds of comfort, until I started noticing that if I took out the insole at the end of a dry day there were pools of liquid under it. Ugh. So I re-equipped last year with Loake 1880s - which are fine, if a little plasticky - and a couple of pairs of Cheaneys. I mention this because at the end of a hot day at work, I can take the Cheaneys off, inhale deeply (bear with me here!) and smell nothing but warm, sweet leather. They're satisfying to polish, too.
Off now to put some on and go to work.
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I'll continue to risk it Iffy, but thanks for the advice.....there are so few opportunities to live life on the edge round here...........
:-)
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Humph is not allowed sharp objects at his home, so he should be OK.
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...I'll continue to risk it Iffy,...
I thought I'd get that type of response, and I know it is partly in jest.
But there's no doubt a lot of nasty accidents happen in the home, and in my case, caravan.
My neighbour was cutting his lawn in flip-flops using an electric Flymo the other day.
To me, that is plain daft.
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A different pair of shoes for every day of the week, and a different pair for every evening too. (Luckily, Humph, Church's make their samples in my size, otherwise, yes I'd agree with you!)
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"My neighbour was cutting his lawn in flip-flops"
If money were no object, these are what I'd be wearing to cut the lawn:
www.rsoles.com/acatalog/Eagle%20gold%20black.jpg
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So what have you got behind your gaff ? A prarie ?
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I'd rather not. Might be disturbing.
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Pug (i know late to pick this up) I have a pair of Reiker shoes. Yes they are well made and very comfortable. But for some reason i don't know why after a while they begin to draw my feet.
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If you want a good quality walking/everyday shoe check out the Grisport Dartmoor. Italian made, Vibram sole, excellent soft leather and circa £65/70. Both myself and friends own pairs bought from a local outdoor retailer in Settle and they are the bees knees. Too warm for summer wear but just the job for cooler months.
Last edited by: legacylad on Wed 4 Aug 10 at 22:50
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Ended up with a pair of Clarkes. Not worn them much since the OP, preferring a pair of seven year old Salomon walking shoes which smell but are supremely comfy.
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all pairs of old shoes are worth a £1 a pair on the spot market so if you donate them to your local hospice they can sell them on for a third world country buyer to use in the fields/ditches/sack
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Rieker Shoes. - Zero
