Durable and reliable black work shoes

fryandlaurie on 19/06/2015 - 11:48

Hey all,

I am in need of some good, durable black work shoes (simple design, no fancy brogue stuff needed). I've had bad experiences with Julius Marlow and Hush Puppies as they barely last a few months. Local cobblers told me they are utterly crap.

I am therefore looking for some durable and simple work shoes. Suggestions of what brands and shops to look out for would be great. Sadly, my budget is only about $90 but I am happy to wait for any sales. Perhaps wait for DJ/Myer sale on Florsheims?

Thanks.

Find Me A Bargain

Comments

  • Xyzzy on 19/06/2015 - 11:57
    +1

    These Mongrel Black Derby Shoes last me for years and years and are extremely comfortable:

    http://www.hytechworkboots.com.au/work-boots/non-safety-boot…

    Not the prettiest shoe though - definitely not fancy.

    • fryandlaurie on 19/06/2015 - 12:01

      Thanks. I might look into shoes like these. Even ugly slip on boots will do as long as they have a smooth leather finish suitable for the office.

      • spackbace on 19/06/2015 - 13:27
        +2

        If you go along that line, I swear by these. Car salesman by trade, so the bitumen eats up standard dress/business shoes, and damn these are comfortable :)

        These look similar too

        • fryandlaurie on 19/06/2015 - 14:28

          These look great man, thanks. I'll see if they have a sale soon but I might lock these in.

        • spackbace on 19/06/2015 - 14:43

          @fryandlaurie:

          Normally get a year or so out of each pair, compared to the guys that wear dress shoes and are lucky to get 3 months!

          Also try your local Williams Shoes stores to see if they have stock. Same prices I think, but save on postage

        • akd on 19/06/2015 - 16:34

          Alps shoes looks great. I will purchase one. Thanks

        • SlickMick on 20/06/2015 - 12:32
          +3

          @Spackbace:
          My first time to trust a car salesman :)

          Just bought a pair for $90.97 with free delivery from here: www.shoeclearancestore.com.au%2Findex.php%2Fbrands%2Fmen%2Fc…

          $103.96 at Williams, $129.95 at Colorado.

          Thanks OP for asking the question. I've been looking for comfy shoes good enough for work, but to do a lot of walking in.

          RM Williams is having sale in Adelaide atm btw, was hoping to get fitted at local store then get someone to go to sale for me, but it isn't going to happen.

  • inherentchoice on 19/06/2015 - 12:54
    +4

    I have some Grosby ones that are quite hardy and seem to last a few years. But perhaps they are more school shoes than work shoes.

    Have a look at these, currently on sale:

    http://www.bigw.com.au/product/grosby-mens-dress-shoes-brent…
    http://www.bigw.com.au/product/grosby-mens-dress-shoes-barry…

    • the urbanite on 11/07/2015 - 02:53

      These disposable Big W shoes lasted a few years? Wow, will definitely try on a pair.

      • inherentchoice on 11/07/2015 - 07:46
        +1

        Hey even Crocodile Dundee wears Grosby…

        https://youtu.be/6zpDPPSYEdw

        • the urbanite on 15/07/2015 - 23:17
          +1

          Totally forgot that Big W used to sell Australian-made stuff.

          However, its crazy that these shoes were advertised in 1986* for the exact same price as today - $40. They seem roughly the same build quality and design too.

          Adjusted for inflation, thats $100 today according to ABS.

          Not sure how parents back then afforded Back to School sales.

          • (Release Year for Crocodile Dundee)
  • ESEMCE on 19/06/2015 - 13:32
    +1

    My Kangaroo Leather Florsheims are super comfy from day 1 (none of this "breaking in" nonsense) and if I ever bothered to polish them would still be acceptable with a suit… I've been wearing them to work daily for the past 3 years. Before that, they were my "wedding" shoes. Probably only got worn 20-30 times across 5 years or so.
    I bought a new pair ($100 delivered) to be my new wedding shoes when I downgraded this pair to work duties…

  • dylanando on 19/06/2015 - 13:51
    +1

    Im in the same boat, Nothing last longer than a few months. Boss told me to go to Big W and get (Cant remember the name rn) but was $90ish and were boots. Luckily I wear long pants to cover these ugly shoes up however two days in and lasted longer than kmart shoes!

    • fryandlaurie on 19/06/2015 - 14:29

      Thanks, I'll check them out. I think boots, v while not looking the most fashionable are best for your feet and last longer too. Thankfully I don't have a flashy corporate job where I would have needed to shell out 200+for fancy shoes. I do envy them though ;-)

  • momov3 on 19/06/2015 - 15:50

    Will never buy anything other than Blundstone, sadly they are now made in China, formerly Aussie made. Quality still great and wears for years. Non-slip and you get the slip ons or laces ones. They cost about $90 although I never paid more than $75-$80 at Aussie Disposals. They will price match everytime, if you can name cheaper retailer. My kids only wore Blundstones when they worked at KFC's greasy kitchen floors.

    • fryandlaurie on 19/06/2015 - 16:13

      There are actually two disposable stores in Burwood. Holy crap I forgot to check that out.

  • Edsanwong on 19/06/2015 - 16:25
    +1

    Mrs bought from chemist warehouse, very comfy she said… about $50s or even less actually

  • Pleasure Paulie on 20/06/2015 - 03:12

    Went through this for years. Finally started buying Hush Puppies a few years ago and have not looked back. They are the only shoe which have cushioned rubber soles, and do a good looking business shoe. Comfortable and I've managed to get a few years from each set so far. Subscribe to their emails and stock up when on sale!

    Edit.. see you tried hush puppies.. LOL!!!

  • ramshead on 20/06/2015 - 09:38

    Rockport world tourers are my recommendation. Retail over $ 200, but last Xmas a Northern beaches (manly?) shoe shop had them for$99. I bought 2 pair and had them posted to me for $10.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/06/2015 - 09:43
    +1

    Up your budget and buy some RM Williams. They are hand made in Australia and are the best shows you can buy. They literally last forever, you will easily get more than a decade of wear out of them without question. They might cost 4 times your budget, but they will last 10 times as long as ordinary shoes. That being said I still have a pair of Doc Martins I got when I was a school kid. They are now around 20 years old and are in perfect condition, infact I am goinf to wear them tonight for a wedding.

    • fryandlaurie on 22/06/2015 - 10:53

      Yeah, looks like this might be the best option if I can't find anything reasonable. Wasn't there a dip in RM Williams quality recently though? Anyway, this quite is quite fitting (From T Pratchett):

      "The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.

      Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.

      But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.

      This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness."

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