Loake brogue boot (glendale) or other.

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Thought I'd treat myself so looking for the above in dark brown or black or could be a different make of a similar style and quality. I vaguely seem to remember from those in the know here that they might be made in the Far East?

 
You could look at Grenson boots, some with the trendy white Vibram sole or also with the more traditional sole. Retailing at about £250 but well worth the money, I've had two pairs of these boots for years and are still looking good and the soles can be replaced at a fraction of the original boot price so the boots just keep going and looking great.

Another less expensive option is the John White boot, made in the uk. P.
 
Ta, yeah I have a pair of white vibram soled boots that made me feel like I should be moon walking everywhere so out came the permanent black marker, Grenson's look good.
 
+1 for Grenson, and Tricker's are good boots, but very expensive. The other bootmakers, who are still making them in Northampton, are NPS-Solovair. Their boots are about the £250 mark, with Goodyear welts, and very good, if you can get over their being named named after some of my least-favourite British Prime Ministers. They are a bit hard to get hold of, as they don't have too many retail stockists, but they do sell on-line (when they have stock).

Although I guess you really want to "Buy British", some of the best boots I've had are Red Wings, which are genuinely (unlike e.g. G. H. Bass-made in China) made in the USA.

The biggest problem I've had with any boots that are stitched through to the sole is finding someone to repair or resole them. Being from Suffolk, I hate to have anything that's not repairable.
 
+1 for Grenson, and Tricker's are good boots, but very expensive. The other bootmakers, who are still making them in Northampton, are NPS-Solovair. Their boots are about the £250 mark, with Goodyear welts, and very good, if you can get over their being named named after some of my least-favourite British Prime Ministers. They are a bit hard to get hold of, as they don't have too many retail stockists, but they do sell on-line (when they have stock).

Although I guess you really want to "Buy British", some of the best boots I've had are Red Wings, which are genuinely (unlike e.g. G. H. Bass-made in China) made in the USA.

The biggest problem I've had with any boots that are stitched through to the sole is finding someone to repair or resole them. Being from Suffolk, I hate to have anything that's not repairable.
I'm lucky to have a fantastic cobbler who re-soles all of my boots, Grenson, Lowa ,Jhon White ect, this makes an expensive pair of boots well worth the cost because they last me years. I can ask if he does repairs via the post. P.
 
Although I guess you really want to "Buy British", some of the best boots I've had are Red Wings, which are genuinely (unlike e.g. G. H. Bass-made in China) made in the USA.

Not necessarily but as it happens the white soled boot mentioned earlier was a GH Bass suede mid boot, didn't care for the fit and finish of them after a while so they don't get out much but that's was before I knew they were made in China. I still have a near twenty-five year old pair of Rockports bought in the U.S that are still lovely to wear obviously before they started making them abroad and out of tat.
 
I'm lucky to have a fantastic cobbler who re-soles all of my boots, Grenson, Lowa ,Jhon White ect, this makes an expensive pair of boots well worth the cost because they last me years. I can ask if he does repairs via the post. P.
That would be very helpful. Nowadays, living in "The Sticks", and with the disappearance of many shops and services (including in Norwich, the nearest city), I'm reconciled to having to get a lot of things done by post and at a distance.
 
Not necessarily but as it happens the white soled boot mentioned earlier was a GH Bass suede mid boot, didn't care for the fit and finish of them after a while so they don't get out much but that's was before I knew they were made in China. I still have a near twenty-five year old pair of Rockports bought in the U.S that are still lovely to wear obviously before they started making them abroad and out of tat.
The lowering of standards through out-of-country manufacturing seems especially acute with footwear. When Timberland boating/deck shoes first came out in the UK in about the early 80's, they cost a lot, but were made in the USA. I wore the heck out of a pair for more than 30 years until my terrier puppy had them for several meals and I was left with a pair of Vibram soles. Similarly, Blundstones were an excellent work boot, but now they're made in China, not Oz. I now buy Australian-made Redback boots which aren't too dear, are as inelegant as can be, but will take a real beating.
 
Britain and especially Northampton are blessed with probably the best shoemakers in the world and when you consider the prices the likes of Nike and Adidas charge which are more than likely made for a few pounds in the Far East they are an absolute steal. If you are after a more robust boot you won't go wrong with William Lennon in Derbyshire.
 

The last pair of Winter boots I purchased. Superb.

Beautiful boots
 
Similarly, Blundstones were an excellent work boot, but now they're made in China, not Oz. I now buy Australian-made Redback boots which aren't too dear, are as inelegant as can be, but will take a real beating.

Agghhh... b***dy Blundstones, been there too where the soles just blimming disintegrated. I'm using my Alt-Berg warriors atm but as comfy as they are they're a bit too paramilitary to wear all over the place, will check out Redback.
 
Agghhh... b***dy Blundstones, been there too where the soles just blimming disintegrated. I'm using my Alt-Berg warriors atm but as comfy as they are they're a bit too paramilitary to wear all over the place, will check out Redback.
I would suggest Lowa boots but like your Alt-Berg's they are a little on the paramilitary side but ever so comfortable to wear straight out of the box. P.
 
Thought I'd treat myself so looking for the above in dark brown or black or could be a different make of a similar style and quality. I vaguely seem to remember from those in the know here that they might be made in the Far East?


Some Loakes are made in India, if you go to their site and click on the style you are interested in it tells you where they are made. The Glendales are made in England:


worth looking at their factory outlet for decent discounts, note they only sell perfect stock online, no seconds.


I got some Bedales for my birthday, and very nice they are too, comfortable right out of the box.
 
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