Whites
If you want to get a pair of custom made boots go with the Whites.
These are hand made and will last for years.
But really the Wescos are just as good.
When ordering boots from the factory you have a bunch of different options that you can get, from higher to lower heel, different Vibram soles, and choices of leather thickness. You will also notice little details like Milled eyelets, not folded metal hooks for the laces, Bridle leather quality uppers, German #10 Iron leather vamps, leather built up heels, etc.
Take a look at a pair of 6 month old Redwings for example, Check the heel the leather will be blown out and the persons foot will be hanging off the edge of the heel. In addition the leather will have streached out and the laces will be cinched so tight that the edges of the boot will be all the way together.
Think about lace-to-toe or standard box toe. It can make a difference in comfort depending on your foot dimensions.
Your question of higher or lower boots is really not connected to more or less comfort when spuring. The spurs (as you know) have pads for your legs. So a higher boot is more weight thats all. The higher boots are designed for protecting your lower legs from snakes, brush, etc, not additional comfort from spurs. Or to make us look when that fine girl goes by with her thigh highs.
You might try lenghtening your shanks on the spurs so they go as high as possible on your leg. This makes a real difference. Also different spurs are more or less comfortable. Try a pair of Aluminum Bashlins.
As for the steel toe, well to each his own. I cant stand them, IMO they are outdated technology, cause they transfer heat and cold, they will crush your toe in the event you get a, say 1 ton street hole cover plate dropped on them, and they (at least on me) cut into the top of my foot, and add signifigantly to the weight. I have never had a cut from a chainsaw on my toe area, the top of the boot yes but not on the toe. Wesco and Whites, and Redwing all offer an ANSI approved "solastic" toe (hardened plastic) These will rebound in the event of a crushing event and not hold your toes crushed so they have to cut the end of your foot off to get your foot loose.
The new tech. boots that Big John is talking about are good, he is right that they support your foot well, but I will say that they dont hold up as well as good german leather and cut very easily. They are a good disposible boot. But they cost almost as much as Whites or Wesco. If you are wreaking day in and day out leather is the way to go. All high quality boots are rebuildable making them some of the least expensive boots in the long run.
Oh some linemen are specifiying double soles on their Wescos, one flat and one luged Vibram. makes each sole real thick but you can stand for days in spurs. Seems excessive to me but hey, to each his own. They remind me of Lurch from the Addams family.
You could try the metal plates that bolt into some brands of spurs. I think they limit your ankle motion tho. Never tried them myself.
What I notice is the spurs hurt at first but in the job, slinging around a 046 and roping and moving around the pain goes away after awhile
good luck- remember, keep it simple dont overengineer and stay light. After all you still want to be able to talk shi-- after the chunking is done!
Frans
