I honestly don't think sneakers are a BIFL thing inherently
this post was submitted on 17 Oct 2026
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Indeed.
I guess what Im looking for is Buy-It-For-About-30-Years. A sneaker or boot fhat protects your feet from the elements and that you have to replace every 30 years or so isnt really a hassle as long as the price isnt crazy right?
Sneekers never last 30 years of daily wear. A boot maybe, it'll be at least a few hundred dollars to find one that does. Probably hand made.
Red Wings are boots that will last.
Ya I may have to get it custom made and of course thatll cost a a couple pretty pennies. But oh well. Footwear is ome of the most important things in the world to all humans who need to use their feet often or to those who love in an environment whhere the average climste can fuck over their feet. and it is something that each person will have to make an effortt to get to as perfect as they can get it.
Also I walk a lot. I averagee like 4 or 5 KM a day of walking so for me foot wear is super a top priority.
You'll need the Shoe of Theseus if your looking for one that lasts 30 years.
It'll have to be made from full grain leather and have a welt. This will allow a cobbler to replace components.
Modern(athletic not fashion) sneakers are made to be worn for 300-500 miles. That is the life of the glues, foams and synthetic materials.
I know there have been brands in the past that have made sneakers this way but they are fashion/luxury/lifestyle versions. Not sneakers that are actually made for exercise.
Edit: I found these. They might be the ones I remember reading about.
https://www.feitdirect.com/products/classic-high-tan
That brand also makes these but they might not be welted.
I think your post is missing a few words? But anyway check out mukluks, Made in Canada
Also thanks. Also I dont think they sell men's boots only a few men's shoes https://www.muk-luks.com/search?page=33&q=boots&type=product%2Cpage
I checked the company manitobah and apparently they only currently have womem's mukluks that have a wide sole. All the men's ones have smaller soles
Oh sorry . Whst words did I miss? Was I supposed to type in " reccomendations please?" in the title too?
Vivobarefoot shoes have some waterproof options, such as this one. They can be a bit expensive, but they're well made and have a very wide toebox due to the barefoot design, which also means they do not have an arch support.
They also have a refurbished section called Revivo with lower prices, but some options may not be in stock. You may also be able to find a deal for a pair on ebay.
Vessi Vessi.com
Waterproof and really comfy
I'm in the same boat, looking for waterproof, lightweight, non-sporty/city sneakers with a flat sole. I've searched for years and haven't found anything yet. For now I have tried:
- Regular sneakers. Absolutely not waterproof.
- Leather mid-top sneakers/chukka hybrids. The leather parts and stitching can be made reasonably waterproof using dubbin, unfortunately the tongue is fabric and will soak up water very quickly which will then leak inside the shoes, making the waterproofing useless. Wish I knew this before finding myself on my bike in a thunderstorm.
- "Waterproof sneakers" from Tropicfeel. Maybe waterproof, I can't wear them because they are way too narrow and extremely painful for my wide feet. Low cut means water can sneak in from the ankles down even with rain overpants.
Not sneakers:
- Good old Timbs. The most waterproof shoes I ever had. Still look like new after 4 rainy winters and regular care. Can't be worn for extended periods of time due to weight and drop.
Probable next steps:
Thanks . but Im shocked that such footwear that Im looking for probably doesnt exist yet according to your search. I feel like Id make a fortune creating sneaker boots that fit into my criteria stated here cause Ive seen a surprisivng number of others on reddit ask for this same type of sneaker boot. I just need the capital and the time to produce a business specializing in the creation of such footwear.
At this point I feel t hat either custom made, waterproof sneaker boots or waterproof barefoot boots plus me wearing like 3 pairs of socks at the same time are my only cureent options. ๐คท๐ฟโโ๏ธ
Best of wishes with your search. it SUUUCKS having wide feet. Ive had to wear the same pair of shoes for like 15 years cause I cant find ANY manufacturers that make footwear for wide feet.
Also I forgot to add that high or low weight is useless to me. Ive walked 20KM in boots that weighed like 5 or 7 pounds combined like it was nothing. These boots were from pajar so if you search them up you can probably tell that these boots were extra heavy cause they had to be msde of the heaviest msterials possible to last long harsh in winter. Only problem with pajar boots is that they are allergic to making footwear for people with wide ass feet like us. TO me weight is useless if I know that a type of footwear will protect my feet. Id wear lead if it fits all my criteria honestly lol
Not sure about BIFL, but I'm reasonably happy with my Merrell's.
Men's MOAB 3 GORE-TEX (Wide) Beluga Hiking Boot | Men's Hiking | Merrell Australia https://www.merrellaustralia.com.au/products/moab-3-gtx-beluga
Haven't tried them in snow, but they've handled mud, tropical rain storms and deep puddles just fine. Comfy for my wide feet. Recently changed the laces after about 15 months, other than that they've been durable.
Edit: Actually, I did wear them on a trip up into the mountains in Norway last year, so they did get a little bit of snow. Just some late season patches of stuff on the ground.
Also I was recommended to look at snowproof barefoot boots by some people in that past seeing as how I have really wide feet and itll contour itself to my foot shape . And obviously mostt sneaker boots and sneakers tend to just not be for wide footed people at all.
If anyone wants to tell me more about this? Im all ears Please and Thanks
I know you have history with Lems, but I was very happy with mine!
They were incredibly comfortable to me for all day wear, it was strange to take off boots after a long day and not feel relief. I wouldn't mind a bit more width, but these are the widest boot or shoe I've worn apart from some EEE dress shoes. If I ever have to buy them again, I might go up half a size.
The only time they slipped was during a pretty step descent, with compacted, melting snow on top of very loose, fine material. I can't imagine any "normal" boot or shoe faring much better in that scenario without crampons. I was required to wear crampons for any serious ice walking, unfortunately the tour guides wouldn't let me get very far without them.
The waterproofing was decent. Rinsed off mud and dust in running creeks and rivers many times without any ingress. I think the only time any water made its way inside the boots was through the top when I was soaked to the bone. I pulled out the insoles, patted the inside of the boots dry with some paper towel, and they were completely dry by morning.
They were warm enough for me, though I didn't experience any extreme temperatures.
Again, I don't think they'll be BIFL, but for comfort, width, waterproofing, and a relatively plain look, I don't know of any other boot I would prefer at any price point.
There are Canadian stockists, so you shouldn't have a repeat of the last ordeal. I bought mine from an Australian stockist because I couldn't imagine dealing with international returns.
hell nah. Im never buying from them ever again.
I don't know if they are flat and wide enough for you, I bought Reebok astroride trail GTX and they are tank sneakers for trail running and very waterproof. After 5 years of urban use (I don' t do trail) they look like they did out of the box.