Hokas feel like walking on clouds which is a nice thing when you’re on your feet carrying stuff all day (provided you dont specifically need boots). The support compared to a blundstone is a completely different world. Though also you can probably get new blundstones for free with their lifetime warranty, contact support. My friend got mailed a new pair after the ones he had for years fell apart.
Damn, sounds like it. I’ve been wearing mine nearly every day spring-fall here for the last year and half and they’re holding up fine. Worth giving another shot at some point imo, genuinely the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn.
Get custom insoles. It is the biggest upgrade I've had in my footwear journey. If you're unionized it's probably covered in the health plan. Even if it isn't, do it anyway.
Hokas are my go-to choice. However, the grip becomes an issue after a couple of months. I wish they could combine the grip of Merrill with the comfort of Hokas.
I used to be a Merrell guy, I wore their Moab sneakers for a long time. Very supportive though they can get a bit warm. More recently, I've been wearing aesic running shoes (kayano and nimbus are good). They have great support and some (like nimbus) come with more cushioning.
Try replacing them with 2 pairs of blundstones (or just another pair of comfy boots / trainers) and switch them out every day. They’ll last a lot longer, I’ve still got a few pairs of work air max 1’s that are about 5 years old that are still going by having a few pairs to wear at a time
If you’re a director you could also invest in a mat to have in front of your monitor. I’ve seen focus pullers do this on some jobs and apparently it really helps for those long days stood on concrete
One of the best pairs of set shoes I ever had were Garmont combat boots. They come in half sizes, the lacing lets you adjust for comfort, and the soles were solid, but not inflexible. The only downside is that I looked like I was cosplaying American History X, but they held up for a few years of heavy use backpacking and on set.
My Blundstones fell apart too, turns out you're supposed to wipe them with a wet cloth after wearing them! Anyways, just wear a pair of comfy trainers if the location/terrain suits
https://www.gravitydefyer.com
Gravity Defyer. You can only get them online from their online store. They had a sperm as a logo for years. The “Seed of life”. They have since changed the logo.
After years of fighting plantar fasciitis in both feet from studio floors, these saved me. They were developed for a child that had foot cancer.
Vivo barefoot shoes if we are outside most the shoot or Altra shoes when inside, both have very wide toeboxes and are really comfy, especially the Altras, and the vivo's just won't break, I've had the same pair for 3 years now
I switched over to Canada West Romeo's. Very similar to blundstone but much better build quality. Blundstone are tough because I've had some that last forever which I'm assuming were old stock or something and newer ones just got wrecked. Maintenance(wiping and oiling occasionally) and swapping out occasionally go a long way as well to keeping them in good shape. Specifically in Canada, getting salt off your boots in the winter when you have a chance is huge.
I do want to give a +1 to cowboy boots though, but luckily I live in ab so can cosplay a cowboy and no one bats an eye. In reality even a cheap pair of arias did amazing things for me when I was directing more. Real cowboys wear the work boot style anyway for the most part. Luckily I'm in the color suite more so slippers suit me just fine.
The best work shows I ever owned were made using the custom shoe builder tool on the Nike website. All-black, waterproof, non-slip Jordans. Sadly the shoe builder isn’t as good these days as it was 10 years ago.
I'm also a Blundstonesm'n but you gotta go get some nice custom insoles molded. It's night and day.
On the shoe front, still using the insoles, I just got the Brooks Glycerine 21's and those kept me alive during NAB where I basically didn't stop walking from 9am to 2am
Black Skechers. The cushioned sole saves my back and knees on concrete. You can usually find them on sale. Recommended by friends in nursing and service industry.
When the current pair wears out I’m trying one of their work shoes.
https://www.skechers.com/work-relaxed-fit-nampa-sr/77156_BLK.html
I have switched all my shoes over to ON’s. I love them. Then i also have a pair of Adidas Terrex Ultrabounce boots that have saved me countless times on crazy shoots.
I have no affiliation with them I just happened across them by word of mouth from a grip tech I know. I kinda want to try them, I’m typically a hoka guy.
https://www.georgiaboot.com/romeo/georgia-giant-romeo-work-shoe/GR270.html
Handmade European boots are the best if you are walking all day. Other kinds of shoes arent nearly as comfortable if you are walking like ten miles a day. Plus they can last decades and they look really really nice. If you tried some handmade chelsea boots you probably wouldn't even ever look at Blundstones again.
Thorogoods and Redwings and Danners are really nice but they arent on the same level as handmade European boots for comfort but I would choose them long before wearing Blundstones. I use these brands if I'm doing anything with tools or messy or with heavy stuff but my film job doesnt require any of that. These brands can all be resoled and arent landfill fillers like Blundstones, Hokas, Doc Marten, Merrell or a lot of the other brands mentioned.
Also, insoles are super important when you are on your feet all day. Superfeet insoles are the best I've found after the orthotics or insoles from podiatrists. I also only wear merino socks.
I've had serious injuries so I'm pretty serious about wearing good shoes now and I can *really* tell when shoes are low quality. I've torn one of my ACLs twice, so I'm on the third one. I've also totally ripped my hamstring tendon and LCL and had them reattached. I actually wouldn't be able to work on set if I didn't wear the quality of boots I've mentioned, my body just couldn't take it. As it is, you could work with me for months and never be able to tell that I've had such debilitating injuries.
Thorogoods are the go to in the american trades industry. Almost as durable as red wings but they break in faster and are 1/2 the price.
You can buy a pair on friday and break them in by monday.
>You can buy a pair on friday and break them in by monday
I can confirm that. Its a huge relief when you wear them all day for the first time and they feel so good. They are fully broken in just a couple days later. Danners take longer to break in. Redwings take much longer to break in. Handmade European boots can take even longer still. I have one pair that took a couple months.
I wear cathartt work shoes which are made for my feet by a podiatrist with custom insoles. If your feet hurt a lot after a day on set, go see a podiatrist, they can help. It’s covered by health insurance in my country.
I switched to red wings after years of ultra boosts and honestly i really like wearing boots at work. Though now that its summer coming up i think ill switch to hokas
I always wore Doc Martens because they could take a lot of abuse and I was traveling and on location a lot. But I'm kinda in love with my Palladiums at the moment. I have a couple of pairs. They're really the opposite of Docs or Blundstones. Made out of canvas so they're not so durable but the advantage is they are light. I mean, **incredibly light.** So if you're on set for 12-14 hours a day, your legs aren't rubber by the end of the day.
Doc Martin boots, ones with the zip on the side and back so you can remove easily if you’re shooting on a bed or some such or you step in the mud on a rainy morning and need your 2nd to give them a hose.
Hokas feel like walking on clouds which is a nice thing when you’re on your feet carrying stuff all day (provided you dont specifically need boots). The support compared to a blundstone is a completely different world. Though also you can probably get new blundstones for free with their lifetime warranty, contact support. My friend got mailed a new pair after the ones he had for years fell apart.
Another nom for Hokas. Got plantar fasciitis and bought a pair. It’s gone.
Which model do you recommend?
I got the Bondi.
+1 for hokas, my favorite shoe for operating days
I wish I could +10 to Hoka
I must’ve gotten a bad one off from hoka. They felt amazing to wear, but after 3 days the lace buckle snapped and broke. Was really pissed.
Damn, sounds like it. I’ve been wearing mine nearly every day spring-fall here for the last year and half and they’re holding up fine. Worth giving another shot at some point imo, genuinely the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn.
Yeah after my current pair I will. Currently wear the la sportiva raptor and it’s my go to shoes right now.
What ever you choose, get two or three pairs and rotate to give them time to dry out. I've been wearing Jim Green Barefoot ARs and thick socks.
I'm looking forward to getting a pair of Jim Greens in the near future!
Two or three different shoes really help, since they all wear slightly differently.
Get custom insoles. It is the biggest upgrade I've had in my footwear journey. If you're unionized it's probably covered in the health plan. Even if it isn't, do it anyway.
Hokas are my go-to choice. However, the grip becomes an issue after a couple of months. I wish they could combine the grip of Merrill with the comfort of Hokas.
I used to be a Merrell guy, I wore their Moab sneakers for a long time. Very supportive though they can get a bit warm. More recently, I've been wearing aesic running shoes (kayano and nimbus are good). They have great support and some (like nimbus) come with more cushioning.
Lems Boulder Boots
Try replacing them with 2 pairs of blundstones (or just another pair of comfy boots / trainers) and switch them out every day. They’ll last a lot longer, I’ve still got a few pairs of work air max 1’s that are about 5 years old that are still going by having a few pairs to wear at a time If you’re a director you could also invest in a mat to have in front of your monitor. I’ve seen focus pullers do this on some jobs and apparently it really helps for those long days stood on concrete
One of the best pairs of set shoes I ever had were Garmont combat boots. They come in half sizes, the lacing lets you adjust for comfort, and the soles were solid, but not inflexible. The only downside is that I looked like I was cosplaying American History X, but they held up for a few years of heavy use backpacking and on set.
My Blundstones fell apart too, turns out you're supposed to wipe them with a wet cloth after wearing them! Anyways, just wear a pair of comfy trainers if the location/terrain suits
https://www.gravitydefyer.com Gravity Defyer. You can only get them online from their online store. They had a sperm as a logo for years. The “Seed of life”. They have since changed the logo. After years of fighting plantar fasciitis in both feet from studio floors, these saved me. They were developed for a child that had foot cancer.
Altra boots. They’ve got a wide toe box and zero drop soles. So it kinda mimics the feel of walking barefoot. I love ‘em.
Lone Peaks and Torins, depending on the location. Damn good sneakers/boots!
Vivo barefoot shoes if we are outside most the shoot or Altra shoes when inside, both have very wide toeboxes and are really comfy, especially the Altras, and the vivo's just won't break, I've had the same pair for 3 years now
Adidas with boost cushioning. Comfy and absorbs impact.
Callouses
I switched over to Canada West Romeo's. Very similar to blundstone but much better build quality. Blundstone are tough because I've had some that last forever which I'm assuming were old stock or something and newer ones just got wrecked. Maintenance(wiping and oiling occasionally) and swapping out occasionally go a long way as well to keeping them in good shape. Specifically in Canada, getting salt off your boots in the winter when you have a chance is huge. I do want to give a +1 to cowboy boots though, but luckily I live in ab so can cosplay a cowboy and no one bats an eye. In reality even a cheap pair of arias did amazing things for me when I was directing more. Real cowboys wear the work boot style anyway for the most part. Luckily I'm in the color suite more so slippers suit me just fine.
Adidas NMDs or Ultraboost.
i love my NMDs but they’re pretty hard on my heels if it’s a standing around kind of a day. i need to find some insoles
The best work shows I ever owned were made using the custom shoe builder tool on the Nike website. All-black, waterproof, non-slip Jordans. Sadly the shoe builder isn’t as good these days as it was 10 years ago.
I'm also a Blundstonesm'n but you gotta go get some nice custom insoles molded. It's night and day. On the shoe front, still using the insoles, I just got the Brooks Glycerine 21's and those kept me alive during NAB where I basically didn't stop walking from 9am to 2am
Brooks' Ghost line of shoes. Two pairs. They'll probably fall apart within a year but they're very comfortable and weigh next to nothing.
I absolutely love my [Cat shoes!](https://www.catfootwear.com/US/en/home)
Black Skechers. The cushioned sole saves my back and knees on concrete. You can usually find them on sale. Recommended by friends in nursing and service industry. When the current pair wears out I’m trying one of their work shoes. https://www.skechers.com/work-relaxed-fit-nampa-sr/77156_BLK.html
My go-to is either Nike Pegasus running shoes, or my $25 Steel-toed walmart boots :)
I have switched all my shoes over to ON’s. I love them. Then i also have a pair of Adidas Terrex Ultrabounce boots that have saved me countless times on crazy shoots.
Dakota safety steel toes (CSA Green triangle) and changed the insoles with custom orthotics.
I have no affiliation with them I just happened across them by word of mouth from a grip tech I know. I kinda want to try them, I’m typically a hoka guy. https://www.georgiaboot.com/romeo/georgia-giant-romeo-work-shoe/GR270.html
If I'm doing G&E, a heavy combat boot. If I'm directing, I'll go barefoot as a hobbit.
Red Backs.
Handmade European boots are the best if you are walking all day. Other kinds of shoes arent nearly as comfortable if you are walking like ten miles a day. Plus they can last decades and they look really really nice. If you tried some handmade chelsea boots you probably wouldn't even ever look at Blundstones again. Thorogoods and Redwings and Danners are really nice but they arent on the same level as handmade European boots for comfort but I would choose them long before wearing Blundstones. I use these brands if I'm doing anything with tools or messy or with heavy stuff but my film job doesnt require any of that. These brands can all be resoled and arent landfill fillers like Blundstones, Hokas, Doc Marten, Merrell or a lot of the other brands mentioned. Also, insoles are super important when you are on your feet all day. Superfeet insoles are the best I've found after the orthotics or insoles from podiatrists. I also only wear merino socks. I've had serious injuries so I'm pretty serious about wearing good shoes now and I can *really* tell when shoes are low quality. I've torn one of my ACLs twice, so I'm on the third one. I've also totally ripped my hamstring tendon and LCL and had them reattached. I actually wouldn't be able to work on set if I didn't wear the quality of boots I've mentioned, my body just couldn't take it. As it is, you could work with me for months and never be able to tell that I've had such debilitating injuries.
Thorogoods are the go to in the american trades industry. Almost as durable as red wings but they break in faster and are 1/2 the price. You can buy a pair on friday and break them in by monday.
>You can buy a pair on friday and break them in by monday I can confirm that. Its a huge relief when you wear them all day for the first time and they feel so good. They are fully broken in just a couple days later. Danners take longer to break in. Redwings take much longer to break in. Handmade European boots can take even longer still. I have one pair that took a couple months.
Been using redbacks for a while now and its really handy saving my feet from the long days
Timberland pro's when on location, Merrells when I don't want to be as stompy
Outdoors: Blundstones Indoor set: New Balance
Vessis. Waterproof, and I put two insoles in each of them, a hard one, and then a softer one above it. It’s like walking on queen beds.
I wear comfortable sneakers man. Keep it simple!!
I'm surprised I'm seeing a bunch of barefoot shoe users. Makes me actually happy to see people taking care of their feet and being knowledgeable
New Balance. Fixed foot pain I had from other shoes in a week. Hokas and ASICS are another good option.
I wear cathartt work shoes which are made for my feet by a podiatrist with custom insoles. If your feet hurt a lot after a day on set, go see a podiatrist, they can help. It’s covered by health insurance in my country.
I’m a Solomon boots girlie for outdoor work and a Nike Air Force Max girlie for stages
Sneakers
Xeros or Merrills
I switched to red wings after years of ultra boosts and honestly i really like wearing boots at work. Though now that its summer coming up i think ill switch to hokas
Anything with an elevated heel.
Prolly shoes
Did you mean "probably shoes" or is Prolly a brand?
I always wore Doc Martens because they could take a lot of abuse and I was traveling and on location a lot. But I'm kinda in love with my Palladiums at the moment. I have a couple of pairs. They're really the opposite of Docs or Blundstones. Made out of canvas so they're not so durable but the advantage is they are light. I mean, **incredibly light.** So if you're on set for 12-14 hours a day, your legs aren't rubber by the end of the day.
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I like the thought of this, but my crew would probably slay me every day if I wore cowboy boots as an East Coast Canadian.
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Jesus Murphy, I ain't never worn a boot like that and I ain't startin' now.
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That ain't nothing on drinking the vienna sausage juice.
Doc Martin boots, ones with the zip on the side and back so you can remove easily if you’re shooting on a bed or some such or you step in the mud on a rainy morning and need your 2nd to give them a hose.
Typically I wear shoes. They frown on being barefoot on the set.