So, you are getting ready to drop a couple of bills on a new pair of Doc Martens and you are wondering to yourself if they are really worth the money. Do they live up to all the hype? I wondered the same thing before I bought mine, so I did a bunch of research and then put my new pair through their paces to see. Are Doc Martens worth it?
Let me tell you, I love my Doc Martens and I think they are worth every penny I spent on them. The three main reasons Doc Martens are worth the money are they are comfortable, they are durable and most of all, they are extremely versatile.
Doc Martens Are Comfortable
Doc Martens are extremely comfortable once you break them in, but this takes a good amount of time and energy. Once broken in however they could possibly be the most comfortable footwear you have ever put on your feet. They become like an old pair of jeans, more and more comfortable with age.
Doc’s are build sturdy to provide ankle support. They are designed to not have painful raised arches, and they have cushioned, springy soles that allow for day-long comfort. (ONCE BROKEN-IN!)
Breaking-in Doc Martens
It takes a good month to break in a pair of Doc Martens. You can’t be in a hurry to wear your Doc’s all day. Please resist the urge or you could end up with painful blisters and bruises before you discover how wonderful these shoes are. Here is a quick guide to breaking in a brand new, leather pair…
- Make sure you buy the right size shoe. When sizing your Doc Martens, be sure to wear the socks you plan to wear with your Doc’s. (and plan to wear socks with Doc’s)
- When you first get your boots, only wear them for short periods of time (up to 15 minutes). You can do this several times a day, but only for short bursts. This will allow you to start softening the leather while avoiding blisters. If you do start to develop painful spots, take note of where they are, and apply moleskin or any of the many blister-prevention aids found on Amazon.
- When not using your Doc’s you can stuff them tightly with socks or other fabric to stretch the leather. This helps speed the breaking-in process.
- Don’t forget to apply Doc Marten’s Wonder Balsam. This will not only help the break-in process but also help protect your investment and increase the life of your Doc’s.
Once broken-in, you will be able to wear your Doc’s all day and your feet will feel great afterward, day after day.
Doc Martens Are Durable
Permira, the company that makes Doc Martens since 2013, seems to think so, but maybe not quite as much as they used too.
Prior to 2018 many Doc Martens had a “lifetime” guarantee. According to the Doc Marten website…
The guarantee covers the failure of any component, such as upper leather, stitched seams, eyelets, soles, welts, linings and reinforcements which has been subjected to normal wear and tear from non-industrial use and not unreasonably abused.
However, Docs made and sold after 2018 do not have this same guarantee. I think that like LL BEAN, it does not make fiscal sense to give a lifetime guarantee on products anymore. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the durability has decreased.
Unfortunately for this post, I will have to defer to my research because I have only had my Docs for a couple of months. Here are a few quotes from some satisfied Doc Marten customers.
I have owned 2 pairs of Doc Martens, one I bought last month (June 2019) after I lost my first pair (maybe stolen) that I bought in 1988
I bought my Docs in 2016 and they are better now than when I bought them.
I have 3 pairs of Doc Martens. None are used on a daily basis, but all three are over 10 years old. The oldest pair is 16 years old. All three pairs are still going strong.
Reviews like this can be found all over the web. There are some bad reviews that can be found. For instance some, I have read that some boots have separated from their soles within the first couple of months. Many of these also add that when this was brought to the attention of Primira, the company replaced the shoes.
People are blaming the new owners because they moved most of the production from England to China. But Permira insists that Docs are made exactly the same in both countries. Attention to detail and high quality as we have come to expect.
Doc Martens Are Versatile
Doc Martins have been around for almost 3/4 of a century, having started making and selling their footwear since 1947. Part of their longevity and why Doc Martins are SO worth it, is that Docs are so versatile.
Doc Martens can be worn with long dresses, short skirts, shorts, or jeans. They can be worn on a walk around the block or a hike through the woods. You can wear your Docs to school, to work, to church or out on a date, whatever.
There are hundreds of styles and color combinations of Doc Martens. You can choose from sandals to work boots. There are steel-toed varieties and non-slip shoes. All with many choices of colors.
You can practically wear a pair of Doc Martens with any outfit and in lots and lots of situations. This is what I truly love about my Docs. I can wear them almost anywhere with almost anything and my feet are so comfortable.
Final Thouhts
Are Doc Martens worth it, you ask?
I say they are worth every penny. They are super comfortable. They are durable and last for years. Doc Martens are very versatile and can be worn with anything in lots of situations. I love mine. I hope you love your new pair!
Want to buy a pair? Take a look at these on Amazon…Doc Martin Collection
Thanks for reading Y’all. Now go get something snazzy or cool!