Moving on from DMs - affordable lace up boot of my dreams?

[CheeseDreamz]

Just that really. What are the alternatives? Are they as tough?

I have worn the fleece-lined lace-up DM boots in black, for years and DM boots generally since my teens, but I have been a bit disappointed with what you now get for the price and I think the basic ones look a bit boring and the newer designs a bit try hard.

What are the alternatives? I have flippers - ie wide at the toes and narrow at the back. These need to work for everything from going to work to dog walking.

I like these but don't really know if they are robust and they look a bit narrow.

www.fitflop.com/uk/en/shop/f-mode-leather-lace-up-flatform-ankle-boots-p-GM4?colour=167&utm_content=Pmax&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjNS3BhChARIsAOxBM6rWkM658JE1xgACJC2KTAGLrRYmu4iIe9D2gcueoExCe2KKzlxcYHYaAnG1EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#167

I don't know how I landed on this thread but I'll say that my wife has extreme flipper feet and she has several pairs of Fitflop shoes and she also has a pair of their high ankle laceup boots that look very like the ones you've linked to.

She loves them.

She suffers a lot with blisters and rubbing on her feet and she thinks Fitflop shoes and boots are great.

I've never been a fan of DMs but I'll echo what other posters have said about Solovair boots. They're meant to be as good as the original DMs...

I’ve got my eye on these too. I’ve got about ten pairs of fit flops in varying styles from flops to boots to slippers. All amazingly comfortable and true to size. I tend to wait until the sales to stock up, though.

Love the look of these, but £170. Fuck.

Another pllus one for Solovair. I'm not a DM person at all but I love these. They're super comfortable and look very stylish. I don't have them in black so they don't look like DMs.

I’ve got these from fit flop, and they are hands-down the most comfortable boot I own. I broke my ankle a couple of years ago and they give such good support. Even the orthopaedist approves, he’s mentioned them twice. They don’t make them any more but if the F-mode is anywhere near as good you won’t be sorry.

https://www.fitflop.com/uk/en/shop/skandi-water-resistant-ankle-boots-p-EI1#090

Look on Sports Direct website

Black 8 hole ankle boots very like DMs but under £30
Not leather but hard wearing,comfy and not narrow either.
I have wide fit and find them really good

Like this

Some really great news shoe brands for me to scroll through here. I've worn DMs. I moved over to Fly London and love them, I get about 5 years out of them with fairly heavy wear. My current issue is I have plantar fascitis and heel spurs and literally the only thing I have worn for 6 months is Birkenstocks. I love in Wales and the rain has arrived. I have some Birkenstock boots and they are lovely, but I now can't wear them for immense pain. So, now I need MORE boots and I've no idea what to buy. Thanks for sorting e new ideas!

What about something from an equestrian store?
I've been eyeing up these
https://www.horze.co.uk/jodhpur-boots-riding-shoes/mountain-horse-wild-river-lace-paddock-boots/334792.html?color=BR&custom_campaign=UK_SEA_SHOP_LAB&custom_source=google&custom_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwr9m3BhDHARIsANut04Y6yp4Yffx96ITukvVzm7ZJZoRqXm1qoDA-7Nr0IhUFtEPwWqBRbdYaAi0tEALw_wcB
Available in black or brown.
Not sure how wide the toe box is - to the PP, fellow flipper foot here!
Price looks reasonable and equestrian/muck boots are made to take a battering,
which is exactly what my footwear gets...😁

Flippers 🤣 me too. I love my DMs, they’re the only boots I can wear all day long without a hint of discomfort. Well worth every penny and nothing looks as good. Have the classic 8 hole lace-ups and am getting a pair of biker boots that I can pull on.

https://www.camper.com/en_GB/women/shoes/iman/camper-iman-K400300-006
These have a nice clean style.
Also a fat price tag 😬

Another Solovair fan here. They do sizes 3 - 13 incl. half sizes, and the quality is excellent.

They weren't hard to break in, but the DM-style derby boot ones that go over the ankles take a few wears to get used to. The dealer boots, astronauts and monkey boots were fine but the first few wears I wore them for an hour or two not for walking all day, just like I would with any shoes.

NPS Solovair | Womens Boots, Shoes & Loafers | Made in England – Tagged "Boot" – NPS Solovair UK (nps-solovair.com)

I've worn the dealer boots a lot, and they still look good.
The monkey boots are on the current Toast site but the Solovair site has the traditional monkey boots stitching.
I don't like the vegan ones.

Fly London and Grenson are also good. Fly boots last a long time.

I've not tried Moshulu but they have a good choice of colours.

So (if anyone cares) I bought the Rieker boots: www.rieker.co.uk/rieker-ladies-footwear-c2/rieker-ladies-boots-c84/rieker-78240-ladies-boots-p13765#attribute%5B1%5D=117 But in black (not those shiny green ones in the pic) which will be for dog walking and everyday. They have arrived and are so great - like DMs but no breaking in and the zip is a revelation - no more lace loosening while said dog expires from boredom while I get them on.

Aaaand the Fern boots from Heavenly Feet in ruby https://www.heavenlyfeet.co.uk/products/fern?variant=49024017989946&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmOm3BhC8ARIsAOSbapUiLU3c3H7Pl0Ujk3XKsxzKjE4ahymHdK8gL1h4JT2d9UegmkOIraoaAu6pEALw_wcB because who doesn't like red boots?

Together they have cost less than a pair of substandard DMs and I am v pleased.

Thanks for the update. The black ones look nice.

I should have read your post properly. The ruby boots look great. Are they comfortable?

Fern aren't here yet, but the Riekers are great - so nice to have dry comfy feet today (they are furry inside and don't need an insole which my Dms always do).

My mother has some Rieker shoes and she likes them, and says she's had no end of compliments.