First off, this ain't about the ad.
I bought Timberlands this last time around because I was a bit poor after just moving back from CA, but wanted decent boots. After my last pair of Red Wings lasted 1 1/2 years, I figured, "How bad could Timberland Pros be?" Well, pretty bad, apparently. The insole was toast after 3 months, the leather over the steel toe was toast after 2 months, and then, after a grand total of 5 months, BAM, sole is torn and now boot is junk. 5 months for 1/2 the price doesn't seem like a good deal compared to Red Wings, right?
Here are some pictures:
Tear in sole:
Leather gone over steel toe (shoe goo'd since to try and keep the leather from wearing further)
Side pic showing mud, but also f'ed up leather:
Don't waste your money on these pieces of junk, unless you just sit in an office all day and don't work in the field, and need steel toes to go on job sites to tell people what to do. Nothing wrong with that, and if that is your job description, then you can save a bunch of money going with these boots. If you are a field guy, spend your money on quality, as buying Timberland makes about as much sense as lighting $20 on fire.
Here is what these Timberlames are getting replaced with:
Danner Tektite 4.5" non-metallic toe work boots. Should be nice and light, hard toe, and my last Danners lasted 2+ years of snow, mud, hiking in the woods and desert, and finally quit when the sole was completely smooth and wouldn't get any traction anymore. I don't feel like wearing logger boots anymore due to the mess they leave (heavy lugged soles) and the weight, so I am going to skip Red Wings this time around. I'll see if I can dig out my old Red Wings and snap a picture of those too.