Customer Reviews Dr. Martens 1460 Smooth Leather Boot

These boots were an odd mix...the left boot pretty much instantly felt fine, but the right one was a nightmare at first. The instep was really tight and felt like a clamp on the top of my foot. I finally got it loosened by jamming a jar into it over a few nights, and also using a wet towel helped stretch it. The bottom part of the inner shoe (the part your foot is on, inside the boot) started to move a bit too, and wrinkled near my toes. I was able to pull it back but I don't think it's going to stay put for very long. Again, the left boot fits fine and has none of these problems. If my right boot felt like the left, it would be 5 stars across the board. The leather is a lot thinner on the upper than I would have thought, but the boot is very lightweight and comfortable. The soles are very nice too. Right now the boots are comfy, but I have doubts about the overall durability of them, especially the one that had the foot sole/insert thing move on me. We'll see how it goes.

Nope, nope, nope. Too flat, too huge, too hard to get on. I felt like a lumberjack. Made my feet look ENORMOUS (I wear size 8). Soft supple leather, though. And I love how they grip the floor and make you feel like you can walk over/through anything -- however, NO arch support, and that is always the deal breaker for me.

These boots are very comfortable. They seem well built, but the leather is very thin and not of good quality. I think the overall quality was better when they were made in the U.K.

A painful adjustment - I had a beloved pair of Docs like these years ago, and they were great, so I thought I'd revisit an old friend. The look is still the same, but I don't remember the break-in period being half as painful the last time around. This pair is, in no uncertain terms, the most painful pair of shoes/boots I've ever broken-in, to the point that I have to give myself a few days in between each wear. I don't know if that has anything to do with the shift in manufacturing from the UK to China (if you were expecting "The Original," you'll be disappointed), but these boots are absolutely KILLING my feet.

Size is a problem - Love my old brown Docs that I’ve had for years and tried to get a new one in black but size is a definite problem. I am a size 6 but the shoe feels at least a half size too big that I have to try and compensate for with thick socks and cushion inserts. Tried going down a size and that was just too tight. Also, this "smooth" leather is really stiff --- have keep stomping on the whole thing to try and massage out the stiffness. Finally decided to try the smaller size in the nappa leather which was way softer. Wish I had gotten this shoe in with that leather but too late now.

Leather not as high quality as the old UK Docs - These shoes look as good as the old Docs, but the leather is of a lower quality. I am hoping after they break in that they feel similar to the other Docs I have owned.

Whoever changed the kind of leather they use should be fired - I love my Docs, and my old pair was finally really destroyed, so I ordered the same style & size. The other reviewers aren't kidding--sometime between 1998 and now, they've started using leather that's extremely stiff and painful and nearly impossible to break in. I wore mine to a movie, thinking that the walk through the parking lot would be a good short first breaking-in, and wound up with shoes in the same rock-hard condition they started out in, and bleeding calves. Not blisters; skin scraped off the back of my legs. I've been spending some time every night hitting them with a hammer on the floor, which seems to be helping. Otherwise, they're still Docs and still awesome, but don't expect to be able to wear them right out of the box.

Legendary Price, but now Chinese Made? Have bought Doc's for over 25 years. They now make them in China and they are not the same. Wrote to the company and they said they had to move production to remain competitive. Unfortunately, these went from beautiful shoes made by craftsmen in the UK, to run of the mill Chinese footware. WalMart eat your heart out. Best part is, you still get to pay the premium price (just like the original Docs). Does this make sense?

I used to buy these years ago, and although the look is the same, the shoe has changed now that they are made in Asia, not the same quality they used to be. I think they run a little narrow as well.

Dr. Martens - They broke in very easily, within a couple of days. I purchased them primarily for riding my motorcycle, good thing because if you stand in them for to long you will definitely feel it. Overall, they perform well for what I purchased them for, so no real complaints here.

still trying to break in - I've been wearing these docs for almost 2 weeks now, and they still aren't broken in. They feel really stiff and continue to give me blisters. Originally I got my usual size, but had to go down one because they were too big. They still feel a little big, and make my feet look huge! I'm beginning to regret purchasing these docs, which is a shame because I've wanted a pair of red doc martens boots forever.

Material is stiff. Is it even leather?

I am returning these because they are made in China, and also the leather feel very plastic. Disappointed.

These are the most uncomfortable shoes ever! They are so stiff and they left bruise on my shin.

I am so disappointed. I knew something wasn't right the moment I tried these on. After researching, I figured it out. Made in China. So much cheaper and more ill fitting than the authentic Doc's I had in the 90's. It's a shame.

The fit is fine. The style is fine. Dr. Martens has gone down in quality. The past two pairs of Dr. Martens boots I have ordered have cracked at the pinky toe area where the boot bends with the foot. I do not have sharp nails. The leather feels cheaper these days. Alas, no other boot compares. I love Dr. Martens' straightforward look, design, and function. But I'm seeking alternatives if anyone has ideas.

I've worn Doc Martens for years. Bought two pair of the Originals and am highly disappointed. I don't even believe that they are leather. Looks more like plastic or vinyl. Uncomfortable and the one pair squeak horribly. I contacted Doc Marten with my concerns regarding the boots and they responded with their return policy regarding defects and/or damage. Thing is, it is not a defect or damage, it is like thinking your buying a BMW 5 Series but get a Pontiac Fiero.

I've been wearing Docs since the '90s. This is the second pair of boots I've gotten rid of. Anyone else have this issue? The heel cup top cuts into the achilles tendon. This is a serious problem. After walking all day it feels like a razor blade. I don't think it is confined to this style, as another style I had did the same. Don't get me wrong, these boots are beautiful! Amazing. Look just like the photo. But they are not comfortable. I know the pop sound as the ankle bends on the right boot would get to me over time, and the way the top of the boot digs into my calf. But right away I knew that breaking in wouldn't be enough. I'll be buying something not Docs next time. Wish they felt as great as they look, but I don't care how nice they are if they can't be worn all day. Now Keens are another story.

Other reviewers are right that the leather on these boots seems a lot like plastic. That's a bit unnerving, but the real problem with it is that the boots are super stiff, especially where the top hits my calf. I feel like I would injure myself walking down the street. So they're going back.

I have three pairs of Dr Martens that I purchased in the early 80's and they still wear/look great. I bought a pair last year cheap Chinese imports and they wore out in nine months. BY THE UK VERSIONS...they are worth the price!

Comfortable? Yes. Durable? Negative. I'm on my feet for fifty to sixty hours a week in food service, and I beat on shoes. Asides from general wear and tear, everything from bleach to boiling soup gets splashed on them. Being the cheapskate that I am, I've been spending thirty bucks at Walmart or Payless every three or four months for shoes that wear out quickly, and hurt your feet along the way. I was getting tired of this after a few years, and decided to spend some cash on a "good" pair of shoes. I had a pair of 1460s way back when, and they took everything I could give them for five or six years. Good boots. Haven't even thought about Dr. Martens in ages, when I came across them on here and figured, "What the hell, seems like a good investment." I spent more on boots that came with the cheapest, barely-there insoles imaginable. That being said, once I bought some gel inserts and broke them in, they wore like a dream. I mean they were borderline superb. The slip resistance is above average, too. After having them about four months, the leather (which is a lot thinner and flimsier than I recollect) began to wear in the way that only the cheapest leather does, and finally it began to crack. This after having mink oiled them several times, cleaning them as often as possible, and conditioning them once a week. These things look like a marine's boots who just got back from two years of combat. Awful. I still wear them, and they're still like walking on air, but now the leather has this odd pattern of creases and ridges, and there are several small tears in it. They look bad. I mean, you spend that kind of money on footwear, you'd expect them to look halfway presentable, or, at the very least, not have the leather tear. Didn't mean to write a novel here, but this makes me upset. Maybe I'll give Wolverine or Timberland a shot next.

This boot was way too wide for my usually-medium width foot. I would hae had to wear two pairs of heavy socks to make them work.

These boots are cheap imitations of the English ones that lasted me from 1993 to 2001. The leather is flimsy and thin. I can't imagine these boots lasting a year with regular wear. The money is too much for these cheap, junky boots. I'd imagine the for life docs are the quality of the older ones, but they are twice the price. If you owned a pair of docs back in the day, these are no where near the quality you remember. They run a little big for me. A US 11 fits me perfectly. The UK 10 feels about 1/2 size too large. All that said, the footbed is mighty comfortable. Save your money for a pair of real doc martens. The standard issue ones are garbage.