I had in my possession two pairs of Timberland boots. They look nice, they are heavy boots and they appear "tough" and durable. However, things are not as they seem.
Why are they heavy, making you think of rugged boots? Because apart from the outer leather, they also have an inner leather lining that is also made of thin leather. Additionally, the insulation they have between the outer and inner leather adds to the weight. Other boots from different brands that look similar on the outside are usually lighter in weight because they don't have an inner leather lining or insulation (which is very light anyway). In that aspect, one could say that Timberland boots excel.
However, for any shoe to excel, you should be able to use it, meaning you should be able to walk with it.
But both the first pair I had and the second one broke in a very short time.
What does this mean?
• The first pair, which was Made in USA, as I had it for a while, the leather on one boot tore at the joint with the sole, creating a through hole. If you put your hand inside the boot, you could pass your finger through it, from the inside to the outside. So, the leather tore at the joint with the sole, and the hole was about three centimeters long. How long did it take for this to happen? Two years, but considering that I wore the boots for a maximum of three months and not every day, and in an urban environment where they were not heavily used, well, then we are talking about a maximum of 6 to 8 months of use. Do you consider this acceptable? Why did it tear? Because I noticed that the leather at that specific joint with the sole (on the right boot, around the front and left side) appeared "burned," meaning it was not continuous like the rest of the surface, as if it had a "scratch" at the joint, and gradually, it opened up the hole. Made in USA, huh?
I assumed that it was just a defective one, and for that reason, I got another identical pair, as I really liked the appearance and design, and it was supposed to be very durable.
• The second identical pair, on the other hand, was Made in China, obviously they transferred their production there, which doesn't bother me if they had quality. And this pair, within 2 years in terms of time, but in terms of use, around 6 to 7 months, broke differently. What happened to them? They have a thin plastic midsole (under the leather) that is connected to the lower sole, the main one that you step on, the rugged one. So, in both boots of the pair, and in the left and right ones, almost at the same time, the lower rugged sole detached from the thin midsole. If you looked at them from the side, they looked like an open duckbill (since they opened between the lower and midsole). Is it acceptable for something like this to happen within a period of 6-7 months of use?
Because I felt sorry for them, I went and bought some super glue and glued them back together. Now, and until today (it's been about a year), they are fine, where they had come undone. Until recently, I heard a snap when I was wearing them, I looked to see what it was, and the left one had come off at the back of the sole, where the bottom tread sole joins the thin middle sole. Unacceptable! I glued it back, and now, in the new season, I expect it to come off - as you can understand - in the same place and the right one.
So, two out of two pairs is not a coincidence.
Additionally:
• Their laces, which are thin and black, had their outer fabric coating worn out very quickly, and now their white fibers are visible. They look very bad. Zero quality.
• Their leather interior, the inner lining that I told you was leather and I thought it was a quality sample, while it looks like it, it is not. Why? Because in about six months of use, it tore (internally, of course, since we are talking about the inner lining) at the heel area, so now it is rough and easily damages the socks you wear.
• The outer sole, the tread sole, you won't believe it, but on even slightly wet cement surfaces, like the old white tiles of the sidewalks, it slips like the devil. It is dangerous. I didn't believe it either because, if anything, a tread sole predisposes you to believe that it will be slip-resistant. It is dangerous for someone to slip and fall. In dirt, of course, it is fine, but as I told you, I have used them in an urban environment.
• Overall, they are warm, but not in intense cold. When Athens had intense cold (a few times), my feet were frozen, and it was very uncomfortable. However, this was rare since, for the majority of the winter and with the temperatures it has, they maintained a satisfactory temperature.
For their price, they are not worth it. In the past, Timberland boots were indeed very sturdy and resistant to hardships and time. Unfortunately, for the past decade, they have deteriorated and they are just selling the brand.
I do not recommend them for someone who wants a durable boot.