Grant Stone

Why r/BuyItForLife recommends Grant Stone

37 mentions from real owners

• #1Dec 30, 2025

  LL Bean Engineer boots (2013, top) vs 2025 "Bucksport" (bottom). Am I crazy or are these a drop in construction quality?

  Chippewa no longer really makes any heritage stuff and has had a drop in quality. No idea who makes LL bean but they still say Goodyear welted but for 200 probably not great. Other brands worth looking at Red Wing (300+, unless you wait for Seconds) Wolverine (notch below, do not pay more than 200-250 for 1000 miles) Thursday (200 and probably close or maybe a bit better than that Bean) Urban Wolf Club (170, better than thursday but long wait times) After than you satrt getting into Grant Stone, AE, etc and north of 500 bucks

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• #2Dec 30, 2025

  A few brands I'll probably stick with for life

  Good list. I agree with a lot here. I’ll note that the new Levi’s always wear in the crotch for me. I’ve since switched to Patagonia pants. I’ve heard the USA Levi’s and vintage ones still hold up great though but their elastic or blend jeans aren’t as durable. Patagonia is great. Sent in my down puffer to fix a hole in it. They patched it up and refilled the down. Only downside was the wait, but I did it in the summer after the cold. Patagonia worn wear is great as well. Can get some good deals and the condition is always accurate/great. Boot-wise red wings heritage is awesome. Grant stone is also another company I greatly enjoy their boot quality. Le creuset Dutch ovens are absolute work horses. After getting one, it is my most used pot. Incredibly versatile. Also shoutout to the book all about braising by Molly Stevens. Made me a much better cook. All clad pans as well are tanks. Zojirushi rice cooker if you eat a lot of rice multiple times a week. For an office chair, Herman Miller. I found one on Facebook marketplace for cheap after Covid and it saved my back. I’ve had darn tough socks for almost eight years and I’m finally noticing wear/a hole forming on my oldest pair. So once those wear through I’ll finally use their warranty. Incredible value. Artisan cooking/chefs knives. I got a set from a smith and they hold up so well and look beautiful. Hold their edge much longer too. Only had them a few years but I cook quite a bit and I’m genuinely impressed by their build.

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• #3Dec 23, 2025

  I’ve had these Timberland boots for over 10 grueling New England winters, still going strong

  Or Parkhurst, grant stone or Truman. More reasonably priced and really well made. Not quite as solid as those brands but those are arguably over built for most people's needs. Looks like Truman is cutting corners these days, so id recommend Parkhurst out of these three.

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• #4Dec 3, 2025

  Nice looking men's boots that will work in an office, but stand up to Chicago winters

  Grant Stone

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• #5Dec 2, 2025

  Nice looking men's boots that will work in an office, but stand up to Chicago winters

  Over your budget but grant stone is the way to go

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• #6Dec 1, 2025

  Gift Ideas for My Boyfriend Who Has Everything?

  Sounds like a good pair of Goodyear welted boots… look at Grant Stone. Pocket knife… something like CRKT. Leather jacket. Thursday Boots makes a few decent ones for reasonable prices.

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• #7Oct 5, 2025

  Looking for new boots like this

  Thursdays aren’t buy it for life but they are decent entry level boots if you like the look of them they are ok. If you wanted something better look at parkhurst, grant stone, whites, caswell, and nicks all are more of a buy it for life type boot

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• #8Oct 2, 2025

  Which moment made you switch to the "buy it for life" mindset?

  I purchased a new pair of Nike shoes... spent a good $120 on them. Within a week, the lining inside came loose. WTF!!! I purchased a pair of Grant Stone boots and never looked back... I will take a pair of shoes/boots I can re-sole & refurbish many times and have them last over a decade over a pair of sneakers that will last a literal week before falling apart. I try to buy EVERYTHING in quality now... it's worth the extra $$ you spend over the trash... especially over "fast fashion"

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• #9Aug 10, 2025

  What price range should I expect for BIFL shoes?

  What kind of shoes? For running shoes, sneakers and athletic shoes, they will get 6-8 months with consistent daily wear. More if you rotate them. You can get solid running shoes for \~$100 or less on sale if you don't care about having the latest model. For dress shoes, you'll want something Goodyear welted or Blake stitched to be resolable. These are probably going to hit around $300 on the low-end, and the sky is the limit. I think Grant Stone is a great bang-for-your-buck option, at $400 and up. If you are patient you might get luck on B-grades or an occasional sale. You can also get Alden Factory Seconds through The Shoe Mart. Deals can vary, but I got a pair of boots I've wanted for years for probably 30-40% off retail. Depending on which big city, in-person may not help very much.

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• #10Aug 6, 2025

  Men's Ankle Boots for PNW Wet Months

  Grant stone chelsea boot , waxy commander leather will be very water resistant due to the wax.

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• #11Aug 3, 2025

  Is there a leather all purpose shoe that lasts?

  Grant Stone is dressier than some of the options mentioned here, may be a better choice for "business casual", and the quality is top notch

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• #12Jul 5, 2025

  Tired of shoes lasting 6-12 months. What to get?

  The red wings are solid boots, but if you don't want to spend that kind of money look at Urban Wolf Club or Jim Green for cheaper boots that are bulletproof, resoleable and high quality. The other boot you have posted looks cheaply made. I doubt it has any leather in the midsole, meaning they often aren't worth resoling. The upper leathers are likely cheap and it has a lot of seams, which means more failure points and is likely to compensate for the fact the leather used comes in small off cuts, or is bonded rather than actual pieces of leather hide. I would avoid that. If you're looking at spending $450 I would personally look at Parkhurst and Grant Stone over Red Wing, but Red Wings are solid boots with a decent reputation, you're probably just overpaying at that price compared to some of the competition. I have a pair of Parkhursts that are my favourite boots and are built to last while looking sleeker than red wings. I believe they have more leather through the midsole too, which generally speaking means longer lasting and more comfortable. So I would recommend checking them out!

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• #13Jul 5, 2025

  Tired of shoes lasting 6-12 months. What to get?

  For regular sizing id recommend Red Wing especially on discount. Extended width sizing like myself I've liked Grant Stone or jump up to see if Whites has anything at a comparable price to the Red Wings (on sale maybe?). The price you listed seems a bit expensive for the blacksmith but maybe Red wing raised prices.

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• #14Jul 1, 2025

  Name your top 5 BIFL items

  1. Goodyear welted boots: Redwing, thorogood, grant stone, ETC. 2. Stainless steel pans: Tramontina tri-ply is an excellent value. 3. Kitchen Knife w/ honing steel: Global is my daily, but Wusthoff, or Henckels offer great value. 4. Duluth Jeans (For now, until quality inevitably gets bad) 5. A Socket Set with a carrying case: I can’t tell you how many times a socket set has saved me on the road, and around the house.

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• #15Jul 1, 2025

  Looking for quality wide casual/dress men's boots. GYW.

  Grant stone is a solid suggestion, and I'd put Parkhurst in the same bracket. I've got their stitch down model and it can definitely pass as a casual dress boot, damn nice last that is an E width through the ball, so also great for a wider foot. Well built and damn comfortable. Could be worth looking into Urban Wolf Club as well, though I don't have any experience with them.

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• #16Jun 9, 2025

  Comfy business casual shoes?

  Grant Stone! They are Goodyear welted and could last a lifetime if properly cared for and easily re-soled

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• #17Jun 8, 2025

  Looking for durable mens shoes

  Crown North Ham or Grant Stone. Southern Polish for flip flops.

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• #18Jun 3, 2025

  boots that last almost forever

  Someone knowledgeable and passionate here recommended Grant Stone boots 👌

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• #19Jun 3, 2025

  Tumi backpacks are great!

  I understand everything you’re saying and I agree with you 100%. You should take a look at Grant Stone if you’re into resoleable heritage boots. When I started collecting resoleable boots I started with Thursday boot company, like most people. I was looking for the Alden Tankers and found GS’s Ottawa boots and I haven’t looked back. Alden is an American company but they are expensive(similar styles starting at $750+). The owner of GS, Wyatt, his father and grandfather were Alden salesman so a lot of his makeups are similar to Alden. When I saw the Tankers from Alden, I knew I wanted it and through research I found d GS’s Ottawa boots. If you look at the two you’ll see a lot of similarities in style but GS uses 100% leather whereas Alden uses fiberboard. Is it a huge difference? I don’t think so, but if I was going to pay upwards of $750+ on their boots I would prefer all leather. I have accumulated 10 pairs of GS’s and still no Alden’s. I’m not sure I will ever get Alden’s because they are outside of my price range and to be honest, if I were going to pay $750+ on a pair of boots I would buy from Crockett & Jones or Carmina. GS’s are fairly priced. I just got my “grail boots” in the beginning of May. It was one that I have been waiting on for nearly 2yrs. They are the Maduro Shell Diesel’s. Alden also offers a similar shell cordovan boot leather they call Cigar Shell but it’s next to impossible to get them with Alden. There is a long wait list because they are considered rare shell cordovan leather. My Maduro Shell Diesel’s were $795 plus tax and Alden’s color 8 shell boots costs $1000+ and they’re not even rare shell. That’s a huge difference, but the Maduro Shell and Cigar shell cordovan are both from Horween. To me, they look the same but maybe a tiny variation. If you care about quality, which sounds like you do, then you need to look at GS boots. If you do any kind of research on the brand they are known for their price, style, customer service, and QC. They used to have to fight the “Chinese made stuff is junk” stigma but it’s barely brought up now. They consistently pump out perfect QC boots. I would wager that GS’s bgrades boots are better than what Alden and Allen Edmonds pumps out for their firsts(both American brands). It’s really hard to explain their progression. I run r/grantstoneboots and I started the sub a little over 2yrs ago to compete with the Facebook group and we have a little over 4000 active members(and we get roughly 3-10 people who join every day). 2yrs ago the common question was about their boots and shoes being Chinese made and their quality but its hardly brought up now(if at all). Don’t get me wrong. They’re not perfect BUT they are very close(98% there) and that’s just a rough estimate. Out of the 10 pairs I have purchased from them, not one had a stitch out of place, poor clicking, and they are very consistent. If they were made in America they’d likely cost close to $800 or more but I would be willing to pay that price IF the quality was still there. I’m at a point where I think I’m finished with GS boots as I’ve already acquired my grail boot. However, I’d like to get their Garnet Shell cordovan boots but it’s not a grail for me. Sorry for the long response but I’m a big GS fan(if you can’t tell). I appreciate things that are well made regardless of price.

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• #20Jun 3, 2025

  Tumi backpacks are great!

  I understand where you’re coming from but just like anything else. USA doesn’t always make the best products. Just because something is made in China doesn’t necessarily mean it’s junk or poor quality. I used to think this but then I found that Grant Stone, a heritage boot brand that’s US based, materials are obtained from USA and UK but are made in China. I have several of their boots and I can bet they are far superior than Alden’s, an American made company. So I understand what you’re saying but good quality stuff also come out of China. I too would prefer it to be USA made as an American but I’m not going to hold the brand against it if they are made in China. Not anymore.

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• #21Jun 2, 2025

  Best walking/daily shoes for traveling?

  This will be personal preference but my go-to travel shoes are: 1. Stan Smiths. Not garish, easy to wear with most clothes. Plenty comfortable. Easy to find on sale. I have a lux white & green pair and a grey suede pair I rotate.  2. A loafer or Chelsea boot (mine are both Grant stone). These are good enough for walking all day and any nicer restaurant where I’d feel weird in Stan Smiths. Prior to the Chelseas I took Red Wing Heritage Chukkas to Paris. 

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• #22Jun 1, 2025

  Need Help Purchasing a Quality Bit Loafer

  To Boot has always struck me as a Nordstrom Rack brand. If you are spending $450 on horsebits, personally I'd go Grant Stone but I know they fit my feet well. One note on those Carminas is that if you get them don't use Saphir Renovateur on them. There are years of stories of Renovateur having bad effects on crust leather.

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• #23Jun 1, 2025

  Grant Stone Maduro Shell Diesel’s!

  Yes. But I would imagine it would work for him if he wanted them to. Personally, I would not wear these boots if I was a butcher but that doesn’t mean they can’t be worn by a butcher.

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• #24Jun 1, 2025

  Grant Stone Maduro Shell Diesel’s!

  Thanks for your question. These are “boots” but I don’t think that they’re made for manual laborers however, I don’t see why manual laborers wouldn’t be able to use these. This pair in particular probably would do fine getting beat up and wet because 1) they are shell cordovan so they are not porous 2) the leather is very durable however, they will get scratched up easily. 3) Scratches and dents may be removed easily on this boot. 4) this boot will always maintain a shine on it no matter what you do. There are other GS boots that probably would fit the bill better than these but if I was a butcher I wouldn’t wear these boots or IR or BS. I would wear some deck boots. I happen to like keeping my boots in pristine condition so I brush before and after wearing any of my 14+ boots. I don’t know any butchers but I would imagine these would do well on a wet, oily, bloody floor because these have a leather sole. Reason being, my kitchen has vinyl flooring and when I come in from the rain with my other boots with a rubber sole it’s as if I’m ice skating(super slippery). Not with a leather sole though. It’s contrary to what some think but leather soles are pretty grippy so what it is. I have a pair of Black Cxl Diesel’s which also have a leather sole and those are 2+ yo and the leather sole is still in great condition. This particular boot was worn 3-4x a week for over 2yrs. To be honest, I work for the state. 3 days at home and 2 days in the office. My job is not physically taxing so I haven’t put my boots though the paces but I don’t see why they couldn’t be used as “boots.” These aren’t PNW boots but I would imagine it to be able to handle whatever you throw at them.

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• #25Apr 13, 2025

  Boots of this style that aren’t made in China ?

  Grant Stone is made in China likely without the use of child labor or forced/ slave labor. The founder and owner previously worked in the factory himself and takes a lot of pride in the quality of work they do. Parkhurst is another great business. I believe they manufacture in Spain now.

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• #26Apr 12, 2025

  Looking for a brand similar to Grant Stone

  Also check out whites. Especially need to frequent eBay and look up nicks whites Wesco, viberg, John lofgren, rolling dub trio, grant stone, Truman, Frank's, imperial, sagaara, onderhound, rancourt, Caswell, iron boots, jakkrabbits, oak Street. Just figure your sizing. Or save another hundred or two plus 4 or 5 and go with quick ship options with nicks

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• #27Apr 10, 2025

  Boots of this style that aren’t made in China ?

  For Grant Stone? Seems to be pretty good. I think Rose Anvil did a review on them. For others, obviously you'd need to do research on any brand, Chinese or not. Like other brands, there's boots made of high quality leather (and sometimes Japanese leather imports), mid-low quality, and then absolute garbage.

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• #28Apr 9, 2025

  Boots of this style that aren’t made in China ?

  Grant Stone is really really well known among boot nerds.

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• #29Apr 9, 2025

  Boots of this style that aren’t made in China ?

  Probably gonna get lambasted for this on this sub, but "Made in China" != "low quality". It's just oftentimes those who outsource to China also outsource to the cheapest production means in China as well.  Grant Stone boots are a great example of high quality Chinese stuff, though I've actually also picked up a lot of high quality stuff from China myself (although, this is stuff you'd more likely get physically because international shipping is a nightmare with East Asian products in general).

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• #30Apr 9, 2025

  Boots of this style that aren’t made in China ?

  I would hope that $4-500 boots would be significantly better than $2-250 boots. Grant Stone compares to Parkhurst, Oak Street, Truman and the like. There is no comparison to Thursday. It would be like saying a Lexus is better than a Hyundai. Thursday offers a good value at $200, and are far from the floor. They should be compared to Johnson and Murphy's, Allen Edmonds, modern Florsheim and the DSW brands. For the under $300 brands they amongst the better options out there. They don't offer the value of Urban Wolf Club but they are a better mass market option. The problem is they attract people that have never bought "expensive" boots before, or are coming from sneakers and have no idea what to expect. The amount of welt joints posted on the Thursday sub thinking they are a defect is incomprehensible.

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• #31Apr 9, 2025

  Boots of this style that aren’t made in China ?

  Yeah, I wouldn't buy Thursday Boots if I could help it. You will get some people that don't regret their purchase but as with anything at the lowest price point they aren't going to make the best boot so you find a good number regretting their purchase. It's just too bad Grant Stone wont be an option because that's what most people would recommend in that general price range and by all accounts they are a significantly better boot than Thursdays Boots. From what I understand it's probably the best option in that price range but with 104% tariff it just will no longer be anywhere close to that price range. Grant Stone will probably cost so much you might as well get something from a PNW bootmaker like Nicks Boots or Viberg because they are probably going to now be as much as what you would pay for a Grant Stone with these extremely inflated tariffs. Allen Edmonds might be another option you now might want to look into. Not probably as good as Grant Stone but a bit better than Thursdays Boots.

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• #32Apr 1, 2025

  Confession: I only buy clothes and most items made pre-2020

  Not to mention meermin and Beckett Simonon for more formal shoes around the Thursday price range. I hear Beckett simonon’s sneakers are good too but haven’t gotten a pair. Once you get to Grant Stone price range there are lots of options for bifl footwear.

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• #33Apr 1, 2025

  Confession: I only buy clothes and most items made pre-2020

  Right, which categories of clothing? There isn't one big brand that covers all of them. For footwear the answer is easy: Thursday for affordable (their jackets/bags might also be good but I haven't bought them), and Grant Stone or Parkhurst for upgrade. Smartwool's casual sweaters have long been enshittified, but Sherpa Adventure Gear is (so far) a good replacement.

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• #34Apr 1, 2025

  Confession: I only buy clothes and most items made pre-2020

  For what categories of products? For footwear the answer is easy: Thursday for affordable (their jackets/bags might also be good but I haven't bought them), and Grant Stone or Parkhurst for upgrade. Smartwool's casual sweaters have long been enshittified, but Sherpa Adventure Gear is (so far) a good replacement.

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• #35Feb 5, 2025

  Black non slip work shoes for walking all day

  Buy a goodyear welted shoe or boot with a wedge sole. They cost a little more but last forever. Wedge soles can easily be replaced by any cobbler when they wear down. Red Wing 875 Grant Stone Field Boot Both of these cost more than your budget but they have sales, 2nds with very minor flaws, or get a mildly used pair for well under $200.

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• #36Feb 3, 2025

  A list of BIFL not made in the USA

  Footware Grant Stone made in China

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• #37Jan 8, 2025

  Seeking recs for high-quality Chelsea boots or other style- type women's boots

  Probably better to ask r/goodyearwelt , but if you want true BIFL I'd get something that's welted (the soles are stitched on). Blundstone soles are cement construction (glued on), so while they may be durable, you'll need to replace them as soon as their soles wear out. I'd recommend Grant Stone. They arguably make the best value welted boots on the market, and will likely last decades with proper care. Styles might be limited though, and it's out of your budget ($300+) Bottom line is, any welted shoe/boot is far more long-lasting than cemented shoes. Unless you really want waterproofing, I'd look for welted options

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