Given my recent activism around the probably bicycle related wear on a pair of my tweed trousers, it may be a little early to go on another disappointed consumer rant. Or is it? Heck, we pay good money for our nice clothes and shoes, so isn’t it reasonable to find they live up to expectations, or even exceed them? Should we just shrug and move on when something fails dismally? I say no. Let the shortcomings of others also be known, in this case a pair of classic Dr Martens, or Doc Martens, if you like.
So today a colleague noticed how the soles on my classic Dr Martens shoes were split lengthwise. A closer look showed that this was the case on both shoes. Now, in the interest of disclosure, these shoes are not new. I bought them around 4-5 years ago. I don’t use them very often though, mainly in the Spring and Autumn when there is a chance of rain, so in real terms they have likely seen between 3-6 months of use if they were my only pair of shoes.
Hers and his, about 16 years difference in production. The 20 year old pair still look better.
In comparison, WDG has a pair of Dr Martens she bought way back in 93-94. These have seen lots and lots of use, yet still look almost new. The uppers are shiny and unharmed, the soles are undamaged and still have plenty of wear left in them. There is a certain ruggedness to them that to me is the essence of the British working shoe. And they were made in Britain.
Mine were made in Thailand. Which I suspect is part of the problem. Not that Thailand is a problem per se, as I’ve seen lovely and well made things from there, but low cost production can be. Dr Martens charge 95 pounds for a pair of the Thai 1461 shoes. And 165 pounds for a pair of the Made in Britain version that came a little later. I’m very curious about the actual differences between the two. Is there any noticeable difference other than the printed country of origin? Can it be inferred that the cheaper pair must be of inferior quality, hence the need to market a premium version?
While 95 pounds might not be a very large sum of money to pay for a pair of shoes, I would still expect to get a couple of years use out of them, with allowance for wearing something different during the winter and summer. Hence why I decided to see what Dr Martens customer service would say about the matter.
Dear Dr Martens,
much to my dismay, I just discovered that the sole on my left shoe is splitting (as shown on the attached photo). This is a pair of classic Dr Martens shoes, purchased 5 years ago. Given the number of shoes I use, these have been sparingly used, probably no more than 3 months if used everyday.
My girlfriend has a pair of the same model that she has been using since 1992 and apart from some wear to the sole they still look almost new.
I do notice that this pair were made in Thailand, which does make me wonder if the quality of the shoes produced in low-cost countries is so much worse than the British made originals?
I have previously written warmly about my DM’s on my blog, but given my current concerns I would be very interested to hear your response.
Soles split lengthwise on almost unused Dr Martens.
To which Dr Martens customer service replied:
Hi There
Thanks for your email
Due to the age of this footwear, it is not a manufacturing fault, this is a defect as a result of wear and tear
Unfortunately we do not have the facility to re-sole our footwear. However you can contact Timpsons who can replace some of our DM’s soles and their telephone number is 0161 9466219.
Let us know if we can help you further.
Many Thanks Courtney
Now, about from being adressed as “There”, this was a reply intended only to stoke the fire of my consumer fury. “Wear and tear”? The cheek! So a reply to their reply was hammered out, and more photos included:
Hi Courtney,
thank you for replying to my enquiry.
I think you may have missed the main point of my mail: While the shoes may be 4 or 5 years old, they have see very little use. There is very little wear to speak of, and the only tear is the sole has completely split apart.
My girlfriends pair are 20 years old and still perfect. And hers have seen very much more wear.
If you look at the attached photos you will see the following:
1) There is almost no wear on the soles
2) There is no wear on the logo inside the shoes
3) The same split of the soles has occurred on both shoes
I don’t believe you need the sleuthing skills of Mr Poirot to conclude that these shoes have seen little use, but there must be something seriously amiss with the quality.
Split soles on both shoes! This was not a random occurrence of damage caused by the wearer!
Almost no wear inside, shows that there has not been a lot of use.
A little wear on the heels, common to all my shoes.
It appears that I may have made it past the first hurdle, as at this point Courtney is actually a little more interested:
Hi Nick
Thanks for your response, whilst I haven’t missed the point of your email, In order for us to deal with your enquiry, please provide the following information:
•Your full current postal address. •The name of the retailer they were purchased from (If the order was made with us then please let us know your order number) •Please also describe the style name. •If you are able to provide your proof of purchase or a bank statement showing the transaction.
Once we have this information we can then advise further. Please let us know if you have any questions at this stage.
Thanks Courtney
And right now this is where it stands. I’ve mailed over the info about model name, where I bought them and apologising for not keeping receipts from that far back. I’m not sure why they wanted my postal address, but it’s not a big secret so I have divulged it.
Interestingly, when I mentioned this issue on Instagram I received information about Solovair, who used to make shoes for Dr Martens in Northamptonshire, and still make the same styles today. How much does their version of the classic style cost? 115 pounds. Made in Britain and no fuss.
Finally a message back from Courtney at Dr Martens customer service!
Please return your footwear using the address label along with a returns form that is attached to this email. You will need to cover the cost of the return. If we find a manufacturing fault we can then refund your postage.
The inspection process can take up to 15 working days from the date that we receive them and we will contact you once an outcome has been reached. In the event of your footwear being repaired, this can take up to 8 weeks. We will notify you if this is the case.
So, the shoes are now wrapped up and on their way back to Dr Martens HQ. What will happen next?
So I wrapped them up and mailed them back to Dr Martens HQ in the United Kingdom.
Incidentally, how do you feel about the longevity of shoes? I’d be very interested to hear more views.
The latest news is that as of January 13th Dr Martens have received and inspected my shoes, and will be repairing them. At the time of writing this, 4 weeks later, there has been no further news.
Good work…. go for the throat 🙂 ….im interested to see how this plays out as i think your well within your rights to ask these questions…its fairly obvious theres a quality issue here.
My 20+ years old Martens (in the picture above) are still in great condition after all these years. I´ve used them *a lot* and they have only the normal, expected wear on the soles and some scratches on the leather surface.
IMO Martens have done a very unwise move with the outsourcing, and what they present today as their “footwear classic” is far from what they originally sold and made their reputation on.
Just to say love your posts. But I do wonder is it only me but I’m a man in my early fifties who wants to be on trend and still cares about my appearance however every store you go to everything is cut skinny ,super skinny ,slim , fitted. Now trying to find a pair of denims that are not going to cost s small fortune but that I can get over my knees to fit my real mens thighs and backside is getting tiresome. I have given up looking for trousers that are trendy not designed for an 80yesr old is it only me am I alone with this problem. I can’t be the only one surely not !!!!
Hi Nick, I feel your pain! Depending on where you are situated though it shouldn’t be impossible to direct you to someone that could assist. The sort of place you want to go for a pair of dad style (in a good way!) jeans is Union Clothing in Newcastle, where they have a proper selection of mid-range brands and styles. Stay clear of the high street brands, their styles and quality are not for you. Similarly, at least to start with you don’t want to go overboard with super-expensive and rare Japanese jeans. I think you’ll find something very suitable and pleasing (and long-lasting) at around the 100 pound mark. Feel free to drop me an email at WellDressedDad@gmail.com if you’d like a bit more help!
I have followed you for awhile on Instagram, but this is the first time that I have been on your site. I have had a similar experience, I bout one pair of doc martens, that seemed tough, though the tread wore away quickly, but they were good, so I bought a pair of boots from them…they fell apart quickly…I was so disappointed that I broke down and ponied up for some red wings…American made, tried to beat them up…I failed they are amazing! Since then, I try and buy only American made products…and English, as I have a pair of KEF speakers…no offense to the over seas producers, but they just can’t compete with workers in great countries make a living wage!
Many thanks, Shaun! Good to hear you have having more luck with the Red Wings (which could be considered an American equivalent of Dr Martens, same workwear thing going on). My only real issue with Red Wing is that the white crepe soles tend to wear quickly. The boots themself are very rugged.
After a few years in the wilderness Doc Martens have obviously decided to significantly up the RRP in a craven effort to “buy” both desirability and perceived quality. It’s a pathetic strategy and the marketing director/ head of brand in question should be quite literally given the boot.
And @Nick – there are plenty of decent brand jeans around that aren’t skinny fit – you just have to get out there, have a good look and try a tonne of them on.
There is probably seminars one can attend where just this strategy is sold. I imagine that with a little effort a list of companies that have tried a similar tactic could be drawn up. Aigle, Nigel Cabourn and Mulberry come to mind.
Actually, I saw a classic pattern emerging here. An old knackered brand suddenly ups the RRP by a good wedge while simultaneously relocating production to a low cost centre so absolutely maximising short to medium term profits.
The brand then goes on a charm offensive with some “on point” collaborations or two and then begins a strong marketing campaign.
One would think that this is all designed to get the highest financial return in the medium term. A good balance sheet means a good price will be realised for the company should it wish to sell. This “rips as much profit and sell as high as possible” without a single thought to the actual quality of ones goods is the most basic VC business model I thought.
And surprise as quick google reveals that DM’s is indeed now owned by the VC firm Permira.
This does sound like a pretty accurate description of todays Dr Martens, yes. They must have massively increased production, a bewildering array of new models and collaborations, venturing into clothing to further squeeze the brand value, opening shops and also joining the “Made in Britain” bandwagon.
Which is the way business is done, of course, and it would be silly of me to criticise them for making a success of things, unless they jettison the qualities that made the original brand good, in the name of maximum profit, as indeed may be the case.
Nothing new on that front 🙂 I didn’t buy Dr. Martens for a long time and bought a new pair about 6 years ago. Luckily I decided to buy Made in England ones without knowing about the outsource. They were much cheaper than now (€ 160,–) and last as long as the old ones from the 80s and 90s did. A friend of mine had ones that lasted 13 years under heavy use. 4 years ago he bought new ones and decided against the Brit version due to them not “looking right”. Game over, they don’t exist anymore, after four years. I also have Asos Made in England Air Wair shoes that are Solovair, I blogged about them two years ago. All good shoes, especially for the price. Like good ole Docs 🙂
Hi Nick
I had a similar experience with some Sebago Fairhavens, which I really like, but which split across the sole within a few months of infrequent ware. I took them back to the retailer, who basically shrugged their shoulders and suggested I contact Sebago, who were only mildly less indifferent. They refused to replace them (or repair them) but after a lot of arguing, all I could get from them was a 50% discount on some replacements, which when I ordered them came with the hideous white sole. I’d given up at that point, but came across some more (the black sole is hard to find) on sale in the Sebago store on Regent St. in London and bought them. They split too.
Consumer legislation seems to out to lunch on shoes and fashion and anything short of it falling apart in the shop is assumed to be ‘ware and tear’. Nobody is asking for perfection or immortality of products, but since so many of these pseudo heritage brands like Sebago trade heavily on some implied notion of lasting, classic, timeless quality, it seems shocking that their products last no longer than cheap piece of tat from the high street.
But, I still love the Sebago shoes and having found no similar alternative, I’d settle for getting them repaired. Do you know of anyone who’d put new soles on shoes like these?
Hi Tim, thanks for sharing your tale of woe and disappointment! For sole replacement, I always talk to Richard at Shoe Healer in Doncaster first. If you search the blog you’ll find two of my experiences with their work documented.
I noticed that EXACT same split the other day in one of my 1461s. I’ve been wearing them every day, but if my memory is correct I only bought them in May. That’s about eight months!
I love DMs for the name and the iconic style, and my 1460s have lasted well, so I’d hate to give up on them. I’m thinking for my next pair I might invest in the For Life scheme – you buy the same shoes for a slightly higher price (1460s are £165, 1461s are £145) but they come with a lifetime guarantee to be replaced or repaired.
From the T&Cs:
“The FOR LIFE guarantee covers the failure of any component which has been subjected to normal wear and tear (such as upper leather, stitched seams, eyelets, soles, welt, linings and reinforcements) and not unreasonably abused. The FOR LIFE guarantee excludes any failure of laces and footbeds or product which, in Our reasonable opinion, has been used for industrial wear or subjected to unreasonable wear and tear.”
Sounds reasonable – I’d be interested to know how good it it in practice
Man, she should have just answered the difference in quality between the asia-made and MIEs… likely they’d say none. Price difference is likely also because of the upkeep cost difference in doing business in both countries, thus most things are made in asia, i.e. china.
I had an issue with my nearly new 1460s. It was the sticking unravelling in my case. I mailed them back and they sent me a beautiful new pair. I do appreciate their costumer service in my situation.
Hi,
Thanks for writing this as it really helped me, I basically did the same for you with my 1460s and sent them back, and I got a brand new replacement pair today (I only sent mine back 4 days ago). Wouldn’t have gotten a free replacement without you!!
Hi,just found your page ,and read your blog,i have been wearing docs since 1974,solovair docs made by nps.the second to last pair I bought were made in Thailand.i have had them for a year and wear them when I’m not at work to socialise in.i have also just purchased a pair of 1461 ox blood from Cobb’s lane made in England.my Tai ones are absolute rubbish.both souls split, leather if you can call it is sub standard and has split so badly that I cannot wear in the wet.never ever buy Asian docs.the made in England docs are heaven everything you would expect from English made shoes.i m now just purchasing another pair ,but I’m going to go to solovair for the Gibson’s black yellow stiching.as I want to see if they are just like they used to be.i just know they will be the dogs.
I know it’s a bit like unburying an old post… But I would like to thank you for your insight on this issue.
The same happened to me, my 5 months old DM brogues developed a big gash along the sole after only being used about 10 times.
I stumbled upon your blog, read this article and also contacted DM, which promptly provided me with free postage and after receiving my defective shoes offered me to choose any of their products up to £40 more than I originally paid for mine.
Overall I’m satisfied with the service received, although I do agree with you that DM shouldn’t have this kind of issues and I no longer trust their product to have the quality they once had.
I do still have a pair of original steel toe DM boots, which are at least 15 years old and, apart for the usual scruffs on the outside, are still in perfect shape and ready to last me for 15 more years.
Anyway, again, thank you for your article. It certainly help me.
Sole separation in DM’s, after thirty+ years experience they ALL do that after about a year. Much like sole splitting or heel tears, it just happens. I’ve heard much about the newer Asian ones being crapper but have a hard time believing that’s actually possible!
Same as the others here! I don’t have a hole in the sole, but the leather has split open on both of my DM 1461 that I bought last fall. This is not my first pair of DMs but def my first pair to break this quickly. I have boots I’ve had for about 10 years with almost no tear. So far I’ve gotten the generic email back asking for photos etc. but we will see how this goes.
Not sure if this is still active as there are no recent coments. I am interested on you Doc Martins blog. I am interested in finding out how it ended (the last was you sending off you shoes for them to check if the damage was a fault or wear and tear). Last Christmas (2016) I received a pair of Doc Martins boots but unlike you I have worn them a fair bit. Interestingly I have exactly the same problem with an almost identical split in the boots sole to the those you pictured. I can send photos if you are interested. I even tried to superglue them but they quickly split again.
Thank you for your great article! It gave me the courage to contact Dr. Martens because I have the same problem with one sole. My boots are only 7 months old, but customer service doesn’t want to help me because I have no receipt and I paid cash… And going back to the shop is not an option because it was in New-York and I live in France. The bad thing is that they are not even interested in my pictures and they do not care for my concerns about the quality of their product. But I’m not giving up! Maybe I just should send the shoes to them by mail for an inspection… The only other option I have is to throw them in the bin.
Hi Ellis, I’m not at all surprised they are giving you a hard time. With a business model that involves selling substandard goods, you can hardly expect to find a welcoming and service-minded customer service! I wouldn’t send them the shoes without them asking for them, at least not yet. Keep stating your disappointment though and let it be known. This article has been read over 12.000 times now since I wrote it and they must surely have noticed the number of comments and how many people refer to it when they get in touch to complain about their sorely disappointing Dr Martens shoes!
I too have the exact same problem, the soles have split along the side in both shoes after less than 2 years. Having worn DMs since the 70s previous pairs were only binned when the tread had worn completely smooth and had never ever, split like this. You can tell the materials are inferior quality.
I will never buy Doctor Martin shoes again, utter crap!
Same problem here. The shoes broke at exactly the same part of the sole. Contact Doc Martens, they requested pics but now are writing there’s nothing they can or will do and that I should talk to the retailer which says there’s nothing they can or will do as the shoes are out of warranty and that it is a manufacturing defect anyway. Shoes for 170 Euros down the drain because some company decided making (more) money is more important than quality. Shame on you Doc Martens.
OMG!!! I also experienced this prob..my DM shoes that i just bought on 28 june 18 .this split spotted when im unboxing on 7 july 18.. immediately call the outlet and luckily they agree to exchange.. my DM shoes just like you but Made in England..it seem “inspected by rose” only just a sticker..bad QC..lesson learned…i will keep the receipt for future problem..
I have a less than satisfactory response from Doc Martens. I will never buy any of their products again. My daughter purchased a pair of Persephone Boots December 2015. They have torn at the top of the upper, where you do not expect a decent pair of boots to fail. Natalia at Doc Martens says…”Unfortunately as the purchase was made over 12 months ago we cannot assist you further as they are no longer covered by our warranty. ” – Not Happy at all for a pair of £100 boots.
My Dr. Marten’s monkey boots, purchased in April 2018 are starting to show the same splitting at the soles. I suspect tat I’ll get nowhere with a refund/replacement as they were purchased in the UK and I live in the US.
Earlier this year I bought a pair of Dr Martens shoes after about eight years away (due to not working near a shop that sells them), having been a regular purchaser throughout 1990s and 2000s
Straightaway I was alarmed because two lace eyelets were loose and had to be superglued into place. After nine months the upper leather has started to split so I can see through it. This used to take a couple of years to happen. Now the insole has come loose and had to be superglued back into place.
So I came on to the internet to see if other people have the same opinion as me and plenty of people do.
I have wondered about buying the English made ones, but I would have to buy them by mail order from Dr Martens and there are plenty of complaints online about the mail order service as well. So it looks like I will have to give up on this brand which makes me a bit sad.
Nick,
You asked about longevity of footwear. These days it is mostly “disposable”. Sorry but not surprised about DM, it seems to have been ruined by corporate executives looking to cash in on the brand name at the expense of the product.
I’m an amateur shoemaker, and can tell you that a well made pair of handmade (ie hand-welted) shoes or boots should last 20-30 years, and can easily last longer with the right leather, a good fit and some TLC. Good factory-made shoes and boots can easily be 15+ years. In other posts you mention William Lennon, and their boots can easily last 10-20 years, the limiting factor probably being the amount of punishment a workboot will see in use, and the extent to which the boots fit. Compare the thickness of the leather on Lennon’s and DMs!
The worse the fit the shorter the lifespan, because of e.g. creasing around the vamp at the sides. Which is an additional reason bespoke footwear should last longer.
Best,
Nick B
Good post. Unfortunately, I’ve had not had the same ‘luck’ with Dr Martens customer services, nor Amazon, whom the original boots were purchased from. Here is the story:
Be careful of purchasing from Dr Martens. My partner purchased a pair of Dr. Marten’s Original 1460 Patent, Women’s Boots in December 2016, and within 12 months, they had tears at the back and the colour was peeling off. I knew I should have made a complaint earlier, but when you have mental illness as I have, normal life tends to evaporate into the background.
They are a lovely colour though, and I always got compliments when I wore them. I didn’t wear them for two years until over a week ago, when I went bowling. They are unwearable as the tear (which looks like someone has knifed them) is growing larger.
I put a complaint in to Dr Martens, who pushed the blame onto Amazon. Complained to the CEO of Amazon and they are refusing to help, just provided a cut and paste of Dr Martens T&C:
8.1.1 within 12 months of receipt of the Goods, you are entitled to a full refund or a replacement if the Goods were faulty or defective at the time of purchase. We reserve the right to inspect returned Goods and, subject to confirmation of a manufacturing fault or defect, we will refund any monies charged and any charges incurred in returning the faulty or defective Goods. In the case of a replacement, discontinued or unavailable models will be replaced with a model up to the value of the original purchase;
8.1.2 12 months or more following receipt of the Goods, we will issue a refund or a replacement only if you can prove to us that any damaged Goods were faulty or defective at the time of purchase.
I purchased a second hand pair of cherry red Dr Martens a long time ago for £10 from a charity shop, and I wore them all the time and they lasted me for a good long ten years.
These 1460 patent boots just don’t have the same durability, so I do believe that they were faulty or defective at the time of purchase, in my opinion. Why would a boot like Dr Martens develop tears at the back and the front within 12 months of wear. This cannot be blamed on wear and tear as a boot like this should last, especially for its price tag.
Dr Martens are known for their durability, and they are not a cheap shoe either. My partner paid £69.15 via Amazon, and both Dr Martens and Amazon just shun responsibility.
Dr Martens – do not be charging over £100 per shoe or boot if you are not going to take responsibility for your product proving defective or faulty within the short space of 12 months. At least inspect the boots, and try to fix them?
Yes, the complaint for these boots was far too late, but the right thing to do from the manufacturer perspective is to actually inspect the boot, of which many pictures were provided, which will clearly show that the manufacturer of this boot is not the same as the cherry red boots I purchased from the charity shop.
I would never buy a new pair of Dr Martens again, and I also want to make others aware that the manufacturer is obviously not what it once was, and if you find that your boot or shoe provides defective past the 12 month allowance, Dr Martens, or the company whom you purchased the shoe from, will not be helpful but just hide beside the lame terms and conditions. Beware. Not happy at Dr Martens or the CEO of Amazon, Douglas Gurr.
I would have more respect if they HAD actually inspected the shoe, and these boots are just not wearable anymore. The inner sole of one of the boots also wore down quickly, so again clearly a sign of a defective faulty shoe.
I have been reading complaints online of others who had the same experience of their Dr Martens shoes or boots showing defects in a short space of time, and they were told by Dr Martens to send their shoes or boot back for repair (even when they were not purchased directly at Dr Martens), who then received a brand new pair, so what is the difference with my complaint and why have I received no help by the manufacturer?
[…] boots that lasted me for over ten years, and the above Original 1460 patent boots were NEW. This blog post had some success, and he received a new pair of […]
I must say after five years you do sound a bit perfectic going on and on about your boots. Any normal person would just crack on with it. You obviously rarely use them so why the fuss. I think its self inflicted and you’re just after a free pair. You dont deserve the footwear or the box it comes with. Whinge on
Thank you for commenting, Neil. You clearly didn’t read part two. This did remind me though, while it’s one of my most read articles, I’ve not updated it in the 6 years since it was originally posted. Clearly I was ahead of the curve in calling attention to the crummy quality of newer Dr Martens product, hence I’ve added a few fresh links at the bottom of both articles. For educational purposes, naturally, I wouldn’t want a free pair of Dr Martens now even if they came full of chocolate. I do recommend Solovair though.
I have thankfully had excellent experiences with my docs, and it’s sad to learn that the quality is dropping for some.
I bought my first pair, oxfords for Starbucks, in 1999, and after almost daily use for 6 years still look brand new. But those slippery laces!!
The next ten years I wore heels, ballet style flats, and barefoot shoes, and I developed a chronic from the inflammation under the balls of my big toe.
The treatment was never letting my foot bend, and the oxfords came in handy, and I could wear those for a few months instead of weird metal insoles. So I looked cool while recuperating 😜
Two years ago I bought my second pair of docs, again for work, and they are the only shoes I trust to take care of my feet. Sometimes I walk several miles in a shift, but my feet never hurt at the end of the evening. I’ve been very pleased that the performance of my current docs rivals that of my oxfords. Even better, they slip right on and off! Terrific for the lazy and late lady.
I can’t imagine a day I’d have to replace either of these shoes. They both look terrific and show no signs of wear. I got both from the US, first Nordstrom, then the Dr Martens store on Amazon.
And I’m sad bc I had a rad pair of white docs that I got before I realized my shoe size is 8, not 9. I’d totally still have those too and be annoying nostalgic about them 🤣
I have had one of my pairs of Docs for 37 years and they are still going strong. No, there is no bounce left in the footbed, but they were worn daily for many, many years.
I have a pair of Docs that were bought in 1990, and they are still going strong – a few cracks in the leather starting to show (more down to neglect rather than the fault of the boot), but a bit of shoe cream and regular polish keep ’em looking great. The only time they don’t get worn daily is when they are in the cobblers getting replacement heels fitted. I reckon they will see me out!
I agree with you about the quality of Dr Martins shoes, as I bought a pair of shoes in 2014 for a Christmas Present for my wife for work. They had to be replaced in 2017 as the soles slit. She has been moaning for the last 2 years about them being gone again, so I told her to bring them home for me to see. Both shoes 2021 have spit across the soles. I did have the first pair replaced by Dr Martins and have just got in touch with them again this morning about the recent shoes that have split. I have since found out Dr Martins have stopped the For Life shoes, but say they will honour past Guarantees. Probably because they are all dropping to pieces as the quality is just appalling compared to the ones made back in the ’70s & ’80s that are still being used to this day.
Good work…. go for the throat 🙂 ….im interested to see how this plays out as i think your well within your rights to ask these questions…its fairly obvious theres a quality issue here.
Thanks for the support, Clyde!
My 20+ years old Martens (in the picture above) are still in great condition after all these years. I´ve used them *a lot* and they have only the normal, expected wear on the soles and some scratches on the leather surface.
IMO Martens have done a very unwise move with the outsourcing, and what they present today as their “footwear classic” is far from what they originally sold and made their reputation on.
BOO! Dr.Martens
Hear hear!
Just to say love your posts. But I do wonder is it only me but I’m a man in my early fifties who wants to be on trend and still cares about my appearance however every store you go to everything is cut skinny ,super skinny ,slim , fitted. Now trying to find a pair of denims that are not going to cost s small fortune but that I can get over my knees to fit my real mens thighs and backside is getting tiresome. I have given up looking for trousers that are trendy not designed for an 80yesr old is it only me am I alone with this problem. I can’t be the only one surely not !!!!
Hi Nick, I feel your pain! Depending on where you are situated though it shouldn’t be impossible to direct you to someone that could assist. The sort of place you want to go for a pair of dad style (in a good way!) jeans is Union Clothing in Newcastle, where they have a proper selection of mid-range brands and styles. Stay clear of the high street brands, their styles and quality are not for you. Similarly, at least to start with you don’t want to go overboard with super-expensive and rare Japanese jeans. I think you’ll find something very suitable and pleasing (and long-lasting) at around the 100 pound mark. Feel free to drop me an email at WellDressedDad@gmail.com if you’d like a bit more help!
I have followed you for awhile on Instagram, but this is the first time that I have been on your site. I have had a similar experience, I bout one pair of doc martens, that seemed tough, though the tread wore away quickly, but they were good, so I bought a pair of boots from them…they fell apart quickly…I was so disappointed that I broke down and ponied up for some red wings…American made, tried to beat them up…I failed they are amazing! Since then, I try and buy only American made products…and English, as I have a pair of KEF speakers…no offense to the over seas producers, but they just can’t compete with workers in great countries make a living wage!
Keep up the good, and inspired posts!
Many thanks, Shaun! Good to hear you have having more luck with the Red Wings (which could be considered an American equivalent of Dr Martens, same workwear thing going on). My only real issue with Red Wing is that the white crepe soles tend to wear quickly. The boots themself are very rugged.
After a few years in the wilderness Doc Martens have obviously decided to significantly up the RRP in a craven effort to “buy” both desirability and perceived quality. It’s a pathetic strategy and the marketing director/ head of brand in question should be quite literally given the boot.
And @Nick – there are plenty of decent brand jeans around that aren’t skinny fit – you just have to get out there, have a good look and try a tonne of them on.
There is probably seminars one can attend where just this strategy is sold. I imagine that with a little effort a list of companies that have tried a similar tactic could be drawn up. Aigle, Nigel Cabourn and Mulberry come to mind.
Actually, I saw a classic pattern emerging here. An old knackered brand suddenly ups the RRP by a good wedge while simultaneously relocating production to a low cost centre so absolutely maximising short to medium term profits.
The brand then goes on a charm offensive with some “on point” collaborations or two and then begins a strong marketing campaign.
One would think that this is all designed to get the highest financial return in the medium term. A good balance sheet means a good price will be realised for the company should it wish to sell. This “rips as much profit and sell as high as possible” without a single thought to the actual quality of ones goods is the most basic VC business model I thought.
And surprise as quick google reveals that DM’s is indeed now owned by the VC firm Permira.
This does sound like a pretty accurate description of todays Dr Martens, yes. They must have massively increased production, a bewildering array of new models and collaborations, venturing into clothing to further squeeze the brand value, opening shops and also joining the “Made in Britain” bandwagon.
Which is the way business is done, of course, and it would be silly of me to criticise them for making a success of things, unless they jettison the qualities that made the original brand good, in the name of maximum profit, as indeed may be the case.
Nothing new on that front 🙂 I didn’t buy Dr. Martens for a long time and bought a new pair about 6 years ago. Luckily I decided to buy Made in England ones without knowing about the outsource. They were much cheaper than now (€ 160,–) and last as long as the old ones from the 80s and 90s did. A friend of mine had ones that lasted 13 years under heavy use. 4 years ago he bought new ones and decided against the Brit version due to them not “looking right”. Game over, they don’t exist anymore, after four years. I also have Asos Made in England Air Wair shoes that are Solovair, I blogged about them two years ago. All good shoes, especially for the price. Like good ole Docs 🙂
P.S. nowadays I prefer Red Wings though. Full grain leather that ages beautifully, and mt feet prefer their round toe last over most Solovair lasts 🙂
Hi Nick
I had a similar experience with some Sebago Fairhavens, which I really like, but which split across the sole within a few months of infrequent ware. I took them back to the retailer, who basically shrugged their shoulders and suggested I contact Sebago, who were only mildly less indifferent. They refused to replace them (or repair them) but after a lot of arguing, all I could get from them was a 50% discount on some replacements, which when I ordered them came with the hideous white sole. I’d given up at that point, but came across some more (the black sole is hard to find) on sale in the Sebago store on Regent St. in London and bought them. They split too.
Consumer legislation seems to out to lunch on shoes and fashion and anything short of it falling apart in the shop is assumed to be ‘ware and tear’. Nobody is asking for perfection or immortality of products, but since so many of these pseudo heritage brands like Sebago trade heavily on some implied notion of lasting, classic, timeless quality, it seems shocking that their products last no longer than cheap piece of tat from the high street.
But, I still love the Sebago shoes and having found no similar alternative, I’d settle for getting them repaired. Do you know of anyone who’d put new soles on shoes like these?
Hi Tim, thanks for sharing your tale of woe and disappointment! For sole replacement, I always talk to Richard at Shoe Healer in Doncaster first. If you search the blog you’ll find two of my experiences with their work documented.
I noticed that EXACT same split the other day in one of my 1461s. I’ve been wearing them every day, but if my memory is correct I only bought them in May. That’s about eight months!
I love DMs for the name and the iconic style, and my 1460s have lasted well, so I’d hate to give up on them. I’m thinking for my next pair I might invest in the For Life scheme – you buy the same shoes for a slightly higher price (1460s are £165, 1461s are £145) but they come with a lifetime guarantee to be replaced or repaired.
From the T&Cs:
“The FOR LIFE guarantee covers the failure of any component which has been subjected to normal wear and tear (such as upper leather, stitched seams, eyelets, soles, welt, linings and reinforcements) and not unreasonably abused. The FOR LIFE guarantee excludes any failure of laces and footbeds or product which, in Our reasonable opinion, has been used for industrial wear or subjected to unreasonable wear and tear.”
Sounds reasonable – I’d be interested to know how good it it in practice
Love it! Don’t let them off the hook! they have outsourced production they can’t outsource accountability for the product
Man, she should have just answered the difference in quality between the asia-made and MIEs… likely they’d say none. Price difference is likely also because of the upkeep cost difference in doing business in both countries, thus most things are made in asia, i.e. china.
I had an issue with my nearly new 1460s. It was the sticking unravelling in my case. I mailed them back and they sent me a beautiful new pair. I do appreciate their costumer service in my situation.
Hi,
Thanks for writing this as it really helped me, I basically did the same for you with my 1460s and sent them back, and I got a brand new replacement pair today (I only sent mine back 4 days ago). Wouldn’t have gotten a free replacement without you!!
Glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know.
Hi,just found your page ,and read your blog,i have been wearing docs since 1974,solovair docs made by nps.the second to last pair I bought were made in Thailand.i have had them for a year and wear them when I’m not at work to socialise in.i have also just purchased a pair of 1461 ox blood from Cobb’s lane made in England.my Tai ones are absolute rubbish.both souls split, leather if you can call it is sub standard and has split so badly that I cannot wear in the wet.never ever buy Asian docs.the made in England docs are heaven everything you would expect from English made shoes.i m now just purchasing another pair ,but I’m going to go to solovair for the Gibson’s black yellow stiching.as I want to see if they are just like they used to be.i just know they will be the dogs.
I know it’s a bit like unburying an old post… But I would like to thank you for your insight on this issue.
The same happened to me, my 5 months old DM brogues developed a big gash along the sole after only being used about 10 times.
I stumbled upon your blog, read this article and also contacted DM, which promptly provided me with free postage and after receiving my defective shoes offered me to choose any of their products up to £40 more than I originally paid for mine.
Overall I’m satisfied with the service received, although I do agree with you that DM shouldn’t have this kind of issues and I no longer trust their product to have the quality they once had.
I do still have a pair of original steel toe DM boots, which are at least 15 years old and, apart for the usual scruffs on the outside, are still in perfect shape and ready to last me for 15 more years.
Anyway, again, thank you for your article. It certainly help me.
Cheers X
Filipe
Sole separation in DM’s, after thirty+ years experience they ALL do that after about a year. Much like sole splitting or heel tears, it just happens. I’ve heard much about the newer Asian ones being crapper but have a hard time believing that’s actually possible!
Same as the others here! I don’t have a hole in the sole, but the leather has split open on both of my DM 1461 that I bought last fall. This is not my first pair of DMs but def my first pair to break this quickly. I have boots I’ve had for about 10 years with almost no tear. So far I’ve gotten the generic email back asking for photos etc. but we will see how this goes.
Best of luck! Hopefully they will stand behind their product. Less than a year of duty must be a record…
So – this was written in 2014 – what was the result – same thing just happened to my son’s!
Hi Liz, sorry, should have linked the follow-article at the end! Here it is:
https://welldresseddad.com/2015/02/20/update-the-dr-martens-solegate-saga/
Best of luck with your sons shoes!
Nick
Not sure if this is still active as there are no recent coments. I am interested on you Doc Martins blog. I am interested in finding out how it ended (the last was you sending off you shoes for them to check if the damage was a fault or wear and tear). Last Christmas (2016) I received a pair of Doc Martins boots but unlike you I have worn them a fair bit. Interestingly I have exactly the same problem with an almost identical split in the boots sole to the those you pictured. I can send photos if you are interested. I even tried to superglue them but they quickly split again.
Hi Scott, I moved your comment to the Doc Martens article! The follow up to this article can be found here: https://welldresseddad.com/2015/02/20/update-the-dr-martens-solegate-saga/
Thank you for your great article! It gave me the courage to contact Dr. Martens because I have the same problem with one sole. My boots are only 7 months old, but customer service doesn’t want to help me because I have no receipt and I paid cash… And going back to the shop is not an option because it was in New-York and I live in France. The bad thing is that they are not even interested in my pictures and they do not care for my concerns about the quality of their product. But I’m not giving up! Maybe I just should send the shoes to them by mail for an inspection… The only other option I have is to throw them in the bin.
Hi Ellis, I’m not at all surprised they are giving you a hard time. With a business model that involves selling substandard goods, you can hardly expect to find a welcoming and service-minded customer service! I wouldn’t send them the shoes without them asking for them, at least not yet. Keep stating your disappointment though and let it be known. This article has been read over 12.000 times now since I wrote it and they must surely have noticed the number of comments and how many people refer to it when they get in touch to complain about their sorely disappointing Dr Martens shoes!
I too have the exact same problem, the soles have split along the side in both shoes after less than 2 years. Having worn DMs since the 70s previous pairs were only binned when the tread had worn completely smooth and had never ever, split like this. You can tell the materials are inferior quality.
I will never buy Doctor Martin shoes again, utter crap!
Same problem here. The shoes broke at exactly the same part of the sole. Contact Doc Martens, they requested pics but now are writing there’s nothing they can or will do and that I should talk to the retailer which says there’s nothing they can or will do as the shoes are out of warranty and that it is a manufacturing defect anyway. Shoes for 170 Euros down the drain because some company decided making (more) money is more important than quality. Shame on you Doc Martens.
Go to their facebook and voice your opinion, post pictures, other people are doing the same right now! https://www.facebook.com/drmartens/
We opened up a Facebook group for people with the same kind of problems, feel free to join! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1937774966533334/
OMG!!! I also experienced this prob..my DM shoes that i just bought on 28 june 18 .this split spotted when im unboxing on 7 july 18.. immediately call the outlet and luckily they agree to exchange.. my DM shoes just like you but Made in England..it seem “inspected by rose” only just a sticker..bad QC..lesson learned…i will keep the receipt for future problem..
I have a less than satisfactory response from Doc Martens. I will never buy any of their products again. My daughter purchased a pair of Persephone Boots December 2015. They have torn at the top of the upper, where you do not expect a decent pair of boots to fail. Natalia at Doc Martens says…”Unfortunately as the purchase was made over 12 months ago we cannot assist you further as they are no longer covered by our warranty. ” – Not Happy at all for a pair of £100 boots.
had same problem. keep replying and ask to make a complaint. Keep replying to all their email and youll eventually get another pair
My Dr. Marten’s monkey boots, purchased in April 2018 are starting to show the same splitting at the soles. I suspect tat I’ll get nowhere with a refund/replacement as they were purchased in the UK and I live in the US.
I got mine in October 2016 and I have the same problem!! I am gonna contact them asap. Thanks a lot for sharing!!
Earlier this year I bought a pair of Dr Martens shoes after about eight years away (due to not working near a shop that sells them), having been a regular purchaser throughout 1990s and 2000s
Straightaway I was alarmed because two lace eyelets were loose and had to be superglued into place. After nine months the upper leather has started to split so I can see through it. This used to take a couple of years to happen. Now the insole has come loose and had to be superglued back into place.
So I came on to the internet to see if other people have the same opinion as me and plenty of people do.
I have wondered about buying the English made ones, but I would have to buy them by mail order from Dr Martens and there are plenty of complaints online about the mail order service as well. So it looks like I will have to give up on this brand which makes me a bit sad.
Nick,
You asked about longevity of footwear. These days it is mostly “disposable”. Sorry but not surprised about DM, it seems to have been ruined by corporate executives looking to cash in on the brand name at the expense of the product.
I’m an amateur shoemaker, and can tell you that a well made pair of handmade (ie hand-welted) shoes or boots should last 20-30 years, and can easily last longer with the right leather, a good fit and some TLC. Good factory-made shoes and boots can easily be 15+ years. In other posts you mention William Lennon, and their boots can easily last 10-20 years, the limiting factor probably being the amount of punishment a workboot will see in use, and the extent to which the boots fit. Compare the thickness of the leather on Lennon’s and DMs!
The worse the fit the shorter the lifespan, because of e.g. creasing around the vamp at the sides. Which is an additional reason bespoke footwear should last longer.
Best,
Nick B
Good post. Unfortunately, I’ve had not had the same ‘luck’ with Dr Martens customer services, nor Amazon, whom the original boots were purchased from. Here is the story:
Be careful of purchasing from Dr Martens. My partner purchased a pair of Dr. Marten’s Original 1460 Patent, Women’s Boots in December 2016, and within 12 months, they had tears at the back and the colour was peeling off. I knew I should have made a complaint earlier, but when you have mental illness as I have, normal life tends to evaporate into the background.
They are a lovely colour though, and I always got compliments when I wore them. I didn’t wear them for two years until over a week ago, when I went bowling. They are unwearable as the tear (which looks like someone has knifed them) is growing larger.
I put a complaint in to Dr Martens, who pushed the blame onto Amazon. Complained to the CEO of Amazon and they are refusing to help, just provided a cut and paste of Dr Martens T&C:
8.1.1 within 12 months of receipt of the Goods, you are entitled to a full refund or a replacement if the Goods were faulty or defective at the time of purchase. We reserve the right to inspect returned Goods and, subject to confirmation of a manufacturing fault or defect, we will refund any monies charged and any charges incurred in returning the faulty or defective Goods. In the case of a replacement, discontinued or unavailable models will be replaced with a model up to the value of the original purchase;
8.1.2 12 months or more following receipt of the Goods, we will issue a refund or a replacement only if you can prove to us that any damaged Goods were faulty or defective at the time of purchase.
I purchased a second hand pair of cherry red Dr Martens a long time ago for £10 from a charity shop, and I wore them all the time and they lasted me for a good long ten years.
These 1460 patent boots just don’t have the same durability, so I do believe that they were faulty or defective at the time of purchase, in my opinion. Why would a boot like Dr Martens develop tears at the back and the front within 12 months of wear. This cannot be blamed on wear and tear as a boot like this should last, especially for its price tag.
Dr Martens are known for their durability, and they are not a cheap shoe either. My partner paid £69.15 via Amazon, and both Dr Martens and Amazon just shun responsibility.
Dr Martens – do not be charging over £100 per shoe or boot if you are not going to take responsibility for your product proving defective or faulty within the short space of 12 months. At least inspect the boots, and try to fix them?
Yes, the complaint for these boots was far too late, but the right thing to do from the manufacturer perspective is to actually inspect the boot, of which many pictures were provided, which will clearly show that the manufacturer of this boot is not the same as the cherry red boots I purchased from the charity shop.
I would never buy a new pair of Dr Martens again, and I also want to make others aware that the manufacturer is obviously not what it once was, and if you find that your boot or shoe provides defective past the 12 month allowance, Dr Martens, or the company whom you purchased the shoe from, will not be helpful but just hide beside the lame terms and conditions. Beware. Not happy at Dr Martens or the CEO of Amazon, Douglas Gurr.
I would have more respect if they HAD actually inspected the shoe, and these boots are just not wearable anymore. The inner sole of one of the boots also wore down quickly, so again clearly a sign of a defective faulty shoe.
I have been reading complaints online of others who had the same experience of their Dr Martens shoes or boots showing defects in a short space of time, and they were told by Dr Martens to send their shoes or boot back for repair (even when they were not purchased directly at Dr Martens), who then received a brand new pair, so what is the difference with my complaint and why have I received no help by the manufacturer?
[…] boots that lasted me for over ten years, and the above Original 1460 patent boots were NEW. This blog post had some success, and he received a new pair of […]
I must say after five years you do sound a bit perfectic going on and on about your boots. Any normal person would just crack on with it. You obviously rarely use them so why the fuss. I think its self inflicted and you’re just after a free pair. You dont deserve the footwear or the box it comes with. Whinge on
Thank you for commenting, Neil. You clearly didn’t read part two. This did remind me though, while it’s one of my most read articles, I’ve not updated it in the 6 years since it was originally posted. Clearly I was ahead of the curve in calling attention to the crummy quality of newer Dr Martens product, hence I’ve added a few fresh links at the bottom of both articles. For educational purposes, naturally, I wouldn’t want a free pair of Dr Martens now even if they came full of chocolate. I do recommend Solovair though.
I’ve had mine for at least 25 years and they are still in amazing shape! I wish I could post a picture here
I have thankfully had excellent experiences with my docs, and it’s sad to learn that the quality is dropping for some.
I bought my first pair, oxfords for Starbucks, in 1999, and after almost daily use for 6 years still look brand new. But those slippery laces!!
The next ten years I wore heels, ballet style flats, and barefoot shoes, and I developed a chronic from the inflammation under the balls of my big toe.
The treatment was never letting my foot bend, and the oxfords came in handy, and I could wear those for a few months instead of weird metal insoles. So I looked cool while recuperating 😜
Two years ago I bought my second pair of docs, again for work, and they are the only shoes I trust to take care of my feet. Sometimes I walk several miles in a shift, but my feet never hurt at the end of the evening. I’ve been very pleased that the performance of my current docs rivals that of my oxfords. Even better, they slip right on and off! Terrific for the lazy and late lady.
I can’t imagine a day I’d have to replace either of these shoes. They both look terrific and show no signs of wear. I got both from the US, first Nordstrom, then the Dr Martens store on Amazon.
And I’m sad bc I had a rad pair of white docs that I got before I realized my shoe size is 8, not 9. I’d totally still have those too and be annoying nostalgic about them 🤣
I have had one of my pairs of Docs for 37 years and they are still going strong. No, there is no bounce left in the footbed, but they were worn daily for many, many years.
I have a pair of Docs that were bought in 1990, and they are still going strong – a few cracks in the leather starting to show (more down to neglect rather than the fault of the boot), but a bit of shoe cream and regular polish keep ’em looking great. The only time they don’t get worn daily is when they are in the cobblers getting replacement heels fitted. I reckon they will see me out!
I agree with you about the quality of Dr Martins shoes, as I bought a pair of shoes in 2014 for a Christmas Present for my wife for work. They had to be replaced in 2017 as the soles slit. She has been moaning for the last 2 years about them being gone again, so I told her to bring them home for me to see. Both shoes 2021 have spit across the soles. I did have the first pair replaced by Dr Martins and have just got in touch with them again this morning about the recent shoes that have split. I have since found out Dr Martins have stopped the For Life shoes, but say they will honour past Guarantees. Probably because they are all dropping to pieces as the quality is just appalling compared to the ones made back in the ’70s & ’80s that are still being used to this day.