I've warrantied out craftsman tools, & a good warranty is great, but I have never broken anything proto, & not broken is better imo. I'd normally recommend shopping ebay for used proto or challenger, but since you're limited on time, it seems like your plan to use the napa account to get the minimum required, then buying the rest once you get paid & are into the actual work is the only option.
As for steel toed boots, I've been wearing them for over 30 years. Here's the 3 standouts:
As for steel toed boots, I've been wearing them for over 30 years. Here's the 3 standouts:
- Redwings. They were great quality, but were tough to break in. And about $200 a pair back when I was wearing them. I'd usually get 2 years out of a pair, so the cost was about $100 a year. I really liked them, but the break in period made them less desirable than others.
- Herman Survivors Wheat Breakers. Not the long lasting quality of the Redwings, but they were comfortable on the 1st day. They were my favorite for 15 years. During covid they changed something, so they aren't comfortable for me on a daily basis. About $50 at Wally's. I'd get roughly 6 months out of a pair, so the annual cost was about $100. I hope they return to the old style. I might try another pair down the road.
- Wolverine Floorhand. My boss swears by Wolverines. I'm about 9 months into my 1st pair. More comfortable than the current Hermans, but not quite as perfect for my feet as the old Hermans were. Not bad overall. I think I paid $90 for these out of desperation with screaming feet after trying some other bad boots that were painful at the end of every day, even once broken in. It seemed like the Wolverines took awhile to become comfortable, but that may have been because my feet were extremely sore from the prior bad boots when I was 1st wearing the Wolverines. Looks like I'll get most of a year out of these, so they'll probably work out to being $100 a year again. I'll probably stick with these.
