So, about these Timberland GS boots. It wasn’t some grand plan, you know. More like desperation. My kid, bless his heart, goes through shoes like they’re made of paper. Sneakers? Lasted maybe two months before the soles were flapping. Cheap boots? Fell apart after one rainy week at that outdoor school thing they do.
I was just tired. Tired of buying shoes, tired of seeing them wrecked. Remembered having a pair of Timberlands myself way back when, and those things were tanks. So, I figured, maybe the kids’ ones, the ‘GS’ – Grade School, I guess – maybe they had some of that toughness.
Getting Them Was Step One
Dragged myself to the store. Took the kid along, which, let’s be honest, is always a gamble. He wanted the flashy light-up ones, naturally. I had to stand my ground. Pointed at the Timberlands. Explained, look, these are tough. Like dad’s old work boots, sort of. He wasn’t convinced until he tried them on. Stomped around a bit. Said they felt ‘heavy’. Yeah, son, that’s called ‘not falling apart in five minutes’.
We got the classic wheat color ones. Figured they’d hide the dirt better. Getting them home, I inspected them properly.
- The leather felt thick, sturdy.
- Soles looked chunky, proper grip.
- Laces seemed decent, not those flimsy things that snap if you look at them wrong.
The Real Test: Daily Wear and Tear
Okay, the first week. He complained they were stiff. Expected that. Told him to just wear them, break them in. Took them out for a walk in the woods behind the house. Muddy patches everywhere after the rain. He splashed right through a puddle I specifically told him to avoid. Figures. Got home, expected a disaster. But honestly? Wiped them down with a damp cloth, and they looked mostly okay. The waterproofing seemed to hold up, his socks weren’t soaked, which was a first.
School playground is the real battlefield though. Gravel, sand, climbing frames, scuffing them constantly. Other shoes would have shown serious battle scars by week two. These Tims? They got scuffed, sure. But the leather didn’t tear. The stitching held. The soles didn’t peel away at the edges like the last pair did.
We went camping a few months later. Rough terrain, dewy mornings, kicking rocks, the usual kid stuff. The boots just took it. I didn’t have to worry about his feet getting wet or the shoes disintegrating halfway through the trip. That peace of mind? Honestly, that’s worth something right there.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Look, they weren’t cheap. Definitely paid more than I would for regular sneakers. But adding up the cost of replacing those sneakers two or three times? Maybe it evens out. Maybe. What I know is, I didn’t have the headache of failed shoes for a good long while. They lasted the whole school year, and honestly, they’ve still got life left in them for his younger sibling now. They got dirty, they got scuffed, but they didn’t fall apart. They actually did the job I needed them to do. Kept the kid’s feet protected and saved me from buying new shoes every other month. Simple as that, really. No magic, just solid boots that took a beating.