If you are a big fan of boots, you might have heard about Doc Martens vs. Solovair. Both brands are well known for manufacturing high-quality boots that fit the daily needs of users. After all, an ideal pair of boots should be comfortable and suitable for most occasions.
For starters, Doc Martens and Solovair boots are practically identical, both having a much-storied history. Solovair, whose name simply comes from “Sole Of Air,” were the makers of Doc Martens in Northamptonshire, England, for decades. During that time, they were marketed under the license “Dr. Marten of Solovair.”
Doc Marten and Solovair’s competition has been there for generations. The magnificence of this competition is that both companies have been compelled to conduct comprehensive research in the footwear industry. As such, the biggest beneficiaries are the boot aficionados who cannot settle for anything less. Read on to learn more about Dr. Martens vs. Solovair.
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Doc Martens vs. Solovair: Overview
Boots are getting popular nowadays, and many people are considering boots with any dress code. As such, boots sales are rising, and therefore the need to have a good understanding of boots to make sure you buy one that works for you.
Solovair and Dr. Martens are two boot styles that are common in most people’s wish list. Below is a detailed comparison to help you learn about the intricacies of these boots.
Doc Martens vs Solovair: Leather
Doc Marten boots are very common amongst the working class in Britain. The leather that’s sued to make Dr. Martens boots is the classic, smooth leather, which is known for its stiffness and durability. Some Doc models are designed with Nappa leather to give the boots a smooth texture and a matte appearance, which is slightly different from the standard classic, smooth leather.
Patent lamper is another leather that’s used on Dr. Marten’s boots. It is a coated leather that gives the boot a shiny look. It’s not stiff like other smooth leather types, but it is durable enough. However, you might want to carry out maintenance practices to keep its glossy shine.
Other leather types found on Dr. Martens are Greasy leather, Virgin leather, Quilon leather, Crazy Hose leather, Arcadia, Antique Temperley, Suede, Brando, Grizzly leather, Red Cambridge Vegan, Grizzly leather, Soft-T leather, Ajax, Burttero leather. That being said, Dr. Martens doesn’t say a lot about the origin of their leather.
Solovair, on the other hand, comes with shine leather and matte, greasy leather, while the 1460s model is more of a medium shine. The boots are also made using high-quality leather types, with the most common being the smooth corrected leather.
This particular leather is created by splitting full-grain leather, sanding the grain surface to get rid of any imperfections, and then applying a synthetic coating to give it a shiny appearance. The leather is natural, meaning it can be polished and waterproofed. Patent leather is another material used in making Solovair boots. It is very comparable to the smooth corrected leather, only that the final coating is a patent.
Similar to Dr. Martens, Solovair uses other leather types such as Greasy leather, Rub-off leather, Gaucho leather, Horween leather, Suede, and Nubuck leather.
Overall, both types of leather are corrected grain, meaning they are remarkably smooth to touch, though the Solovair’s leather is notably more robust. Doc Martens come with a much loser fiber structure, but there’s more veracity to the Solovair’s leather. Neither of these two an example of excellent boot leather, but Solovair is thicker and less plasticky. While they have a tough break-in period, it will be worth it in the long run.
Doc Martens vs Solovair: Aesthetics
Both boot styles are pretty similar when it comes to aesthetics. The Solovair features glossier leather, but both models are made with shiny corrected grain leather. That means it’s been smoothed down to eradicate the grainy, skin-like appearance of full-grain leather. Both Dr. Marten and Solovair have 8 pairs of eyelets, triple stitching, a bouncy rubber sole, and single stitching at the counter and along with the eyelets.
One difference, however, is that when you first look at the exterior of the boot, the Solovairs have a slightly stubbier appearance and the stitching is significantly more muted. Most guys don’t like the trademark bright yellow stitching on Dr. Martens, so they find the more clearheaded seam on the Solovairs to be more versatile.
Still, other guys tend to think the yellow stitching is actually the whole point of choosing a boot like this. The stitching, along with the outsole, actually serves different purposes on every boot.
Doc Martens vs Solovair: Size and Fit
With Dr. Martens, sizing differs depending on the style of the boots. You might want to wear socks and measure your feet from heel to toe to get your actual shoe size. Nonetheless, it’s best to go to the store and fit the shoe style you want.
With the Solovair boots, size and fit are measured using a specific guide. Wear socks, stand on a piece of paper and mark your feet length with a straight length. You might want to add approximately 7-8 mm (0.25″) to the length measurement.
Doc Martens vs Solovair: Soles
One of the most favorite things about Docs is their outsoles. Dr. Marten (who was a doctor in the German Army during World War 2) made the soles of his first boots with discarded rubber from the German Air Force. These boots were initially marketed as a solution to age-related foot pain. They are soft, and the shock absorption is fantastic, certainly ideal for walking in.
The footbed is made with polyurethane foam that adapts to your feet over time. Many people who wear Dr. Martens report no problems, but factory workers and those who have to be on their feet for a long time stated that they don’t prevent foot pain as in the case of more premium boots.
Solovair boots, on the other hand, come with air-cushioned soles that are made using the same leather cutters and machines employed to create the first Dr. Martens boots.