Customer Reviews Dr. Martens 1461 3-Eye Gibson

Despite the listing, this is NOT a true pair of Dr. Martens. These shoes are not made in England. A side-by-side comparison with British Docs shows a noticeable difference in size, width, and design. The leather is VERY tough, mandating a long break-in period. The insoles are only the length of the heel, and are glued to the shoe (important if you intend to replace the insoles with orthodics). While the pattern on the leather is stunning, the shoes are tight, uncomfortable, and cramp your toes (encouraging ingrown nails). As I have owned at least a dozen pair of Docs in the past, I expected better.

These are terrible. This is my third pair of Docs, but the first I've purchased since probably the late 90's/early 00's. Boy, have things changed for what should be a timeless shoe. Granted, I had never worn the 3-eye styles before, but these things were an absolute beast to break in. I.e., blistered, destroyed heels & Achilles and horrific pain. And I'm used to some tough breaking-in periods, as my normal "daily drivers" are Fryes. I guess I didn't realize how good I had it, with a week or so of merely sore toes (followed by years of extraordinary comfort). The "leather" seems more like plastic, and never truly breaks in. After less than a year of moderate-at-best wear, all but the toes and sole seem to be brand new. One wrong/wonky step and you realize how stiff the uppers are when they "bite" into your ankle or heel. The soles have held up very well, and show little wear. The toes, however, did not "break in" so much as "crease and split and crack wide open". I refuse to believe that these are made of leather, as any animal with a hide this robust and impenetrable would be impossible to kill. It's a shame, too, because they're (as always) great-looking, simple shoes.

Used to be much better-when made in England - I have now purchased two pairs of these exact Asia made Docs, and they are not even close to the same quality and feel of the English made shoes. The leather is much more stiff and does not last as long (2 years vs. 4+). Now I am searching for a replacement...as much as it pains me. I used to love these shoes, but now they just aren't the same as they were.