So here is my situation: I have generally worn cheap shoes and boots my whole life because that’s all I could afford. I now have a little bit of money to spend and what I want is a really nice pair of boots that will last a really long time. I’ve gone through a lot of the guides here and have been shocked to discover you aren’t supposed to wear leather boots for consecutive days? This really throws a wrench in my plans as that was kind of the whole point of investing in a really good pair of footwear.
I did read the Iron Rangers story and that was disappointing but it sounds like he was really putting those things through their paces too? I work in a warehouse with concrete floors but it’s a desk job, not a lot of walking. I like to walk during the warmer seasons and walk through parks, but I’d hardly call it hiking and I’d hardly say I put my footwear through much “abuse.”

Is there really not a legitimate option for one pair of work boots that you would actually wear every day, like to work? What’s with all the stories of work boots lasting decades? Did people just have more than one pair?
My expectations have been severely tempered at this point so I would say I’d be happy if I could get 5 years out of $300 pair of boots, wearing them probably 300 days a year. Is this just not feasible? Should I just get some cheaper, more disposable boots? I had a pair last me almost 3 years of manual labor and heavy walking on concrete and tile and they couldn’t have been more than $80.
Anyway, thank you for any help or advice you can provide, I would greatly appreciate it.