Basically I'm looking for something with this type of design
Something fashionable that I could wear on a day to day basis but still of high enough quality that it could have utility in an outdoor/protest/combat situation. I'm pretty sure Doc Martens are kind of shit in the latter regard, no?
Also any other tips for owning boots? How difficult are they to break in? Are they going to cause my ankles to bleed? These would be my first pair. I'm not trying to go above $170 if possible.
Solovair boots are made in the factory that used to make docs when they were made in england. They look pretty much the same, just w/ white stitching instead of yellow and a different tag. Afaik they are supposed to be higher quality than current docs. I've only had a pair for a year though, and all the docs I've had I've thrifted. So I can't really say if that is true or not yet tbh.
In my experience it depends a ton on the boot how hard they are to break in. For doc type boots (including solovair) its not every hard because tbh the leather used is fairly thin and not all that rigid. Wear thick socks at first and you will probably be fine.