Red wing wedge boots10/21/2023 The Classic Chelsea is both revolutionary and a return to the brand’s roots. Prior to their new Classic Chelsea, the brand had the Rancher, a similar boot with a hard mini lug outsole like the Iron Ranger, and then they had the Weekender Chelsea, a leisure boot with a much lower profile and lighter weight. None of this is evocative of the rugged American working man boots that Red Wing’s known for.īut nowadays, of course, Chelsea boots are common everywhere, from suits to farms and everywhere in between - but Red Wing hasn’t had much success keeping a Chelsea in stock long term. Maybe that’s because this slip on boot’s origins aren’t in American workwear like most of the company’s boots, but because Chelseas started out as horse riding boots in Victorian England - they’re said to have been invented for Queen Victoria as a walking boot and then became common among the upper class horse stables. Invest in quality, and you can get what you want and what you need.For what I would consider America’s most beloved heritage boot company, Red Wing has had a surprisingly spotty history with Chelseas. Not being able to get the exact color you want on a $50 pair of sneakers is one thing on a $200+ pair of boots.that's something else. Or you can get boots from work boot specialists, who build it into the footbed.Īnd you're at the mercy of what colors they have available, instead of being able to choose the exact color of boot that you'd like to wear. ![]() If you need arch support, a lot of factory boots will require new inserts. The minimal heel drop is a double-edged sword while the foot is flatter with a lower heel, there's usually less structure in the arch area. It's also true that a lot of mass-market wedge boots are known for lacking arch support. Getting a pair made-to-order, and fit to your feet is far more reliable if you're going to be on your feet all day. But if you demand the best in fit, form and function, you're going to find deficiencies.įactory boots tend to only fit perfectly if you get very lucky. Look, if you find a pair of typical moc toe boots that you love.that's great! You like them, and that's what matters. What matters is that a pair of boots fit correctly, support your feet correctly, are comfortable enough to wear and satisfy what you want or need in a heritage boot or work boot. When all things are equal, the toe shape doesn't really matter. What's Most Important In Wedge Boots Or Any Work Boot ![]() If you have to get your wedge boots with a steel toe, a round toe box will if anything allow for a bit more headroom, so to speak. It will be easier to clean and oil or grease. A lot of moc toe boots look like Italian loafers with a few years of wear.Ī round toe is going to hold its structure better over the long run. Look at any pair of moc toe boots after a year or two of wear, and the toe will have flattened. It doesn't give the toe box any additional structure. It doesn't add any actual protection only having a steel toe (or failing that, a celastic or leather toe cap) does that. It doesn't create extra room for steel toe boots, because only having extra room in the toe box to begin with does that. So, should wedge boots have a moc toe? Well…įunctionally, a moccasin toe doesn't do much. The best guess was that it was a nod to the Native American moccasin, due to the heavy influence of Native American culture (Red Wing is headquartered in Minnesota, Thorogood/Weinbrenner in Wisconsin) in the Upper Midwest. But that still begs the question of why a moccasin toe? The Red Wing 870 (the original moc toe wedge boot) came out in the 1950s, and Thorogood released it's moc toe wedge boot in the early 60's, originally as an outdoor boot for the Boy Scouts.īoth caught on as all-purpose and/or work boots, which cemented that boot design as a style. ![]() except for the ones who make them better. Those two brands are heavily associated with this boot style, they're the ones who made them popular and a lot of boot companies just copy their designs. ![]() It's impossible to talk about wedge sole boots without acknowledging the elephants in the room when it comes to wedge boots. The First Wedge Sole Boots Had Moccasin Toes So let's talk about why the moc toe is so closely associated with the wedge sole. If you love it, then it's what you like and that's fine.but if you aren't married to the moccasin toe shape, wedge boot without one is arguably better. Sure, it's a classic look.but is the moc toe really any better? The reason why wedge boots are usually offered in the "moc toe" style is because the first boot that made that sole popular had one, and that's all everyone's been making ever since.
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