Red Wing 2948 Roughneck 6″ Boot – $269.99

Today we’ll be taking a look at the 2948 Roughneck Boot from Red Wing. This is the second pair of boots from Red Wing to be featured here on BestLeather. You can read about their iconic Iron Rangers here, if you’d like. The Roughnecks are part of Red Wing’s Heritage footwear line, which relies heavily on boots designed decades ago that have proven their worth in hard working environments. Today, most of the heritage line of boots are worn in casual settings. But, they’re certainly made well enough to withstand the rigors of any type of manual labor you may throw at them…and you’ll be looking darn good while you’re at it!

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About Red Wing

Red Wing has its roots in the early 20th century Midwest, a rugged place dominated by hardworking people in industries like logging, mining, and farming. These tough jobs required tough footwear that would stand the test of these cold, harsh working conditions. A Red Wing, Minnesota shoe merchant by the name of Charles Beckman understood this and developed a line of tough work boots. He and his investors opened a factory in 1905, and Red Wing Shoes was born. From the Red Wing website:

“Over one hundred years has passed since our founding and our commitment to producing only the highest grade footwear remains as unwavering as Beckman’s vision. Our products consistently perform in environments spanning from the Mideast oil fields to the Midwest corn fields. Red Wing boots protect workers in more than one hundred countries across the world, an accomplishment built by years of hard work, endurance and the promise to never compromise on our quality.”

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The spitfire leather with several months of wear on the toe

CONSTRUCTION & AESTHETIC

The Red Wing Roughnecks are made with a waxy, polished leather they refer to as Spitfire Leather. It has a smooth, shiny look to it, enough to look somewhat dressed-up but not overly fancy. It looks very similar to what is commonly called rough out leather. It has a rugged, somewhat pebbled look to it. Right out of the box, it looks like it’s been worn and aged, which definitely is in line with Red Wing’s heritage vibe.

It’s quite an undertaking to create a pair of Red Wing boots. They utilize over 230 steps in their production. The end result is a solid, sturdy, well built boot. The boot is built onto a hefty Vibram lug sole with a Goodyear welt construction. It’s a pretty no-frills boot, with the contrasting welt and stitching being the main features that stick out. The boot has a rounded toe with no embellishments. The Vibram sole, as always, is bulletproof and provides excellent traction.

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FUNCTION

I have been surprised at how comfortable these boots are given the minimalistic design. There is no padding in the shoe, which was intimidating at first, but the leather and the welt all break in well to the foot and provide a solid, comfortable, supportive base.

The boots are somewhat challenging to put on since they do not have speed hooks and must be laced through traditional eyelets. The only addition I might make would be a tab or loop on the back of the boot you could use to assist with pulling them on. I’ve found that the boots work well in a wide variety of situations. The black spitfire leather looks best with jeans or chinos – great for getting just a little dressed up. Their style and sole design is a bit too rugged for any type of formal or semi-formal setting. They’re best used in a work or casual environment.

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CONCLUSION

For a boot that’s under $300, it’s hard to beat the Red Wing 2948 Roughnecks. This is a tried and true, time tested design with lots of solid customer satisfaction behind it. If you’re looking for a boot to serve in multiple roles and looking for one that will last for many years to come, I highly recommend that you consider the Red Wing Roughnecks.

Dayton Boots Parade Boot Review – $422

I’m sure I’ve said this before, but I absolutely love a good pair of boots. There’s something about lacing up your dress boots to go out or kicking off a pair of work boots after a long day that just never gets old. I have been extremely excited about the Dayton Parade Boots for a long time, and after an entire year of wear, it is time to give my opinion.

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About

Dayton Boots has been around since the winter of 1946. Charlie Wohlford, the man behind Dayton boots had been successfully repairing logger’s boots back to better than new. Soon the small company was the go to place for all logging, construction, fire, and police professionals, especially considering the lifetime warranty. Since 1946, Dayton Boots has introduced numerous new models, adapted the Goodyear Welt boot making method, and climbed the rungs of the boot industry to one of the best handmade boot companies.

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Construction

The construction of a pair of Dayton boots is the company’s bread and butter. The company has been using the same 230 steps for constructing their boots since 1946. The Parade Boot is constructed using hand cut full grain leather for the upper, 6-12 iron (8-16oz) full grain for the insole and outsole and steel shanks to add extra durable support. These quality materials are then hand sewn together with double and triple stitching, and finally are Goodyear welted, all to the exact specifications you give them for sizing. The reason Goodyear welting is such a widely favored method for boots is because it is much more durable than other methods, and it is very easy to get them resoled. Dayton Boots is well known for having boots last several decades because of resoling, and I am definitely going to be using this service. I have been very impressed with the superb construction and have not found one flaw in over a years worth of wearing the Parade Boots.

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Function

If you couldn’t tell from the name and design, the Parade Boots derived from old army marching (parade) boots. This is actually one of my favorite styles of boot across the entire industry, and the Parade boot resembles that heritage dutifully. Although I am not using my Dayton Parade boots for marching, I definitely have used them for my fair share of walking, motorcycling, and even dressing up. This boot is truly an attractive, multifunction, and high quality boot.

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We often hear about new boot owners and their painful experience with breaking in a pair of boots, but I am happy to say that I did not experience any discomfort or pain in breaking in my boots, and I have before with others. Dayton constructed my boots to the exact specifications of my foot, and they have functioned perfectly since day 1.

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Aesthetic

The Dayton Parade Boots are some of the more attractive boots I have seen. The black leather can be worn with anything, and it obvious that the construction is better than most boots. I frequently am complemented on them, and when people ask about these boots, I happily tell them that the Dayton Parade Boots are among the best you can buy, and even though the investment is significant (which is actually less than it was a year ago), it will be worth it in the long run.

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The design and construction, fit, and the multifunction qualities of the boots are absolutely going to withstand anything you can throw at them, and if you do happen to need new soles, Dayton would be happy to resole them for only $84.

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Verdict

As I said before, I was extremely eager to check out the Dayton Parade Boots. After a year of wearing them and putting on some serious mileage, I am still excited to lace them up as often as possible. Dayton has accomplished everything you could ask for in a high-quality boot. Priced at $422 total, the Parade Boot is actually a competitive, fair price in the industry for such top-tier quality. Go ahead and check out all the great boots Dayton has to offer– it is an investment you will not regret.

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Timberland Boot Company Men’s Wodehouse Wing Boots – $300

Men’s Footwear is an enormous industry with thousands of designs, producers, and materials. But when it comes down to it, leather boots are without a doubt the longest lasting and highest quality sector of the trade. Timberland has established itself as a powerhouse in the Men’s Boots industry since 1973, but The Timberland Boot Company is a relatively new addition to Timberland. This new addition is focused on producing boots that are inspired by early craftsmanship along with modern influences. Today I’ll be taking a look at Timberland’s Men’s Wodehouse Wing Boots.

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About

“Timberland can trace its roots all the way back to 1920s Boston, where Nathan Schwartz began his career as an apprentice stitcher. Schwartz and his family grew the company and, in the 1950s introduced an innovative injection-molding technique that allowed them to waterproof their boots. In 1973, they introduced the “Timberland” brand, and the rest is history. Timberland is now a huge clothing and footwear brand that operates stores worldwide. Their company headquarters are in Stratham, New Hampshire.” The Timberland Boot Company has developed into the high quality, heritage craftsmanship part of Timberland, which is something we can appreciate here at BestLeather.

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Construction

The Wodehouse Wing Boots are constructed using full-grain leather that has been hand finished to give the boot a worn-in look. These wing boots are easily scuffed and marked, which I think makes for an attractive patina that complements their vintage look.

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The boots have a leather outsole with a rubber heel so the boots have both flexibility and traction. The molded leather midsole adds to the vintage look, as well as the tooled wingtip toes and tooled leather detail on the upper stitching. The shoes are almost entirely leather, with the exception of the rubber heel and the waxed cotton laces. There are no metal eyelets or other details to distract from the leather and its patina. The metal zipper on the inside of the shoe is very sturdy and easy to use. I was not too excited about having zippers on my boots, but over time and from hundreds of zips I have become quite fond of this feature and appearance.

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Aesthetic

The Wing Boots come in two colors – Red Brown and Dark Grey. My Red Brown boots are quite versatile and just bright enough to add interest to nearly any outfit. The boots look terrific with or without cuffed denim and are extremely comfortable. I definitely could wear the Wodehouse Wing boots all day long and be comfortable, which is something that I could not say about a lot of other shoes I own. The only aspect of this boot I found a little unfortunate is that the midsole is very easily scuffed. I don’t mind scuffs or marks—in fact I enjoy adding character to my boots—but the midsole develops a little too many marks and scrapes for my taste. Timberland recommends some boot and shoe refresher so I think if I touched them up a bit most of the scrapes and scuffs will go away.

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Conclusion

I have amassed a pretty decent collection of quality footwear, but I find myself wearing the Timberland Wodehouse Wing Boots quite frequently. The comfort level, the expert construction and vintage appearance combine seamlessly into a high-quality boot that have convinced me to purchase again from the Timberland Boot Company. Head over to their website and check out all of their quality, attractive men’s footwear, especially in the Timberland Boot Company line, and be on the lookout for more Timberland reviews to come.

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