The quad-stitched, pleasingly bulbous toe cap. The kind of boot that those boots can look at and say “that is an extremely handsome boot and yes I feel threatened by it, but here I am admitting it because DAMN.” The kind of boot that other boots want to grow up to be, even though that’s basically impossible. The Red Wing Iron Ranger is a boot’s boot. The Iron Ranger reigns as the most popular boot in Red Wing’s Heritage line, and it’s easy to see why. Today, Red Wing’s work-specific boots can be found on the feet of many a construction worker, welder, and more-but within the last couple decades, they’ve also focused on the Red Wing Heritage line of fashionable, functional boots that certainly can be used in many heavy work situations, but also transition quite cleanly into a casual lifestyle boot. Over the years, the Red Wing range expanded, most notably to include their iconic moc-toe boots for hunters and other sportsmen, which were introduced in the 1950s. Founder Charles Beckman ( who has a Red Wing boot named after him, naturally) developed boots for very specific work needs, from farmers, to blacksmiths, to Minnesota’s iron miners, which the Iron Ranger is named in honor of. In 1908, Red Wing began creating some of America’s great workboots in-you’re never going to believe this-Red Wing, Minnesota.
#Red wing boots care full#
How I Cared for Them: Cedar shoe trees usually inserted when not being worn wiped down and brushed with a horsehair brush after getting muddy full Red Wing mink oil treatment 2-3 times per year.Ī Bit of History on Red Wing Heritage Boots Worn How Often?: On average for those four years, at least one time per week-although sometimes more frequently, especially when they were new (and my collection was smaller…) and when traveling. Mine have the old nitrile cork sole Red Wing moved all Iron Rangers onto Vibram 430 mini-lug soles a few years back. Model: Iron Ranger 8111 in amber harness leather.
Tricker’s Stow: A Two-Year Review of a Very Excellent Country Boot.Red Wing Iron Ranger: A Four-Year Review of a Timeless Boot.Tricker’s x Division Road Bourton: Five Months Deep Into Some Wonderful Kudu.Thorogood Moc-Toe Boot In Tobacco Leather: Five-Year Review.Onderhoud Handmade: Possibly the Best Value in Hand-Welted Boots.Alden Indy 403C Review: A Three-Year Look at a Near-Perfect Boot.Grant Stone Brass Boot: a Uniquely Intriguing, Wildly Versatile Moc-Toe.
But a quick preview: I love mine, quite a lot. And all of that is worth a read, to ensure you’re properly informed and armed before you make a decision on buying them, or something else. This review will take you through looks, sizing and comfort, break-in, leather and care, outsoles (they’ve changed-for the better), and construction and durability before getting to the Stitchdown Final Take. The Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome: 1 Pair of Boots. But if you’ve worn them for any period of time, yours definitely won’t look exactly like the other guy’s. Because of their popularity, price, and Red Wing’s wide availability, it’s fairly certain you won’t be the only person wearing them at a 50-person boot party. But if you told me it was the Red Wing Iron Ranger, I would refuse to waste your time arguing for very long. Picking the most essential boot in the world is a doubtless an impossible task. And damn handsome, in the way that heroes tend to be.įew boots combine those classically muscled looks, long-term durability, and (eventual) comfort quite like the Red Wing Iron Ranger. Relatable, fun-loving, down to spend all sorts of time with me. And they were exactly the hero I hoped they’d be. Then one day I finally met them, officially. I stared longingly at pictures of them beaten to hell and rich with patina. Before I bought my first pair, Red Wing Iron Ranger boots met that classification. They say it’s dangerous to meet your heroes.
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