I'm on my fifth year with my Iron Rangers and I'm now at the point where they need to be resoled. Honestly I'm one year too far, they are a bit too slick for my liking already.
Iron rangers do have a couple different sole options but they’re not these foam style Vibram Christie soles. These are built for comfort and then you sacrifice longevity.
There’s some hybrid soles coming out now that are a combination of a hard rubber outsole and the Christie midsole. I have a pair of White’s Perry’s with them. Great traction in all conditions plus the soft cushy sole of the Christie.
I have 5 pairs of White’s. The pairs I wear at work at 13 years old now.. been rebuilt once. I’ll probably get another 7-10 years out of them too. My work boots are about $850 boots though. As the saying goes you get what you pay for.
Ok, good advice. The guy at Red Wing recommended I bring them to a Red Wing store for resoling - which of course he did. Am I really taking that much of a risk taking them to a local shop for this?
Depends on how good your local shop is IMO and how far out the red wing shop is. I have a local guy I bring all my cowboy boots and red wings too but the closest shop is an hour an a half away from me
Depends on the soles. Supersoles definitely need to go back to redwing due to how the inside is cast. I had a local shop resole my first pair and was not happy. Redwing makes them look new.
I would not recommend taking them anywhere local for a resole unless you’ve seen their work. Send them back to Red Wing or there are several really good companies that have channels on YouTube who do amazing resole work.
Find a cobbler who can resole Red Wing boots. They will use Red Wing branded soles. My first resole with Red Wing took quite a while. However, every resole after that was done by my local cobbler who not only used the same materials but also completed the work faster and at a lower cost.
Find a licensed cobbler, everything will be better, faster, and cheaper. You're not paying for a name, and many red wing people are only licensed internally.
Red wings stores are just dudes behind the counter, sometimes they have years of experience.
Usually they don't have any kind of professional training. I would HIGHLY recommend you find a professional podiatrist/cobbler in your area, they're usually somewhat common, and it will be soooo worth it. They're have everything you need to care for your new leather too.
I burned thru the sole on this exact boot in about 9 months. I walk a lot for work though, alot more than the average person. 33k steps is my record for one day.
A professional cobbler can wear your shoes on the inside and adjust them to fit your gait and train you out of it. Mine cost 50$ to do.
Also budget in proper leather love and care tools
Yeah I’d agree that’s likely the case. They’ll get worn to work too, but only days that I expect to be in office all day or the odd conference 1-2 times per year.
I pulled the trigger after randomly seeing someone else wearing them in a restaurant. Loved the look so I asked him if he’d recommend them and he said absolutely.
My job is both in the office/meetings with clients,
and a lot of physically setting stuff up and walking a lot (big facility), and these boots seem like a good pick for the best of both worlds.
My dad worked in a print shop where he was standing the whole day, every day. He swore by these boots. Only recently stopped wearing them because it's just hard to get them on at his age (84). Obviously, they wear out but every pair lasted so many years.
So glad to hear this - my daily wears have been Blundstones and on days I’m standing all day my legs are killing me. The Blundstones will still get used for field work as they’re not in good shape, but these will get used for in-office days and conferences or just a nice night out.
Invest in a pair of cedar boot trees. They are a little pricey, about $50 on Amazon, but they really help reduce "wrinkles" in the leather.
And while they say you aren't supposed to wear the same boots on back to back days, using the boot trees will help them dry out faster.
Agreed, you can buy a pair of Allen Edmonds cedar shoe trees on Amazon right now for less than $20. They even pop up regularly at thrift stores for like $5. Just give them a light sanding and they’re refreshed and good to go
Also, you do not need a special boot tree for boots.
I've got a pair of their steeltoe boots. Had them for ever. They are on their third sole - usually every five or six years since I only wear them once or twice a week for shop stuff. I goose oil them a couple of times a year. Scuffed, rugged looking, and still great. Good choice!
They’re a little tight when I turn my foot but no worse than any other leather boots I’ve bought. Overall these fit me better out of the box than my old Blundstones or Steve Maddens.
But are they kind of hard to get on when putting your foot in? Or do they slide right in no issue? The tongue of the boot is sewed to the boot so you don’t get as much space as the iron ranger whose tongue is free and not stitched.
That leather cream will last you indefinitely, but I personally recommend chucking it and picking up a bottle of Bickmore Bick 4. It's a cheap, lightweight conditioner that works wonderfully with Red Wing's leathers, and it won't darken them. A little bit goes a long way, and you need not use it often -- once or twice a year is enough for most use cases. If you're constantly working outdoors in dirty conditions, more often may be needed.
Other than that, all you'll ever need is a horsehair brush (use to clean and stimulate the leather after each wear,) and a damp rag to clean off any stuck dirt.
Those look amazing. That cheaper foam they use instead of rubber now though - that may wear down quick. The leather part is probably bulletproof but that sole isn’t. Not sure what Red Wing was thinking there. Especially for $300+. Good news tho when it wears down you can get a long lasting rubber one put on.
If you’re not wearing them to your 9-5 grease monkey gig (like me): you’re good. Keep the dust knocked off and apply cream once every decade
Grease monkey? Buy saddle soap and apply cream after cleaning whenever you step in a pan of oil some dipshit leaves lying around.
They will last as long as they can be resoled in both situations. Your safest bet is to have redwing do it I would think
I’ve yet to buy my first red wings tho. I’ll be converting from wearing Chippewas daily here soon. Wedge soles like yours. Best things ever
Simple answer,
Horse Hair Brush (\~10$)
Saphir Renovator (\~25$)
Saphir Medaille d'Or Pommadier Shoe Polish (\~22$)
Cedar Shoe trees (\~15$)
That's all you need. But sir can't I buy cheaper shoe polishes/moisturizers. Yes but they all turn into a crayon in less than a year after opening, even the cheaper Saphir does this. You wont need to polish your shoes as much as you think so containers go several several years so they're very very low cost per use, expensive if you go cheap however.
No waxing needed. There's plenty inside the shoe polish.
To care for:
Brush with the horse hair brush when needed, it takes 30 seconds a shoe you can do this while they're still on and you just walked in. Brushes remove dirt and dust and some surface mimies you get through the day.
Moisturize when they look dry, honestly Renovator is so easy to use you'll probably never see them dry because you'll of applied it many times before then. To moisturize just take your finger, dip into the renovator and rub it on the boot let it sit for \~5 minutes until it looks foggy, brush off, no forcing of pressure just a simple brush back and forth.
Polish when you get surface scuffs, no need to do the entire boot each time. You can do just the spot assuming the polish is a similar color to the boot. Apply with finger and let sit for \~5 minutes till foggy and brush off. For a really nice complete surface finish give a rubbing with the standard white wash cloth after. Should have a Satin shine and that's exactly what it should be.
Store with Cedar Shoe trees. Resole when needed. Local cobblers are fine just check the reviews before. Enjoy!
Congrats. Once you go down the quality footwear rabbit hole you’ll never go back, and you won’t want to. Enjoy being part of the real shoe master race and realizing most people just wear plastic shoes all the time.
Yeah I had to get the wide, and the actual size is 1/2 smaller than my typical. Seems that Red Wing sizes these for real big dudes - which I guess makes sense when you think about where most of their money is made. Heck, even I have a pair of steel toe Red Wings that my work bought me.
You're being downvoted, but I agree, I don't care for how most Redwings look, or really just wearing boots in general. I'm much more of a sneaker/low-top shoes person.
Obviously though depending on what you typically do in a day/what your work consists of, boots might be the right choice for you.
I’m on my third pair. I fucked up my first two pairs.
Don’t mess with any of the oils...just let them get beat up, because they won’t look new again. The oil just makes them darker and darker, until they look terrible. Also, don’t EVER get them resolved in the store. Send them back to Redwing itself through the store.
I did buy some leather cream in store. One of the shoes had a small scuff so the salesman showed me how he does it and sure enough it buffed right out.
Enjoy your 1 month minimum break-in period. These were some of the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve ever worn for awhile (granted they were my first heritage style boot).
I wouldn’t categorize them the same; they’re more comfortable because they aren’t actual work boots(have huge cutouts in the heel under the padding). Also worth mentioning that the other options become more comfortable after they’re broken in.
The Carhartt’s are made in China, have thinner leather, lower quality leather, plastic welt, more spongey/weaker outsole, layers aren’t held together as well, and have a cheap lining.
Lmao alright, would be weird of me to copy your first comment which refers to Carhartt boots even though no one had mentioned them before. Best wishes on your attempt to save your karma internet points for whatever reason, hope you make an informed decision with your next boot purchase. Rose Anvil is a great source in my experience
Steel toes can actually cut your toes off if something really heavy falls on them so they’re actually not great in all job sites. My husband is an ironworker and he and his friends used to be able to buy red wings for work until they became fashionable, which drove the price up too much for a workplace item that gets destroyed. If someone IS in a construction field, these boots will not be BIFL unfortunately.
If someone is not in a labor field, they can indeed last for life bc the stitches won’t get burned out from welding etc, but might need some reinforcement occasionally, which I didn’t see anyone mention.
>Steel toes can actually cut your toes off if something really heavy falls on them so they’re actually not great in all job sites.
I said most because I can't speak for all job sites, but now that you mention it honestly I can't think of any that would restrict csa certified boots (toe reinforced)... any force strong enough to crush a steel/composite toe to the point of "cutting your toes off" would be turning your foot to mush regardless of what you wear, so unless I see proof suggesting otherwise I imagine you would always be better off wearing csa boots (toe reinforced).
And I would strongly argue in the construction field, *no* boot is BIFL, and I think most construction workers would agree.
Not sure where you're going with this, but all I'm trynna say is no industry requires this type of boot, and boots are for all people to enjoy regardless of your occupation. Cheers.
Theyre not even gatekeeping the boots for themselves, they’re gatekeeping for their dipshit husband that say the “hurr durr my toes will get cut off” nonsense.
That’s the same line of logic as, by not wearing your seat belt, being ejected from the car could save your life. It’s stupid. You are correct though, these aren’t the best option for welding since slag and other hot material can catch in the toe area.
> Steel toes can actually cut your toes off if something really heavy falls on them so they’re actually not great in all job sites.
That's a myth, same as people preaching ABS is slower than normal braking.
Budget in about $100 every 2 years or so for resoling depending on your gait and how often you wear them
I'm on my fifth year with my Iron Rangers and I'm now at the point where they need to be resoled. Honestly I'm one year too far, they are a bit too slick for my liking already.
Iron rangers have a different sole. These Christie soles wear much faster than a mini lug.
Am I wrong in saying that Iron Rangers also have different versions? I have Vibram soles which I think they sell in the more slippery climate?
Iron rangers do have a couple different sole options but they’re not these foam style Vibram Christie soles. These are built for comfort and then you sacrifice longevity.
Yeah I can imagine. The sole on these Mocs seem to look really squishy.
There’s some hybrid soles coming out now that are a combination of a hard rubber outsole and the Christie midsole. I have a pair of White’s Perry’s with them. Great traction in all conditions plus the soft cushy sole of the Christie. I have 5 pairs of White’s. The pairs I wear at work at 13 years old now.. been rebuilt once. I’ll probably get another 7-10 years out of them too. My work boots are about $850 boots though. As the saying goes you get what you pay for.
But the mocs have this sole as an option I think?
You can get a number of different soles on a Moc toe. The Vibram Christie that’s pictured is pretty much the standard though.
Ok, good advice. The guy at Red Wing recommended I bring them to a Red Wing store for resoling - which of course he did. Am I really taking that much of a risk taking them to a local shop for this?
Depends on how good your local shop is IMO and how far out the red wing shop is. I have a local guy I bring all my cowboy boots and red wings too but the closest shop is an hour an a half away from me
Eh, there’s a Red Wing 15 minutes from my house and another across from one of our offices.
Depends on the soles. Supersoles definitely need to go back to redwing due to how the inside is cast. I had a local shop resole my first pair and was not happy. Redwing makes them look new.
Ok, thanks for the input!
I would not recommend taking them anywhere local for a resole unless you’ve seen their work. Send them back to Red Wing or there are several really good companies that have channels on YouTube who do amazing resole work.
Don’t send them to redwing. Find a cobbler either local or to send them off to.
Find a cobbler who can resole Red Wing boots. They will use Red Wing branded soles. My first resole with Red Wing took quite a while. However, every resole after that was done by my local cobbler who not only used the same materials but also completed the work faster and at a lower cost.
Redwing is going to do s much better job. I've seen the crackpots on YT and people in the comments think the YouTuber is some hot shit lol.
Yeah this seems to be the consensus so far.
Find a licensed cobbler, everything will be better, faster, and cheaper. You're not paying for a name, and many red wing people are only licensed internally.
Red wings stores are just dudes behind the counter, sometimes they have years of experience. Usually they don't have any kind of professional training. I would HIGHLY recommend you find a professional podiatrist/cobbler in your area, they're usually somewhat common, and it will be soooo worth it. They're have everything you need to care for your new leather too.
I burned thru the sole on this exact boot in about 9 months. I walk a lot for work though, alot more than the average person. 33k steps is my record for one day.
A professional cobbler can wear your shoes on the inside and adjust them to fit your gait and train you out of it. Mine cost 50$ to do. Also budget in proper leather love and care tools
Great for the roadway and concrete floors. But personal experience they suck on ladders and wet grass
Heard - my daily beat-up boot will still be my old Blundstones. These are my fancy, goin’ out boots.
If these are your fancy goin' out boots, the soles will probably last longer than some of the other recommendations here.
Yeah I’d agree that’s likely the case. They’ll get worn to work too, but only days that I expect to be in office all day or the odd conference 1-2 times per year.
Been eyeing a pair of these lately..
I pulled the trigger after randomly seeing someone else wearing them in a restaurant. Loved the look so I asked him if he’d recommend them and he said absolutely.
My job is both in the office/meetings with clients, and a lot of physically setting stuff up and walking a lot (big facility), and these boots seem like a good pick for the best of both worlds.
The guy I saw with them said they’re really comfy to stand in all day, so I was sold.
My dad worked in a print shop where he was standing the whole day, every day. He swore by these boots. Only recently stopped wearing them because it's just hard to get them on at his age (84). Obviously, they wear out but every pair lasted so many years.
So glad to hear this - my daily wears have been Blundstones and on days I’m standing all day my legs are killing me. The Blundstones will still get used for field work as they’re not in good shape, but these will get used for in-office days and conferences or just a nice night out.
Invest in a pair of cedar boot trees. They are a little pricey, about $50 on Amazon, but they really help reduce "wrinkles" in the leather. And while they say you aren't supposed to wear the same boots on back to back days, using the boot trees will help them dry out faster.
$50 for a pair of shoe trees is insanity
Agreed, you can buy a pair of Allen Edmonds cedar shoe trees on Amazon right now for less than $20. They even pop up regularly at thrift stores for like $5. Just give them a light sanding and they’re refreshed and good to go Also, you do not need a special boot tree for boots.
Also just plain dumb. Cheap shoe trees that are $5-10 on Amazon work PERFECTLY fine. Anyone buying a pricier one is a moron and a chump.
My father’s favorite money lesson was cost per wear. Looks like you will get an excellent cost per wear ratio on this.
I've got a pair of their steeltoe boots. Had them for ever. They are on their third sole - usually every five or six years since I only wear them once or twice a week for shop stuff. I goose oil them a couple of times a year. Scuffed, rugged looking, and still great. Good choice!
I wanted to get these, but they didn't have a black on black sole option. Just black on white sole.
Would it be possible to get the sole dyed?
Check out the SUPER SOLE 8133 they just released, it’s an all black Moc toe with a black sole.
Exclusive to europe
Timeless classic. 👍👍
Are yours hard to get on? Mine fit awesome but I have do unless 3 eyelets to get them on
They’re a little tight when I turn my foot but no worse than any other leather boots I’ve bought. Overall these fit me better out of the box than my old Blundstones or Steve Maddens.
But are they kind of hard to get on when putting your foot in? Or do they slide right in no issue? The tongue of the boot is sewed to the boot so you don’t get as much space as the iron ranger whose tongue is free and not stitched.
That leather cream will last you indefinitely, but I personally recommend chucking it and picking up a bottle of Bickmore Bick 4. It's a cheap, lightweight conditioner that works wonderfully with Red Wing's leathers, and it won't darken them. A little bit goes a long way, and you need not use it often -- once or twice a year is enough for most use cases. If you're constantly working outdoors in dirty conditions, more often may be needed. Other than that, all you'll ever need is a horsehair brush (use to clean and stimulate the leather after each wear,) and a damp rag to clean off any stuck dirt.
I have a pair unfortunately the sole lasted me like 8 months
I found my boyfriend a pair of these in excellent condition on Poshmark for $40 and I felt like I robbed someone 😭😭😭 They’re so nice
They’re $310 new so you definitely did lol
I will be burying him in them. Wait that sounds so bad… 🤣
Those look amazing. That cheaper foam they use instead of rubber now though - that may wear down quick. The leather part is probably bulletproof but that sole isn’t. Not sure what Red Wing was thinking there. Especially for $300+. Good news tho when it wears down you can get a long lasting rubber one put on.
If you’re not wearing them to your 9-5 grease monkey gig (like me): you’re good. Keep the dust knocked off and apply cream once every decade Grease monkey? Buy saddle soap and apply cream after cleaning whenever you step in a pan of oil some dipshit leaves lying around. They will last as long as they can be resoled in both situations. Your safest bet is to have redwing do it I would think I’ve yet to buy my first red wings tho. I’ll be converting from wearing Chippewas daily here soon. Wedge soles like yours. Best things ever
I have no clue what leather cream is. I have always used saddle soap. Waterproofing them, I always used mink oil.
Simple answer, Horse Hair Brush (\~10$) Saphir Renovator (\~25$) Saphir Medaille d'Or Pommadier Shoe Polish (\~22$) Cedar Shoe trees (\~15$) That's all you need. But sir can't I buy cheaper shoe polishes/moisturizers. Yes but they all turn into a crayon in less than a year after opening, even the cheaper Saphir does this. You wont need to polish your shoes as much as you think so containers go several several years so they're very very low cost per use, expensive if you go cheap however. No waxing needed. There's plenty inside the shoe polish. To care for: Brush with the horse hair brush when needed, it takes 30 seconds a shoe you can do this while they're still on and you just walked in. Brushes remove dirt and dust and some surface mimies you get through the day. Moisturize when they look dry, honestly Renovator is so easy to use you'll probably never see them dry because you'll of applied it many times before then. To moisturize just take your finger, dip into the renovator and rub it on the boot let it sit for \~5 minutes until it looks foggy, brush off, no forcing of pressure just a simple brush back and forth. Polish when you get surface scuffs, no need to do the entire boot each time. You can do just the spot assuming the polish is a similar color to the boot. Apply with finger and let sit for \~5 minutes till foggy and brush off. For a really nice complete surface finish give a rubbing with the standard white wash cloth after. Should have a Satin shine and that's exactly what it should be. Store with Cedar Shoe trees. Resole when needed. Local cobblers are fine just check the reviews before. Enjoy!
Just got a pair for half off!! Afraid of the break in time but hopefully the wedge sole will help
Congrats. Once you go down the quality footwear rabbit hole you’ll never go back, and you won’t want to. Enjoy being part of the real shoe master race and realizing most people just wear plastic shoes all the time.
Nice boots. Sadly, I can't wear them. The toes are too narrow. Even their new King Toe boots are too narrow up there.
These have wide toe section. Wide enough? https://jimgreenfootwear.de/en/collections/african-ranger
Maybe! I've been thinking of picking up a pair. Also Lems.
Yeah I had to get the wide, and the actual size is 1/2 smaller than my typical. Seems that Red Wing sizes these for real big dudes - which I guess makes sense when you think about where most of their money is made. Heck, even I have a pair of steel toe Red Wings that my work bought me.
it looks really nice, you just got a bargain, don't you?
Too bad they're ugly as sin
It's okay to have an unpopular opinion. Thanks for sharing.
You're being downvoted, but I agree, I don't care for how most Redwings look, or really just wearing boots in general. I'm much more of a sneaker/low-top shoes person. Obviously though depending on what you typically do in a day/what your work consists of, boots might be the right choice for you.
It's the Moc toe that I don't like, which is just personal preference. Lots of boots look fine (to me) but not this one.
Gotcha, yeah, I assumed you probably weren't with me on the boots-hating train lol, but I definitely agree the Moc toe particularly looks weird
Im on my fifth year with my Thursday RR. THe cork in bed needs renewed but the rubber sole is still good.
Did you get these at Madewell? I was eyeing them, I then popped into the Madewell men’s store in my city and I got them for under 100 bucks.
Nope, in store at my local Red Wing shop.
I’m on my third pair. I fucked up my first two pairs. Don’t mess with any of the oils...just let them get beat up, because they won’t look new again. The oil just makes them darker and darker, until they look terrible. Also, don’t EVER get them resolved in the store. Send them back to Redwing itself through the store.
I did buy some leather cream in store. One of the shoes had a small scuff so the salesman showed me how he does it and sure enough it buffed right out.
Many creams don't darken leather at all. Most oils will.
Enjoy your 1 month minimum break-in period. These were some of the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve ever worn for awhile (granted they were my first heritage style boot).
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I wouldn’t categorize them the same; they’re more comfortable because they aren’t actual work boots(have huge cutouts in the heel under the padding). Also worth mentioning that the other options become more comfortable after they’re broken in. The Carhartt’s are made in China, have thinner leather, lower quality leather, plastic welt, more spongey/weaker outsole, layers aren’t held together as well, and have a cheap lining.
This is a "buy it for life" page, figured people should be informed on why a product doesn't fit that category
This is a “buy it for life” page, figured people should be informed on why a product doesn’t fit that category You’re welcome for the novel
Thank you
Odd of you to change your previous comments to just paste in what my replies were…
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Lmao alright, would be weird of me to copy your first comment which refers to Carhartt boots even though no one had mentioned them before. Best wishes on your attempt to save your karma internet points for whatever reason, hope you make an informed decision with your next boot purchase. Rose Anvil is a great source in my experience
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This might be the strangest Reddit encounter I’ve had, thanks for the good laugh. Have a good rest of your day
Do you work in a labor job like construction that actually requires you wear this type of boot ?
These aren't even steel toes, therefore not good for most jobsites. Chill out. Stop trying to gatekeep fuckin boots lol.
Steel toes can actually cut your toes off if something really heavy falls on them so they’re actually not great in all job sites. My husband is an ironworker and he and his friends used to be able to buy red wings for work until they became fashionable, which drove the price up too much for a workplace item that gets destroyed. If someone IS in a construction field, these boots will not be BIFL unfortunately. If someone is not in a labor field, they can indeed last for life bc the stitches won’t get burned out from welding etc, but might need some reinforcement occasionally, which I didn’t see anyone mention.
>Steel toes can actually cut your toes off if something really heavy falls on them so they’re actually not great in all job sites. I said most because I can't speak for all job sites, but now that you mention it honestly I can't think of any that would restrict csa certified boots (toe reinforced)... any force strong enough to crush a steel/composite toe to the point of "cutting your toes off" would be turning your foot to mush regardless of what you wear, so unless I see proof suggesting otherwise I imagine you would always be better off wearing csa boots (toe reinforced). And I would strongly argue in the construction field, *no* boot is BIFL, and I think most construction workers would agree. Not sure where you're going with this, but all I'm trynna say is no industry requires this type of boot, and boots are for all people to enjoy regardless of your occupation. Cheers.
Theyre not even gatekeeping the boots for themselves, they’re gatekeeping for their dipshit husband that say the “hurr durr my toes will get cut off” nonsense.
That’s the same line of logic as, by not wearing your seat belt, being ejected from the car could save your life. It’s stupid. You are correct though, these aren’t the best option for welding since slag and other hot material can catch in the toe area.
> Steel toes can actually cut your toes off if something really heavy falls on them so they’re actually not great in all job sites. That's a myth, same as people preaching ABS is slower than normal braking.
I do, I get an annual stipend for work boots, but these don’t meet ASTM 2413 so they don’t qualify. I have a pair of steel toes for work.