It may not seem it now, but back when these boots came out, the type of leather was a unique selling point. Amber Harness is another iconic leather from SB Foot that does a really good job matching the old-timey intended use of the boot. So, we’re choosing the Iron Ranger in Amber Harness leather as our favorite one. The beloved, chunky Iron Ranger is probably the most well known of Red Wing’s heritage line. The Most Rugged Red Wing Boot: The Iron Ranger 8111 If you’ve got a big wide foot, it’s much more open to you. Also, they break in much more easily because there’s less stitching and fewer seams, which can take longer to soften up. First: the more stitches, the more water can get into the boot, which isn’t ideal for a hunting boot. Most boots, including the 875, are made with multiple pieces of leather stitched together and that can have a couple of downsides. Leather lining helps with water resistance and comfort, while the shaft remains unlined to eliminate heel slippage and keep you from overheating.Īnother cool detail that isn’t shared by the 875 is that the leather continues as one piece around the lower portion of this boot’s uppers, so there’s no break in the leather at the counter or anywhere else. For one, the 877 is partly leather lined down by the toes, a throwback to its original intended use as a hunting boot. In fact, these aren’t just taller versions of the 875 either. It’s an 8-inch boot, which I don’t wear very often, and customers will be surprised at how much sturdier it is than a regular 6-inch moc. What makes the Oro legacy a bit different from other leathers is that they don’t use any pigment during the finishing process, which emphasizes the natural color of the hide, so you get this very old-school, natural look that fits the hunting boot aesthetics. The 877 is built with Oro Legacy leather, which is a very, very famous and beloved leather from SB Foot, the tannery that Red Wing owns and which produces all of their leathers. Like all their moc toes it has Traction Tred rubber outsole and moc toe construction, and of course it’s a Goodyear welted boot, so it’s water resistant and easily resoleable. The 8-inch Classic Moc started as hunting boots all the way back in 1952 and they’re one of the more well-known boots in the Red Wing Heritage Collection. Red Wing likes this boot so much they built a giant version of it that sits outside of Red Wing HQ in Minnesota. After the cork compresses a little bit, they’ll seem more roomy after you wear them.īest 8-Inch Boot: The 877 8-inch Classic Moc Toe Red Wings mold to your foot the more you wear them because they have a layer of cork filling between the midsole and the outsole, and if you have something that’s going to prevent that, like these leather footbeds, just leave them out for a month or so.

Take the footbed out and wear them for a month or two to let them mold to your foot, then put the footbed back in - and “you’ll probably be the happiest you’ve ever been in a pair of shoes.” 45 last, so Joe at Red Wing Heritage NYC recommends buying them a little on the small side. To accommodate the removable footbed, Red Wing built the 1907 on the roomier No. Surprisingly, you get all this for only 10 bucks more than the 875. The Norwegian Welt requires more material and skill to build. It comes with a padded, shock abosrbing leather footbed that Red Wing normally sells for 40 dollars. You get leather laces, which aren’t cheap and don’t always come with a Red Wing boot. The 1907 is without a question the best value Red Wing. It’s a very old-fashioned but extremely effective way of waterproofing a boot. The Norwegian storm welt uses a single piece of leather that’s folded over and stitched to the upper and the midsole to help it keep water from getting the inside the boot.

The next difference is that it has a Norwegian storm welt, which is more water resistant than Red Wing’s normal Goodyear welt. It’s also very durable because it’s an oiled and waxed nubuck. First, the Copper Rough and Tough leather is really nice, its Red Wing’s most popular leather and people really like the way it ages. Most guys know about the 875 Moc Toe, which is the better known Red Wing Moc Toe, but the Classic Moc has some distinct advantages. The fifth best Red Wing boot is the Classic Moc 1907. So this is by no means meant to be the definitive list, but it’s meant to encapsulate the core range of Red Wing boots, that just about any guy could buy and wear for years. Boots are usually made to serve a purpose, that’s why a lot of us get into this hobby in the first place. I feel like a parent choosing their favorite kid. The Most Iconic Red Wing Boot: The Moc Toe 875.The Classic Red Wing Boot: The Blacksmith 3343.The Most Rugged Red Wing Boot: The Iron Ranger 8111.Best 8-Inch Boot: The 877 8-inch Classic Moc Toe.

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