Submitted by kizarat t3_zzk601 in BuyItForLife
I am a male with a budget of $250 CAD. Will be wearing the boots in suburban and urban environments with ice, snow and rain at temperatures that can reach -20 C or lower. I prefer the Chelsea-style boots for their minimalist design and not having to fiddle with laces.
I'm not sure which brands to look at and which to avoid, because it seems like there's a trend of brands having made high quality products in the past and now they don't.
Where does the air creep in from? The elastic side panels?
Cool air can seep in from the side panels, but you will probably feel the cold mostly from not being able to secure the boot tightly around your ankle.
Hmm that does look to be a flaw.
All Chelsea's are going to have that same 'flaw' though, no matter the brand. I'm in Ottawa and wear winter blundstones all winter long, in town. For urban use they are more than enough.
If you're worried on a particular day, wear warmer socks that day. If you're really really worried, you should buy proper winter boots in a non-Chelsea style, something that wraps your whole ankle.
So it seems. I might have to try looking into some lace up boots with a removable insole.
Do you have those woolen insoles in your Blundstones for the winter?
Yes indeed I have those inserts. The winter boots are fine all winter in Ottawa for commuting, going to a restaurant or walking around an outdoor market. I would wear something more substantial if I was going to be standing around outside for hours though.
Those would be the use cases that I would wear Chelsea-style boots for. I rarely spend more than an hour outside during the winter.
I live down south in Kitchener-Waterloo which might be just a few digits warmer than Ottawa.
If I lived in Kitchener, yes I would buy winter Blundstones and not worry about it at all. If it were especially especially cold, I'd wear some thicker wool socks that day.
What do you think of Redback boots?
They're slightly cheaper than the Blundstones I looked at, have removable insoles and apparently have better build quality than Blundstones but they're also made in Australia instead of Vietnam.
Hi. Sorry, I don't know anything about them.
Everyone’s saying blundstones but I wouldn’t consider them bifl, look for something that can be easily resoled like a good year welted boot.
Thanks for this.
Canada West Romeo
I checked their retailer list and the one store in my city that carries their products only has their work boots. The Romeos look good though.
I would contact Herbert’s Boots in Toronto… They sell Canada West Romeo boots and were really helpful with sizing, etc. I bought a pair from Brooklyn Clothing and had them shipped into the US since they have much better soles than the Blundstones and are actually made in Canada as opposed to Vietnam…
Thanks for the suggestion.
I’ve had Blundstones before and they are mediocre….I have since been wearing a pair of R.M Williams Gardener boots and they are fantastic. They are welted so they can be rebuilt too. The Gardener model has a thicker and deeper lugged outsole so they are good in the snow too.
Ooh I would also like to know
The Wolverine I-90 EPX Romeo is a rugged boot - has a shank, waterproof and with a decent lugged sole
Bit over your budget but id strongly recommend the Canada West Romeo Insulated boots.
Those are actually resolable due to the GYW rather than the injection molded style of chelseas. Wide toe box. Made in canada.
For a cheaper option id recommend the Jim Green Stockman. Resolable. Not insulated but ive been perfectly fine wearing them in cold boston winters with a pair of darn tough socks.
My favorite injection molded chelsea are Mongrels. I have blundstones and redbacks, but the mongrels imo are far superior. Nice wide toebox, durable, grippy sole, affordable, and made in australia.
Keep in mind that none of these will replace laced winter boot. I use mine for short walks to work, around town, etc... nothing extreme.
Thanks for the suggestions. Will take a look at the Jim Green Stockman and Mongrels as I've looked at the others.
You guys have Redwing up there? That would be my vote.
I haven't actually looked yet.
Bluntstone
I wear the winter Bludstones and like them, but they aren't good down below -10c. I'd recommend Baffin instead. They have more than just the snowboots they are known for! They have three different Chelsea styles: https://www.baffin.com/collections/men-lifestyle-boots
Boston based. Tasmania blundstones are my everyday boots for work. I’ve worn them everyday under 45 with no precipitation for 3 years.
When it rains I wear rain boots (hunter or llbean boots). When it snows I wear snow boots (sorel).
You DO NOT want to be looking at brands with footwear ever. The super majority of brands sell both BIFL and normal footwear and you are not informed enough to know the difference and may buy XXX Brand boots based on internet advice and find out 18 months from now you stepped into a bear trap. You want Goodyear welted Chelsea boots. We also don't have a sex or budget as they come in heeled versions for women and $10,000 versions through John Lobb.
I updated the post to include my sex and budget. Currently researching what Goodyear welt is.
Kidan6 t1_j2c4cqy wrote
I own a pair of the Winterized Blundstones, and while they're pretty good, I'm not sure I would wear them lower than -15. The lack of lacing means you can really feel the air creeping down to your ankles.