Advice: Winter Boots?

Team,

I’m in the market for a pair of winter boots.  I’m looking for something that is relatively casual, but can be dressed up.  Rubber sole, relatively inexpensive, but built to last.  Caveat: I’m not looking for something as utilitarian as Bean boots, or as dressy as lace up John Lobbs.  Something in the middle.  Right now I’m leaning towards these Blundstone 585s:

What do you think?  I like the price point, and I like the style.  Do any of you have any experience with Blundstone?  Any other boots I should be looking at?  Lemme know in the comments section.

Thanks,

JRS

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18 Comments

  1. Nolan
    01/25/2015 / 10:18 AM

    I have a co-worker who swears by these for casual Friday’s even down here in Tampa.

    They’re a lot cheaper in Australia but the shipping will kill you.

    The Ecco Track II is a also an amazing pair of boots. Goretex!

  2. Owen
    01/25/2015 / 10:36 AM

    I’d buy a captoe red wing. Classic and made in USA.

  3. 01/25/2015 / 12:27 PM

    I own a pair of Blundstone boots and they are weather resistant! I like them, but can’t speak for the suede ones. I also own RM Williams Chelsea boots also which are well worth the money! They also have utility version also worth looking at also Dubarry have a gortex version. I’d check EBay for the best prices on all.

  4. 01/25/2015 / 1:26 PM

    These look nice, but LL Bean boots all the way for me– Gumshoe or 6″ with Thinsulate. Made in America, iconic and– let’s be honest– they go with practically everything.

    However, I love the dress Chelsea boots you’ve posted about in the past.

  5. Nic
    01/25/2015 / 7:16 PM

    Big fan of Blundstones. I’m originally from the southeast and bought a pair before heading up to school in Boston. They have seen a lot of snowstorms and winter slush. I was thinking about getting a new pair but they are looking better and better with wear.

  6. Reed
    01/25/2015 / 11:55 PM

    I own this boot, the 585 nubuck leather and use them to work on the farm or to wear to a causal dinner. The Blundstones are the most comfortable boot I have ever owned. What really sets them apart for me is how lightweight they are. They really are great boots.

  7. Roger C. Russell II
    01/26/2015 / 3:54 AM

    The Blundstone boot is meant to be much more casual than it is sold to us Yanks.
    The Blundstone is used in the cattle industry to walk through cow dung. The soles are very resistant to the methane in manure. So,in Australia you wear blundstones to not screw up your good boots. If the exchange rate were not so presently out of our favor you could really get them cheap. They are presented to us as something more than I just described. Also, you need to wear an even size because half sizes are not available. Also, the ones like the style you have pictured are very wide. They are realistically made in about EEE. The styles with a square toe are a narrower fit. I had a pair that actually flaked apart. Literally one day I noticed some black stuff on me kitchen floor that looked like pieces of broken charcoal, it was my sole. Soon afterward the steele shank came through the boot and scratched up my floor really bad before I realized what had happened. The Blundstone is a knock off of the R.M. Williams boot. Go to Bootsonline.com and you can purchase the R.M Williams Yard Boot or Gardener for as descent a price as you can presently purchase anything Austrailian. It is 100 times the product of a Blundstone.

  8. Roger C. Russell II
    01/26/2015 / 3:56 AM

    The%20Blundstone%20boot%20is%20meant%20to%20be%20much%20more%20casual%20than%20it%20is%20sold%20to%20us%20Yanks.
    The%20Blundstone%20is%20used%20in%20the%20cattle%20industry%20to%20walk%20through%20cow%20dung.%20The%20soles%20are%20very%20resistant%20to%20the%20methane%20in%20manure.%20So%2Cin%20Australia%20you%20wear%20blundstones%20to%20not%20screw%20up%20your%20good%20boots.%20If%20the%20exchange%20rate%20were%20not%20so%20presently%20out%20of%20our%20favor%20you%20could%20really%20get%20them%20cheap.%20They%20are%20presented%20to%20us%20as%20something%20more%20than%20I%20just%20described.%20Also%2C%20you%20need%20to%20wear%20an%20even%20size%20because%20half%20sizes%20are%20not%20available.%20Also%2C%20the%20ones%20like%20the%20style%20you%20have%20pictured%20are%20very%20wide.%20They%20are%20realistically%20made%20in%20about%20EEE.%20The%20styles%20with%20a%20%20square%20toe%20are%20a%20narrower%20fit.%20%20I%20had%20a%20pair%20that%20%20actually%20flaked%20apart.%20Literally%20one%20day%20I%20noticed%20some%20black%20stuff%20on%20me%20kitchen%20floor%20that%20looked%20like%20pieces%20of%20broken%20charcoal%2C%20it%20was%20my%20sole.%20Soon%20afterward%20the%20steele%20shank%20came%20through%20the%20boot%20and%20scratched%20up%20my%20floor%20really%20bad%20before%20I%20realized%20what%20had%20happened.%20The%20Blundstone%20is%20a%20knock%20off%20of%20the%20R.M.%20Williams%20boot.%20Go%20to%20Bootsonline.com%20and%20you%20can%20purchase%20the%20R.M%20Williams%20Yard%20Boot%20or%20Gardener%20for%20as%20descent%20a%20price%20as%20you%20can%20presently%20purchase%20anything%20Austrailian.%20It%20is%20100%20times%20the%20product%20of%20a%20Blundstone.

  9. DP
    01/26/2015 / 11:23 AM

    A friend of mine just got a pair of Wolverine Chelsea boots very similar to that but with Goodyear welt and made in the USA.

  10. 01/26/2015 / 11:53 AM

    I own and swear by the Dubarry Wicklow, same rubber sole, casual nubuck uppers, Gore-Tex. worth every penny!!

  11. Cory
    01/26/2015 / 12:52 PM

    Why not go for the Wolverine chelsea boot recommended in your previous post?

  12. Blake
    01/26/2015 / 3:13 PM

    Love my Blundstone 519’s. Pretty roomy, good for thicker socks, but fine with normal as well. Super comfortable.

  13. Jason Gray
    01/26/2015 / 3:54 PM

    Clark’s crepe soul desert boots…end of discussion.

  14. RM
    01/27/2015 / 5:31 AM

    Second the Dubarry Wicklow, alternate between two pairs almost every day, the mahogany (smooth leather) and the walnut (nubuck) couldn’t recommend them more, good for the field and the city.

  15. BMOC
    01/27/2015 / 10:01 AM

    Get Rossis. Cheaper and just as good as Blundstones. And not such a niche brand. I bet you can find them for $99.

  16. Josh L
    02/02/2015 / 12:21 PM

    I own the 585’s and I absolutely adore them. They are by far the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned (and shoes, for that matter), and look great in many situations.

    If you’re on the fence, order a pair online so you can try them on and walk around. You’ll be sold.

  17. DCW
    02/03/2015 / 4:32 PM

    I would echo the sentiments of a couple of others in the thread. The Dubarry boot is fantastic and with the Gore Tex, a home run. Just my two cents. Best.

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