Reviews of Red Wing 20 Sole American Made
Thorogood Moc-Toe 6-Inch Boot in Tobacco
Unmatched value Can take whatever beating you lot throw at them Zero burglary time
Upper leather has creased significantly over time Wedge outsole is glace on snow and ice
1 of my all-time nearly-loved—and absolutely my most-used—pairs of footwear is the deeply classic Thorogood Moc Toe kicking. I've done everything imaginable in these rugged simply impressively versatile babies, from chainsawing downward trees, to climbing a (short-ish, but still…) mountain, to enjoying a fancy dinner that definitely involved ceviche—although the brutality I've happily wrought upon them has probably pushed them a bit past the fancy ceviche dinner use case, at this bespeak.
Like many before me, I started out shopping for Crimson Fly moc toe boots (875s or 8875s). Ane 24-hour interval I caught a glimpse of a nicely attired fellow wearing something that looked similar Red Wings, but featuring a little American flag tag on the toe. A few days of creative Googling later, I tracked down his boots, and they were…well, these. Subsequently some adequately extensive inquiry—and a quick and obvious price comparison—I was sold hard on the Thorogood 814-4200 in tobacco oil-tanned leather. That was five years ago, and I'grand every bit happy today equally I was the first time I slid my feet in.
Allow'south be clear: these Thorogoods are not a work- inspired boot, which is how one could classify many of the popular Cerise Wing Heritage models. They are 100% a piece of work boot. Evidently there are harder-core boots for more serious or specific forms of piece of work, merely many construction workers swear past them (although many opt for the steel toes, or 8-inch model). And it'south easy to see why. They're unflappably durable without weighing as much every bit a cinder block. Their comfort levels out of the box are very tough to trounce. And the price is nigh every bit good every bit you lot tin find for a boot with this level of quality, durability, and looks.
But that doesn't mean that they tin't role incredibly well a lifestyle boot—they slot correct into that rare sweet spot of a work kick that still boasts legitimately handsome aesthetics. When shopping, I also considered the Thorogood round toe boot. And some days I spend far too much time looking at pictures and lamenting that I didn't go with those, just considering I enjoying doing such torturous things to myself. But every quality footwear collection demands a pair of moc toe boots, and that just means I'll accept to snag a pair of round toes side by side time (possibly viii-inch steel toes for some realer work, possibly before long—I'll obviously keep you all updated).
[A note: equally with all of my reviews on shoes and boots I've owned before I started Stitchdown (including my Alden Indy 403C boots), all the photos in this review are of my boots, which have endured significant wear—I don't have shots of them new out of the box, or in their younger days, aside from manufacturer product shots.]
More than STITCHDOWN SHOE AND Kicking REVIEWS
- Grant Stone Brass Boot: a Uniquely Intriguing, Wildly Versatile Moc-Toe
- Alden Indy 403C Review: A Three-Year Expect at a Near-Perfect Boot
- Onderhoud Handmade: Perhaps the Best Value in Manus-Welted Boots
- Thorogood Moc-Toe Boot In Tobacco Leather: V-Yr Review
- Tricker's ten Division Road Bourton: Five Months Deep Into Some Wonderful Kudu
- Red Wing Iron Ranger: A Four-Twelvemonth Review of a Timeless Boot
- Tricker'due south Stow: A 2-Year Review of a Very Excellent Country Boot
- A Deep Wait at Heinrich Dinkelacker's Signature Buda Brogue
- Paraboot Avignon: A Wildly Comfortable, Personality-Filled Dissever-Toe
- Red Fly Beckman Flatbox: The Japanese-Market Rugged Beauty
The Brass Tacks
Shoemaker: Thorogood (owned past Weinbrenner Shoe Company)
Model: 6-Inch Moc-Toe in Tobacco leather, model 814-4200
Price: $165 when purchased in 2014 from Moulded Shoe in Manhattan, effectually $215 now
Years Worn: Five
Worn How Often?: At to the lowest degree 2-4/times week, every week, although many of those days accept been for a three-mile dog walk in the AM before switching out to other footwear during the day.
How I Cared for Them: Cedar shoe trees occasionally inserted when non existence worn following difficult wears; wiped down and brushed with a horsehair brush after getting dirty; full Red Fly mink oil treatment 2-iii times per year.
A Flake of History on Thorogood
Stitchdown strongly recommends made-in-America products (non just America, of form; also made-in-Canada, made-in-England, etc), and Thorogood is 1 of a too-small handful of boot brands that continues to deliver on that promise. Weinbrenner Shoe Co., which makes Thorogood boots, got its start back in 1892—with the Thorogood brand emerging in 1918—and has since created everything from military shoes to job-specific footwear like their classic lace-to-toe roofer boots. In 1967, Thorogood introduced their Official Boy Scout Boot: the Hike 'due north Camp, which is the original name for the model of kicking reviewed hither. It remains the company's near popular kicking of all fourth dimension, even though there are far fewer Boy Scouts than there used to exist.
In improver to the ever-of import made-in-America designation, Stitchdown strongly recommends Thorogood as a cardinal bootmaker to support because of the way the company is structured. In 2000, Weinbrenner employees took control of the company's buying, providing a unique level of engagement, control, and of grade bodily ownership that workers are most companies simply cannot do good from.
A Fun Picayune Story About Why I Bought My Thorogood Moc Toe Boots
I've endemic boots all my life—from various hiking boots to my original honey Wolverine one thousand Miles that I wore for about seven years years before finally admitting that they were just as well big, and found them a more suitable home.
Simply I wasn't really a person who cared about boots, or thought virtually them endlessly, until vi years ago, when I broke my foot.
It was just a pocket-size stress fracture that I initially thought was a bruise—until i morning time I woke up in silly amounts of pain, hopped to the bathroom on my expert foot, then screamed to my wife to go purchase me some crutches so I could will myself to the podiatrist. The doctor confirmed that my human foot was indeed broken and sent me off with a walking kicking, a true joy to wear during a New York City winter full of more snow than usual. (For the uninitiated: the snow in New York is absolutely beautiful, for about xiv minutes, at which point information technology swiftly devolves into some sort of primordial refuse-infused slush that is absolutely everywhere. And ofttimes quite deep.)
He also looked at my shoes, a pair of Vans I yet own just rarely wear. "Well, that's your trouble, right at that place. Sneakers similar this are terrible for your feet and you but found out why. Get yourself something more than supportive."
During the months in that evil kick, determined to never end up in it again, I began researching boots. And these Thorogoods ended upwardly becoming my first pair as someone who understood the benefits of quality footwear. To this day, they stand for a consummate mindset shift for me—one I'm certain many of you have already had, or are on the verge of. And while the day I suffered from Moisture Probably-Sewage Foot until I got home isn't my fondest memory, the course-correct my lifelong footwear addiction took thanks to that awful experience was the right one.
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Looks
Once again: this boot looks like a piece of work kick, but in all the best means. It's definitely chunky, but not overly and so. Iii sets of eyelets pb to three speed hooks, and and so another fix of eyelets on the top, which I imagine nobody has e'er fifty-fifty considered using. Just they're in that location! I dear the triple sew together that runs from the vamp to the backstay, the branded Thorogood logo on the rear, and of class that distinctive trivial flag on the toe. The MAXWear wedge outsole isn't the lowest profile, equally it'due south congenital for long life over looks, but it'due south also not equally thick equally some others (which I personally find to become a little ridiculous after a sure point). The rear pull loop and classic multi-colored work boot laces (I'm on my second pair; the first ones broke perhaps ii years in) consummate the wait.
Its chief limitation looks-wise is that this isn't a boot that you tin apparel upwardly in any meaningful mode. But especially when kept in decent condition (more than decent than mine are at this point, honestly), information technology can exist used in the majority of casual situations, and evidently endless work boot-work ones.
Rating: 8.5/10
Sizing, Fit, and Condolement
I was pretty sure I was going to be a x.5D or 11D, simply got sized into a 10EE at Moulded Shoe. My feet are slightly but certainly non crazily wide—so I worried, wrongly, nigh what seemed like an extreme width—and I'd never been a 10 in besides many shoes of whatever kind since I was maybe 12 years one-time. So I had my doubts! But the EE also provided more infinite in the length than a standard D in size 10, the width was perfect, and I can confidently say 10EE was and is 100% the right size for me.
These boots, dear shoe-addled reader, are comfortable. I imagine a major part of that is owed to the flexible wedge outsole and high quality although not rigidly bulletproof leather, merely I attribute the bulk of that condolement to Thorogood'south Ultimate Stupor Absorption Footbed and Comfort Cushion insole fabricated by PORON. It'southward a dual-layer removable cream insole, different the leather footbed found in Ruby-red Wings and many other college-end boots. I love how said leather footbeds on my other boots conform to my foot over time for a truly custom fit, and was a piddling worried that the Thorogoods wouldn't offer that, but oh, they most certainly do. And while I haven't come close to needing to supervene upon the insoles in 5 years (there'southward just a little bit of surface clothing on the correct insole), if you wear yours peculiarly hard, you lot tin can grab a new pair for like $10—something you can't do information technology anything goes wrong (water damage, etc) with a leather footbed.
Tip: Definitely at least consider a wider width than you might retrieve yous need, but size down a half-size or so, if yous go with that.
Rating: 9/ten
Break-In
I'd read overnice things nigh Thorogood boots' comfort levels out of the box, but my anxiety all the same dripped with fear—I hateful, they're work boots, correct? Only those nice things were all very true. When I cranked them downward and walked around the shop, they felt a affect stiff, merely there was literally zippo uncomfortable nigh them, at all. That sense of relief continued through the first truthful wear, and I was home already—I'd found an indestructible boot that doesn't require a hellscape month of deep, unrelenting break-in sacrifice.
Rating: x/ten 
LOOKING FOR A STEP-UP MOC TOE? DEFINITELY Give THE GRANT Rock BRASS BOOT A LOOK
Leather and Intendance
The leather wasn't something I spent hours rubbing against my cheek right out of the box, only it's definitely softer and more than supple than yous'll find in many work boots. Over time, Red Wing moc toe boots may give y'all longer habiliment and form to your feet a flake more, only v years in my Thorogoods have withstood a ton of abuse and but accept a few scuffs that probably would've happened no matter what leather was on there. 
Like I said, I've worn these things very hard and with substantially zero care for what abuse I'g going to put them through: chainsawing trees, yard work, walking a domestic dog in an extremely muddy park piece of work. And information technology shows. Five years in, the toe shows significant creasing, forth with a few other parts of the upper. That might be because of how hard I habiliment them, or, perhaps, considering of the quality of the leather itself.
Simply you have to remember that Thorogood Moc Toes are $185 boots designed to hold upward in full general under extreme work conditions, not apparel boots made of beat out cordovan that are designed to stay beautiful—and be babied. The other problems are some unfixable scuffs along the toe on the correct kicking—definitely considering of what I use them for—and some coloration differences thanks to wear on the medial rear around the heel area.
But all that is honestly to be expected and in no manner troubling, and on the whole they've held up incredibly well. The leather always bounces back from a difficult, muddy wearable, and has developed a wonderfully deep patina over time.
Like most work boots, they're unlined, only wearing them with clothes socks isn't exactly encouraged, so no points deducted there. When they get a piddling lamentable every three or 4 months, I treat them with a moderate dose of Red Wing mink oil, which perks them up in a major manner at the expense of the leather darkening a shade or two, just a week or so later they shift much closer to their original color.
Rating: 7.5/ten
Outsole
The polyurethane MAXWear wedge is designed for workplace weather condition with glace floors, and it definitely fares well on nigh surfaces when wet. That said, I would Not recommend them as your snowfall or water ice boots—the tread isn't deep at all, and it obviously wears down over time. But pretty much anything else, these guys can handle. I climbed a fairly challenging grand-human foot-vertical-rise mountain (in the dry out climes of Joshua Tree, in very dainty atmospheric condition. Likewise it turns out that in that location's more than 1 Joshua tree in that place! Like, at to the lowest degree a dozen of them) and they held onto every step just fine. Are they as high-cease as Vibram'due south Christy wedge outsole used in some more expensive similar boots? Technically no, but you're honestly not probable to notice.
Over time, the once-white outsoles will definitely get discolored by picking up whatsoever you're walking in, but you can scrub them back to something closer to where they started if needed. Or simply walk in white paint every now and over again. I also know someone who uses Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on his. I tried it on mine and it seemed to work pretty well, just information technology was just turning into too long of a process considering I was going to exercise something horrible to them the side by side twenty-four hour period, and and so I gave up. Just over again, information technology seems to work. The primal ingredient, I believe, is magic.
Rating: eight.5/x
Construction and Durability
If at that place is shit to be kicked, you needn't be afraid of kick it with your Thorogood Moc Toe boots. While sure parts of my boots are in less-than-new shape five hard years later—especially the toe-scuffing I mentioned above in the Leather section, and a few stitches near the toe and top of the kick that accept have loosened ever and then slightly—the overall kick is still eager for more than. The soles have worn downward at that ol' 45-degree angle that nigh of my shoe soles exercise, but I'm pretty sure I'1000 still multiple years away from a resole. Aside from a bit of surface abrasion, the insoles are no worse for the wear and have never been more comfy.
The boots are Goodyear storm welted, which adds a 2nd stitch betwixt the upper and midsole for additional waterproofing, and of form allows for the re-soling mentioned above. I've been unable to get a response from Thorogood, but I believe the welt itself is some grade of plastic—not the leather welt you'll run across on many more expensive boots of this style, near notably Reddish Wings. However, I'k adequately sure that it may be an intentional choice because it—in addition to keeping costs downward—holds up well to liquid corruption that plagues job sites. I'll update if I hear dorsum. Either way, there doesn't seem to be any major impact on comfort or longevity, at least at this bespeak. We'll run across how they concord upward over the side by side 5 years.
The leather upper has withstood sawdust, paint, power sanders gone off-target, many dissimilar kinds of beer, getting completely caked in mud (and not getting cleaned all that chop-chop), and, once, becoming completely saturated when I got caught in the existent-life equivalent of a storm that nigh ends the protagonist'due south grand hopes in a film most sailing around the world (don't worry, they survive and win the race or whatever was happening). Oh, and a teething baby who loves delicious, delicious boots. Exercise they look brand new? Oh lord no. Are they beautiful in the way that only a pair of piece of work boots sitting side by side to a stack of freshly divide wood can be? Absolutely—especially with a fresh mink oil handling.
Rating: 8.5/x
Value
I bought these for $165 5 years agone, and they're nearly 20 bucks more at present. For what I've gotten out of them considering what I've put them through, I can't imagine there's a better value out in that location in boots, menstruation—peculiarly because that Ruby Wing mocs start at $290, and you just see fewer Thorogoods on people's feet than the Cerise Wings.
Now, might I own a pair of Crimson Wing 875s one day equally well? Probably! But I feel like they're a totally unlike boot, i that would live a slightly more dignified (although possibly less rewarding) life—for me at least. And while I revere Crimson Wings and recommend them incessantly (and currently own two pairs of Iron Rangers, plus a pair of chukkas that I loved simply gave to my blood brother in law because they just didn't fit me right in the toe, and he's but a keen dude), at that place'due south little adventure I invest in a pair of their moc toes before I buy those 8-inch Thorogood circular steel toes to handle the serious shit.
Rating: 10/10
The Stitchdown Final Take
A timeless, unflappable, adaptable, deeply comfortable boot. I've recommended them to maybe a half-dozen close friends over the years, and they are all very happy people (in full general, only also about the boots).
If I had to go back and do it again, I'd buy the Thorogood Moc Toe 6-Inch boots 10 out of 10 times, then try to find boosted times to purchase them again.
Overall Rating: 8.9/10
MORE STITCHDOWN SHOE AND Kick REVIEWS
- Alden Indy 403C Review: A Three-Year Look at a Near-Perfect Boot
- Onderhoud Handmade: Possibly the All-time Value in Hand-Welted Boots
- Thorogood Moc-Toe Boot In Tobacco Leather: Five-Year Review
- Tricker'southward x Sectionalization Road Bourton: V Months Deep Into Some Wonderful Kudu
- Red Wing Fe Ranger: A Iv-Yr Review of a Timeless Boot
- Tricker'southward Stow: A 2-Year Review of a Very First-class Country Kick
- A Deep Look at Heinrich Dinkelacker'south Signature Buda Brogue
- Paraboot Avignon: A Wildly Comfortable, Personality-Filled Split-Toe
- Red Wing Beckman Flatbox: The Japanese-Market place Rugged Beauty
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Source: https://www.stitchdown.com/brands/thorogood-boots/thorogood-moc-toe-boot-review-red-wing-comparison/
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