SHOP THIS BOOT IN 3 LEATHERS: [ Ссылка ]
FULL REVIEW + PICTURES: [ Ссылка ]

I could hardly call myself a boot guy without reviewing the iconic, seminal, Weekender Chelsea 3311 from Red Wing. A flexible, slip ‘em on and go kinda boot, this isn’t the usual heritage work boot offering you and I love - no shank, no Goodyear welt, lightweight polyurethane sole. Is it a good boot to mix it up with? Let’s take a closer look.

00:38 Red Wing Chelsea Aesthetic
02:15 Copper Rough & Tough Leather
03:26 Copper Rough & Tough Leather Care
05:14 Red Wing Chelsea Sole
07:23 Red Wing Chelsea Fit & Sizing
09:12 Red Wing Chelsea Price
10:13 Red Wing Chelsea Pros
11:17 Red Wing Chelsea Cons

LEATHER

The boot is made of Red Wing’s classic Rough & Tough leather in copper - actually several pieces of them, stitched together. Like many of Red Wing’s leathers it's oil tanned, but the Rough & Tough ones have a ton of pullup with a high wax content on the exterior, which gives it lots of nice color variation and patinas quite quickly. Just note that it’s quite a bit lighter in person than on the photos on their website.

WATCH RED WING VS THURSDAY BOOTS: Red Wing vs Thursday: [ Ссылка ]

LEATHER CARE

As lovable as this leather is, it’s real easy to darken it and lose the subtleties of color in the pull up. Red Wing and I agree that the best way to condition this boot is with Red Wing’s Leather Cream, which is made from neatsfoot oil and so won’t darken the color. If you’re looking for more waterproofing, or to protect from salt and the like, you might want to use their boot oil once or twice a year - just know that because it penetrates deeply to give you a thicker coating, it will also definitely darken the boot.

CHECK OUT MY RED WING IRON RANGER REVIEW: [ Ссылка ]

SOLE

At first glance, you might think that this is the same kind of wedge sole you get in Red Wing’s Moc toes but it’s not. It’s actually a kind of polyurethane, not crepe - it’s actually a little more durable, while still quite thin and soft enough to feel the ground underneath you. Think casual, not stompy workboot, but in general, impact absorption is good.

There’s a layer of Texon after the outsole, like you might find in an athletic shoe, and also a removable insole, called the Comfort Force footbed, also made from polyurethane and covered in suede which is nice for moisture-wicking. It has a slight arch but no shank to provide extra arch support. If that matters a lot to you, you can always remove the insert and replace it with orthotics.

Everything is held together with a stitchdown construction, not a Goodyear welt like you’d find on the Iron Ranger. It makes it a little harder to resole, but it’s still really hard wearing and semi water resistant - I wore these in a storm in Manhattan and my toes got a bit wet, though not as badly as they would have in sneakers.

SEE MY OLDEST BOOT, THE RED WING MOC TOE: [ Ссылка ]

FIT & SIZING
As always with Red Wing, go half a size down. I’m 11.5 on a Brannock device and I ordered an 11. They were a bit tight on my pinky toe at first but after a week they’ve stretched out and are quite comfy. The break-in is basically nonexistent. Because they’re leisure, not work boots, they don’t have that super stompy, robust feel you get in heritage boots. It’s not a problem, just something to keep in mind.

PRICE
$240. Cheap for red wings, makes sense for what you get, especially considering the stitchdown construction.

SHOP THIS BOOT: [ Ссылка ]

PROS
Soft, flexible leisure boot sole
Good shock absorption
Stitchdown construction means no serious break in
Less than $250
Nicely lightweight
Mostly flat shoe, no wobbling on stacked heels

CONS
Not the cleanest look, made from several pieces of leather
Not very water resistant
Harder to resole because of stitchdown
No shank for arch support, might lose shape over time.
Polyurethane molds to foot more like a sneaker than a boot

RELATED REVIEWS:
Red Wing Blacksmith: [ Ссылка ]
Red Wing vs Wolverine: [ Ссылка ]
Red Wing vs Thursday: [ Ссылка ]

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