Just as we’ve seen with my quest to find the perfect bag, or the perfect pen, I’ve come to hold a good pair of boots in very high regard. Over the years I’ve accumulated a few different pairs: some for snow, some for dressier occasions…but one pair has truly lasted the test of time and become my go-to, all-purpose pair. And that is my pair of Iron Rangers, by Redwing.
I’ve had these boots for over two years now, and while they’re certainly broken in, I think they’ve handled that time on my feet with durability and grace. The leather has stretched and conformed to my foot after so many wears, as has the leather footbed. At first, standing and walking on a plain, hard leather footbed was a little painful. But, just like a pair of Birkenstocks, that pain and break in period only resulted in a level of comfort that could only be achieved by such a process.
These boots originated in the iron mines of Minnesota, where the miners were known as, you guessed it, “Iron Rangers”. I’m sure these boots have evolved since then, but certain features remain. They still sport oil resistant cork soles and a double leather toe, which I think is their most defining feature. This hearkens back to the days before steel toed boots, when the double layer was intended to provide an extra bit of protection.
cork sole
double-stitched toes
One of my other favorite things about these bad boys is the material. Instead of a typical brown or black smooth leather, I went with what is often referred to as “rough-out” leather, where the smooth side is on the inside of the boot, and the roughened texture is outside (the reverse of typical leather boots). This differs from suede, which is “split hide”, meaning that one piece of full grain leather is split, giving you double the yield from one piece.
Rough-out is, instead, an inside out piece of full grain leather. This makes it far more durable than suede. In fact, I’ve worn these all year, for two years, and besides going over them with a suede brush every few months, I’ve never conditioned them. Sure, they have some matted and worn areas, but overall they’ve held up incredibly well. I also have a soft spot in my heart for all of the indigo stains on them from my jeans.
rough-out leather detail
matted leather on toe
indigo stains from jeans
I wear these boots all the time. Because of the rough out leather, I don’t really dress them up, but on any given day I throw these on with a dark pair of jeans and I’m good to go. I’ve scaled rocks down by the lake, hiked around in the woods, mucked through the rain and fluffed through the snow. You name it and I’ve put these boots through it. And, just as with last week’s pen spotlight, there’s something beautiful to me about something that is so well made and can take such a beating. The more durable a thing is, the longer I’ll have it. And the longer I have it, the more worn and personalized that thing becomes. If you put together a line up of 20 different pairs of this same boot, I’d be able to pick mine out no problem. That’s how fully mine they’ve become over the years.
lace indentations
Coming in at around 250 dollars, they’re certainly not cheap. But I’ve already had them for 2 years and counting, so if you think about it as only 10 dollars per month for a great pair of boots…no contest. Plus, since the boots use welt construction, I can send them back to Redwing anytime and have them resoled for 90 bucks. I love the confidence that this inspires.
Over the past two years, putting these boots on has started to feel like coming home. My feet slip into their own impressions in the leather insoles, and the laces slip into their own dents in the tongue, and it feels like these were made just for me. And that’s the kind of personalization that only comes from truly using something until it fills that space.
If you’re interested, take look at Redwing’s “Heritage Collection” here: redwingheritage.com
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time with another spotlight.
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