FIGHT! Red Wing Vs. Wolverine: Which Is the Better Boot?
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- Опубликовано: 30 июн 2018
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SHOP THE RED WING IRON RANGER: bit.ly/3wYYuTv
SHOP THE WOLVERINE 1000 MILE: fave.co/3glIsx5
FULL REVIEW + PICTURES: stridewise.com/red-wing-vs-wo...
Red Wing versus Wolverine is the biggest boot battle of them all. The question of Iron Ranger or 1000 Mile has been hotly debated since time immemorial and there’s good reason: they’re both often considered the best entry level boot, they both have cult followings, and they’re similarly priced.
I’ve actually worn both pairs of boots for months, and I think there’s a clear winner.
WATCH THE ORIGINAL RED WING REVIEW: • Red Wing Iron Rangers ...
LEATHER
*Red Wing
The Amber Harness color is oil-tanned, full grain, remarkably thick leather that is no fun to break in (expect blisters) but over the year that I’ve been wearing these, the leather and the sole have molded to the shape of my foot and almost feel like they’re custom designed for me.
It doesn’t have as much color depth as Wolverine, but it aged much better as time went by. I conditioned them with Obenauf’s Leather Oil and while it darkened the leather a lot more than something like Venetian Shoe Cream would have, it did a great job of keeping everything moist. Taking care of oil tanned leather doesn’t need to be overthought.
*Wolverine
Wolverine opted for the famous Chromexcel® leather, a combination tanned leather from Horween Leather Company that is jam packed with oils, waxes, and greases, including beeswax and beef tallow. It has great depth of color and looks fantastic in sunlight, the only real downside is that the top finish is pretty vulnerable to scratches and nicks.
You just need Venetian Shoe Cream to condition these, but Saphir’s Renovateur can also be good if you like shinier boots. While Chromexcel is good quality, Wolverine doesn’t seem to have done a great job selecting their materials - these boots creased like crazy within just a week of wear.
WATCH THE WOLVERINE REVIEW: • Wolverine 1000 Mile Re...
SOLE
*Red Wing
It depends on when you buy them. Traditionally, this shoe has been made with a nitrile cork sole, but as of summer 2018 it’s only available with a Vibram mini lug, which offers superior traction and grip.
Then there’s a cork midsole, a steel shank for arch support and stability, and a leather insole. Both boots have a 270-degree Goodyear welt, which makes them easy to resole and offers some water resistance.
*Wolverine
These boots have a butyl-treated leather sole, which I didn’t like at all. They slip pretty easily in wet weather and while the grip does improve over time, you’re rewarded with a very ugly, scratched up leather sole for your troubles.
There’s also no shank in this boot and while the Vibram heel offers a little better shock absorption, this advantage is nullified once you get the full Vibram sole in the new Red Wings.
SIZING
For either boot, I recommend ordering a half size down from your sneaker size. I’m between 11.5 and 12 on a Brannock device and I’m comfortable in the size 11 from both brands.
Red Wing has widths in D and EE, Wolverine in D and EEE. Narrow feet need not apply, unfortunately.
READ MORE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HOW BOOTS SHOULD FIT: stridewise.com/how-boots-shoul...
PRICE
*Red Wing
On Amazon you can get a pair for about $320.
*Wolverine
Expect to pay about $360 on Wolverine’s official site. They’re a little cheaper on Amazon (the price fluctuates) but don’t expect it to approach Red Wing’s price, which has the clear advantage here.
YOU SHOULD TOTALLY BUY YOUR PAIR AT THE LINK IN MY REVIEW: stridewise.com/red-wing-vs-wo...
VERDICT
The 1000 Mile is definitely dressier and more versatile, but Red Wing is cheaper, gives better support, has better grip, and more importantly it aged much, much, much better.
READ THE ORIGINAL RED WING REVIEW: stridewise.com/red-wing-iron-...
READ THE ORIGINAL WOLVERINE REVIEW: stridewise.com/wolverine-1000...
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I work for Red Wing. The Heritage line leather 100% comes from our tannery, we even still own the cattle that the leather comes from.
For you younger folks, let's cut to the chase. Redwing has been making the Iron Ranger the same way for a hundred years for good reason. He shows us he's had the Wolverine's for less than a year and the heel is falling off? I doubt the heel has ever fallen off the Iron Ranger since 1920.
Not a fair or well-informed review at all. I am a bootmaker myself but have NOTHING to do with Red Wing or Wolverine. Here are my observations on the stitching comparison. The Red Wing boot has a separate heel counter, it does require three rows of stitching to prevent it from coming off. The 1000 mile boot has the quarter which goes all the way back and there is nothing to come off except the foxing in the back, which is held with the stitches in the back. Also, the Red Wing boot is stitched with a Puritan machine which is chain stitch, the 1000 mile is stitched with a regular lock stitch machine with back tacks. The Red Wing has a separate toe, which requires it to be stitched and a four-row stitch does not make any difference if your first two-row stitch starts coming off (rare). The Wolverine boot does not require stitching on the toe as it is a full vamp. The Wolverine boot has the bluchers held by the box stitch which we call the bar-tack to hold the bluchers and prevent them from coming off the vamp, the Red Wing boot because of the Puritan stitch does not require a bar-tack. The durability of the sole is definitely a Red Wing winner, leather soles usually cannot outperform synthetic or man-made soles.
It's like clown boot vs. cool boot.
I have a 30 yo pair of redwings. Only damage is center of sole on left shoe, where I kick a shovel. They have been in mud, heat, water and cement. Been through 6 pairs of laces but the boots survive.
If it's made of real leather, no matter your style, you win. Timberland boots actually fit me best personally, and I've owned most brands besides nicks and whites, but they're also terrible quality, so most of this is personal or subjective, but most of us can agree, that good quality leather is always a plus.
Iron Rangers are 1 redwing boot i want. I have a pair of 507s; which are close. Thing about iron rangers; they're 100 year old work boots. But, who's going to wear $300+ dollar boots to work? They're fine for my casual needs. Very pricey though.
1000 Mile is worlds more comfortable than the Iron Ranger. The RedWings look nice sitting there. Put them on and your opinion changes. Painful and too heavy.
All Chrome Tanned Leathers become softer even in satchels and Bags this is why they do not hold their shape , very soft and pliable
Redwing all day long.
Seriously the best boot reviewer on RUclips. I was on the fence about a few boots and you either convinced me or persuaded me on buying. Super in depth and on point reviews. You earned another sub from this guy!
I own both. The Iron Rangers (8111) are five years old and my 1000 Mile Boots (cordovan #8) are a year old. I love both boots and wear both often. The 1000 Mile Boots win on aesthetics, which is subjective and the Rangers win on durability, and I’d be willing to bet that most people that own both boots would agree. Short of a gash in the leather, there almost isn’t anything that doesn’t rub or polish out of the Iron Rangers. While the CXL on the 1Ks can recover from some scuffing/scratching with a good polish, the competition in this department isn’t even close.
As always, another perfect video! I am a huge fan of your videos, and so happy to watch everyone one multiple times. Please keep releasing more, you cover everything and do it so efficiently.
Great informative video! I’ve worn my 8111 Rangers for 3 years now and have to say that they’ve gotten better with time and more wear. Although I haven’t worn the 1000 Miles I have seen in many photos and videos that they age bad
Great video. I am an Iron Ranger owner and I'm really happy with them. I think the toe cap looks great and really gives the boot a unique, old-fashioned look. The break in is no joke. They were uncomfortable the first couple of weeks. Now that the cork sole is properly molded to my foot, they're super comfortable. My only advice to a prospective buyer would be to try them on in a shop rather than buying over the Internet. The sizing is different from any other shoes I've owned. They are a full two sizes less than my running sneakers.
Excellent comparison, thanks for sharing.
Iron Ranger are my top pick. I had my for a few years. I just use good wool boots socks in all my boots. and I like to say you do great videos .
Love your videos! Keep making more! Never been a sneaker guy. Always wore boots
Can you explain the steel shank and what purpose it serves? Does it make the boot less comfortable to wear because it's more rigid? My feet are flat so having a steel arch support doesn't sound comfortable. Great video.