Coast to Coast Over the Knee Boot Review
We asked our online editor to review a pair of Blundstone boots. Rather than merely walk effectually boondocks, he tested them on the trails: 4 sports, one day, 1 pair of Blundstones. This is his review.
Blundstone boots are the de facto footwear for the mountain boondocks I live in. They're so ubiquitous, the entrance way to house parties resemble a Blundstone factory flooring. I remember 1 New Year's Eve fustigate in detail where there were nigh twenty pairs of the boots past the front door and at the end of the political party, CBC Journalist Bob Keating was dismayed to learn a specially exuberant reveller had taken home his size 12s, and left him her size sevens. Despite their popularity, I had never endemic a pair of Blundstones, preferring my Chuck Taylors even in the soppiest of weather. So when I was given a pair of black, leather-lined, round toe #558 boots to review I acknowledge information technology took me a long fourth dimension to leave the Chucks behind and beginning stomping around in them. In fact, my first few goes with the Blundstones were a bit uncomfortable: there was a particular spot that pinched around my ankle but very quickly the leather moulded to my pes and they were good to get.
At that point I looked into the company and learned information technology was started by John and Eliza Blundstone in Hobart, Australia, way dorsum in 1870. It'due south since changed easily a few times and is now owned by the Cuthbertson family who keep to operate the headquarters out of Tasmania, but most of the boots have been made overseas since 2007. (As of this writing the visitor makes 37 different kinds and colours including steel-toed piece of work boots, kids boots and winter-specific boots with Thinsulate insulation.)
Bouldering in Blundstones – not recommended.
Snapshot: Blundstone Original – Leather-Lined Circular Toe #558
- Pros: The kicking for everything from mount biking to nights out on the town.
- Cons: Some are dismayed the company's primary manufacturing is done overseas now. Then again, so are most brands because we don't desire to pay $2,000 for a pair of boots.
- Price: $219.95 Cdn
- Who Should Buy: Applied people looking for a pair of i-size-fits-all-activities boots.
- Who Shouldn't Buy: Fashionistas who want a unlike set of footwear for each hour of the day.
- Helpful Hack: A mixture of one part vinegar to 3 parts water is a perfect natural cleaner for your boots, and is especially effective for common salt stains.
- Author's overall rating: ix/10
The Blundstone leather-lined, round toe #558 boot
The Examination
As mentioned above I wasn't satisfied simply walking around town in these Blundstones. When a friend told me he had forgotten his cycle shoes and did a lap in his Blundstones anyway, I decided to test them on the local mountain trails equally well. First I used them on a hike, then a mountain wheel ride, so during a bouldering session and finally on a trail run. At the stop of the day, I wiped off the dirt and wore them to a business meeting downtown. Here are my thoughts nigh whether the Blundstones leather-lined round toe #558 boots held up.
The Hike – I started the twenty-four hour period by going for a casual hike on the trails behind my house. Nothing besides steep or long. Information technology was a mellow sojourn on well-maintained dirt trails and I have to say the Blundstones were super comfortable. The high ankle provided lots of support, the thick treads were grippy and the pes bed was well-cushioned. In fact, Blundstone has an acronym for its cushioning applied science: SPS, which stands for "Stupor Protection Organization." Co-ordinate to the visitor literature, SPS "disperses stupor at heel strike and reduces skeletal stress. Revolutionary tests betoken that an average of 33% less daze is transmitted to the bones and joints at a walking stride." I can't adjure to the exact percentage of shock absorption just I tin can say that if y'all're going on a coincidental, five-kilometre hike on mellow trails, your Blundstones volition definitely suffice. Fifty-fifty if the trail is moisture. When I kickoff received the boots, I took the advice of Vince DeVito, our local cobbler, and treated them with Max Leather Care Aqua Seal to better their resistance to water while yet assuasive the leather to breath. On my hike I traipsed through a stream and stayed comfortably dry out.
A casual hike in Blundstones – surprisingly comfortable.
The Mountain Bike Ride – This was the big surprise of the day: Blundstones make decent mountain biking shoes! I made sure to have flats for this brusque ride as clipless pedals would've been way more difficult, and the boots performed actually well both on the upward and the downwards. I stuck to an intermediate blueish trail that didn't take a lot of technical riding on it and was amazed at how comfortable I felt. The chunky sole adhered well to the pedal, there aren't any laces to get caught up in twigs and rocks, and the high talocrural joint and thick toe gave me a sense of protection. They were a piffling bit hotter than my usual mtb shoes but in a pinch I would definitely ride in Blundstones over again.
The Bouldering Session – Not surprisingly, Blundstones are a terrible rock climbing shoe culling. The leather is soft and bends too much, the round toes of the #558s don't allow purchase on dime edges and the prophylactic soles aren't glutinous enough to adhere to fifty-fifty the tackiest of granite. I went to a beginner rock climbing area where there are a few depression-angle V0 issues and scared myself soloing up the nigh mellow of routes. That all said, rock climbing shoes are a unique breed and I don't call up whatever type of footwear is a good alternative to sticky rubber soles and stiff rands.
The Trail Run – To be fair, I'm not much of a runner so this wasn't a great test of the Blundstone'south capabilities. I probably jogged near a kilometre on a apartment trail and had to stop. Without laces, the Blundstones don't let yous to cinch the leather tighter so after only a few minutes I felt similar my foot was moving around within the boot. A few more than minutes and I started feeling a hot spot on my left heel. The Blundstones are excellent shoes for walking around boondocks and decent on mellow hikes, but the infinitesimal you pick upward the step, they experience sloppy.
The Business Meeting – Later a half day spent traipsing around in the wood I went home, showered, used a damp cloth to wipe the clay and mud off the Blundstones and so grabbed my briefcase and headed into boondocks. The boots are definitely dapper plenty to fit in at a business meeting, especially with a scrap of polish. Yet they're casual enough to wear to the local pub, which is where I finished up the day.
Blundstones as a mountain biking shoe alternative? Non bad actually.
The Verdict
This item review of the Blundstone leather-lined, round toe #558 boots was all about testing the limits of what you tin do in them. And the verdict is: a lot! And that'southward why they're so popular: you can wear them to concern meetings and keg parties. They're great in the rain, slush and sun and they're easy to maintain. Now we know they can too be used in a compression to go mountain biking or hiking if you happen to exit your trail-specific shoes behind. Just don't attempt any hard multi-pitch rock climbing in them. I'm happy I put the Chuck Taylors aside to requite these a try and I can honestly say I am a Blundstone boots convert. I highly recommend them.
Along with the blackness, leather-lined, circular toe #558s, the visitor also sent a pair of "Eh! Boots" – a limited edition leather-lined kick created for Canada's 150th birthday. It is at present a collector's particular.
Blundstone Original – Leather-Lined Round Toe #558
The Deets
- Premium leather
- Thermo-urethane outsole resistant to hydrolysis and microbial attack
- Polyurethane midsole for comfort
- PORON® XRD™ in the heel strike zone to misemploy heel strike shock
- Comfort EVA removable footbed with PORON®XRD™ in the heel pad
- Extra set of footbeds for fit aligning
- Leather lined
- MSRP $219.95 Cdn
- Men's sizes: half dozen-14
- Women'south sizes: 6-11.5
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Source: https://mountainculturegroup.com/honest-review-blundstones/