Thorogood Mens 8in Wp Side Zip Composite Safety Toe Boots Reviews
Thorogood Moc-Toe half-dozen-Inch Kick in Tobacco
Unmatched value Can accept any beating you throw at them Naught burglary time
Upper leather has creased significantly over fourth dimension Wedge outsole is glace on snow and ice
Ane of my all-fourth dimension about-loved—and admittedly my well-nigh-used—pairs of footwear is the deeply classic Thorogood Moc Toe kicking. I've washed everything imaginable in these rugged merely impressively versatile babies, from chainsawing downwards trees, to climbing a (short-ish, just still…) mount, 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 employ example, at this point.
Like many before me, I started out shopping for Carmine Wing moc toe boots (875s or 8875s). I twenty-four hours I caught a glimpse of a nicely attired fellow wearing something that looked like Red Wings, but featuring a little American flag tag on the toe. A few days of creative Googling later, I tracked downwardly his boots, and they were…well, these. Afterward some fairly extensive enquiry—and a quick and obvious toll comparing—I was sold difficult on the Thorogood 814-4200 in tobacco oil-tanned leather. That was five years ago, and I'g every bit happy today as I was the first time I slid my feet in.
Let'due south be clear: these Thorogoods are not a work- inspired kick, which is how one could classify many of the popular Ruby-red Wing Heritage models. They are 100% a work boot. Obviously there are harder-core boots for more serious or specific forms of piece of work, but many construction workers swear by them (although many opt for the steel toes, or 8-inch model). And it'south easy to meet why. They're unflappably durable without weighing equally much as a cinder block. Their condolement levels out of the box are very tough to vanquish. And the price is almost as good every bit you can observe for a boot with this level of quality, durability, and looks.
But that doesn't hateful that they can't function incredibly well a lifestyle kicking—they slot correct into that rare sweet spot of a piece of work boot that still boasts legitimately handsome aesthetics. When shopping, I likewise considered the Thorogood circular toe boot. And some days I spend far as well much fourth dimension looking at pictures and lamenting that I didn't go with those, just because I enjoying doing such torturous things to myself. Merely every quality footwear collection demands a pair of moc toe boots, and that just means I'll have to snag a pair of round toes adjacent time (mayhap 8-inch steel toes for some realer piece of work, possibly soon—I'll obviously keep you all updated).
[A note: as 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 meaning wear—I don't take shots of them new out of the box, or in their younger days, aside from manufacturer product shots.]
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- Thorogood Moc-Toe Kick In Tobacco Leather: Five-Year Review
- Tricker'due south x Segmentation Road Bourton: Five Months Deep Into Some Wonderful Kudu
- Reddish Fly Iron Ranger: A Iv-Yr Review of a Timeless Boot
- Tricker'south Stow: A 2-Year Review of a Very First-class Country Boot
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The Contumely Tacks
Shoemaker: Thorogood (owned by 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, around $215 at present
Years Worn: Five
Worn How Often?: At to the lowest degree 2-4/times week, every calendar week, although many of those days have been for a three-mile dog walk in the AM earlier switching out to other footwear during the day.
How I Cared for Them: Cedar shoe copse occasionally inserted when not being worn post-obit hard wears; wiped down and brushed with a horsehair brush afterwards getting muddy; full Red Wing mink oil treatment ii-three times per year.
A Bit of History on Thorogood
Stitchdown strongly recommends made-in-America products (not just America, of form; besides made-in-Canada, made-in-England, etc), and Thorogood is i of a too-small scattering 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 machine shoes to job-specific footwear like their classic lace-to-toe roofer boots. In 1967, Thorogood introduced their Official Boy Lookout Kicking: the Hike 'n Camp, which is the original proper noun for the model of boot reviewed hither. It remains the company's most popular kicking of all fourth dimension, even though there are far fewer Boy Scouts than there used to be.
In improver to the always-important made-in-America designation, Stitchdown strongly recommends Thorogood equally a key bootmaker to support considering of the way the company is structured. In 2000, Weinbrenner employees took control of the visitor's ownership, providing a unique level of engagement, command, and of course actual ownership that workers are virtually companies simply cannot do good from.
A Fun Little Story Near Why I Bought My Thorogood Moc Toe Boots
I've owned boots all my life—from various hiking boots to my original beloved Wolverine m Miles that I wore for nearly seven years years before finally admitting that they were just too large, and found them a more than suitable dwelling.
But I wasn't really a person who cared nearly boots, or thought about them incessantly, until six years ago, when I broke my foot.
It was just a small stress fracture that I initially idea was a bruise—until one morning I woke up in giddy amounts of pain, hopped to the bathroom on my good foot, then screamed to my wife to go buy me some crutches and so I could will myself to the podiatrist. The physician confirmed that my foot was indeed broken and sent me off with a walking boot, a true joy to article of clothing during a New York Metropolis winter full of more than snow than usual. (For the uninitiated: the snowfall in New York is absolutely beautiful, for about fourteen minutes, at which point information technology swiftly devolves into some sort of primordial refuse-infused slush that is absolutely everywhere. And often quite deep.)
He also looked at my shoes, a pair of Vans I still own only rarely wear. "Well, that'south your problem, correct in that location. Sneakers like this are terrible for your feet and you just found out why. Get yourself something more supportive."
During the months in that evil boot, determined to never terminate up in it again, I began researching boots. And these Thorogoods ended upwards becoming my first pair as someone who understood the benefits of quality footwear. To this day, they represent a complete mindset shift for me—i I'm sure many of you accept already had, or are on the verge of. And while the 24-hour interval I suffered from Wet Probably-Sewage Foot until I got home isn't my fondest retention, the course-correct my lifelong footwear addiction took thank you to that awful feel was the right ane.
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Looks
Once again: this boot looks similar a work boot, only in all the best ways. Information technology's definitely chunky, but non overly so. 3 sets of eyelets lead to 3 speed hooks, and then another set of eyelets on the top, which I imagine nobody has ever even considered using. But they're in that location! I honey the triple sew that runs from the vamp to the backstay, the branded Thorogood logo on the rear, and of form that distinctive little flag on the toe. The MAXWear wedge outsole isn't the lowest contour, as it'southward built for long life over looks, just information technology's besides not every bit thick as some others (which I personally find to get a little ridiculous after a certain point). The rear pull loop and classic multi-colored work boot laces (I'm on my second pair; the starting time ones broke maybe ii years in) consummate the expect.
Its main limitation looks-wise is that this isn't a boot that you lot can clothes upwardly in any meaningful way. Merely especially when kept in decent condition (more decent than mine are at this signal, honestly), it can exist used in the majority of coincidental situations, and apparently endless work kicking-piece of work ones.
Rating: 8.5/ten
Sizing, Fit, and Condolement
I was pretty certain I was going to be a ten.5D or 11D, but got sized into a 10EE at Moulded Shoe. My anxiety are slightly but certainly not crazily broad—so I worried, wrongly, almost what seemed like an extreme width—and I'd never been a x in likewise many shoes of any kind since I was perchance 12 years old. So I had my doubts! But the EE also provided more than 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 comfy. I imagine a major role of that is owed to the flexible wedge outsole and loftier quality although not rigidly impenetrable leather, but I aspect the majority of that comfort to Thorogood's Ultimate Stupor Assimilation Footbed and Comfort Cushion insole made past PORON. It's a dual-layer removable foam insole, dissimilar the leather footbed plant in Red Wings and many other higher-end boots. I dearest how said leather footbeds on my other boots conform to my foot over time for a truly custom fit, and was a little worried that the Thorogoods wouldn't offer that, merely oh, they about certainly practice. And while I oasis't come close to needing to supervene upon the insoles in v years (there's just a little bit of surface wear on the right insole), if you wear yours especially difficult, yous tin grab a new pair for like $ten—something yous tin can't do it anything goes wrong (water damage, etc) with a leather footbed.
Tip: Definitely at least consider a wider width than you might call up y'all need, but size downwardly a half-size or then, if you become with that.
Rating: 9/10
Break-In
I'd read dainty things about Thorogood boots' condolement levels out of the box, simply my feet still dripped with fear—I hateful, they're work boots, right? But those nice things were all very true. When I cranked them downwardly and walked effectually the shop, they felt a touch potent, only there was literally zip uncomfortable about them, at all. That sense of relief continued through the beginning true wear, and I was home already—I'd found an indestructible kicking that doesn't crave a hellscape calendar month of deep, unrelenting burglary sacrifice.
Rating: 10/10 
LOOKING FOR A Footstep-Upwardly MOC TOE? DEFINITELY Give THE GRANT Stone Brass BOOT A LOOK
Leather and Care
The leather wasn't something I spent hours rubbing confronting my cheek right out of the box, just it'due south definitely softer and more than supple than y'all'll find in many work boots. Over fourth dimension, Ruby-red Wing moc toe boots may requite you lot longer wear and form to your anxiety a bit more than, but 5 years in my Thorogoods take withstood a ton of abuse and but take a few scuffs that probably would've happened no thing what leather was on there. 
Like I said, I've worn these things very hard and with essentially zero care for what abuse I'yard going to put them through: chainsawing copse, yard work, walking a canis familiaris in an extremely muddy park work. And it shows. 5 years in, the toe shows significant creasing, forth with a few other parts of the upper. That might be considering of how hard I wear them, or, possibly, because of the quality of the leather itself.
Merely y'all have to retrieve that Thorogood Moc Toes are $185 boots designed to concord up in full general nether extreme work conditions, not apparel boots made of beat out cordovan that are designed to stay cute—and be babied. The other issues are some unfixable scuffs along the toe on the right boot—definitely because of what I use them for—and some coloration differences cheers to habiliment on the medial rear around the heel area.
But all that is honestly to exist expected and in no way troubling, and on the whole they've held upward incredibly well. The leather always bounces back from a hard, muddy wear, and has developed a wonderfully deep patina over fourth dimension.
Like nigh work boots, they're unlined, but wearing them with dress socks isn't exactly encouraged, then no points deducted there. When they become a little sad every three or four months, I treat them with a moderate dose of Reddish Wing mink oil, which perks them upwardly in a major way at the expense of the leather concealment a shade or two, only a week or so later they shift much closer to their original colour.
Rating: 7.5/x
Outsole
The polyurethane MAXWear wedge is designed for workplace weather with slippery floors, and it definitely fares well on about surfaces when moisture. That said, I would Not recommend them as your snowfall or ice boots—the tread isn't deep at all, and it obviously wears downwards over time. But pretty much anything else, these guys tin handle. I climbed a adequately challenging 1000-foot-vertical-rise mountain (in the dry out climes of Joshua Tree, in very squeamish conditions. Also it turns out that there'southward more than one Joshua tree in that place! Like, at least a dozen of them) and they held onto every step just fine. Are they as high-end equally Vibram's Christy wedge outsole used in some more than expensive similar boots? Technically no, but you're honestly not likely to notice.
Over time, the once-white outsoles will definitely get discolored by picking up whatever yous're walking in, but you can scrub them back to something closer to where they started if needed. Or just 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 piece of work pretty well, but information technology was merely turning into too long of a process considering I was going to do something horrible to them the next twenty-four hours, then I gave up. But again, information technology seems to piece of work. The primal ingredient, I believe, is magic.
Rating: 8.5/10
Construction and Immovability
If there is shit to be kicked, y'all needn't exist agape of kicking information technology with your Thorogood Moc Toe boots. While certain parts of my boots are in less-than-new shape five difficult years afterward—especially the toe-scuffing I mentioned to a higher place in the Leather section, and a few stitches nigh the toe and superlative of the boot that take have loosened ever then slightly—the overall kicking is still eager for more. The soles take worn downwards at that ol' 45-degree angle that most of my shoe soles exercise, but I'm pretty sure I'k even so multiple years abroad from a resole. Aside from a bit of surface abrasion, the insoles are no worse for the wearable and have never been more comfy.
The boots are Goodyear storm welted, which adds a 2nd run up betwixt the upper and midsole for additional waterproofing, and of course allows for the re-soling mentioned higher up. I've been unable to get a response from Thorogood, but I believe the welt itself is some form of plastic—not the leather welt you'll see on many more expensive boots of this style, most notably Cherry-red Wings. However, I'k fairly sure that it may exist an intentional option considering it—in addition to keeping costs down—holds up well to liquid abuse that plagues task 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 point. We'll see how they hold up over the adjacent five years.
The leather upper has withstood sawdust, pigment, power sanders gone off-target, many different kinds of beer, getting completely caked in mud (and not getting cleaned all that quickly), and, one time, becoming completely saturated when I got caught in the real-life equivalent of a storm that about ends the protagonist's grand hopes in a movie about sailing around the world (don't worry, they survive and win the race or any was happening). Oh, and a teething baby who loves delicious, delicious boots. Do they look brand new? Oh lord no. Are they beautiful in the mode that only a pair of work boots sitting next to a stack of freshly divide wood tin exist? Admittedly—peculiarly with a fresh mink oil treatment.
Rating: eight.five/x
Value
I bought these for $165 five years ago, and they're about twenty bucks more now. For what I've gotten out of them because what I've put them through, I can't imagine there's a improve value out at that place in boots, flow—specially considering that Red Wing mocs start at $290, and you but see fewer Thorogoods on people's feet than the Ruddy Wings.
Now, might I own a pair of Ruddy Wing 875s one day also? Probably! But I feel like they're a totally unlike kick, one that would live a slightly more dignified (although mayhap less rewarding) life—for me at least. And while I revere Cherry-red Wings and recommend them endlessly (and currently own two pairs of Iron Rangers, plus a pair of chukkas that I loved simply gave to my blood brother in constabulary considering they just didn't fit me right in the toe, and he's only a swell dude), there'southward little chance I invest in a pair of their moc toes before I buy those eight-inch Thorogood circular steel toes to handle the serious shit.
Rating: 10/10
The Stitchdown Concluding Take
A timeless, unflappable, adaptable, deeply comfortable kicking. I've recommended them to maybe a half-dozen close friends over the years, and they are all very happy people (in full general, simply also almost the boots).
If I had to become back and do it over again, I'd buy the Thorogood Moc Toe half dozen-Inch boots 10 out of x times, then try to discover additional times to purchase them again.
Overall Rating: 8.9/10
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- Alden Indy 403C Review: A Three-Year Look at a Almost-Perfect Boot
- Onderhoud Handmade: Peradventure the All-time Value in Hand-Welted Boots
- Thorogood Moc-Toe Kick In Tobacco Leather: 5-Year Review
- Tricker's x Segmentation Road Bourton: Five Months Deep Into Some Wonderful Kudu
- Red Fly Iron Ranger: A Four-Year Review of a Timeless Boot
- Tricker's Stow: A 2-Year Review of a Very Excellent Land Kick
- A Deep Look at Heinrich Dinkelacker'south Signature Buda Brogue
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Source: https://www.stitchdown.com/brands/thorogood-boots/thorogood-moc-toe-boot-review-red-wing-comparison/
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