There’s a common refrain among a certain subset of menswear enthusiasts, which goes something like, “R.M. Williams is Blundstone’s more sophisticated brother.” And while the merits of that rubric are somewhat abstract and subjective, the venerable R.M. Williams Chelsea Boot held an undeniable edge when it came to polish. Emphasis, on “held,” because the wizards of utilitarian footwear over at Blundstone just dropped a refined hammer on that long-time rivalry, in the form of the beautifully-built, utterly decked-out Heritage Boot.
Blundstone
Heritage #156 Boot
Blundstone
Heritage #157 Boot
Clocking in at $395, the Heritage boots are significantly more expensive than the well-known Classics line, but not without cause. It starts with a premium leather upper, less rugged than what you’d find in the rest of the brand’s hardy catalog. They also happen to be handmade, using 72 processes and 34 different pairs of hands, which is as impressive as it sounds. And then finally, the rubber-wrapped leather outsoles are affixed with a Goodyear welt, which means you can resole ‘em indefinitely.