![]() Red Wing has no branding on their exterior which lends itself to cleaner lines and actually has a sleeker fit and look (if such a word can ever be used to describe a moc toe!). However, for those who use a lot of energy bending, climbing, and stomping, the cushion insert provides a lot of much needed shock and impact absorption.Īs you can probably tell by now, the Thorogood Moc Toes, while visually appealing, seem to be garnering a more functional appeal compared to the Red Wing Moc Toes, and this is reflected in the silhouette and detailing of the boot itself. On that note, I find that due to the nature of my sweaty and stinky feet, the synthetic insert really retains sweat and stink more than the Red Wing leather footboard, which is a big deal for me, and I know for a lot of other people too. The fact that the insert is removable makes these really simple and inexpensive to replace if the insert is damaged or get too stinky. This results in a much softer feel, which feels much closer to an athletic shoe than its Red Wing rival. On the other hand, Thorogoods come with a removable foam insert which covers a Poron cushioned footbed. Additionally, the hard leather insole is easy to recraft when resoling. For me and for many others, the boot only gets more comfortable over time, as the footboard and surrounding leather conforms and hugs my foot perfectly. For me though, I found the hard insole to be supportive and personally prefer this type of footwear break-in, which is also found in popular dress shoe brands like Allen Edmonds and Alden. The insole will compress over time and conform to the shape of the wearer’s foot, but can be a painful and lengthy process. ![]() The insole on the Red Wing Moc Toes is made of a stiff leather which covers a cork filling, This is a very polarizing factor for a lot of people with sensitive feet, or for people who move a lot during work. This small extra detail will make that process much less painful while adding a bit of bulk to the boot. This may not seem like much, but the biggest challenge for me while breaking in my Red Wings was the chafing caused by the stiff, unpadded collar. Like the Red Wing counterpart, the Thorogood boot is also unlined on the inside but does feature a padded collar around the ankle. However, this results in a much more malleable leather that requires almost no break in, and many anecdotal reviews found on Amazon can attest to that fact, even declaring their switch from Red Wing to Thorogood for this reason. ![]() Most Red Wings as long as they are factory firsts, come with a very tight grain which in my opinion has a better look, whereas the Thorogood has a grainier look. They have leathers that nearly match the aforementioned Red Wing leathers aesthetically, including their Crazy Horse (compares to Copper Rough and Tough 1907) and my personal favorite, Black Walnut (compares to 8138 Briar Oil Slick), their signature model is the Tobacco leather, which rivals the Oro Russet 875.Īlthough these leathers look similar to Red Wing’s, these leathers have a more tumbled finish which results in a much softer and more supple feel. Thorogood leathers on the other hand, are a bit different from Red Wing’s. Rather, the inside of the boot is the underside of the outer leather, making the boot more breathable but less insulated. ![]() The boot is also unlined, meaning the inside of the boot does not have a smooth, thin piece of leather attached to underside of the outer leather. That means that they can offer really high quality leathers for their boots (while keeping costs down) whereas other brands need to source their leathers from outside tanneries. Foot Tannery down the road from their boot factory. ![]() Red Wing produces all of its leathers in their own tannery, S.B. The leather quality and type will not only determine how your boots look and feel, but also how long they will last. Probably the most obvious factor when choosing your moc toe is the leather. So let’s break down these boots by detail and help figure out which one is right for you! Red Wing still makes their boots in their Red Wing, Minnesota factory as they did in 1905, and Thorogood is an employee owned and has been producing boots in Wisconsin since 1892.īut if you’re going to buy one pair which should it be? Although at first glance these boots look really similar to each other, in my opinion they actually are quite different and serve very different functions. Both are awesome, goodyear welted boots that come from beloved brands, each with rich histories. ![]()
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