Redback Nubuck Mesa Boot

Buy Here for $185

The current ubiquitousness of this boot might be, more than anything, an indication as to how consequential the tasting of the slip-on shoe fruit might be. Through further extrapolation, paranoia could lead us to believe that Crocs were the first consequential bite of the Edenic apple that rightly caused God to boot us out of the garden of respectable dressing. And now, cast out, are we destined to aimlessly wander the airport food court in athletic casual jumpsuits and Yeezy slides forever. 

Worry not, Crocs and Blundstones are not related. Elastic-sided boots have been produced commercially by the likes of Crocket and Jones since the 1930’s and were a favorite of Queen Victoria in the mid-1800’s. The style didn’t really break out onto the scene until the 1960’s, when the Beatles started wearing them with suits. At that time, there were a number of high-quality UK footwear factories producing a dressier Chelsea style to accommodate the London mod boys; but elsewhere in the empire, a company called Blundstone started making their own more rugged take on the Chelsea style in a factory in Tasmania. It wasn’t long until the Blundstone boot became synonymous with the image of Crocodile Dundee, Mad Max and outback toughness. In 2007, Blundstone moved the manufacturing from Australia to SouthEast Asia in order to improve margins and Australia’s various work unions vowed to boycott the company from then on. 

After this boycott, Redback boots stepped in to fulfill the demand for an Aussie made, Chelsea-style boot. The person who first put me onto Redback boots was quick to extol the durability and especially, the comfort, of the  boots in comparison to the Blundstones.  I have never owned a pair of Blundstones, so I can’t compare them in fairness myself.

So that you needn’t waste any of your precious life reading the comments of macho men arguing about which boot is better on Reddit, here is the distillation: Redback boots are constructed with a three piece full grain upper and Blundstones are made with a single piece of leather; the three piece construction allows the boot to mold to your foot quicker and it seems most are in agreement that Redbacks are more comfortable out of the box. Redback boots also have an air-cushioned heel and midsole. Many people report they are the more comfortable option if you are on your feet all day. Matters of durability are especially subjective, and alpha-male reddit forums are littered with “my shoes can’t keep up with me” stories. 

Ultimately, I just wanted to share a made-in-Australia alternative to Blundstone with you all. The shoes are of excellent quality and have a very loyal following in Australia. That said, these boots are stocked in the States and I received two pairs in a few days and had an easy time with a customer service representative returning the other pair. I have found them to be plenty comfortable and easy to break it and would highly recommend them to you as an alternative to Blundstones.