Red Wing Men's Iron Ranger 6" Boot - Premium Leather Work Boots for Men, Durable & Comfortable - Perfect for Construction, Hiking & Outdoor Activities

I'm not a boot expert. I did work at Timberland for 7 years and had to wear their boots for my shifts. I'm going to say that I "understand" how boots fit and how they should feel. But again, I'm not a boot expert.I was in the market for a new set of boots, mostly for looks. I REALLY like the way these boots look!I've read almost every review I could find and looked at countless pictures. I settled on the Copper Rough & Tough color. I am not disappointed.Sizing/FitI've been wearing them for one week so far.The numerous reviews I've read had me torn in the sizing of the boots. I'm too lazy to go out and try them on in a store, so I bit the bullet and bought a 7.5; I wear an 8 in running shoes (Adidas, Reebok, Saucony, Asics), 7.5 in Vans, 7 in Converse All Stars. It seemed that the reviews were split 50/50 between a half size down to a full size down. I chose a half size down. They fit just as Timberland classic 6" boots fit. I am not disappointed and I don't have to exchange the size. Size 7.5 fits just right for my size 8 foot!There is room in the toe-box. I expect as they get better worn the space will lessen; not enough to where my toes will hit the front. The leather is a bit tough but definitely not the toughest/hardest leather I've experienced in boots. The tongue leather is the softest/thinnest portion. The left boot is "breaking" differently directly after the toe-cap; it pinches my toes when I squat on the balls of my feet. I expect that will completely disappear as they get better worn; I'm not concerned with the pinching.There is NO arch support. Don't expect it. Going a half size down still leaves room for me to have an insole but I'm not going to. I'm interested in seeing how the footbed wears in and conforms to my foot. I got used to wearing flat shoes since I started Crossfit and read all sorts of information on how Vans, Converse, and any other flat shoe is actually better for your foot muscles, so I'm used to the flatness of these boots. I do not have flat feet. These boots feel fine to me and I would not describe them as uncomfortable. The are surprisingly comfortable for boots; not what I remember from my Timberland days (a decade ago and I haven't worn boots since).The sole is lug-less; kind of smooth. It's advertised as oil-resistant, but not necessarily slip resistant. I stepped on a wet spot in the parking lot and I felt some slippage. I would not consider these work boots. I consider them more fashion forward. However, I was surprised at how much heritage there is with Red Wing; I had no idea.I've already gotten a few compliments on them. They look great. I'm looking forward to seeing them after much wear. I'm very sure they'll look better with age.I'm very, very pleased with these boots. They were very expensive (for me at least) but less expensive on Amazon than anyplace else ($60 less!). I expect to have them for a very long time.They're great.11-06-15 Update:I've been wearing these boots about 3 days per week. They were stiff and my left was pinching where the toe cap creases. I was hoping for more give/molding to the footbed but it didn't go as planned. I ended up just taking an insole out of an existing pair of shoes and using that. The insole wasn't very thick but it added some cushion underneath the ball of my feet and some arch support. I didn't necessarily want the arch support but I did want some cushion to ease the hot spots under my foot (ball of feet and under my heel). The addition of the insert messed with the heel cup and my foot sat slightly higher in the boot. This caused some uncomfortable rubbing. I took the insole out and the boot had stretched nicely!Note: I was using the generic insole with thicker socks and spraying the outside of the boot with rubbing alcohol. I did this for a week and the boots stretched very nicely.They fit great now. The only concern is the footbed is hard and the ball of my feet feel it; not painful, just noticeable.I took a vacation to New York (first time) and walked about 10+ miles a day. I wore these for one of those days and had no problems with the fitment or comfort. My feet hurt but that was due to the amount of walking and had nothing to do with the boots (they hurt equaling on the other days, wearing other footwear).I just bought a pair of SuperFeet Green insoles (on Amazon of course). I put them in and they take up all the extra space in the boots. The boots fit snug with the SuperFeet in. Undoubtedly they will stretch more. The cushioning is nice and the arch support is nice. I'm not sure I like the insoles yet. The SuperFeet insoles raise my heel up more than the generic insole I was using before, however I don't feel the same heel-rub. It doesn't feel like it'll be an issue with these insoles. My heel feels nice and snug against the boot.Note: I noticed that my foot sits much nicer in the boot if I make sure my foot is all the way in the heel and the boots are laced all the way up, or at a minimum, to the second highest speed lace.Got what I ordered, having read recommendations to go a size down I was hesitant at first, but I am glad I did. I wear a size 11 running shoe, 10.5 boot traditionally. Going with the size 10 Iron Ranger was the right decision for me.Get fitted in a store before ordering online, as others have suggested; turns out I needed a full size down as opposed to half, resulting in unnecessary exchanges.Initial impressions (few days)- gorgeous, handcrafted details, thick, durable leather, tough-as-nails outer sole and strong hardware. The break-in has been absolutely brutal; three days in, I had to give them a break after my heels blistered, burst and bruised. My feet are flatter and more gnarled than the average pair, but you can likely anticipate a similar experience if correctly sized. For the uninitiated, this is simply the way it's done- no pain, no gain.I'm rating in good faith that these will be incredible boots once I've thoroughly broken them in and will update on that front later. I can already see the leather beginning to wrinkle and mold itself around my ankles, so progress is painstakingly being made.In any case, I wanted a tough pair of daily boots that make me feel prepared if I wake up and the sky is burning, and I suspect I've got em now.*3 Week Update*I'm unsure if they're finally broken in, or if I've developed thick calluses in all the right places (probably both), but they're finally wearable without bandaging my feet every morning. I've had occasional circulation issues in one foot (it's slightly larger than the other), but this seems to be diminishing. They feel incredible to walk in and are surprisingly comfortable. Sometimes they catch compliments, which is neat-o.My... sole... complaint is that my pair had a minor manufacturing defect- the tongues are off-center by a large margin, roughly 75/25, so when laced up, one side of my foot is barely covered at the top of the boot. It annoys me a little in the morning; I always have to smooth the tongue out carefully while lacing up to prevent it from crumpling into no coverage on one side. Perhaps it can be modified (local Red Wing store said they do repairs/ sole swaps, etc.), but it's hardly pressing- I never notice during the day.All in all, excellent thus far. Time will tell if they hold up to their laurels, or if they'll be caught resting. One thing's for sure- these boots were made for walkin, and they'll walk all over poo.*6 Month Update*It's midwinter, fairly mild this year by most standards. I daily these in the suburbs/ office, 2-3 miles per day, and they've been up to the task. They're not ideal for snow/ ice, of course- even with mink oil, they're not truly waterproof or heat retentive- but they suffice, if you don't mind mild discomfort.What sold me on these boots, and continues to do so, is their incredible resilience. While they've begun to accumulate a nick here, a crack there, and a tiny rough patch over yonder, they've largely retained their shape despite daily use, occasional jogging and all-weather exposure. The partially lopsided heels have betrayed the secret of my janky walk, but otherwise, the soles are surprisingly intact, and have only suffered surface wear.And let's not neglect the laces. I can't tell if they're somehow extraordinary or if the eyelets are just soft, rounded and gentle. Perhaps a bit of both. Whatever the case, the laces show zero signs of fraying, with a barely discernable wisp of fuzzy edging at most. I've never seen laces hold up this well, this long before. And yes, I am an actual human being expressing mild excitement over shoelaces on an Amazon review. This is real life.Anyways, it's also a bit amusing to note that my heels have developed deeply rooted calluses in response to these boots, but I couldn't care less. They feel superbly nimble and beautifully personal. This might sound odd, but I feel a sort of bond with these boots, as one might with an old dog. I've shaped them with my feet, they've returned the favor upon my heels, and consequently, we've both adapted to fit each other better than any shoes before them. Bearing in mind how long they're reputed to last, how Red Wing will resole them for you to yield additional years of life... Well, it feels like it could just be the beginning of something special.From the moment you take them out of the box, the quality and attention to detail is obvious. I have received multiple compliments on them while standing around at the pub. They simply look outstanding. I also love the smell of new leather and they have that in spades. These are likely the best made boots I own.Sizing was my biggest concern before they arrived. They are comfortable but take a bit to break in properly. That being said, I've had no issues. I did not try the boots on before ordering but instead spent hours scouring reviews to determine the best size. My original intent was to size down by 1/2, per many reviews and recommendations, but then my actual sized boot dropped dramatically in price so I ordered those. I've never worn Red Wings before but I have worn boots my entire life. I typically wear size 10 UK but I have a similar pair of Grenson boots that are 9.5 and a Frye lace-up that is 10.5. I went with 10 for the Red Wing. It fits my right foot perfectly but is a little large on my left. I wear thick Smart Wool socks and I wear a thin liner sock on my left and have had no issues. I've been wearing them for two weeks now and will often walk to the market and back, about 5 kilometres. They are a tad narrow but are long and my left boot has 3/4 inch spare room at the toe. I bought some inexpensive leather inserts for both, which seems to have helped. No foot pain, no complaints.They are comfortable, look great, and make me feel like a man - a real man with hair on his chest, a deep voice, and who doesn't get the hiccups when eating spicy food. Yeah, I feel like that man. You can too. Probably.I’m wearing UK 8 on my boots. As many people saying half size down it’s recommended, I tough to order UK 7.5.But the description says “true to size”. After sending my size, the seller’s told me that UK 8 should be ok. So I got UK 8After trying them, I can say they were definitely much larger and couldn’t wear them at all.Unfortunately I had to return it and lose about £30 for this try. Not a happy experience that’s why I’m rating this listing 4 stars.The quality of the leather, sole and boots overall are exceptional in every detail. The best I’ve ever seen and I would give them 10 stars if I could.These are my first Red Wing boots, I'd heard nothing but good things about them. Except... the Iron Ranger has a reputation for being a tough boot to break in. I've had mine almost a month and have worn them about four times a week, the second week being pretty tough on my poor feet. However, once you pass that phase and the leather starts to give, they are *very* comfortable. In terms of the looks, these are smart-casual and the amber harness colour I chose looks great in my opinion. The speed-lacing at the top of the boot is handy too.A couple of points - one of my feet is a near half-size bigger than the other (10.5 / 11) I went for size 11 and they are fine on both feet. I also carry a long-term ankle injury, these boots feel very supportive around the ankle / heel and I feel confident wearing them.All in all, I'm very happy with the boots and would definitely buy another pair of Red Wings in the future.I bought these boots from the seller BASE. The sole is Nitrile Vibram. No surprises regarding the quality of the boots so I'll jump straight to the sizing info.First the numbers. I measured the length and width of my foot placing it between two boxes and standing full weight barely touching the boxes (so I can feel barely that it touches but with no pressure at all). The length is 275 mm (millimeters) and width is 105 mm. Then I measured circumference along the line (which is not perpendicular to the side of the foot) that goes through furthest protrusions on the sides of the foot - the joint of the thumb on one side and the joint of the little toe on the other side - 265 mm. The size of the boots is 9D US / 8 UK / 42 EU / 27 CM.So how do they fit. When I put shoes on with normal sock I have probably 1 centimeter of space left for the thumbs. At least this is what I can feel pushing boot's toe area and feeling where my thumb is. Centimeter is not a lot. It only guaranties that when I walk my thumbs don't touch and push against the wall of toe box which would be a disaster. At first the boots felt gently tight, after skin softens from the warmth of the feet the feeling is more as lf I would wear the Rehband support for the feet, and after some time the tightness somewhat diminishes and the feet feel gently immobilized/secured. I don't know if my feet's anatomy corresponds so good to the last, but I don't feel pressure in any particular area but gentle tightness on whole feet as if boots would wrap around them. I don't need to break them in with pain. I just got out and walked. Probably if I started to walk really fast with long strides the friction would appear somewhere, but considering how stiff they are when you hold them in hands and how they wrap around feet when you put them - they fit perfectly.Considerations. If I would wear really thick socks or have longer feet than 275 mm or somewhat square toe area of the feet I would probably go with the size 8.5 UK.Bought to fit 11 for 11 with wool socks. In fact I could have even went up more on right foot. Toe box is meant to be half empty, don't expect these to stretch during break in get them to fit...Leather feels thinner on sides compared to 2013 pair but gauge changes with every pair so w/e. Laces are same from old pair and tbh i think theyre the best I never change them, sole is lighter with a commando grip now rather than dress. Still the best smart work boot. Hope chippewa starts being sold in UK too.Price goes up every year but I'm still not bothered. Still gonna buy em