Red Wing

Red Wing is an iconic American boot brand. Red Wing Heritage (as opposed to their line of work boots) can be found easily in most North American locales, and are renowned for being durable heritage-style boots. They are considerably more expensive to buy in Europe. Each style of Red Wing Heritage boot has a number for identification.

The thick white sole common to many Red Wing models is commonly mistaken for a Vibram Christy sole, but is not, in fact, made by Vibram.

Red Wing Handsewn

Red Wing Handsewn is a line of handsewn shoes made in Maine by Rancourt & Co..

Sizing

Red Wing's sizing is notoriously odd. Their moc toe boots tend to run a half to full size large, mostly in length. For most people it should be possible to try on a pair of Red Wing boots at a local stockist.

Subjective: Style and Quality

Popularity

Red Wing is experiencing a peak of popularity from the current made in America trend. In most North American cities they are easier to spot than most obscure brands, though not quite as ubiquitous as Clark's. In Europe, different tastes and higher prices have kept the popularity of Red Wing shoes much lower.

Clown Shoes?

There is ongoing debate about the 'silhouette' of Red Wing Heritage boots. Generally speaking, the risk of looking ridiculous increases the skinnier your pants or larger your feet.

"Dadcore"

Red Wing is frequently described as dadcore on /fa/, though this opinion is not held by all posters. Styles like the Beckman and Iron Ranger are potentially more vulnerable to this accusation, depending on the critic.

Durability & Comfort

Red Wing shoes are typically stiff and not entirely comfortable out-of-the-box but become much nicer after a long break-in period. Many owners of Red Wing boots praise the comfort and durability after years of wear. The brand has a reputation for shoes that, so to speak, get better with age.