Grant Stone Brass Boot Review: The Best Moc Toe You Can Buy

When I visited a guy with 75 pairs of boots, he said the Brass Boot is his all-time favorite boot.

When I  published my latest list of the best men’s boots on the market, I put the Brass Boot as The Best Moc-Toe, even beating out my trusty Red Wings.

This boot is what everyone loves about the moc toe, but elevated: better leather, better construction, a better last, and — if you can believe it — better value. That doesn’t mean it’s cheap, but you’re getting a lot of boot for a lower price than anyone would expect.

Founded in 2016, Grant Stone has made a name for itself with their very high-quality business casual boots and shoes, particularly its Diesel boot. The Brass Boot, released in 2021, stands out as their first “work boot” — more on what that actually means later.

For this unbelievably thorough(if I say so myself) review, I spoke to the company’s founder and CEO to learn more about its creation and what lies beneath the surface.  

Welcome to the luxury work boot. 

Grant Stone Brass Boot Pros and Cons

Got somewhere to be? Here’s the long and short of this review:

Pros

• Casual, but fancy. If you like nice footwear but want something you can wear with a baseball cap and t-shirt, this should be your new go-to.
• Terrific value
• Fantastic quality leather
• Roomy but secure fit
• Best Grant Stone boot for work and casual wear

Cons

• Not actually suitable for most jobsites
• Harder to dress up than other Grant Stone boots (but much easier than other moc toes)
• Made in China, which some guys don’t like

The Best Moc Toe

Grant Stone Brass Boot

With world class leathers, muscular construction, versatile good looks, three widths, and a variety of premium uppers and soles to choose from, this is our favorite moc on the market.

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Grant Stone vs Red Wing: What Is a Work Boot?

• The Brass Boot is as functional as Red Wing Heritage’s work boots, though neither would meet safety standards that require steel toes, electric shock resistance, etc.
• The Brass Boot beats Red Wing for its leather lining, thick leather midsole, steel shank, and higher-quality leather.

The Brass Boot’s design forced us to ask: what is a work boot? That question swirls around the Brass Boot and, to some degree, every “heritage style” work boot. Can you do your job in these things?

To answer that question, we compared the most popular heritage work boot on the market, Red Wing’s 875. 

The History of the Boots that Made America

The answer’s fairly simple: in and around the 1950s, boots like Red Wing and, yes, the Brass Boot would have been exactly the kinds of boots that guys would wear on the job: they’re water-resistant, resoleable, very tough, and built with cork filling, leather insole, and wedge outsole — the kind of construction that makes standing on your feet all day more comfortable than sneakers or dress shoes. 

Basically, if you call heritage mocs like Red Wing and Thorogood work boots, then the Brass Boot is also. One could easily argue that the Brass Boot is even better suited for work, given it has a steel shank for stability and a leather midsole, two components missing from the 875.

[Learn More: The 7 Best Moc Toe Boots You Can Buy]

Modern Work Boots

Today, though, work boots have evolved with newer, high tech features like puncture-proof toes, electric shock resistance, and waterproof boots. If you’re working as a lineman or electrician, you’re likely to be searching for boots that meet the particular standards of the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) or ASTM (formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials), and boots like the 875 or Brass Boot might not meet them.

That said, if your work simply requires a boot with good ankle stability, water resistance, and all-day comfort — say, yard work — then these “heritage” work boots will fit the bill. 

 “I’d say both,” said Grant Stone’s founder when I asked him if it was a work or fashion boot.

You have some people who really wear them day-in and day-out, and you have people living in the city who will wear them once a week max. But definitely, you can wear this just like any other [light-duty] work boot.

And it’s a million times more “work booty” than any of Grant Stone’s other boots.

[Related: Moc Toes vs Plain Toe, Which Boot Is Best for You?]

Grant Stone’s Brass Boot Leather

• My Saddle Tan boots are made from Italian vegetable-tanned leather from Badalassi Carlo.
• The Tan Essex Brass Boot is also 100% vegetable-tanned.
• Other Brass Boots come in Chromexcel and waxed suede from the world’s leading tanneries

This boot is different from other Grant Stone boots in that it’s a burly moc toe, but it’s also different from other moc toe boots. A big part of that is the leather quality. 

Grant Stone absolutely did not skimp on the leather. It’s high quality even relative to other fashion-work boots like the Red Wing moc (which, to be clear, uses great leather as well), and it’s a big reason, perhaps the main reason, you can be confident that this is, in fact, a luxury work boot.

Out of all the cool leathers Grant Stone has, my favorite is the 100% vegetable tanned Minerva leather from the Italian tannery Carlo Badalassi. I think every guy should own a veg tan boot, and they’re surprisingly hard to find. Likely, this is because it’s tougher to break in and pricier than chrome-tanned leather, which makes up some 99 percent of all leather on Earth, but vegetable tanning is the way leather has been made for thousands of years, and it’s considerably more durable — and, subjectively, more beautiful.

[Related: The 8 Best Vegetable Tanned Leather Boots]

Owing to the Brass Boot’s skyrocketing popularity, it’s now available in over half a dozen other leathers from extremely reputable tanneries like C.F. Stead’s waxed suede and Horween Leather Company’s Chromexcel. It bears repeating that one simply doesn’t find work boots with such high quality leather elsewhere.

[Related: Made in Xiamen: An Interview With Grant Stone Founder Wyatt Gilmore]

Brass Boot Construction & Sole

• Leather insole
• Cork filler
• Triple ribbed steel shank
• 3mm leather midsole 
• EVA outsole or Vibram-like mini lug

We’ve covered the fancy leather side of the coin. But these aren’t just fancy. On the tough and durable side, you’ve got the leather insole, a steel shank, and a thick, 3mm leather midsole.

As previously mentioned, Red Wing’s Moc Toe doesn’t have the shank and leather midsole (nor is this boot’s leather lining). These components make the boot feel sturdy and stable, particularly given that the triple-ribbed shank allows it to flex more easily the longer you wear it. In addition, the multiple layers of vegetable tanned leather will mold to the foot’s shape over time, creating a custom fit. 

Brass Boot Fit and the Floyd Last

• Roomy toe box
• Higher walls allow for more vertical volume
• Great for guys with high arches.
• Less dressy, more casual

Grant Stone built this boot with the Floyd, but it’s a continuation of their overall fit philosophy: basically, keep it roomy and classy.

A last is a foot-shaped mold used to build the boots and dictate their fit. Most of Grant Stone’s boots are made with the dressy Leo last that Gilmore describes as having “more of an egg shape to them, there’s no depth.” 

What’s the Floyd Last

The new Floyd last confirms that it’s a new kind of boot for the brand. Gilmore notes,

The wall on the sides of the upper is tall, and it’s not like the Leo last or dressier lasts (…) The easiest way to think about it is like a logger boot, with a really tall toe box with depth, and that was kind of the idea for this boot because this boot, in general, is something I don’t think anyone would put in the business casual or dress category. People think of this last as more of a work boot.

A big part of what separates this from Grant Stone’s other boots is the overall volume of the boot. There’s a tall toe box, high side walls, and plenty of room to wiggle your toes, which Gilmore believes is a key part of why the Alden Indy‘s combination last is so famously comfortable. This also keys into the work boot vibe: a fuller fit is more useful for work because when you stand for a long period, your feet swell, plus folks often work in thick socks.

Grant Stone Brass Boot Sizing

• Size down half a size from your true size, a whole size from your sneaker size

As for sizing, all Brass Boots come in D and E widths, and a few come in EEE, including the Saddle Tan.    

They recommend that you go down half a size from your true size and a whole size from your sneaker size. It’s important to note the difference, as my true size is 11.5, but most sneakers are a 12, and I’m an 11 in Grant Stone and most other boots. You probably shouldn’t size down just 0.5 from your sneaker size. 

[Related: The Best Boots for Wide Feet]

Grant Stone Brass Price

• $328 – $380

The price varies depending on the leather. At the time of writing,

• The “Earth” waxed suede is $328
• Most others are $380

Experts universally consider Grant Stone great value boots. Guys who only buy sneakers their whole life might disagree if you’ve purchased Goodyear welted boots before. I’d like to think I’ve offered a good explanation as to why it’s a lot of boot for the money: great leather, thoughtful lasting, robust leather midsole and insole, leather lining.

Plus, Grant Stone sources almost all the materials from the States. The leather insoles are the only thing made in China: the welts are from Massachusetts, the laces are made in Kentucky, and the lining is from Milwaukee. 

Is it about 60 bucks more expensive than Red Wing, made in America? Sure, but if Grant Stone were made in America, they’d cost well over $400. At the current price, they’re a steal. 

The Best Moc Toe

Grant Stone Brass Boot

With world class leathers, muscular construction, versatile good looks, three widths, and a variety of premium uppers and soles to choose from, this is our favorite moc on the market.

Check Best Price

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Wrapping Up

This is a wildly versatile boot that is extremely high quality, suitable for both casual and smart casual wear. Grant Stones uses very durable materials. It’ll last forever, age beautifully, come with leather lining, and have a wonderfully voluminous fit that’ll suit almost any foot shape. (Especially when you remember that they offer up to EEE widths.)

The only real downside is the fact that you can’t actually wear them in a steel mill. They don’t meet ASTM standards. Some people don’t love that Grant Stone makes them in China or that they’re pricier than the US-made Red Wings.

But, if you compare this moc to that moc, the better leather, lining, shank, and a veg tan midsole might not make this worth the extra money. I think it is, and I’ve made a good case, but there’s no arguing that more of your money will remain in America if you shop American made.

But I’ll die on this hill: the Grant Stone Brass Boot is the best moc toe on the market.