Red Wing Moc Oxford Review: A Year of Wearing the Boot-Shoe

I’m here to review my Red Wing Shop Moc Oxfords, which I have been wearing for a year. This is basically a shoe version of their legendary 875 Moc Toe Boot, which is easily the most iconic moc toe boot of all time.

In fact, I came across the Moc Oxfords (from here on out called the Moxfords) when I was looking to get a pair of those 875 moc toe boots. The Moxford caught my eye because it’s like I’m wearing a boot, but in the form of a shoe. It looks like a boot when your pant leg goes over it, but your ankle is exposed to give you a little more ventilation and mobility — and it’s a cheat code for guys who wish they could wear boots with shorts.

Let’s take a closer look at the pros, cons, leather, construction, sizing fit, and whether they hold up to the classics.

What I like about 8092 Red Wing Shop Mocs

• Unique style: They offer a boot feel in a shoe form, which is great if you want the feeling of a boot while wearing shorts or more laid back wear.
• Boot aesthetics: They look like a boot, especially when pants cover the ankle opening.
• Ventilation: The “chopped” design allows for more ankle ventilation compared to a full boot.
• Durability: These retain the same thick leather and Goodyear welt of the brand’s better known boots; this will probably be the toughest shoe you own.

Downsides (but not deal-breakers)

• Breathability: My particular Oro Legacy leather doesn’t breathe very well. (A typical tradeoff of tough, water resistant leather)
• Comfort: These are indeed made like a boot: they’re heavy, require a break in period, and they’re hard to wear without socks.
• Not for wide feet: They don’t come in wide widths.

Red Wing Moc Oxford’s Design

• Iconic moc toe: It retains the classic Red Wing Moc Toe design.
• Thoughtful adaptation: The shaft removal was done carefully, with inward curves that cup the foot effectively.
• Secure fit: The design, including the heel cup and lacing system, provides a locked-in feel without being too tight or jabbing the ankle.

Red Wing preserved the Red Wing moc toe design. It is the perfect, standard, and true moc toe. I’ve owned Thorogoods and the Brass Boot by Grant Stone, good examples of “great value” and “just plain great” moc toes.

But nothing compares to Red Wing’s design — the fact is that they sell the moc toe boot. I think to alter the Red Wing Classic Moc’s design would be to alter perfection, but they were very careful: they merely chopped the shaft off and made it wearable as a shoe.

This opening is not so high that it jabs into my ankle either, which would be a problem. It’s just the right height: high enough to hold your foot in but not so high that it’s jabbing into your ankle.

The curves around the ankle are well designed to cup your foot. I’ve got skinny ankles and a low-volume foot, and even then, this heel cup holds my heel really well. Once you cinch the laces, it cups the instep. My foot feels pretty locked in, and the heel counter feels solid. Perhaps too solid for someone accustomed to sneakers, but the buyer must respect that they are practically wearing a rugged boot!

Toe

• Structural integrity: The toe box is tough, hard, and resists collapsing, maintaining the shoe’s shape.
• Protection: Offers more toe protection than a standard soft toe, though it’s not a steel toe.
• Durable moc stitch: The distinctive moc stitch is well-executed: glued and sewn for durability, showing minimal separation even after significant wear.

In the front, you’ve got your toe structure. It is really tough and shows no sign of collapse. If these were to collapse, they would look pretty stupid. So, the structural integrity of the Classic Moc is maintained. It’s not a steel toe, but if you drop something on your toes, it’s going to offer more protection than a standard soft toe.

The moc stitch is probably its most distinct feature. They glue it and sew it, and you can tell after a lot of wear, it’s still mostly intact.  

Red Wing Oro-Legacy Leather & Patina

• Patina: The oil-tan leather develops a beautiful patina over time, darkening and picking up character from water, moisture, and dirt.
• Durability: Thanks to its high oil content and overall quality, the leather shows wear in an appealing way.
• Break-in Period: The leather breaks in relatively quickly, feeling pretty good after about 10 days.

The leather is the star of the show. If you know anything about Red Wing Moc toes, you know that the Oro Legacy leather is one of the most iconic leathers used by Red Wing. A ton of quality control goes into selecting leather that is uniform in appearance, and very few boots are offered in this leather because of its price and Red Wing’s exacting standards.

I’ve been wearing these for about a year. After the first 10 days, they were pretty well broken in; it takes weeks to fully break in a shoe made of leather and thick materials, but after a week I was no longer bringing a pair of sneakers with me when I left the house in case the Moxfords made my feet too sore.

Even though this leather is permeated with oil, it has no problem picking up water, moisture, and dirt. That’s why I’ve got water spots and stuff here, which adds to the patina.

It’s a beautiful boot-shoe. They’ve darkened a ton; if you look at the pictures from when they were new, they were a much brighter, almost golden color. Now they’re this rusty, burnt orange color, which I think is gorgeous.

Performance of the Traction Tred Soles

• Balanced performance: Offer a good combination of durability, traction, and comfort.
• Cushioning: Provide noticeable cushioning.
• White gets dirty: These soles will get dirty; they aren’t for those who want a pristine look.

As far as the Traction Tred soles go, I’ve been pretty happy with them. They’re a good mix of durability, traction, and comfort. They’re pretty well cushioned. My heel drag is putting a little extra toll on them, but it’s not too bad.

I would not try to keep these clean because they just won’t stay clean. Just wear them. Accept the fact that they’re going to be dirty. I could probably clean these a little bit with a sponge, but if you are trying to keep these pristine all the time, then it’s just not the boot for you.

Caring for Your Red Wing Shop Mocs

• Conditioning product: Red Wing mink oil is recommended and worked well, causing slight darkening.
• Practical approach: Don’t overthink conditioning; use what you have on hand, as the specific brand isn’t critical for work boots.
• Frequency: Only conditioned once in a year of wear.

Overall, these are very low maintenance. I’ve conditioned them once with the Red Wing mink oil, the product Red Wing recommends. As expected (and as Nick showed in his Red Wing mink oil video), the oil darkened the leather a little bit.

I’m not that finicky with what you use as your conditioning product. I think a lot of that stuff is overhyped, so I use whatever I have on hand. Many guys love the way darkened leather offers depth to the color, but if you want to preserve the original color as much as you can, try Bickmore’s Bick 4.

Sizing and Fit Guide: Red Wing Shop Moc Oxford

• Sizing Advice: Generally, go half a size down from your Brannock device measurement.
• Uses the same 23 last as Red Wing’s Classic Moc boots.
• Width Consideration: Best for D width or narrower feet; not ideal for E or EE widths as wide sizes aren’t offered for this model.
• Leather Stretch: The leather doesn’t stretch much with wear (like some suedes), maintaining a consistent fit.
• Comfort: After an initial break-in period (around 5 wears), they become quite comfortable, molding to the feet like slippers.

This is the 23 last, which is the same as their 875 Red Wings. It’s a half size down from my Brannock.

Unfortunately, Red Wing does not offer a wide-width version. If you are pushing E width or double E width, you might be able to go up half a size and make them work. But I wouldn’t recommend it.

Like most durable leather footwear, the Moxfords aren’t the most comfortable for the first five wears or so. But when they shape to your feet, they do kind of feel like slippers on the inside, at least as much as a heavy boot can be.

I have a low instep, so when I wear them, they end up very cinched (as you can see in the picture above). It’s a bit of a stretch, but it ultimately holds my foot just fine. The good thing is, the leather has not stretched even after a year, and the fit remains the same.

Are the Red Wing Shop Moc Oxfords Worth The Price?

• $290 at Huckberry, $310 on Red Wing (at the time of writing)
• Value for Money: Excellent craftsmanship for the price, especially considering they are US-made with US-tanned leather.
• Accessibility: Widely available in stores for sizing and online for purchase, with a strong secondhand market.
• Quality Construction: Features like the 360-degree flat Goodyear Welt, Puritan triple stitch, and durable nickel eyelets demonstrate good construction.

I’ve been wearing these for over a year and they’ve got miles to go. I’m stoked with how they look, feel, and wear on foot.

Even though the welt joint and stitching are not as nice as some boots that I’ve had, for the price and accessibility, they’re great. For what you’re paying, these are fantastic.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed the quick highlights on these fantastic boot-shoes. I’m having a lot of fun wearing them. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments below or on my YouTube channel, and I’ll always do my best to answer.