Rhodes Boone Chelsea Boot Review: A Rare Chelsea That’s Casual and Tough

Believe it or not, the Rhodes Boone Lug Chelsea boots are my first Chelsea boots. I’ve tried them here and there before, but I didn’t like their negative traits: you can’t adjust the fit, they tend to catch your cuffs and make your jeans ride up, and the elastic goring just looked weird to me.

So no one’s more surprised than me that when I received the Boone Chelseas, they converted me to Chelseas.

To explain why, I’ll break down the pros and cons, including the construction, the leather, and the value.

Editors’ Note: Huckberry sent me these for review, but all the opinions in this video are mine and mine alone. I did not share this content with Huckberry prior to publication. They will see this when you do.

How I Tested the Rhodes Chelsea Boots

I am a corporate videographer and also do freelance work: Mostly music videos for bands, artists and local businesses. This means I spend most of the work day on my feet on all different kinds of terrain. This is the context in which I’ve been wearing these boots in pretty heavy rotation for the past several weeks.

I’ve also been wearing them for dog walks and running errands on weekends. Like I said, this is my first experience with Chelseas, and I’m really enjoying them — it’s even easier to slide my foot into these than with cowboy boots with their narrow shaft.

Pros & Cons

In a hurry? here’s my summary.

What I like about the Rhodes Chelsea Boot?

• Two options for soles: softer wedge or luggy rubber
• Soles are name-brand Vibram; very high quality
• Versatile for a Chelsea boot; not too slim or dressy
• Sustainably made leather
• Resoleable and extra water resistant storm Goodyear welt construction
• At under $300, they’re well priced for Goodyear welted boots

Downsides but not deal breakers

• Insole didn’t quite fit my foot; you may prefer leather insoles for this reason
• Waxed suede looks worn in very quickly; most love that, you might not
• More casual and less versatile than standard Chelseas
• There are sub-$200 Chelsea boots that hit a lot of the same notes as these
• No wide sizes if that’s what you need

Rhodes Footwear Overview

When Huckberry’s in-house boot line Rhodes first came out, the clear goal was to break into the sub-200-dollar boot market dominated by Thursday Boot’s Captain. Rhodes couldn’t quite hit the price with its now-defunct $220 Dean boot, but it came fairly close.

Another brand that couldn’t quite compete in this market was Portland Leather Goods. Although it succeeded at making a sub-200-dollar boot, it wasn’t resoleable. They banked on the public not caring, but for whatever reason, they pulled their boot from the market too.

So Rhodes pivoted to trying to make boots with their own identity, and selling them in the $250 – $275 space — a compelling proposition. So the question is whether they are worth it.

Construction

• Resoleable storm Goodyear welt
• Luggy and grippy Vibram outsole
• Leather Working Group certified waxed leather
• Three colors and two sole options, a lug and wedge

All versions of this boot are made in León, renowned as Mexico’s footwear capital. (Stridewise’s editor Nick visited tanneries and boot factories there himself.)

They feature leather-lined polyurethane (PU) insoles and a Goodyear welt construction, a very water resistant build that’s considered the easiest to resole by cobblers.

Outsole

Rhodes uses Vibram’s rubber lug outsole, which is wearing really well. There are no signs of wear at all, which is to be expected: Vibram is probably the most widely respected brand for boot soles.

They’re also sold in a flatter and softer wedge sole, which is also from Vibram.

Leather

The boots are made from LWG-certified bovine leather with a leather lining and middle. LWG is a third party that sets standards for environmentally friendly and “ethical” leather.

The Rhodes Boone Lug Chelsea boot is available in Black, Wax Top Tan (that’s mine), and Pebble Whiskey. The Whiskey and Black (their most popular color) are smooth leathers, but not the Wax Top Tan.

At first I thought it might have been nubuck (what Timberland’s famous waterproof boot is made from) , but as I wore them in I became pretty sure that this is a waxed suede. It’s common for both suede and nubuck to get some waterproofing treatment, so it was great to see that it comes with that layer of water and stain repellent wax.

I have worn them in the rain, and they’ve worked out great. My feet have not gotten wet and don’t show any water staining or watermarks. My feet didn’t get wet, and they’ve been incredibly comfortable to wear.

Fit & Comfort

• I sized up half a size from my Brannock
• The stock sole was a bit too thick for me

Huckberry states that these run true to size, and I ordered mine in size nine, which is my general sneaker size. I am an 8.5 on a Brannock and take that in some boots. But I opted to roll the dice, and I feel like the size 9 fits me really well.

Insole

The only negative aspect of this boot is the insoles. The arch support was a little bit too far back for me, which hurt my foot. I

I decided to swap out an old insole from an Adidas skate shoe I had lying around, and it worked great.

know, I ordered a half size large, so that might be on me. But I also own Rhodes’ Chukka in the same size, and that insole fits me fine!

It probably would have compressed and felt fine if I had worn it for a week or so, but after two days of sore feet, I made the insole transplant.

How They Wear

• The sole is very durable
• The suede has picked up indigo from my raw denim; avoid raw denim if that bugs you!

Whether it’s canvas or suede, adding wax to a boot or jacket gives it what Carl Murawski calls a “patina cheat code.” The wax develops highs and lows in its color and creases where it folds, so they look worn in fairly quickly. Most guys love it, but you might not — just be aware that it happens.

But if you look at the heels, there are no signs of wear. The heel and soles are clearly in this for the long haul and are holding up very well. I have only worn them for about three to four weeks at this point, but some soles (like crepe) can start to wear down by now.

Are Rhodes Chelsea Boots Worth It?

• $275

Even though they’re $275, I think they’re good value for a storm Goodyear welted boot with a Vibram sole. If you know the boot market as well as I do, you’ll know that’s a solid price.

I did have to replace the insoles, but in my experience, having an insole perfectly contour to your feet is kind of luck of the draw. In fact, that’s why a lot of guys prefer flat leather: it’s less comfortable from the get go, but it does conform to your foot’s shape with time. So if that’s the experince you prefer, you might not love these boots.

Wrapping Up

The boots are great. They are so comfortable and convenient; I don’t know why I didn’t try Chelsea boots so much sooner. They don’t look weird to me anymore. I must have had some sort of mental block with Chelseas.

On top of enjoying the model, I’m also really enjoying how the waxed suede is wearing; it’s a famously rewarding material for boots, and Rhodes picked a good supplier for theirs. It’s been a dream to wear, and it’s getting better and better with every use.