red wing shoes

I'm reviewing Red Wing Shoes' 8-inch tall SuperSole 2.0 2414, one of their most expensive work boots. As a water plant operator, I am required to wear safety-toe footwear and spend a lot of time on my feet, so I need something safe and comfortable. This boot goes above and beyond these requirements, which might be a downside for you: is this boot too much for what you need? When a daily work boot costs over $300, it's a worthwhile question and I'll answer it here. To help you determine if this is the right boot for you, I'll discuss the most important features: safety, comfort, cost, and durability. I’ll rate each on a five-point scale. Let’s dive into the Red Wing SuperSole 2.0! Pros & Cons Red Wing Shoes SuperSole 2.0 In a hurry? Here's a TL;DR of what I liked and didn't like about these boots. Pros ASTM rated for safety toe, puncture resistance, slip resistance, and electrical hazard Waterproof (enhanced by the 8-inch height) Resoleable SuperSole dual-density welt 100% USA Made (with Imported Parts) Available in 4 widths (including narrow — very rare) High-quality, waterproof leather Extremely comfortable with short break in Pull loop makes is easier to take them off Cons May be too expensive if you don't want or require "Made in USA" or resoleability Technically resoleable, but only by Red Wing Synthetic welt may limit ability to be resoled multiple times At over 5 pounds, you may find them heavy Waterproof construction retains heat, not ideal for hot climates Some dislike how long it takes to lace 8-inch boots, especially if they don't need waterproofness Sole can squeak on indoor surfaces Nick, Stridewise's Editor in Chief, visited the world's largest boot in Red Wing, Minnesota, because, of course, he did. Red Wing Shoe Company Information Headquartered in Red Wing, Minnesota Founded in 1905 Privately owned by the Sweasy family Charles Beckman founded Red Wing Shoe Company in 1905 to create durable, comfortable work boots for guys doing tough jobs like mining and working on railroads. In 2008, it added a heritage lineup for casual wear, including its famous Iron Ranger and Moc Toe boots, which are based on early 20th-century work boots. The Red Wing Shoe Company that makes these Supersoles, meanwhile, is a technically separate company that focuses on making more affordable, not-necessarily-American-made, and not-necessarily-resoleable work boots. To me, the Supersole 2.0 is a boot that bridges these two brands: it's not as old fashioned as the Heritage line, but it's more American-made and has more complex construction than a lot of the non-Heritage boots. How I Tested My Red Wing Shoes 2414 As a water plant operator, the only requirement for my footwear is having a safety toe. Although not required, chemical and slip resistance are beneficial since I frequently handle chemicals like ferric sulfate, caustic, and fluoride acid. I've worn the 2414s every day for two months, allowing ample time to assess their quality. Occasionally, outside of work, I switch to my Red Wing Heritage boots. These boots are marketed as heavy-duty. My duties range from light to medium intensity and involve over 10,000 steps daily. I navigate concrete, grass, gravel, snow, blacktop, metal grating, greasy, oily, chemical-covered floors, and ice. Red Wing Shoes 2414 Specs Safety ToeYesSlip ResistantYesASTM RatingsSafety Toe, Electrical Hazard, Puncture Resistance, Slip ResistancePuncture ResistantYes, Swen-Flex insoleWaterproofYes, Gore-TexShankYes, FiberglassOutsoleDual Density Urethane LeatherFull Grain, waterproofHeight8 inch (about 10” overall)Country of OriginMade in the USA with imported partsSizes Available7 through 15WidthsB, D, E, EEELast694Safety StandardsASTM and CSALinedYes (with Gore-Tex)Height9.75” to the top of the boot, listed as an 8” boot Construction & Durability: Red Wing Shoes 2414 Sort-of-resoleable (you have to send them to Red Wing) Treated waterproof leather with a polyurethane layer Durability: 4.5/5 Construction, leather, and the sole significantly influence a work boot's durability, so we'll start with these. Leather Full-grain leather Waterproof, with the flipside of not being breathable Soft and pliable Does not scratch easily The leather is full-grain and waterproof, thanks to a polyurethane layer over the grain. The leather is also sourced from Red Wing’s S.B. Foot Tannery in Minnesota, which adds a nice extra layer of American-made to the boot. The leather is soft, pliable, and it is indeed full grain — note the pattern of the skin in the picture above. This is very rare for a boot from this brand. The leather thickness measures 1.7 millimeters on the tongue and 2.2 millimeters on the body, a good thickness for a tough boot. The boots are fully lined with moisture-wicking fabric and sports triple stitching on most of the leather pieces. The Sole: Red Wing SuperSole 2.0 Low-density inner urethane Higher-density outer urethane Slip, oil, and acid-resistant Aztec tread pattern The sole features a dual-density Supersole Welt, first introduced in 2001 alongside this boot model. The construction includes a soft polyurethane inner layer surrounded by a harder, injection-molded, abrasion-resistant polyurethane blend. Red Wing says these boots are resoleable, but the proprietary construction and synthetic welt will make it difficult for your local cobbler, so you'll almost certainly need to send them to Red Wing if you want a resole. The "SuperSole 2.0" itself provides slip, chemical, oil, cut, and puncture resistance, performing well in just about every environment except on ice. That said, even though the lugs aren't aggressively grippy, I found the tread to maintain a good grip without holding on to snow or mud (despite occasional squeaking on hard surfaces). Are the Red Wing SuperSole 2414 Comfortable? Snug, yet comfortable toe box Great support Great shock absorption Fully lined Padded collar Great hardware Comfort: 5/5 The 2414s were initially slightly snug but became comfortable within 5 minutes of being on my feet. There are four sets of eyelets and sturdy speed hooks, perfectly spaced at about 1 inch apart for lacing. Further Reading The 10 Most Comfortable Boots (and what that even means) This question seemed unanswerable, so we wrote an article about the ten kinds of comfort you can get from boots, with recs for each. Learn more → Arch Support The 1.5-inch heel transitions 0.75 inches at the toe box. This drop is only 0.25 inches more than many wedge soles and feels great on my flat feet. The 2414s have a Red Wing-branded “Comfort Force” insert with three layers: antibacterial fabric on top, a full-length foam layer in the middle, and an impact absorption system with extra gel padding from heel to ball of the foot. (Interestingly, the Comfort Force footbed was also seen on Nick's casual Weekender Chelsea from the Heritage line.) The fiberglass shank helps stabilize the boot and limit foot pain from a long day on your feet, while also keeping the boot from flexing too much on ladder rungs and uneven surfaces. Sizing & Fit: Red Wing SuperSole 2.0 US sizing, true to size Sizes 7-15 B, D, E, and EEE widths (a rare variety, especially the narrow one) My Brannock size is a US 11.75 D on my right foot and a US 11.5 D on my left I bought a size 12 D and they fit perfecly I’ve worn cotton and wool socks while wearing the US-size 12D boots for testing. I like my shoes to fit snugly, like a glove. Guys who prefer extra wiggle room usually need to size up, but the nice thing about these boots is that they're available in a lot of widths: if you like more toe wiggle, get a wider size. If you're worried about sizing, you can always visit a Red Wing store if there's one that's close enough. But they also offer online sizing through their partner Volumental, an app with an "AI shoe sizing tool." You can find this by clicking “Get your best fit” above the available size on the SuperSole 2.0's product page. Consider the sizing recommendations as a starting point, and try these on, if possible, at a store. Weight: Red Wing Shoes SuperSole 2.0 5 lbs 4 oz (size 12 US) Weight: 4.5/5 My 2414s weigh 5.25 pounds. If you aren't use to resoleable boots, this may seem weirdly heavy, but I'm a larger guy and I'm accustomed to more old fashioned boots that use way more leather. Some Pacific Northwest work boot brands, like Nicks, White’s, and Frank’s, use thicker leathers and can weigh twice this. Safety Features: Red Wing SuperSole 2.0 Certified to ASTM F2413-18 M/I/C EH PR F3445-21 SR Outsoles exceed OSHA requirements for oil and slip resistance Steel safety toe CSA Grade 1, ESR Rated, PR Do these boots meet ASTM safety standards? The answer is yes, and they also meet CSA (Canadian Standard Association) requirements. What ASTM ratings on the tongue tag mean: M - Standards in Men’s footwear I - Impact Resistance C - Compression Rating PR - Puncture Resistance SR - Slip Resistance Safety Toe These boots have a steel safety toe. There is no soft-toe version of this boot available, nor is there a "composite toe" to reduce the weight. Red Wing Shoes 2414 Cost? $355 at Red Wing Shoes online or in-store Value: 4/5 These boots retail at $355. As far as I can tell, they can only be found through Red Wing — they're not on Amazon, Zappos, or other retailers. While this is expensive, they’re worth it. I have called them the "Cadillac" of the Red Wing work lineup. After years of owning a huge variety of work boots and casual boots, I can tell you: for a resoleable boot that's made in the USA, Red Wing's prices are fair. ("What about Thorogood" they have no leather underfoot and next to no ASTM ratings.) If "made in the USA" doesn't matter to you, then I can understand not wanting to pay the premium on the SuperSole 2.0. Who Should Buy Red Wing Shoes 2414? Manufacturing, oil/gas, railroad, construction workers Not suitable for high temperatures (sole may melt) Supersole X recommended for high-temp environments These heavy-duty boots are great for manufacturing, the oil and gas industry, railroad, and construction workers. If you work with high temperatures, these boots aren’t for you. High-temperature environments could melt the soles. One great option if you don’t need waterproof boots is the Supersole X, which is rated to at least 475° F. Red Wing's SuperSole 2.0 Alternatives Duradero: newer, USA-owned, offshore manufacturing Comparable boots at lower prices with free resole Duradero “Fargo” is similar at $210, plus you get a free resole Duradero is a newer, USA-owned brand. Although Duradero boots aren’t made in the USA, they offer comparable boots at competitive prices. Every pair sold comes with a free resole. If you look here, you’ll see “The Fargo,” a clone of the 2414. They are steel toe and waterproof, and at the time of writing this, they cost $210. This could be enticing with a free resole compared to the 2414 ($355 boots + $125 resole $480). I can’t speak personally of their quality, but from what I’ve seen, they’re better than some brands out there, like Brunt and Keen. These might be a great option for someone on a budget. Red Wing themselves have a similar boot, the 2408, which isn't waterproof and can be found here for $285. It’s steel-toed, EH, and SR-rated, and would be great for warmer climates. Are the Red Wing Shoes 2414 Waterproof? Yes! Full Gore-Tex lining + waterproof leather This build retains heat, not ideal for hot climates Waterproof tested successfully at 5.5” for 5 minutes Non-waterproof alternative: 2408 ($285) The 2414s are waterproof, thanks to the Gore-Tex lining, which “blocks moisture from the outside while allowing moisture inside to evaporate.” I tested the waterproofing by submerging a boot in about five and a half inches of water for five minutes. The boot passed with flying colors and came out completely dry. They should be waterproof to the top of the gusset, which is about seven and a half inches. These boots are warmer than my unlined 2233 SuperSoles. The Gore-Tex is great, but it retains heat. The 2414s might not be for you if you live in a southern state. (Again, consider Red Wing's 2408 if you like the boot, don't want it to be too hot, and don't need them to be waterproof.) Concerns No toe cap, you may want a Tuff Toe Hydrolysis risk if boots unused for long periods Hard to resole The toe box is the most abused part of a boot. You might want to invest in some Tuff Toe if you work on your knees a lot. This protective coating can be applied to the toe box so the leather doesn’t wear down to the steel. An unusual (but not that unusual) quirk is that you need to wear these boots regularly or the sole will crumble from hydrolysis. They don't have to be worn every day, just don't put them in your garage for a year. This is a boot with a lot of "yes, but"s. Yes, it's American made, but with imported components. Yes, it's resoleable, but only by Red Wing themselves. Yes, it's Goodyear welted, but the welt is synthetic. Yes, it's waterproof, but it's not that breathable. This boot is a high performer. You need to decide if you want all those extra features and if you're willing to pay for them. (Especially for the fact that it's USA-made.) Final Thoughts Overall, I’ve been impressed by these boots. They cover all of my needs and then some. After testing, the soles are still new-looking and have very little wear. Some people mentioned sizing difficulties in the review, so if possible, wear them around the house for a few hours and check with the staff to see if you can return them. These boots are USA-made with American leather, so you’re supporting manufacturing here in the States. As mentioned, this means they're on the expensive side, but if you’re like me, your job probably gives you an allowance for work boots. I would fully recommend the SuperSole 2.0 to anyone who has this option.