Iron Rangers are Horribly Legit

Red Wing Iron Rangers

When I saw them I fell in love. If you have delicate baby feet like me then you need to read on because when you buy these you are investing in an experience not just another pair of boots.

Redwing Shoes is known for quality and has been around since 1905. If you haven't heard of the Iron Rangers they were named after the the miners on the iron range in northern Minnesota. They are part of the heritage collection from Redwing and they 100% built like they were back in the day. You can tell by looking at them and you can certainly tell you are getting yourself into a new experience when you try them on. If you own cowboy boots then you probably have an idea of what it will be like but I would say the Iron Rangers take break-in to the next level.

There isn't anything synthetic about these boots. They are built in the USA out of leather, cork, steel and rubber. Steel probably stands out here but it is in the shank. It is important if you are TSA pre-check as you will likely need to remove these before you attempt getting through security. At least that was my experience so now I just loosen them up before I get to security and send them through the machine to avoid delays.

Ok, so what exactly are you getting into. You likely have already read about how these take weeks or some even say months to get comfortable. I wouldn't argue that as it depends on how much you wear them. I had read about them ahead of time so I knew what I was getting into. I would recommend and still do wear a wool sock with them as they don't have any liner. This is just leather against your foot like it was meant to be. That said, a little wool buffer is a must.

I did start with a really light leather insole as well since my feet couldn't handle the manliness of these boots to start, but once the leather softened I took them out. I think part of adjusting to these boots isn't about the boots at all but about your feet as I have had similar experiences switching between other shoes. Obviously with less cushion it takes longer for your feet to adjust.

Some of my suggestions to ease into them.

1. Wear wools socks, if you don't love wool you should at least respect it.

2. Put in a light insole for a few days but once it starts to loosen take them out.

3. If you can't stand them rub in a little leather honey on them to soften them up a bit.

4. I own the copper rough and tough as well as the charcoal rough and tough and I swear they feel different so it may be worth ordering or trying on 2 before you decide.

5. You are going to have to size down either a half or a whole size. If you can get to a store try them out, if you can't then order both and test them out in your house. They shouldn't be uncomfortably tight but snug with enough room to wiggle your toes freely.

A few more things to be aware of. Staples were used during the manufacturing process and they can leave some slight sharp spots in the insole. It isn't the staple, just lifted from when one was there. These will smooth out but initially you might feel them a little bit. I actually sanded mine down to make them comfortable. It isn't major but you may notice your sock getting snagged. You likely won't notice it at all with wool socks but I could feel it in thinner socks. Also, even though mine are fully broken in I do feel the seam between the edge of the insole and the side of the boot. It isn't painful but I am aware of it from time to time. I mentioned I do have baby feet and these were a huge transition for me.

So, it might sound like I wouldn't recommend these but I just want you to know what you are getting into ahead of time so you can enjoy them...after a while. If I hadn't read about them I would have most likely returned them to the store. They will make you look like and feel like more of a man and they help you grow more facial hair.

PRODUCT

Red Wing Iron Rangers

PRICE

Around $300 USD

FEATURES

Amber harness leather

US made

Triple stitched

Steel shank

Can be resoled

Free shoelaces if you break them

Mini-lug outsole for grip

MATERIALS

Leather

Rubber sole

Nitrile Cork

FIT

1/2 to 1 full size down from your usual size.

Will form to your foot over time (as noted above a lot of hours)

DIMENSIONS

Height - 6" Boot

1" Heel

Weight is around 2 pounds

CARE

I use Leather Honey from time to time but you can wipe off most scuffs.