Chelsea boots - who wears them? Recommendations please.

[Zoro]

I think it's fair to be mad. I wouldn't discuss if doing that is required or not, but it should be clear in pictures.

 

[Trouser Bark]

...sturdy enough to throw a leg over my vtwin, but also appropriate to wear dining with the better half.

I've ridden from the top of the world to the bottom and most of the way around. It is better to dress for the wreck than for the ride and a pair of riding boots is meant to keep all the parts in one leather pocket such that when you get to the ER they have all the OEM bits and the best chance to put it all back together.

I've got a few pair of Chelsea boots and have crashed requiring foot surgery as recently as last summer. If you're interested in a recommendation from a random stranger I would suggest that the Chelsea would be a terrible riding choice, in part because even w/ a very low coefficient of friction it would rip right off leaving your piggies to fend for themselves.. If it didn't come off it still offers zero protection at the ankle which is a fairly complex joint. Leather hunting boots would be much better if you don't want to wear riding boots.

 

[KimNelson]

I decided to get a black pair of Chelsea boots. I ordered from a company called Blkbrd. The ordering process was pretty smooth over whatsapp and the boots were delivered after about 3 weeks. They're 360° handweltded and made from TPR Maryam horsebutt. This is definitely somewhat of a grail leather for me when it comes to boots. It's a beautiful, strong and dyed through veg tanned leather that also smells just so nice.

It's kinda hard for me to recommend Blkbrd though as they blindsided me with the patch on the upper. The pictures on their site didn't include it. Their reasoning was that they were worried the maryam leather might tear by trying to keep the leather in one piece around the ankle. It's hard to be mad though since the boots is otherwise great and it only cost 260 usd!

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It's worth noting that Thursday's Shinki Journeyman chelsea uses the same patterning—and according to their website at least—for the same reasons. They also charge more than twice as much...

 

[Trouser Bark]

If you'd like your ankles to look worse than mine wear Chelsea boots on the bike.

 

[MrProper]

If no new colours are added, then I am well equipped when it comes to Chelsea boots. There are still white ones available, but they are not really my style.
Mustang from GEA Waldviertler

 

[Bmiller01]

for what it’s worth, i’ve had a pair of ORO los angeles chelsea boots for close to 5 years now and they’ve been nothing but great. they are definitely a streetwear focused brand, but a solid boot is a solid boot.

 

[jchance]

I usually don’t wear boots because the laces take too long to put on and take off, but the Lobb suede Chelsea boots I have are pretty easy to put on. I grab them fairly often. Very functional when I wear with my jeans that are too short but I don’t want to show socks. I wish they were in a lighter sand color but I got them at a good discount, so I’m not complaining

 

[Edward]

I have two pairs of Clarks Clarkridge Top oiled suede Chelsea boots - one pair in brown and one in black.

They are very comfortable and appear well-made. Chunky sole and a beefy profile that pairs well with heavy denim.

As humble as they are, they're genuinely excellent. I don't know whether it's actually a welted sole, it looks like it but the price was probably too reasonable to expect so.


As an aside; do you feel confident riding in a Chelsea? I'd be concerned that in a "situation" the boot might catch on something and just pull off, leaving me with only socks to keep my feet intact.

Clarks are unfairly overlooked, imo. I suppose I have an affection for the brand as they're what I wore at school right up until I hit sixteen and defected to DM shoes for a few years (not now; I fell out of love with their aesthetic and the Airwear soles long ago). I picked up two pairs of Bushacre III boots back in May to have the option of a lighter boot for the Summer; really very impressed with those. Got them on sale for about £50 a pair, so if I get two or three years out of them I'm doing well. Light enough for all but the hottest days when I retreated back into canvas plimsoles, great in Summer rain. I wore them much more than I'd anticipated. Put them away for the Winter now, back to the heavier stuff on boot days as the cold kicks in. The only quibble I have with Clarks is that the low outlay makes it harder to justify a resole, though TBH with the quality of the leather uppers on these, I might be tempted to try a leather sole (about £50 locally) on one of these pairs if the upper is still good when the sole goes. I have actually seen a rare Clarks boot online which looks identical to a Bushacre, but had leather than could take a shine and a leather, goodyear welted sole. Rare, but tempting...

I feel ya, man. I got my first pair of RMWs while still at uni - back then, they were a local Aus brand more associated with farmers than hipsters. I think I’ve had three more craftsman since then, along with the gardener and lachie. The new comfort craftsman feels a bit too flimsy- thin, dressy leather and a very thin sole (or maybe I’m just more used to thick soled American work boots now?). The gardener and lachie are still my faves, but I feel they have priced themselves out of the market. They are definitely $400 good. Maybe $500 good. But not $700 good.

Oh, and I solved the flimsy sole issue on that only pair this week:


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Lovely job; shape of that sole really flatters the boot.

Managed to take sime photos today. The biggest advantage of a chelsea boot is how easy and fast you put them on and take them off.
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Yes! I've been flying in penny loafers for the last decade for convenience at security. With the new scanners now it's not every time I have to take shoes off any more, but heavier Winter footwear, particularly boots with a metal shank, it does trigger the scanners, and often means taking them off. For the colder weather an easy on/off boot is a great travel option. Never found quite the right chelsea for me, but I've looked into a few similar things.

I decided to get a black pair of Chelsea boots. I ordered from a company called Blkbrd. The ordering process was pretty smooth over whatsapp and the boots were delivered after about 3 weeks. They're 360° handweltded and made from TPR Maryam horsebutt. This is definitely somewhat of a grail leather for me when it comes to boots. It's a beautiful, strong and dyed through veg tanned leather that also smells just so nice.

It's kinda hard for me to recommend Blkbrd though as they blindsided me with the patch on the upper. The pictures on their site didn't include it. Their reasoning was that they were worried the maryam leather might tear by trying to keep the leather in one piece around the ankle. It's hard to be mad though since the boots is otherwise great and it only cost 260 usd!

View attachment 718739

I actually rather like the aesthetic of the patch, be interesting to see it from the other angle.

If no new colours are added, then I am well equipped when it comes to Chelsea boots. There are still white ones available, but they are not really my style.
Mustang from GEA Waldviertler
View attachment 741583

White boots with this sort of shape always remind me of Elvis; a more Wester style and you're into a Lemmy Kilmister vibe.

 

[MrProper]

White boots with this sort of shape always remind me of Elvis; a more Wester style and you're into a Lemmy Kilmister vibe.

White boots are not my color at all. Sneakers are okay in white, but nothing else.

 

[3.14nche]

Funny to see this thread bumped today as I just ordered a pair of Lennertson this morning.
Belgian brand made in Portugal for less than half the price of Trickers with the black Friday deal.
Will post pics when they arrive, hopefully their sizing tool is accurate.

 

[cl206]

Gonna bump this. Im seriously considering adding another chelsea to my collection. Todd Snyder has 30% off the trickers henry country boot!!

any one have that and any comments? looks very versatile!