Review: The Merchant Might Be Red Wing's Best All Rounder

FULL REVIEW + PICTURES: https://stridewise.com/red-wing-merch...
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If you want an informal boot but you find a lot of Red Wing’s offerings a little too informal (Iron Rangers and Blacksmiths, I’m looking at you) then you’ll be delighted with the Red Wing Merchant, an unassuming, unstructured boot that fits into business casual, khakis-and-button-down type outfits and Friday-night-at-the-bar outfits with ease.

00:48 Red Wing the brand
01:12 The Merchant’s aesthetic
02:37 The Amber Harness leather
03:35 Leather care and patina
04:44 Red Wing Merchant sole
06:04 Red Wing Merchant fit & sizing
07:45 Red Wing Merchant price
08:23 Pros
09:34 Cons

AESTHETIC
• Less bulbous, slimmer than their better known work boots
• Unstructured toebox
• Well suited for casual and business casual
• No speed hooks

Again, this has a leaner look than most Red Wing boots, but it’s not as pointed and dressy as their more expensive Williston boots. The big thing to emphasize here is the unstructured toe, also called a bump toe, which they say helps the toes “move more naturally.”

It’ll show more wear and tear than the chunkier toes of the Blacksmith and especially the layered cap toe of the Iron Ranger, but these aren’t really boots for beating up in the great outdoors in the first place.

SEE MY IRON RANGER REVIEW:    • Red Wing Iron Rangers Review, 1 Year Old  

LEATHER
• Available in Amber Harness or Ebony Harness
• 2mm thick
• Full grain, oil tanned leather

Amber Harness is Red Wing’s most beloved leather and it’s used on their foundational 8111 Iron Ranger boot. Amber Harness is oil tanned so while it’s not quite as lustrous as some more chrome tanned leathers, it’s hardy and doesn’t need much care.

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RED WING MERCHANT SOLE
• Chemigum outsole (that’s cork and rubber)
• Cork midsole, no shank
• Leather insole

It’s unusual to see a Red Wing Heritage boot with a Chemigum outsole; these days they’re usually mad with Vibram rubber. Chemigum is a combination of cork and rubber, and it’s a bit flatter and softer and more lightweight, although a bit less durable.

After the outsole there’s cork midsole and leather insole, a classic combination in old fashioned shoes. However, there’s no shank here, which some find to be the most important part of a boot has it helps it maintain its shape and stability over time. Other people think shanks are completely overhyped.

RED WING MERCHANT FIT & COMFORT
• Same last as Iron Ranger and Blacksmith
• Order a half size down from your sneaker size
• Old fashioned comfort — so the shock absorption is pretty meh

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RED WING MERCHANT PRICE
$320. This is a reasonable price for a full grain leather, Goodyear welted, made in America boot. I don’t love it, but I have no issue with it.

RED WING MERCHANT PROS & CONS

PROS
• More versatile than most Red Wing boots
• Leather ages well and doesn’t need much care
• Can be resoled
• Water resistant

CONS
• Unstructured toe might show more wear over time
• No speed hooks
• No shank

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