{07.06.09} Products

Test Lab

Red Wing Comes Home

Norman Rockwell once painted a series of Red Wing catalogs in the 1960s.

The harsh reality of the current craze in Americana is that many of the best finds from US legacy brands are only available in Japan. Nearly a year ago, bloggers were buzzing about these Red Wing boat shoes, issued exclusively in the East. The company caught wind of it and has wisely re-issued them in the mother country. The Wabasha boat shoe is named for the Minnesota town on the banks of the Mississippi River, not far from the Red Wing factory where these are hand-sewn. Every bit as well made as their wrought iron boots, the leather is beautiful and the stitching impeccable. For our test lab, I wore them all week without issue—even falling asleep in the pair on one occasion. They have a generous fit, so I recommend sizing down between a half or full size. - Alex Miller

$151 at Zappos