Customer Reviews

Chippewa Men's 20065 6" Rugged Handcrafted Lace-Up Boot,Chocolate Apache,9 2E US

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I meant to buy another pair of my favorite Carolina boots only to discover that model is no longer being made. The Carolina boot that replaced it is now made in China. I have nothing against products made in other countries per se, however, I have been very disappointed in the sizing of almost every pair of shoes/boots I have ever bought that was made in China. I wear a US size 11EE as measured numerous times over the years in numerous shoe stores. Unfortunately, this often translated into Chinese-made shoes and boots in sizes up to 12 EEEEE (one brand of well-known boots I tried in size 13 EW was too small for my size 11 foot).

After discovering the Carolina boots were no longer available, I intended to go by the Red Wing store but looked at their prices and backed off. Red Wings are good shoes but Red Wing really likes them a lot. It was time to try something different. I was happy to find out that Chippewa still makes their products in the USA and continues to maintain a good reputation at a reasonable price. I had never owned any Chippewa boots before but I went ahead and ordered my usual 11EE from Amazon.

The boots fit well. At first, they felt a little loose. I put on some thicker socks and tightened the lacing. New leather boots always need time to conform to your feet and some heel slipping is pretty much normal until the soles flex a bit. After a couple of hours wear, they began to feel really good. As the leather stretches and molds, it is easier to tighten the laces and the looseness is gone. They feel good and the rounded toes offer plenty of "wiggle room". In other words, they fit true-to-size for my feet.

They appear to be well made. While the label says "Handcrafted In The USA" it does not say "Made In...". As best I can tell from this difference in wording, the boots were put together here in the USA but the leather and other materials may have been made in another country. It seems many American tanneries have closed due to environmental regulations that made it unprofitable to continue to produce leather. The tanning of most leather today is done--where else?--China. So while shoes and boots may still be "handcrafted" in the USA, the materials are often from other countries. At least the actual manufacture of the boot is here and Chippewa continues to build these boots to fit my made in the USA foot.

Will these boots last for many years of frequent hard use? This is still an unknown. What I can say is that the boots appear to be put together well, they are comfortable on my feet and they fit perfectly. The material looks to be quality leather, oil-tanned. The soles are by Vibram but they are not heavily lugged so you won't bring a lot of debris in the house. I like them a lot and I am very satisfied with the boot. I may order a second pair as a hedge against this model being discontinued or production moving out of the country.

I purchased this boot for a every day ware. So far it has been one of the best buys I've made in a while. The size is true(I ware extra wide) so order correct.This boot is not a fashion boot it has some weight to it also I recomend treating it with mink oil to soften the leather(it is a little thick) the sole is a good thickness. All in all five stars very happy.

These are great work boots I bought a pair 6 months ago and they are wearing very well, I wear them 5 days a week working in general construction and they are very comfortable.I urge you to get a pair because they are made in the USA I believe people need to start buying american made goods to get the economy back on track.

I have flat feet and a hard time finding the right fit for these Sz 13 boats. These shoes have a nice arch support and are true to size. Very comfortable wearing all day long and have to say, they are keepers. You won't be sorry with these boots!

These are Great Boots , fit good, no break in, comfortable like slippers, seem like they will last a long time.I have another pair of Chippewa boots , Road Worrior Engineer boot
I am very pleased with these also, and there MADE IN AMERICA!!!!!!!!!

I had purchased this as the rebranded version through LL Bean.
The only difference is the branding (Katadhin Iron Works Engineer), the lifetime satisfaction guarantee, and the LL Bean version also has a toe cap.
Unless you are sold on the toe cap (as I was) it is a better price here on Amazon.

The leather is top notch.
A thicker cut is used unlike many boots on the market, with double and triple stitching on most seams.
With the oiled leather it is not neccesary to use any additional protectors, but most people will tell you it is a good idea.
I had applied a layer of Mink Oil first, allowed this to dry and applied Obenauf's HD Leather Protector.
SnoSeal will do nearly as well as the Obenaufs at a cheaper price.
All of this darkens the leather, but my preference is a deep brown anyway.

By doing so not only did it soften the leather to make the break in easier, but the water just rolls off, and any dirt is easily wiped away.

I mentioned the break in period, as it can be rough going.
The type of leather used, while wonderfully solid and durable, is tougher to break in.
Most people recommend a 2 week minimum if worn most of the time, and up to 2 months if worn intermittently.
So long as you size it right, this will mold beautifully to your foot like a glove.
The top collar rubbed my right ankle quite a lot at first, but after nearly 2 weeks I only feel the slightest pressure on that side still, and expect this to go away after a short time.

I typically wear size 11s, and picked out the 10.5 as they are known to run large.
FYI I wear size 10 Doc Martens, and size out to a 10.5 in the Red Wing Iron Rangers as well.
Keep in mind it is a bit more narrow than most boots, so order the EE sizes if you have wide feet.
I am on the borderline with width, but after the break in, the leather will stretch and mold to a better fit on the normal D width.

There are many online reviews of people using these boots for 10 or 20 years.
Treat them right, and you can expect the same, as I do.

I first bought a size 11 pair of these boots after not being able to find a sizing chart that actually made sense for Chippewa, and found that they had about an inch of extra length beyond my toes. (I wear a size 11 normally in all other shoes)

I returned those and went all the way down to a size 10, and those fit perfectly. Chippewa seems to be about one size up in their construction, so keep that in mind when purchasing.

Otherwise, the boots are very well constructed and comfortable once broken in. I treated the leather with beeswax and it took on a gorgeous deep brown color. There are a few loose stitches here and there, so time will tell how these boots hold together.

I bought the boot hoping I would get a good slip resistant boot in a kennel setting. I also wanted a light boot for walking and being on my feet for an 8 hr shift.

Love the look of the boot first off. Can be a little hot in the sun.
The sole is very light weight and comfortable but can wear quick.
Does not breath great I think it has to do with the preservative used in the tanning of the leather.

Not a very water resistant boot. Water gets in the welt very quickly.

The sole performs very well in wet surfaces.

I have had them now for almost a month. The sole is starting to wear and getting a little separation in the welt. But to be fair they are walked in for a few miles a day and also in semi wet conditions. Sometimes very wet conditions.

I maintain them regularly and use a shoe tree to dry them out.

Time will tell how they will perform in the long run.

But for now they are a good looking boot that does not tire me out in the end of the day. And the gumlite is pretty good on wet polished cement.

These are my second pair of Chippewa boots.

***FYI check the construction of the boot when you get it. The soles were a tad misshaped which was no big deal but later noticed that the heel counter (the leather piece on the back of the boot) was misaligned which I would of preferred it not to be.

got a pair of these for christmas and must say i am on my feet 12+ hours a day. these with a pair of wool socks are the most comfortable boots i have owned. requested another pair for my bday. we will see how they hhhold up in the shop/studio. (not sure i would order from papa shoes again....not great for cust. service. never returned any calls etc. )

Excellent product! Excellent service! The payment, the shipping, the entire process went very well and i am very satisfied! I will use Amazon again!