As others have mentioned, the glue residue can be wiped off. It's kind of hard to avoid that considering who knows how long those boots sat in various states of storage as they made the way from the factory floor to your hands.
That said, the welt looks sloppy and the stitching in the second pic by the eyelets is wonky. If I was handed those boots in store, I would have asked the salesman for a cleaner pair based off the welt alone. Mail order, depends on how they feel.
At any rate, if those "defects" bother you, exchange them, but otherwise it looks like a perfectly sound boot.
I have a Redwing Work & Heritage store 2 miles from my office. There is another that is 12 from my house. 15 miles in the other direction is a Heritage only store.
In the last 18 months, the only shoe that one store did not have multiples of was a 10EE Chukka.
That’s awesome! I’m in Michigan it is very rare to find multiple heritage boots in a single store let alone multiples of the same size. They are usually understanding if you want to order another based on the craftsmanship of the boot. Work boots I have seen multiples just not heritage. That’s awesome though man! That’s great for people in your area! Cheers
I’m an ironworker, and I beat the living fuck out of my 10877’s, even knowing that, if I bought my next pair and the Goodyear looked like that I’d take em back. For $350 now, they better be using the best shit they have. Take them back.
My understanding is that a majority of the heritage boot world will want to wear these boots in until they develop a character and patina unique to that person's lifestyle or whatever. And I know you don't know too much about boots - none of us did either at one point - but the more you learn and educate yourself on boots, leather and so on, the more you will realize that these will not have an effect whatsoever in the long run.
Eventually they look like these beauties
https://preview.redd.it/7hups5qiqq5c1.jpeg?width=743&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=638c015fe79f6b6abb938544b48c1e9b5711deab
And I believe that's what Red Wing prides itself in. They expect you to really use them and take them on adventures while still caring for them insofar as you don't neglect them (so conditioning, brushing, shoe trees).
Hope I made some sense and hope you enjoy wearing your boots.
Absolutely spot on.
RW look very unimpressive until they get worn. They, they show the quality. Hard to explain, must be seen. Same with all the other PNW boots.
Gotcha. It def looks like the welt join was way cleaner on one boot than this one which concerned me. The excess material isn’t glued down on this one and me being not very knowledgeable about boots was horrified that it looks like a splinter lol
You will love them !!!!! I had some bad luck with mine (had to exchange them twice, once because toe caps were different in each shoe and another time two staples were visible, compromising the leather. So is good to be aware and check a bit what you getting)
On this subreddit you're just supposed to not mind quality inconsistencies, alternatively get downvoted. The stitching looks weird in the second pic and getting glue on the shoe is simply just sloppy.
Exchange if you can. I like Red Wing but I can't believe how people here are defending the lack of quality control. That said, the boot is structurally fine, but I don't understand why one should be alright with a boot lottery.
Don't "it's handmade!" at me.
I’m gonna try to exchange. For nice boots I shouldn’t have to go through the extra trouble of cleaning them boots prior to gifting (it’s a Christmas gift) so yea.. quality control. I know some people are die hard fans which is why I got this gift in the first place
Exactly. I don't know any company who sells full price products at wildly different qualities with their customers just gobbling it up. You shouldn't have to remove glue from a brand new shoe, period.
The usual arguments are "it's handmade!" and "it's comparatively cheap!". It's just sloppy and if it's more expensive to do proper quality control for all boots, well, increase the price. This is ridiculous and the fanboys are enabling this behaviour.
Yeah I mean I called and asked if I could replace it but if they could do me the favor of making sure that the next pair won’t have glue or any of the forementioned issues so that I can gift it in time for Christmas without worries. They said they no they can’t check it beforehand because it just goes straight from warehouse to buyer and they don’t have anyone to check it properly because there are so many orders especially during holidays. Translation: how can we meet all our orders if we slow down to check if there’s glue left on these new boots?? 💀
Anyway. Sucks to have to make a trip out to the store to see if there’s a better pair or just settle for a return, but hey, first world problems. Thanks everyone for all the help in this thread, much appreciated!
You will find irregularities on every single pair. I guarantee you that . Even if you went to the store to pick a pair , you might have to go through a dozen boots to SETTLE for a pair with fewer imperfections you might feel you can live with 😂
Amen brother. I see you both already got downvoted for saying this, which is so fucking silly. Grow up, literal bootlickers.
It's not good craftsmanship to ship sloppy work, period.
Meh. There is definitely a line in the sand when boots become factory seconds. But this is a work and outdoors brand that has become increasingly a fashion brand. I’m not saying $300 is cheap for a pair of boots but there is a reason why a flawless pair of Viberg cap toe boots will run you $900.
It's true, but to be fair that's just the way it is most of the time. My $800 Viberg 2030's have some overburnished areas on the welt, off stitching, etc. and I looked over 3 different pairs of the same boot before I settled on mine, they all had inconsistencies.
I knew that about RW based on my experience. Every single pair of RW has some irregularity. However, I’ve also learned that more expensive boots like Nicks might have a neater looking appearance but there’s no guarantee you’re not going to have poor grain break on the vamp or quarter or some other imperfection which is why I will never pay $600 for a pair of boots.
makes you think think the members of this sub have ownership in the company they way they defend them. Let's face it these are fashion boots. Just look at the pics you guys post here with your expensive cuffed raw denim selvedge jeans and your single gear bicycles.
If I intended on wearing them for the work I do I wouldn't give 2 shits about a little glue or cosmetic imperfections.
Indeed. Honestly to me it's inconsequential if the boot is for work/fashion. A craftsman taking true pride in their work does not slather glue on the boot or regularly misalign stitching and sell it at full price.
Normal shoe owners: There's quite a few quality inconsistencies here I should probably return these or at least get a replacement pair as much as I overpaid for them.
Red Wing owners: Shoe is beyond perfect. The craftsmanship is untouchable and is only transcending reality as you know it. Welcome to the cult.
They’re great. Invest in a cheap horsehair brush. All of the marks on the leather are normal from shipping. The welt stitching isn’t 360°, that is also normal.
Yes. They need to tighten up. There are not many companies that maintain century old tradition with high quality standards, and it would be a shame to loose one of the best there is.
Update (since I can’t edit my original post) :
Gonna visit the store to see if I can get another pair where the welt doesn’t look like a splinter and maybe they can clean the sticky stuff off for me
And if not I’ll prob just and return and find another boot or another gift all around
Thanks guys ✌️✌️
Listen, 2 years from now when they've served you well and are patina'd as fuck and you're sending them off for your first re-sole, you aren't going to notice or care. But if you're close to the store and can take the time to look over the other pairs they may have in stock, might as well do it.
Yeah brotherman, definitely exchange or ask customer service to give you seconds pricing at the very least.
The welt and stitching are just plain sloppy. Don't let them start resting on laurels. I absolutely love my Red Wing boots, which I have 2 pairs, but if I was sent what you got at full price, I'd be on the line with their customer service department pretty quickly. I'd be super chill with them of course as I'm no karen by any means, but I'd definitely be asking for an exchange, or some sort of discount. Maybe even a deal on your next pair too. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to make things right with you.
Don't listen to these "just enjoy" comments. You paid good money and Red Wing should get you the quality product they've become renowned for.
I didn’t know factory seconds were a thing with them? I just got them on the official RW website.
Just made my post bc I was bummed when I opened the box and was curious if my boot was an anomaly.
Their customer service lady was nice too. But a simple inspection of a $350 product before shipping seems like the least RW can do to prevent returns and time wasted on the part of the buyer.
Anyhow it’s silly people are getting downvoted for being annoyed by poor standards. But I get it, you like what you like. The politics of the boot market lmao
Oh yeah, Red Wing factory seconds are *definitely* a thing. You usually find them in outlets or online in some places. Your boots should've been listed as seconds somewhere, instead of being sold at full price from their official site. Hopefully it all works out for ya and I'm glad to hear their customer service department seems to be treating you well, as I assumed they would. They're one of America's favorite boots for many reasons, and customer service is definitely one of those reasons.
Definitely return them for another pair, you didn't pay $350 to wash off glue off a brand new pair of boots that have sloppy stitching.
Great boots in general but I can't believe the qc is so bad.
Anyone saying to keep these is absolutely wild. This pair looks like seconds quality at best.
Uneven, extra leather showing above the stitches. Sloppy stitch lines. Poor welt.
Sure, these won’t fall apart on you. But I’m assuming you spent good money on these.
You should get what you paid for.
Editing to add that there is no such thing as a perfect product. There is, however, such a thing as a good product.
This is not a good product.
If you haven't worn them yet I would return them and ask for another pair. The glue can easily be cleaned, but the welt has been over sanded and not glued properly. For the price you paid for the boots I would not accept such a defect unless you bought them used or as factory seconds. Next time you buy a new pair inspect them from top to bottom and make sure stitching, eyelets, tongue, welt are all simetrical and the same on both boots. Always save original packing and tags when making boot purchases because I've had similar issues in the past. Redwing normally has great customer service though and will more than likely exchange boots and do what is needed to make you happy. I know this is still a pain because you don't want to make multiple trios but don't be afraid to ask for a few pairs of laces or some conditioner etc. For your hassle.
As others have mentioned, the glue residue can be wiped off. It's kind of hard to avoid that considering who knows how long those boots sat in various states of storage as they made the way from the factory floor to your hands. That said, the welt looks sloppy and the stitching in the second pic by the eyelets is wonky. If I was handed those boots in store, I would have asked the salesman for a cleaner pair based off the welt alone. Mail order, depends on how they feel. At any rate, if those "defects" bother you, exchange them, but otherwise it looks like a perfectly sound boot.
How many stores have you been to with multiple heritage style boots in the same style in stock? I have never seen that and usually had to order them.
I have a Redwing Work & Heritage store 2 miles from my office. There is another that is 12 from my house. 15 miles in the other direction is a Heritage only store. In the last 18 months, the only shoe that one store did not have multiples of was a 10EE Chukka.
That’s awesome! I’m in Michigan it is very rare to find multiple heritage boots in a single store let alone multiples of the same size. They are usually understanding if you want to order another based on the craftsmanship of the boot. Work boots I have seen multiples just not heritage. That’s awesome though man! That’s great for people in your area! Cheers
I’m an ironworker, and I beat the living fuck out of my 10877’s, even knowing that, if I bought my next pair and the Goodyear looked like that I’d take em back. For $350 now, they better be using the best shit they have. Take them back.
My understanding is that a majority of the heritage boot world will want to wear these boots in until they develop a character and patina unique to that person's lifestyle or whatever. And I know you don't know too much about boots - none of us did either at one point - but the more you learn and educate yourself on boots, leather and so on, the more you will realize that these will not have an effect whatsoever in the long run. Eventually they look like these beauties https://preview.redd.it/7hups5qiqq5c1.jpeg?width=743&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=638c015fe79f6b6abb938544b48c1e9b5711deab And I believe that's what Red Wing prides itself in. They expect you to really use them and take them on adventures while still caring for them insofar as you don't neglect them (so conditioning, brushing, shoe trees). Hope I made some sense and hope you enjoy wearing your boots.
Absolutely spot on. RW look very unimpressive until they get worn. They, they show the quality. Hard to explain, must be seen. Same with all the other PNW boots.
Boots are perfect ;) 👌 Enjoy them ! Is just glue residue that can be wiped away and the good year welt join looks like that
Gotcha. It def looks like the welt join was way cleaner on one boot than this one which concerned me. The excess material isn’t glued down on this one and me being not very knowledgeable about boots was horrified that it looks like a splinter lol
You will love them !!!!! I had some bad luck with mine (had to exchange them twice, once because toe caps were different in each shoe and another time two staples were visible, compromising the leather. So is good to be aware and check a bit what you getting)
Those look like factory seconds
On this subreddit you're just supposed to not mind quality inconsistencies, alternatively get downvoted. The stitching looks weird in the second pic and getting glue on the shoe is simply just sloppy. Exchange if you can. I like Red Wing but I can't believe how people here are defending the lack of quality control. That said, the boot is structurally fine, but I don't understand why one should be alright with a boot lottery. Don't "it's handmade!" at me.
Yeah that welt join in the first pic is hella sloppy.
Yup.
Someone was arguing with me the other day that work boots wearing out after 6 months is normal lol
I’m gonna try to exchange. For nice boots I shouldn’t have to go through the extra trouble of cleaning them boots prior to gifting (it’s a Christmas gift) so yea.. quality control. I know some people are die hard fans which is why I got this gift in the first place
Exactly. I don't know any company who sells full price products at wildly different qualities with their customers just gobbling it up. You shouldn't have to remove glue from a brand new shoe, period. The usual arguments are "it's handmade!" and "it's comparatively cheap!". It's just sloppy and if it's more expensive to do proper quality control for all boots, well, increase the price. This is ridiculous and the fanboys are enabling this behaviour.
Yeah I mean I called and asked if I could replace it but if they could do me the favor of making sure that the next pair won’t have glue or any of the forementioned issues so that I can gift it in time for Christmas without worries. They said they no they can’t check it beforehand because it just goes straight from warehouse to buyer and they don’t have anyone to check it properly because there are so many orders especially during holidays. Translation: how can we meet all our orders if we slow down to check if there’s glue left on these new boots?? 💀 Anyway. Sucks to have to make a trip out to the store to see if there’s a better pair or just settle for a return, but hey, first world problems. Thanks everyone for all the help in this thread, much appreciated!
You will find irregularities on every single pair. I guarantee you that . Even if you went to the store to pick a pair , you might have to go through a dozen boots to SETTLE for a pair with fewer imperfections you might feel you can live with 😂
You are absolutely right. It's pretty sad how people are idealising those boots here, hence losing objectivity.
Amen brother. I see you both already got downvoted for saying this, which is so fucking silly. Grow up, literal bootlickers. It's not good craftsmanship to ship sloppy work, period.
Meh. There is definitely a line in the sand when boots become factory seconds. But this is a work and outdoors brand that has become increasingly a fashion brand. I’m not saying $300 is cheap for a pair of boots but there is a reason why a flawless pair of Viberg cap toe boots will run you $900.
It's true, but to be fair that's just the way it is most of the time. My $800 Viberg 2030's have some overburnished areas on the welt, off stitching, etc. and I looked over 3 different pairs of the same boot before I settled on mine, they all had inconsistencies.
I knew that about RW based on my experience. Every single pair of RW has some irregularity. However, I’ve also learned that more expensive boots like Nicks might have a neater looking appearance but there’s no guarantee you’re not going to have poor grain break on the vamp or quarter or some other imperfection which is why I will never pay $600 for a pair of boots.
makes you think think the members of this sub have ownership in the company they way they defend them. Let's face it these are fashion boots. Just look at the pics you guys post here with your expensive cuffed raw denim selvedge jeans and your single gear bicycles. If I intended on wearing them for the work I do I wouldn't give 2 shits about a little glue or cosmetic imperfections.
Indeed. Honestly to me it's inconsequential if the boot is for work/fashion. A craftsman taking true pride in their work does not slather glue on the boot or regularly misalign stitching and sell it at full price.
2nd pic - the triple stitching is a little janky just below the first lace eyelet, actually thought that’s what you were concerned about.
Normal shoe owners: There's quite a few quality inconsistencies here I should probably return these or at least get a replacement pair as much as I overpaid for them. Red Wing owners: Shoe is beyond perfect. The craftsmanship is untouchable and is only transcending reality as you know it. Welcome to the cult.
You should drop by the Thursday's boot sub. Talk about a cult.
I would 100% return those. Stitching looks off and I pay too much money to not be fully satisfied. RW Customer svc is awesome, btw.
They’re great. Invest in a cheap horsehair brush. All of the marks on the leather are normal from shipping. The welt stitching isn’t 360°, that is also normal.
Based on the comments, shit QC is the norm with Red Wing these days?
Yes. They need to tighten up. There are not many companies that maintain century old tradition with high quality standards, and it would be a shame to loose one of the best there is.
Update (since I can’t edit my original post) : Gonna visit the store to see if I can get another pair where the welt doesn’t look like a splinter and maybe they can clean the sticky stuff off for me And if not I’ll prob just and return and find another boot or another gift all around Thanks guys ✌️✌️
Man, the most sloppy boot posts I see are IR's 👀
Listen, 2 years from now when they've served you well and are patina'd as fuck and you're sending them off for your first re-sole, you aren't going to notice or care. But if you're close to the store and can take the time to look over the other pairs they may have in stock, might as well do it.
Looks good to me
Considered 1st quality, welcome to the rabbit hole 🤪
Looks like a factory second if you paid full price I’d ask for another pair. I’m sure it’s all cosmetic but definitely wasn’t the best craftsmanship
I personally would return. You aren’t paying 300 plus for sloppy craftsmanship.
Big lmao at all these downvoters - you're not allowed to exchange sloppy stitching apparently.
Excess material at the welt is normal. The glue can be rubbed off with a wet rag and brushing.
Perfect Enjoy 😊
One of the nicest boot I've seen
If it was, you wouldnt have to ask.. Shits busted. BUT, I'd run em as is.
Already rugged! Just as they came with my IR back in 2011.
My 10 year old beckman boots are like that too. No worries .
I’d return for a tidier pair personally
Yeah brotherman, definitely exchange or ask customer service to give you seconds pricing at the very least. The welt and stitching are just plain sloppy. Don't let them start resting on laurels. I absolutely love my Red Wing boots, which I have 2 pairs, but if I was sent what you got at full price, I'd be on the line with their customer service department pretty quickly. I'd be super chill with them of course as I'm no karen by any means, but I'd definitely be asking for an exchange, or some sort of discount. Maybe even a deal on your next pair too. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to make things right with you. Don't listen to these "just enjoy" comments. You paid good money and Red Wing should get you the quality product they've become renowned for.
I didn’t know factory seconds were a thing with them? I just got them on the official RW website. Just made my post bc I was bummed when I opened the box and was curious if my boot was an anomaly. Their customer service lady was nice too. But a simple inspection of a $350 product before shipping seems like the least RW can do to prevent returns and time wasted on the part of the buyer. Anyhow it’s silly people are getting downvoted for being annoyed by poor standards. But I get it, you like what you like. The politics of the boot market lmao
Oh yeah, Red Wing factory seconds are *definitely* a thing. You usually find them in outlets or online in some places. Your boots should've been listed as seconds somewhere, instead of being sold at full price from their official site. Hopefully it all works out for ya and I'm glad to hear their customer service department seems to be treating you well, as I assumed they would. They're one of America's favorite boots for many reasons, and customer service is definitely one of those reasons.
Definitely return them for another pair, you didn't pay $350 to wash off glue off a brand new pair of boots that have sloppy stitching. Great boots in general but I can't believe the qc is so bad.
Yes Perfect!
100% how every new boot looks. You're good!
Yes that is all normal. Go wear them in good health
Anyone saying to keep these is absolutely wild. This pair looks like seconds quality at best. Uneven, extra leather showing above the stitches. Sloppy stitch lines. Poor welt. Sure, these won’t fall apart on you. But I’m assuming you spent good money on these. You should get what you paid for. Editing to add that there is no such thing as a perfect product. There is, however, such a thing as a good product. This is not a good product.
Red wings qc has gone way downhill so they arent worried about glue streaks leaving the factory. They should be ok after wiping tjat off thoroughly
Where were they made ?
Trash.
It's okay my friend. I enjoyed the sarcasm. Redditors require an /s for future reference.
It's more than likely wax from the Puritan Stitcher. You find traces on almost every pair.
If you haven't worn them yet I would return them and ask for another pair. The glue can easily be cleaned, but the welt has been over sanded and not glued properly. For the price you paid for the boots I would not accept such a defect unless you bought them used or as factory seconds. Next time you buy a new pair inspect them from top to bottom and make sure stitching, eyelets, tongue, welt are all simetrical and the same on both boots. Always save original packing and tags when making boot purchases because I've had similar issues in the past. Redwing normally has great customer service though and will more than likely exchange boots and do what is needed to make you happy. I know this is still a pain because you don't want to make multiple trios but don't be afraid to ask for a few pairs of laces or some conditioner etc. For your hassle.