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That “loafers suck” sign made me laugh out loud. I love my back countries so much that I just ordered the Oneidas thanks to the Iron Snail. Now I feel I need one of these. Thanks Carl! 😔
These are my new grail boots… I don’t need the over tough PNW boots. After this video and Rose Anvil’s break down of these boots I want a pair and will be working to get a pair of Russells. Thanks for the great video and the coffee show.
Nice review, your description of them as the closest thing between a work-boot and a slipper holds for their Backcountry as being a cross between a hiking boot and a slipper. I walk about 10 - 15k a day in the mountains, mostly with my dog, usually in traditional all leather hiking boots and shoes, always looking for resole-able options, another plus for the Russells as you can resole the outsole a few times at any cobbler before needing to send them back to do a full resole / rebuild. Since getting mine I've become addicted to them, and will eventually get at least one other pair, for hot days and daily wear like the Professional Hunter. The main difference between these true moccasins and traditional or hybrid hikers is that they lock your heel down while leaving your forefoot free, my feet are far less tired after a long day or hike in them because the foot is always flexing and working within the boot, a very natural almost barefoot shoe feeling, especially because there's not a big drop with them. The arch support is just right, too. My favorite things about them is the ground feel and the incredible quality of the leather, the Walnut Timberjack is so supple and conforming, and still smells amazing after weeks of wear. Kudos to the company for continuing to make these amazing hand-built boots traditionally , that look as cool as they feel.
Great review. Russell’s are my favorite boot for the comfort and general wear. I don’t work a physical job so I don’t need a PNW level durability. The sock hack is great for all pull on boots.
I found them years ago because they were one of the few that made boots out of bison. I went to buy another pair when I realized about the ownership change. Before when they were full on customs, they were hands-down the best boots you'll over own. Now they're still phenomenal and worth buying. The lead times were ridiculous at 15 months, now they're within 2-3 months.
Very cool 😎 👌 I have hoped you would eventually do a review on the Russell boots. I know they have a sound history of being a great boot. One day... ugggh, i feel like spending the money to finally own my own pair. One day....
Carl Murawski, The Rose Anvil of the East Coast. I would not count a pair of Russel's as work boots. I think they are outdoor and hunting boots. I have my White's Perry's and Danner's for work boots. Hopefully, I will finally pull the plug and get a pair of Weathered Oak Backcountry boots. BTW, I have weekend boots that never see any hard conditions that would be like working during the week. They are great for yard work though. And, now I don't feel so bad when cut them in half.
Just buy the Razorbacks on sale for 145$...if they still have your size...very comfortable, much more comfortable than my Nicks boots will ever be...No nails sticking up, a lasting board footbed that is light as a feather...much easier to walk when each boot doesn't weight 3.5 pounds... Right tool for the right job. If you want a Moctoe, just get a boring old redwing and be done.
I was looking at the Grant Stone Field boot and while I like the bumper toe and the reinforced top seam, I don't care for the sole or the hardware. Once I saw the Backcountry from Russell, I'm like "Yep, those are them." Granted the $750 price point is considerable but take into account that they're largely hand-stitched so that makes sense (even some White's MPs are in the $700 range).
I did their sizing app and it told me I would be a size 9.5, but my brannock is 11 and my boots are usually 10.5. Didn’t seem right. How do most people size?
My Brannock is 10 and I got the 9D as the app indicated, absolutely perfect fit, but I have pretty regular shaped feet. Same size as with most hiking boot brands, namely EU 43, UK 9, US 10.
Could you compare these to gokeys classic? I haven’t seen any reviews on those and they seem the same quality but a bit cheaper. They are my bucket list hunting boot.
I caught that 'loafers suck' writing 😂 lol but why? PS - loved the chop! Haha didn't see it coming like that I'd be interested in Russell.. but I don't like their 'boot boots' I'd rather their true Mocs.. but then, do I wanna spend that much on just Mocs.. definitely admire the company though.. Thanks for the content Carl..!
Because they’re horrible and I hate them. I hate everything about them, stupid laceless slipper shoes that people wear with no socks god damn I hate them so much!
@@CarlMurawski 😆 well.., It's good to know what you like and don't,, and we all can't like the same things right? I got some Oak Street Camp Mocs recently.. soft natural CXL on them., good for around the house stuff like taking out the trash real quick on a Summer morning., (I don't like going sock-less with leather either though.. your feet end up sweating) but I've adapted.. I'd probably where them more if I didn't always have socks on! Hah ✌️
I actually know something that you don’t Carl. It’s an apparently little known phenomenon that boots get hungry throughout the day but lace up boots, thanks to their tighter fit, don’t get as hungry. Think of it like the stomach bands that help people lose weight if that helps. Pull on boots don’t have that so your boot just eats the sock throughout the course of your daily activities. It’s a strange thing for sure but it’s as factual as anything any politician on earth would tell you.
Hi Carl , it's nice to be able to go from one extreme in footwear to another.....Nicks boots to a moccasin as I enjoy both for obvious reasons. I'm going to get the Russell Oneida true moccasins at some point they have a cool history of being used for building the dirigibles and other airships during the 1st WW so they didn't damage the covering. Look to be pretty rugged and can be resoled too. Why aren't you up to 500K subscribers yet !! , stingy buggers !! hahaha Just a note of interest , Wassookeag moccasins has closed it's doors for good, any remaining orders will be completed and shipped and that's it , another loss.
That was my biggest worry before getting mine. They in fact have excellent support but you don't have the high heel and exaggerated arch of the PNW boots. My soles cramp after a day in Red Wings or Thursdays, they feel amazing after a day in the Russells.
@@CarlMurawskifair points. But I feel like your review was overall very positive. Also, I’ve never viewed Russel as trying to be true work boots. More everyday and hunting. Loved the video though!!!!
@@widespreadian I agree! It was definitely what I’d call a positive review. However, people are much more likely to watch a video that hints at potential disappointment. Sadly it’s just human nature to react to negativity.
Haven't started the video yet. Will i be more disappointed by the price or lack of widths 🤔 Oh, i got it!!!! It's that the 7" uplander DISAPPEARED with the new ownership...
I have the pre heal counter zephyr. Still a Russell, but I wish I had the heal counter. I have used 5 different devices and I still can't get that measurement tool to work!
More elegant seems to me to be very subjective, the stitch area is smaller because they don't have the overlap, but the downside is that you lose the waterproofing this method gives. I have no reason to believe the Goky hand stitching is any more skilful than the RM's. The rest of the design is pretty identical, at least to my eyes, over a bunch of models.
They remain waterproof by stitching through the top and then out the edge of the leather, and do so with extremely tight stitching. I corresponded with one of their original cordwainers who went on to create Macrostie Leathers. Of course, the only way you can reliably do this kind of hand stitching is by using thick full grain leather. The other benefit then being these Botte Sauvage boots are then snakebite proof and great for stomping through Texas scrubland.
A little bit clickbait title for boots more for other application than strictly WORK? Sure, but I prefer "locked in" feel for work or hiking use, too. I think anything with buckle and zipper is too urban?
I thought the same when I dropped $600 on my Nick's Tacticals but since I'm in them 10-12 hours/day, having something nice is...nice, not to mention recraftable.
They'll outlast most other boots, they can hold up to resoling and rebuilding more times than other all-leather boots, but mainly your paying for the quality and the build time, not just for the name. Mine came in under $700 and it's still far more than I've ever spent on a pair of boots, but it's the best money I've ever spent and I don't regret it for a second.
Working boots, only affordable to those who are least likely to use them as working boots. 🤔 I suppose there is a market for these, but I wont be spending this amount of cash for boots that will be thrashed by a hard wearing working environment, especially when there are high quality options available for less than half the price of these puppies.
They really aren't designed or marketed as a workboot for anything other than light duty. Their boot market is hikers, hunters, farmers, and as a workboot, for people that need to go from workshop to customer visits, as an example. I think Carl got this exactly right in his review. It would be a waste of money to use these as a construction site workboot, completely the wrong tool, and dangerous.
True, but if you were dead-set on these particular boots I can’t think of many alternatives. The price puts them out of the true workwear category in my opinion.
@@CarlMurawski They are however the exact overlap of my dream boot, moctoe + engineers boot + high quality build. It would be an interesting exercise to map boots out on a cost (low vs high) vs utility (low vs high) scale to determine if there is a market for the “dream products” class, i.e high cost, relative low utility
The title of this video is weird (click-baity). If someone buys these boots and is then "disappointed" (as the title says) because they don't have the work safety features required on many job sites, then that person really wasn't paying any attention at all to what they're buying and what they needed. Is anyone going to approach an $800 purchase with that kind of mindset? I kinda doubt it.
I don’t care if they are hand stitched. Never in a million years would I pay $750 for a pair of boots. Could I afford them? Sure I could. But it’s the principle. Paying that much for a boot just isn’t justified. New owners of Russell Moccasin should be ashamed of themselves for running this company into the ground.
Au contraire, I think they have done a great job so far of making the transition, redefining the product lines, and promoting the brand, with apparently zero loss of quality. There was no way they would have survived with the previous business model.
