A couple of years ago I needed to replace my boots, and stopped into a nearby Redwing dealer to buy a new pair of 899s. I've been wearing this model for over 30 years, and was dismayed to learn that they'd been discontinued. The dealer had one pair left in my size, so I bought them and deferred the unpleasant decision of what kind of boot I'd have to put up with next time around.
Last week I noticed that the welt stitching on those boots needed repair, so I went to the same store to see if the situation had changed. To my delight, I found out that although the 899 has been dropped from regular production, they're still offered on a made-to-order basis. Better yet, they've changed back to the oak tanned leather of yesteryear -- no more orange socks with a new pair of boots!
I picked up my new pair yesterday, and will drop the old ones off for repair next time I'm in the neighborhood.
My wallet is $240 lighter, but my feet are very happy!
And I believe they are still made in the good ol' U.S. of A.
The Red Wing 899 Is Back!
Suits me. If enough of you folks buy the 899's, maybe the price on the real Red Wing boot, the 877, will drop. :>
The Red Wing 899 Is Back!
I'm partial to the Vibram lug sole, and I always figured that the moc toe stitching provides an unnecessary source of leaks. Other than that, I'm sure the 877 is a nice shoe.
The Red Wing 899 Is Back!
> I'm partial to the Vibram lug sole ...
The 877's come with a Crepe sole which is steadfast on rock, unlike the material used on the 899 which was more than a bit slippery. Tough wearing, though.
>LEATHER: Oro-iginal Leather
>CONSTRUCTION: Goodyear Leather Welt
>OUTSOLE: Traction Tred Cushion Crepe Wedge
>COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Made in USA
> MSRP: 254.99
I keep a pair of boots in the truck under the pretense that someday I may actually need to do some serious field work again. For office and light field work I have never found a pair of shoes more comfortable and durable than these.
http://us.shop.ecco.com/ECCO-Track-II-Low/001944,default,pd.html?dwvar_001944_color=00741#q=track
I pulled off one of my Wellington style Redwings to check the number.
The tag on the inside says 1132. The bootstrap has "Pecos" embossed on it.
are the 899's the ones with a gore tex lining and 200g Thinsulate? I was going thru a pair every year or two until they quit making them. Switched to Danners. Might switch back. Hard to find anything in a 12EEEE.
I think of new boots every now and then. You guys have me serious shopping now.
Left Redwing when they changed the sole to that slippery slide soft wearout soon material some years ago. As the wedge sole goes, they never have worked on inclines with the wet leaves of early mornings and around creek areas, same slippery effect.
Lace-ups are too cumbersome and the laces get caught up in briars and such on occasion.
Now that the Vibram sole is back, this new model 4481 looks interesting.
> are the 899's the ones with a gore tex lining and 200g Thinsulate?
The 899 is very basic -- no insulation, no lining, just high-quality leather and workmanship.
> I think of new boots every now and then. You guys have me serious shopping now.
>
> Left Redwing when they changed the sole to that slippery slide soft wearout soon material some years ago. As the wedge sole goes, they never have worked on inclines with the wet leaves of early mornings and around creek areas, same slippery effect.
>
> Lace-ups are too cumbersome and the laces get caught up in briars and such on occasion.
>
> Now that the Vibram sole is back, this new model 4481 looks interesting.
I just looked that up. I see a 4471, not a 4481. ????B-)
edit:
Found it. I had made in USA with US components filter on. The 4481 is made with foreign components.
B-)
I wore a Redwing that appears to the the same as the 1178 for years, until I started having insole breakdown problems.
Redwing 1412 for me !
Expensive but the guy in 'em needs all the help he can get 🙂
http://www.redwingshoes.com/red-wing-shoe/1412-red-wing-shoes/1412-red-wing-mens-8-inch-boot-brown
I hate spending time threading laces !
Cheers,
Derek
I bought my first pair of Redwings in 1966 for $18.
Lasted a couple of years and liked them.
Keith
I need a pair of boots, think I'll get the ones Jim suggests.
I need a vibram sole.
I've been wearing these for years ...
(each year a new pair!)
Very comfortable, I'm suffering from a heel spur, I need the soft sole and withn these boots no pain from the heel spur.
Don't know if they're actually made inside the USA??
Chr.
I ordered a pair of 899s at the Red Wing store today.
The lady says you are 14 Bennie, they have that size on special order only. 3 weeks to get them. She said her father wore that size too.
Only 2% of the population have narrow feet and the shoe manufacturers are not making narrow shoes except for Red Wing and New Balance according to the sales lady.
She said 65% of the population are double wide and the manufacturers don't care about them either. I can get my foot into a D width, it isn't ideal but it works. Someone with EEE can't physically do that.
There is also Whites and Nicks but Red Wing is at least almost affordable.
> The lady says you are 14 Bennie, they have that size on special order only. 3 weeks to get them.
I got mine -- in 9D -- at Emil's in Woodland. They told me all the 899s are special order now, but maybe they were just trying to keep me from shopping around. In any case, I'm very happy with my new boots.
If I understand what she said, popular sizes are already made so just have to be shipped but less popular sizes (such as narrow widths) are not made until someone orders them. I have to wait an extra week because they have to make the boots for me.
They will even do different sizes for people with different sized feet.
