The Chelsea Boots

Two ways, rock-solid build.

Let’s start with the construction. It’s a Goodyear welt—that clever bit where the sole is stitched to the upper, not just glued on like some shabby festival wellies. What does that mean in real life? Five, eight, ten years down the line, once you’ve finally worn out the sole, just stroll into any cobbler and they’ll swap it for a fresh one in a day or two. Good as new. Made at Penha in Portugal, the very lot who’ve been crafting our boots since V1.

Now, it depends which leather you go for, but you’ll get either a smooth or a lugged sole. Both are tough-as-nails, made from local Portuguese rubber. Smooth if you’re looking for something on the sharper side, lugged for days when it looks like rain for forty days and forty nights. Take your pick.

That's what they're made for

The insole’s full-length leather with 3mm of EVA foam underneath. Same sort of foam you’ll find in a pair of trainers. Every step: cushioned, springs back, just does the job. The three leathers we use are all treated differently, but always with one goal—feel soft from day one, sparing you a few weeks of that ‘breaking in’ agony.

We put in some overtime on the shape too, so there’s no squashed toes at the front, your feet actually breathe and you can slip them on, no struggle.

Over to you

And sticking to tradition is non-negotiable round here. We listen, then tweak—nothing new there. Last time, we sifted through a neat 10,000 comments, catalogued the lot, and used them to plot our next move.

• The insole used to be just a half leather job. Now it runs the full length of the shoe, with an extra 3mm of EVA foam underneath. Makes a world of difference when it comes to cushioning.
• We’ve tweaked the heel as well. The old one tilted forwards a bit, which meant the arch kicked in a touch too soon. Now it’s straighter and that arch support arrives later—it all feels much more natural when you walk.
• We’ve brought out two cracking new leathers: tobacco suede with a smooth sole, and dark brown oiled with a chunky tread.