 Last year, I did a four-part series called New to Quality Heritage Boots looking at different styles of entry-level boots. But what next? Once you've tried your entry-level, good quality heritage style stitched boots, and you've caught the bug, what next? G'day, welcome back to my channel, Bootlossophy, and my name is Tech. I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands that I live on here in Western Australia, the Wajik people of Nungabuja. Now last year, I released a four-part video series on what quality stitch construction entry-level boots you could choose if you wanted to start your boot mania. How to stick your toes in the water, so to speak. One of those videos was about entry-level mock-toe boots, and you can watch that video up here. I nominated the Tharigood Classic mock-toe and the Thursday Diplomat, both for under 200 US dollars. But now that you're hooked and you want to carry on your journey, what should you look at next? But first, let's remind ourselves what falls into the category of mock-toe boots. The style is defined by the U-shaped apron stitch on the vamp that usually but not always stitches two pieces of leather together to form the vamp, being the side walls at the forefoot and the top of the vamp. Sometimes it isn't a functional stitch, but purely decoration, a mock mock-toe if you like, mimicking the look of the American First Nations people's moccasin shoes. More often than not, you might also expect the boots to be fixed to a waged sole, probably because the first mock-toe boots by Red Wing were made that way for farmers and hunters for their comfort and to reduce the tracking of dirt indoors. Most brands, especially those associated with blue-collar work wear, will probably carry a version, but they may vary it up and maybe put them on lugged soles. The term mock-toes, encompassing that U-stitch, is today a little more liberally applied. For example, the famous Alden Indy boot has that U-shaped apron stitch, but it is a cosmetic stitch and not functional. But those are 650 US dollars and some from the Pacific Northwest brands could be more than that. So back to the question, what's next after entry level? If I dip my toe in, like the water temperature, but still reluctant to pay $600 and over. Well, here are my contenders. In the red corner is the famed Red Wing Classic 875 mock-toe work boot. In the blue corner is the Grant Stone saddle tan field boot. They both sell for the US $300 mark. The Red Wing model number 875 sells for just over $300, although other leathers can go for the mid $300. The Grant Stone field boot in this Italian leather goes for US $380. I'll put links to their websites in the description area below. Taking the Red Wing 875 first, this is probably what you see in your mind's eye when you think of a mock-toe boot. The 875 model denotes their classic orangey, auralegacy leather and sits on a blown rubber Vibram wedge sole. You can see my full review up there. Red Wing is a nearly 120-year-old family-owned company founded in Red Wing in the state of Minnesota in the US Midwest. Its most famous product is probably the Iron Ranger and over time has made a huge work boot line gradually becoming a vertically integrated company buying out their neighboring SB foot tannery and owning many of their own stores. Today, after reawakening to the fact of the interest in heritage, they now brand their work boots separately and started a heritage line of boots. Other popular models of the original mock-toe boots include the 1907 in their copper rough and tough uppers and the new 8828 in alpine portage uppers on a black wedge sole. This one is the classic though. First brought out in the 1950s in an 8-inch design and now the favorite of American blue collar workers who wear this as a work boot as well as trendy hipsters and boot collectors like myself and Hollywood stars because, well, they look great and they're sturdy, they're well built and eventually comfortable. There are a few cons, the most prominent being that this isn't easy to break in. The leather is thick at around two millimeters and it's tough. The all leather and cork sole construction on top of the thick wedge sole makes the flexing of this sole quite difficult encouraging blister-inducing heel slip. The soft wedge sole is itself prone to wearing reasonably faster than other outsoles. They're also not particularly versatile and clearly a work or jeans casual boot only. On the pro side however, being good year wilted, they are totally recraftable and the worn outsoles can be replaced theoretically infinitely but realistically at least three to four times potentially making this boot last five to 10 years. Combined with the good year-wilt construction, the oil-tanned auralegacy leather also makes this a very water-resistant boot so you can walk through mud and puddles with no fear. The price is one of the pros being bang on $300. It's only another $100 on top of the Thursday diplomat and the Tharagut classic mock toe when you're ready to graduate and believe it or not, once you've gone through the breaking period, this becomes one of the most comfortable boots in this price range and style because the leathers become supple with use and proper conditioning, the wedge soles are actually very shock absorbing and the sole construction truly molds to the shape of your feet. The next contender is the Grant Stone Field Boot. Now I could have easily said the Grant Stone Brass Boot, the other mock toe boot that has more of a traditional mock toe shape and interestingly can be bought with a commando lug sole for a different look. You can see my review of their brass boot in Earthwaxy Commander up there but for this video I chose their Field Boot just to show you a different design for the mock toe boot. Now you may or may not know that Grant Stone is a far younger company starting in 2016 based in Michigan but making their boots in a partner factory in Shiamen in China. One of the founders has a three generation family connection into the shoe business and particularly connected to Alden. You can see in their boots and designs and manufacturing quality that they are affected by the Alden gene. Their boots are made superbly well, very comfortable, fit incredibly well and are on the dressy side of the finishing. This Field Boot is less of a work boot and more I think in the style of an American East Coast hunting boot with the bumper patch on the toes. So if you like the mock toe design but would like a twist this is definitely worth a look. This one is in Italian Badalassi tannery's Saddle Tan. It's a vegetable tanned leather and so provides a contrast to the red wing oil tanned uppers. It's not so oily and scuffable and has the appearance of a smoother waxy leather. Now both are full grain leathers meaning that they are the best bits of the top layers of the hide but this one has the stiffer veg tanned characteristic at the beginning and like all veg tanned leathers it smells like leather. This also has an all-natural leather and cork sole construction as well on top of the grandstone proprietary wedge sole. The design similarly is obviously in the high walled apron stitch defining the mock toe but the different shaders are the hunting boot bumper across the toe and the padded collar. One of the cons is that the veg tanned leather can mark horrendously in the rain but don't be scared it will drive back to the original look I promise. Another con is the wedge sole at least in my opinion. To be fair it seems firmer than the red wing version and therefore it's likely to last longer but I'm not a fan of these wavy corrugations. I think they do pick up dirt in the in the troughs and to me they are laterally slippery in the mud. The pros on the other hand include the comfort factor starting with the last which is their floyd last a little more volume but fitting the foot like the proverbial firm handshake. The pros also include the quality of the build. The stitching is consistent and clean and looks like how a dress shoe is made certainly a lot cleaner than I think than the red wing. This means to me that despite being $80 more than the red wing value is very good because of what extra care and manufacturing detail you get for that $80. Check out my full review up there. Like the red wing you can also get this in a variety of uppers including Horween's famous Chromic Cell and some really spicy leathers like Kudu and Waxy Commander from Charles F. Stead as well as American Bison. Now let me clear the deck. I have another option for you to look at. At the beginning I talked about the Alden Indy also being a mock toe albeit a dressy version that has a cosmetic apron stitch rather than a functional one. An Alden 405 the original Indiana Jones boot sells for over US $650 so well let's face it unlikely to be your next choice after a $200 entry level boot. But what if you could get something similar for just over 400? This is the Parker's Niagara boot. Okay blue may not be to your taste but this was a special order so ignore the blue calf skin for a minute. It also comes in a smooth four grain mahogany brown and a few other really interesting oil tanned veg re-tanned and weathered up as on studded or lugged outsoles rather than this leather one. If you do like the look their website deserves a gander and I'll put a link below as well. I decided to throw the Parker's Niagara in the mix as a different contender because you might like a dressier and more versatile mock toe to try next. Imagine if this were in one of their more rugged leathers it would still be eminently wearable with a smart casual and maybe even a business casual outfit simply because of the design. I don't think you can deny that both the Red Wing 875 and the Grant Stone fuel boot are boots for jeans and not the professional office. This on the other hand bridges several gaps you know while still sporting that U shaped apron stitch the last and the mock toe is low profile and sleek its almond toad and decidedly dressy. You can see my full review of this pair in blue calf skin and on a leather outsole up there. It is also I'll just bring this one up it is also Goodyear welter built again on all natural leather and cork under your feet. The quality of the construction is pretty good it's clean it's consistent and the last is a combination last meaning it starts in a narrow B width I think at the heel and opens to an E width at the ball of the feet. Now this gives you an old and like snugness in the heel and waist and comfortable room in the forefoot. Apart from the initial slipperiness of the leather soles it was very comfortable out of the box and I had no breaking experience with this at all. It sells for US 420 in that sort of area so it's a jump above the Red Wing and the Grant Stone but certainly more affordable than the old and Indies and the versatility should get you more wares and therefore less cost per wear than the work and hunting boot based models. So there you go if you are reasonably new to the world of heritage style good quality stitch construction boots and you're ready to spend an extra hundred dollars or so to move up from your entry level mock toe boots these are what you should look at. The classic Red Wing 875 Auro Legacy mock toes the Grant Stone field boot or maybe take a look at their brass boot and as something from out of left field the Parkhurst Niagara boot which ever one you choose from these three or all three you can't go wrong knock yourself out and take the next step but before you do that don't forget to click on the like button down below on the assumption you found this video useful and if you're not subscribed click on the subscribe button as well. Thanks for watching and until the next time take care and I'll see you soon.