Red Wing 875 short boot brown
Red Wing Shoes was founded by Charles Beckman, a German immigrant who arrived in America towards the end of the 19th century. When he was 17 years old, he got off the train at Red Wing and took a job at the local leather factory. He developed a keen interest in shoemaking, and opened his first store in 1883. He sold only 'truly good shoes' but became frustrated at his inability to find shoes that met his standards and so, in 1905, with a number of like-minded investors, he founded the Red Wing Shoe Company. His shoes became a staple for people in the construction industry, loggers, ice-cutters, farmers, mailmen and railway workers. In fact, for anybody who needed a rugged boot that was comfortable to wear and walk around in all day long. The Red Wing 875 short boot is made from full-grain leather, which is tanned using traditional methods. No pigment is added in the finishing process. Whilst Red Wing's patented cushion crepe wedge sole contains millions of microscopic air holes which cushion every step but don't soak up water. The wedge shape of the sole also supports the boot's natural arch for added support. It also insulates the foot against the heat and the cold.
Red Wing 877 boot brown
As you would expect, we are always on the lookout for new Steve McQueen related products.
One item that we have often looked to source is the pair of boots he was frequently photographed wearing on the bike.
The boot we're talking about was a lightish brown lace up boot with a cream coloured sole.
There are lots of William Claxton photographs that show McQueen wearing these boots, but there was also a particularly famous photograph of him in them on the front cover of the August 1971 issue of Sports Illustrated.
The cover shows McQueen, wearing nothing above the waist, doing a jump on his Husqvarna 400 Crows.
Well, we recently met a guy from the Red Wing Shoe Company who confirmed categorically that, in the photographs we showed him, Steve was sporting their 877 model.
Red Wing Shoes was founded by Charles Beckman, a German immigrant who arrived in America towards the end of the 19th century.
When he was 17 years old, he got off the train at Red Wing and took a job at the local leather factory.
He developed a keen interest in shoemaking, and opened his first store in 1883.
He sold only 'truly good shoes' but became frustrated at his inability to find shoes that met his standards and so, in 1905, with a number of like-minded investors, he founded the Red Wing Shoe Company.
His shoes became a staple for people in the construction industry, loggers, ice-cutters, farmers, mailmen and railway workers. In fact, for anybody who needed a rugged boot that was comfortable to wear and walk around in all day long.
By the time McQueen got into biking in the 1960s, Red Wing was already a well-established, almost cult-like brand.
We don't know how McQueen made decisions about what brands to buy, although we do know that he had a keen eye for classic style.
So whether he picked Red Wing as a brand he identified with, or whether he just picked the boots up at a hardware store, we don't know, and it perhaps doesn't matter.
All we can tell you is that Red Wing's shoes are made today in the same way they always have been.
The full-grain leather is tanned using traditional methods. No pigment is added in the finishing process. Whilst Red Wing's patented cushion crepe wedge sole contains millions of microscopic air holes which cushion every step but don't soak up water.
The wedge shape of the sole also supports the boot's natural arch for added support. It also insulates the foot against the heat and the cold.
So whether you're looking for a cracking work boot which will never let you down, or a genuine piece of McQueen footwear, you need look no further.
The boot you need is the Red Wing 877.
