Back in the early aughts, Charles Beckman, Red Wing’s founder, sought out boots that were durable enough to go tromping through mud but looked good enough to wear in the office.
As he couldn’t find anything that fit his needs, he had his company make them. Only a few years later, the brand inexplicably and quietly phased them out in 2018.
Then, this year, those same boots — the Red Wing Beckman — made a triumphant return. Except they weren’t the same ones the company discontinued; they were better.
Red Wing ShoesGP100 Winner
Red Wing Beckman
Specs
| Construction | Goodyear leather welt |
| Last | 224 |
| Leather | Excalibur full-grain |
This new iteration comes with outsoles originally made for Red Wing in the 1920s. Called Gro-Cord, they’re constructed from tire cord and hold the crown as the first non-leather outsole.
Red Wing’s founder sought out boots that were durable enough to go tromping through mud but looked good enough to wear in the office.
They also feature a more anatomical toe box shape and Poron foam pad in the heel, increasing their comfort and wearability. Yet their iconic style, marked by a full-grain Excalibur leather upper and a trio of smart color options (Black, Black Cherry and Cigar), remains.
