Two Australian Shoe Titans Are Battling for Chelsea Boot Supremacy

Blundstone's most polished stomper yet looks like a rugged-but-refined R.M. Williams competitor.Courtesy of GQ, Blundstone; Design: Brittany LogginsThere’s a common refrain among a certain subset of menswear enthusiasts, which goes something like, “R.M. Williams is Blundstone’s more sophisticated brother.” And while the merits of that rubric are somewhat abstract and subjective, the venerable R.M. Williams Chelsea Boot held an undeniable edge when it came to polish. Emphasis, on “held,” because the wizards of utilitarian footwear over at Blundstone just dropped a refined hammer on that long-time rivalry, in the form of the beautifully-built, utterly decked-out Heritage Boot.BlundstoneHeritage #156 BootBlundstoneHeritage #157 BootClocking in at $395, the Heritage boots are significantly more expensive than the well-known Classics line, but not without cause. It starts with a premium leather upper, less rugged than what you’d find in the rest of the brand's hardy catalog. They also happen to be handmade, using 72 processes and 34 different pairs of hands, which is as impressive as it sounds. And then finally, the rubber-wrapped leather outsoles are affixed with a Goodyear welt, which means you can resole ‘em indefinitely.BlundstoneHeritage #158 BootBlundstoneHeritage #159 BootAnd despite all the upgrades, they’re still around $100 less than any iteration of the R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman Chelsea Boots, and also a bit less dainty, maintaining a more rounded, more Blundstone-y toe box. All said, if you’re in the market for a new pair of hard-working, elevated boots this fall, it’s going to be tough to beat the new Blunnys.Reed Nelson is a freelance writer for GQ Recommends covering menswear and gear. Before writing full time, he spent years working retail at Unionmade Goods, Gant Rugger, J.Crew, and Nike—experience that sharpened his eye for what’s actually worth buying. He’s also worked as an in-house copywriter for brands big and ... Read More