With Red Wing recently crafting boots dedicated to the world’s most famous Italian plumber, the heritage brand is now venturing through its European catalog to deliver another iconic pair stateside. Fans of the brand are surely familiar with its Classic Moc silhouette, but only genuine die-hards know about its eye-catching offshoot in the Abilene Classic Moc. While these have often been hard to come across in the U.S., the brand just made them readily available.
The European exclusive has long been available in nothing but women’s sizes, which made it even more difficult for men to nab a pair in recent years. Structurally, the Classic Moc retains its, well, classic look, as it’s pretty hard to make any adjustments to a shoe born in 1952. Nevertheless, it’s the method that goes into its new-ish release that differs the most, as the brand’s use of rough out leather delivers a suede-like look without the soft buttery feel and anxiety about messing them up — after all, these are intended to be work boots. The water-resistant material has been part of Red Wing’s catalog for decades, as it was first utilized in a breathable summer boot to trap heat — of course, these were also only available overseas.
The U.S.A.-made stompers stay true to their functional roots, featuring a sturdy Goodyear welt construction and signature Traction Tree rubber outsoles for maximum grip when taking on your day-to-day. It’s worth considering that the limited edition pair won’t last long, as this is a pretty rare opportunity to nab what’s typically a design limited to the European market.
Winter coming to a close is no excuse to overlook buying a new pair of boots, and Red Wing’s latest release is hard to ignore. The Classic Moc in Abilene Leather is available on its webshop for $300.
