Although Blundstone has history that stretches as far back as 1870, Blundstone boots as we know them today — the #500 and #550, mostly — date back to 1968, when the company successfully swapped their boots’ hard bottoms for soles made from vulcanized rubber. The switch made a durable boot even better.
Since, few changes have been made. Sure, the brand tinkers with alternative materials from time to time — they made vegan boots in 2021 — but the boots in Blundstone’s primary collections, the Originals and the Classics, haven’t strayed far from their roots — until now.
Products in the Guide
Prior to 1968, and even shortly after, because the rubberized soles didn’t catch on immediately, Blundstone was known as a workwear brand — a place to buy boots with special treads, steel toes and heat-resistant uppers, even boots that were resistant to electric shock. In this line, ultra-durable add-ons like lug soles have long been mainstays.
Now, though, through Blundstone’s newest silhouette, the Lug Boot, the brand is fusing its two biggest sectors: work and lifestyle.
“The new collection incorporates a fresh take on the brand’s iconic Originals Chelsea boot, featuring premium leather uppers, complemented by a chunky rubber sole that has been tried and tested in our work range,” Joe Carfora, Blundstone’s Global and Ancillaries Range Manager, says.
Never one to necessarily follow trends, this is also Blundstone’s first attempt on record — vegan boots aside — to experiment with the brand’s aesthetics. The Lug Boot definitely still looks like a Blundstone product, but it’s adventurous, even a little streetwear-ish. (John Elliott just recently dropped a similar boot.)
