Blundstone makes some of the best Chelsea boots money can buy

Amir's review of the Blundstone #585 Men's Chelsea Boot

 

Compared to my other four or five other pairs of Chelsea boots, Blundstones are uniquely utilitarian and refreshingly comfortable to wear. While most pairs have a pointed toe and a sleek, tight upper, Blundstones have a wide, rounded toe and a gaitered upper that's wide enough to get your foot in without using back-breaking force and a shoehorn. The front and rear pull tabs make putting them on even easier.

They're not my all-time favorite boots when it comes to style, but I've grown to appreciate them, especially in the Rustic colorway. They have a worn-in finish, which is perfect for boots that might get roughed up — if you scuff them, it'll blend right into the natural look.

I like that I can dress them up with jeans and a nice sweater for a comfortable look, but still wear them with all of my warmest layers and take on a snowstorm. As seen in the pictures above, I wouldn't hesitate to wear them in the snow. The outsoles have more than enough grip to confidently traverse wet, slippery, or slushy situations in the winter.

Sizing: Blundstones are based on AUS/UK sizes, which is a full size smaller than US sizes. I'm a true US size 8, so I went with the AUS/UK size 7 and they fit perfectly.  —Amir Ismael, style editor, Reviews

Sally's review of Blundstone #566 Women's Thermal Chelsea Boots

I've worn my Blundstone Thermal boots through two winter seasons in NYC, and I love them more every time I put them on. 

This pair is fully waterproof with warm Thinsulate insulation and has a shearling insole for extra warmth. I've stood in icy puddles, walked through muddy parks, and worn them on snowy walks without ever staining the leather or breaching the leak-proof seal. My feet are always warm, and my arches feel supported by the thick, cushy soles. The elastic band at the side also keeps the shoe from digging into my calf.

The one downside of the Thermal pair is that they are really meant for cold weather, so they can be too warm to wear in more moderate temps or over the summer. I usually start wearing them in the fall and put them away in the spring, swapping them out for more lightweight summer Chelsea boots.

Sizing: My one pet peeve with the boots is that the heel tends to pull down my socks, but I think this is because I opted to size down in my pair. I'm usually between a 7.5 and an 8 depending on the brand, and since Blundstones are said to run a smidge big, I opted for the 7.5. I probably would have been able to avoid the sock issue with a size 8, but the 7.5 still fits my feet well enough that I don't feel like I'm squishing into the shoe. Overall, I say go true-to-size or if you're in between sizes, go with the larger one. — Sally Kaplan, executive editor, Reviews

Owen's review of the Blundstone #1477 Men's Thermal Chelsea Boot

 

I'm not the most fashionable reporter here — far from it — but when I first got a pair of Blundstone boots, while I appreciated them for their rough-and-ready design, I wasn't a huge fan of the aesthetic. What's with the two oversized tags? Is this a Chelsea boot for shepherds? For old folks? I couldn't quite place the style.

Still, I slipped them on and thought, these are Ugg boots masquerading as something a little less frumpy, a little less embarrassing (for me). The shearling lining on the insole offers the same effect of walking on a pillow or a cloud, but this was a pair of boots I could stand to be caught dead in.

Now, these are about the only boots that grace my feet, save for particularly wet excursions when the Muck Boots come out. I can pull these off in the office (when I'm there), and they can be reasonably dressed up or down depending on where I am and how out-of-place I feel. And guess what? Those two oversized loops that I once found to be flagrantly disagreeable have earned their place. Popping these puppies on and off is a breeze, and I've grown to find their flair kind of fun after all.

I'm well into my second season of almost exclusively wearing Blundstone boots through fall, winter, and spring, often trudging upwards of five miles through horrendous city sludge and worse, and they continue to show no sign of letting up: neither a single stitch loose nor a leak sprung. I've taken boots twice their price into their final throes by this point, but I'll make no mistakes going forward. The next pair of boots I buy, whenever this one gives up its ghost, is going to be Blundstone, and I might just go ahead and put my money on the pair after that, too.

Sizing: I went with a size 10 AU/UK because I'm usually a US size 11. They fit perfectly. The toe box is large and I'm able to move my toes around (crucial for mobility, but also for keeping your toes moving and warm when you're standing out in the cold for long periods of time). — Owen Burke, former reporter, Reviews

Maria's review of the Blundstone #1351 Women's Chelsea Boot

 

I've been a Doc Marten person for as long as I can remember, but I never really loved the look of the brand's Chelsea boots. So when my colleague Sally Kaplan told me about these Blundstones, I was almost immediately smitten. I got them in rustic brown, and I haven't really taken them off since. 

I have feet that are super wide up top, but that taper near the ankles, so pull-on shoes are typically tough for me to wear comfortably. The Blundstone's double pull tabs and elastic side make it easy for me to slide them on and off, although I will admit it took a few tries to break them in. The brogue detailing gives these boots flare, but the water-resistant leather and lug soles mean they can hang through a walk through the mud. 

I've also been shocked at how comfortable these boots are, thanks to the cushioned midsole. I've worn them all day without foot pain. And even though they act like technical boots, they don't look like them. I've worn them to dinner with friends with straight-leg jeans and with leggings and thick socks and they've looked slick with either outfit. 

Sizing: If your feet are on the wider side like mine, you might want to go a half-size up — that's what I did, and these boots fit comfortably. — Maria Del Russo, former style editor, Reviews 

Shalom's review of the Blundstone #1941 Men's Chelsea Boot

 

Ever since I got my Chelsea Boot Classic Blundstones a few years ago, I've worn them pretty much nonstop for the entire fall and winter seasons.

A man of habit, I wear my classic Birkenstock Boston slip-on shoe up until a friend will inevitably say, "Bro, it's 35 degrees out, put on real shoes." At that point, I put on my Blundstones. The comfort, the reliability, and the fact that they go with most of my wardrobe really does it for me. 

I highly recommend these to anyone who just wants a versatile, laid-back, fun boot that works for all occasions.

Sizing: I went with my true US size 13, which converts to an AUS size 12. The fit is just right for a person with average shaped feet, with plenty of wiggle room, but snug enough to feel secure.  — Shalom Goodman, former SEO strategist

Cons to consider

There aren't many cons to consider when it comes to Blundstones, but the tricky way styles are labeled is probably our biggest complaint. The differences in models and series aren't always clearly labeled or easy to figure out. That said, we've never met a pair we didn't like, even if we couldn't always tell the differences between similar styles.

The bottom line

Priced between $200-$230, Blundstone boots are a solid value. We've tried more expensive boots that are less comfortable and less dependable in harsh weather. Blundstone boots work for nearly every season where boots are appropriate, and the classic Chelsea silhouette will never go out of style. Overall, we know we're getting a good value when we buy a pair of these boots.