RM Williams Boots - Everything You Wanted to Know

[Sator]

Originally Posted by josepidal

Just to clarify... if you were to make a comparison, what American or English brand would the RM Williams Chelseas be comparable to solely in terms of construction? AE? C&J handgrade? EG?

I ask because your guide seems to say AE, but other posts seem to say almost EG or Lobb.

Otherwise, kangaroo leather is intriguing.

I will stick to my original assertion and say AE. They are better at making boots than C&J - it is their specialty after all. To say they are on par with EG or JL would be a gross exaggeration. I own enough EGs and a pair of JLs amongst other things to know that. I just think that RMW has enough of its own highly distinctive character plus the great comfort factor that makes them worthwhile having even if you have tried other high end footwear.

 

[josepidal]

I think that's a good way of putting it.

How's the sizing compared to EG?

 

[Sator]

Originally Posted by josepidal

I think that's a good way of putting it.

How's the sizing compared to EG?

I find EG sizing odd compared to other English shoes, which is why I avoided using them as a reference point. John Lobb feels more like a true UK size. I swear that the sizing system EG use is American and that the English size they quote is a converted one (using the US size - 0.5 formula). I wear 8/8.5E in a 202 last (my foot won't even fit into the 7.5/8E) and either a 7F or a 7.5E in a RMW which are made of a softer, thinner and more compliant leather than EG boxcalf, thus making comparisons based on measurement even harder.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by thinman

Yes, I've been checking the Orvis website periodically in hopes someone returns a size 12D, but without any luck.

Think the 11.5s were my boots. I returned a pair to the NY store a while back. I have no idea why they hide them.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by WatchGuy

I might also add that buying those same boots directly from RM Williams is $311.77 AUD (or $234.18 USD) plus shipping.


When I go the RMW site, it gives me a price of $374 US, plus shipping.
Can you provide a link?

 

[Garfieldthecat]

Well, I broke down and ordered a pair of the chestnut colored Craftsman boots. This will be my first ever pair of boots (never had chukka's or Chelsea's ever), so I want to see what the fuss is all about.

 

[iyzero]

i have been a long-time lurker and never really had to register (because before whenever i found it necessary to post a question/opinion, there always were good posts with a few quick searchings done. BTW thanks everyone for great input!)
being exceptionally intrigued by the great guide/recommendation by SATOR, i have to throw a question.

if i wear us 7 on stefanobi and uk 6.5 on CJ weymouth, which size do i fall? I'd like to put CJ weymouth as my referrence size (uk 6.5) since they were as snug as necessary.
ah i feel shy about my small feet! neways, thanks in advance for your kind answer!

 

[Sator]

Originally Posted by iyzero

i have been a long-time lurker and never really had to register (because before i found it necessary to post a question/opinion, there always were good posts with a few quick searchings done. BTW thanks everyone for great input!)
being exceptionally intrigued by the great guide/recommendation by SATOR, i have to throw a question.

if i wear us 7 on stefanobi and uk 6.5 on CJ weymouth, which size do i fall? I'd like to put CJ weymouth as my referrence size (uk 6.5) since they were as snug as necessary.
ah i feel shy about my small feet! neways, thanks in advance for your kind answer!

RMW are true to UK sizing. If you are a UK 6.5 (I think E is their medium width) on a C&J then I would go with an RMW UK 6.5G (medium width). That is the safest bet and I am 99% sure it would fit you very well. The only very minor thing is that a 6.5E (medium width) from C&J will be about 1.5 - 2mm narrower than a 6.5G (medium width) from RMW. That's all. If you find that even a C&J 6.5E has a bit of room side to side and the shoe slides a bit sideways then seriously consider a 6.5F. Better a boot that starts off a tiny bit too narrow than one that is too loose.

 

[skalogre]

Right, I am completely confused. I had tried on some yearling Craftsman RM Williams , AUS/UK size 9 G but found that my heel would raise when I walked. Not much but noticeably. At the suggestion of Ben Silver customer service I had then went one bit narrower, to UK/AUS 9F but it felt like my little toe was going to be squashed to smithereens. I wear comfortably US 10 D in AE (eg the Fairfax/hastings, don't remember the last number).
Any advice would be appreciated. Maybe I should instead go for the jodphur style instead?

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by skalogre

Right, I am completely confused. I had tried on some yearling Craftsman RM Williams , AUS/UK size 9 G but found that my heel would raise when I walked. Not much but noticeably. At the suggestion of Ben Silver customer service I had then went one bit narrower, to UK/AUS 9F but it felt like my little toe was going to be squashed to smithereens. I wear comfortably US 10 D in AE (eg the Fairfax/hastings, don't remember the last number).
Any advice would be appreciated. Maybe I should instead go for the jodphur style instead?


If the heel-lifting is slight and the boots were otherwise comfortable, I would try simply breaking in the sole by giving it a few good bends at the place it would naturally bend anyway. The RMW boots have steel shanks in the soles, so when new especially, the steel will tend to win in a battle between bending the sole and lifting your heel.

That's my suggestion, although I want want the jodhpurs too.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by grimslade

If the heel-lifting is slight and the boots were otherwise comfortable, I would try simply breaking in the sole by giving it a few good bends at the place it would naturally bend anyway. The RMW boots have steel shanks in the soles, so when new especially, the steel will tend to win in a battle between bending the sole and lifting your heel. That's my suggestion, although I want want the jodhpurs too.
Thank you Grimslade. Has that been your experience with these boots (or chelseas in general)? That the foot lifts in them a little (at least initially)?

 

[grimslade]

It was a trick recommended to me by an Allen-Edmonds salesman on a pair of AE slip-ons (not their new chelseas, the Bristol slip-ons, which are elastic-gusseted). I haven't tried it with RMWs (I'm still waiting for my first order to arrive), but I see no reason why the principle would be different. I went into the NYC store to try boots on before ordering online. They don't have the jodhpurs in-store, but the guy said the fit was the same (and Sator has written above that the last is the same as the Craftsman, so that's plausible). Of course, the jodhpur has an ankle-strap, but I still wouldn't expect radically different fits.

 

[Sator]

Originally Posted by skalogre

Right, I am completely confused. I had tried on some yearling Craftsman RM Williams , AUS/UK size 9 G but found that my heel would raise when I walked. Not much but noticeably. At the suggestion of Ben Silver customer service I had then went one bit narrower, to UK/AUS 9F but it felt like my little toe was going to be squashed to smithereens. I wear comfortably US 10 D in AE (eg the Fairfax/hastings, don't remember the last number).
Any advice would be appreciated. Maybe I should instead go for the jodphur style instead?

Their jodhpur style boot (the Stockmans model) is made on the same last as the Craftsman.

Good point about the shank. Part of the problem is that RMW (and I guess most UK shoes in general) sizes run a tiny bit widish and shortish compared to US sizes.

 

[Jared]

Does anyone know of stores in Seattle that carry RM Williams?

 

[blee017]

This post made me order my first pair of RM Williams boots, Kangaroo Craftsman. I happen to wear Loake 6.5F (their medium width) so I ordered 6.5G from nungar .com.au. Steve promptly informed me that he had to order my pair from the factory. I will report back when I get them.

I am already thinking about getting a second pair but I'm afraid that Seattle's wet winter will not be kind to leather soles. I saw that RM Williams has what they call "walking/work" boots with rubber soles and am eager to learn more about them. Specifically I was wondering if they look/feel different than dress boots.