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Red Wing Gentleman's Traveler

Flambeur

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Originally Posted by Get Smart
^^ Really? I thought the chestnuts GTs were almost buttery soft, they needed absolutely no break-in period for me. guess YM *really* MV

Don't know, they are pretty damn stiff for me, but I've only worn them twice so far. And they had one application of Obenauf's
 

the shah

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Originally Posted by deveandepot1
+1. They broke in very easy.

same here
 

JTK

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I noticed that the leather on my left boot seems to be bunched up a bit, on the inside under the front portion of the boot. The right boot is perfectly smooth. The wrinkles are the only source of soreness in these otherwise perfect boots. Anyone else have this in their boot(s)?
 

mjo317

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My GTs were pretty stiff after a couple wears, but after one application of Obenauf's, it became super soft. They do seem to have become a tad darker which I don't mind too much.
 

Flambeur

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Originally Posted by mjo317
My GTs were pretty stiff after a couple wears, but after one application of Obenauf's, it became super soft. They do seem to have become a tad darker which I don't mind too much.

Yeah they got only a touch darker.. Also took obenauf's like two days to dry....
 

Authentic04

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I have a pair of GT in black cherry. Ive had them for about a month now and havent put anything on them. They are scuffed here and there so i wanna put something on them to hopefully prevent that and also cover up the scuffs. I know nothing about polishes or anyything like that. Are all brands okay to use? I was thinking of picking up so Kiwi Mink Oil to put on them? Should I look into anything else? Any specific colors i should use? Would prefer them to stay close to the color they are but alittle darker wouldnt be bad? Im sure its been covered and im sorry for asking a dumb question but would rather not ruin them.

Thanks
 

deveandepot1

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Originally Posted by Authentic04
I have a pair of GT in black cherry. Ive had them for about a month now and havent put anything on them. They are scuffed here and there so i wanna put something on them to hopefully prevent that and also cover up the scuffs. I know nothing about polishes or anyything like that. Are all brands okay to use? I was thinking of picking up so Kiwi Mink Oil to put on them? Should I look into anything else? Any specific colors i should use? Would prefer them to stay close to the color they are but alittle darker wouldnt be bad? Im sure its been covered and im sorry for asking a dumb question but would rather not ruin them.

Thanks


This thread has a great amount of info in it. Also check the other Red Wing Threads. You WILL find all the info you need by searching.
 

JoyDiffusion

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Black Cherry GTs arrived yesterday from papashoe... quick shipping, straight from the factory, for a good price (15% off using "HLYD15" for those of you still considering an order).

I got 11D, sized down about from my true-size (brannock) of 11.75. I wear most athletic sneakers in 11.5 or 12, but occasionally an 11 (Chucks).

Been wearing them for 5 minutes now, and they're good in terms of length (3/4 inch to spare up front), but very tight on the sides, to the point that it's fairly painful on my (slightly larger) left foot. Particularly, the pointy edge of my fifth metatarsal bone, which sticks out, and comes into contact with the boot along the curved stitching.

I've read through most of this thread, but haven't yet found a definitive answer about the width stretching. I'm willing to tough it out for a while, but if I'd be better off sizing up to 11.5, I'd rather get it out of the way now. For those of you who've been in this position, how did it work out? If they don't stretch enough naturally, can I manually alter the shape of the boot where it hits that bone? Any experts care to chime in? Thanks in advance.
 

Get Smart

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personally, I think shoes need to fit well on day 1. I'm not a believer in shoes stretching to become more comfortable. sure they might, but they might not and you're stuck with shoes that you cant exchange.

if you want to keep them and hope they stretch that's your perogative but you cant go wrong with the "must fit right on day 1" manifesto. There's a huge difference between "it's uncomfortable because it's not broken in" and "it's uncomfortable because it might be the wrong size"
 

thirdman

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For what it's worth, I just got a pair of GTs last week. I went down almost a full size as well, and they were/are quite tight when I first put them on, especially in the width, but after wearing them for 10 minutes they become comfortable (well, except the top of the ankle, which is proving the hardest to wear in). I'm hoping that means I've hit the sweet spot, and that they'll break in to the perfect size.

So, maybe try wearing them around the house for an hour or two, and if they're still feeling much too small that might be a bad sign...
 

slide13

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I sized down 1/2 for mine and the length is more then long enough but the width was tight and was uncomfortable to wear for an extended period at first. It loosened up some in the first week but they still weren't exactly comfortable. After a couple more weeks of occasional wear and one or two trips out where I did a fair bit of walking they finally gave a little and now they provide a perfectly comfortable fit in terms of width up front. They don't seem to fit my heels very well and I get a little slippage, but otherwise they are pretty good. So I think they'll stretch but it may take a little while before they truly become comfortable.
 

Fallen Angels

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i now own two pairs of Redwing GT's. my black pair has been worn for 1 year, and i got a black cherry pair last month. since i got the cherry pair ive been wearing it everyday, and i thought they were easier to break in, as in it's not as uncomfortable as my black pair was when they were new. anyway, today i wore the black pair for the first time in over a month, and damn they are so comfortable. i guess i temporarily got used to the stiffer, newer leather of the cherry pair. anyway, i look forward to when my cherry pair are broken in and become as comfy as my 1-yr old black GT. none of this matters to anyone, im just talking to myself.

i went a full size down for both.
 

deveandepot1

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Originally Posted by Fallen Angels
i now own two pairs of Redwing GT's. my black pair has been worn for 1 year, and i got a black cherry pair last month. since i got the cherry pair ive been wearing it everyday, and i thought they were easier to break in, as in it's not as uncomfortable as my black pair was when they were new. anyway, today i wore the black pair for the first time in over a month, and damn they are so comfortable. i guess i temporarily got used to the stiffer, newer leather of the cherry pair. anyway, i look forward to when my cherry pair are broken in and become as comfy as my 1-yr old black GT. none of this matters to anyone, im just talking to myself.

i went a full size down for both.


laugh.gif
I had almost the exact same experience.
What do you prefer most the black or cherry pair?
 

Roguls

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Originally Posted by ImperialMaj
I've owned a pair of GT's for about a year now, and they certainly look great. However, I have some questions about the practicality of these shoes, especially considering that I'm currently residing in Ithaca, New York. The terrain is extremely slippery and icy, and I often have a go up steep hills. I have found the soles of my GT's to be often unsuited for the job. They don't seem to have much traction, and I find myself on the verge of slipping quite often. Has anyone else encountered the same situation?

Does anyone have any tips for retrofitting the GT's to have more traction in winter terrain? Thanks.



I bought Yaktrax Pro and they work wonders. I went to school at IC for a year, and those hills are beasts in the snow and ice. I wish I had had the Yaktrax back then.
 

sccoopy

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I need some help here. I got a pair of cherry GTs at a very good price, however, the only size I could get is my true shoe size. I know everyone size down on these. and my shoes are indeed a little long for me. They are perfect width wise. Do you guys think insoles would help? I have not really worn them because of possible return. If anyone of you have good experience without sizing down, I might keep them. Thanks.
 

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