Customer Reviews Red Wing Heritage Beckman 6" Round Toe

Like others have said, this boot is a classic, well put together piece of footwear. I think most of the confusion around sizing comes from differences in the width of people's feet. I have wider than average feet, and wear a size 11 in vans authentics, 10.5 in chucks, and 10.5 in new balances. I've tried this in a size 10 and they felt good in width but a little long. You don't want this shoe to feel roomy or even comfortable in width when you first get it because the leather is going to stretch. For that reason, I ended up getting a 9.5 and they fit very well now. Tl;dr if you have wide feet, size down 1 full size and wait for the stretch. If you have average or narrow feet, you'll probably be good with sizing half a size down. BTW the cigar featherstone is much lighter in person. Check out the red wing heritage website for more accurate photos.

These boots are amazing. The styling, the classic look, the (mostly) quality construction, the list goes on and on. However, my experience was not as favorable as most. Had my first pair for about 1 month and started to notice the RUBBER lugged sole, began to peel away from the wooden sole. I shouldn't say peeling, but rather small cracks formed between the rubber and wooden layers of the boot. Water started to seep in at one point, even though I was told these were water proof. So I took my pair back to the red wing store and got another pair. Sadly however, the same thing happened to my second pair, I decided to take them back. Fortunately, the red wing dealer was nice enough to cut me a check for the boots. I turned around and bought some work boots from them. I'm going to give the Blacksmith boots a go and see how they hold up. Hopefully the nitrile sole will work better and won't have the chance of "slight cracking" like the Beckmans had. Don't get me wrong, the Beckmans are a fantastic boot, and probably the nicest boot I've owned thus far. I think i just had a bad batch of boots, and got unlucky 3 times in a row.

These are hands down the best boots I've ever owned. Highly recommend. I did order a 1/2 size smaller than my normal based on the other reviews and the fit perfect.

These are well made shoes, no doubt. I have no reservations except about the laces. For some inexplicable reason Redwing includes too short laces (about 46"). There is not enough to tie a knot at the top. Odd, right? I had to go to buy some 54" laces (by Chippewah) which are perfect. Plus, the new laces are round and a matching brown, not the flat black sneaker-style the shoes came with. Still - five stars for the shoes.

These are absolutely great boots! The only problem is that they come with shoelaces that just aren't long enough!

If you commit to wearing these boots regularly for a few weeks, you will find it difficult to choose to wear anything else. After wearing them all day on the job it's still a shame to have to take them off at night. Buy a pair now!

I give these 4.5 stars. These boots are beautiful and extremely well made. They are expensive but I think you actually get what you pay for with these. You can tell from 10 feet away that these are really nice shoes; they just look expensive and people notice. They require a lot of breaking in. They are extremely uncomfortable for the first week but improve drastically over time. They also wear in in a way that makes them look better with time, not worse. I attribute this to the thickness and quality of the leather. So why 4.5 stars instead of 5? These boots are constructed in a way that makes them very difficult to get on and off. This is done to make them waterproof. However, I noticed that after several consecutive days of rain, water soaked through the leather sole and my socks were getting moist. I think this is the nature of leather sole boots, but it's worth noting. Also, I don't think these ever get quite as comfortable as some other boots because the sole is hard leather and rubber and there is no insole. The leather sole molds to fit your foot over time and gets pretty comfortable but I wouldn't recommend these to someone who works on their feet all day due to a lack of padding. Overall, wonderful, beautiful boots that will look great for years. The highest quality build and materials I have found anywhere. Worth the high price for this level of quality, buy only if you are willing to suffer through a few weeks of break in time.

I read all the reviews and tried a few other shoes but really liked the style of these. They are expensive but it is just perfect between work boots and fine shoes for all day use. The craftsmanship is superior. I usually wear a US 12 (I only have Keens, Brooks, Eccos). I ordered 11½ and 12 to compare (I recommend this - Zappos is great with returns) and I need some arch support with Superfeet orange. The 12 was surprisingly large and the 11½ a little bit tight out of the box. I replaced the Superfeet orange with blue which seemed to work. I wore the shoes two days straight after this (it rained) and on a two hour hike the second day. The shoes molded around my feet within a couple of days and I seriously do not want to take them off any more. They are extremely comfortable after I got used to the less cushioning (leather sole) that I usually have in my other shoes. I am very pleased with this purchase and highly recommend it. Consider about a week to break them in and the leather will shape and has just the right condition between support and softness. They just get better everyday you wear them.

Amazing quality and craftsmanship. 10 months after purchasing them, they are molding to my feet. Break in time was 3-4 weeks. Note that one might need to purchase an insole as there is no arch support/insole that comes stock with these boots. Best purchase I've ever made in a boot.

Break-in is brutal but after a few weeks they're great. The waxed laces provided stay put, but the downside is they're a real pain to loosen up so you can put them on or take them off. I'd recommend getting a good replacement, I got some of those Rhino laces. Also the inside sole is not padded, which actually felt okay, but I got some gel inserts after the initial break-in period and that's even better.

Let's start off with the fact these babies are made in the USA. Call me a meatball, but I won't pay good money for clothing and accessories unless they are made in America, although I do stretch my rule to include Italy and sometimes western Europe. These shoes have great craftsmanship and cool style. You can just tell a good shoe, the smell, the feel, the stiches and materials. This boot has it all and the color is fantastic. Ok, critique.....these puppies are not comfortable.....forget about breaking in.....they never will....the foot bed is like iron and if you plan on walking all day....find another pair of boots. Caveat, I can wear these boots all day in the office, here to there no problem. But wearing these boots on a long urban hike or commute...may cause sore feet. I wore these boots almost everyday last winter and they never "broke in" . I have a normal foot and I am not a wimp. I have heard women say something like this, comfort aside these shoes look great. That's where I am ......Now to more masculine arguments, I have had business cohorts and rednecks give me the nod over these boots. Most guys do not compliment other guys on foot wear but there you go. One last criticism, the leather boot laces broke after a couple months and replacements are hard to find. As long as I'm this far, I might as well mention that these boots are not warm. I had to shovel snow almost everyday last winter and my feet got cold in these boots. Besides, I don't like beating the heck out of boots I wear for good. You will suffer for the art of the this boot.

These are the highest quality pieces of footwear I've ever owned. I get compliments on them everywhere I go. The black cherry color looks way better in person; very rich, very versatile. There is definitely some break-in on these. I've worn them every day for about 3 weeks and they are very comfortable now. They were pretty painful around the ankle at first. It's totally worth it though. The commando sole is very nice as traction was something that I was concerned about. I normally wear a size 9 in most shoes but I went with 8.5. It's still roomy enough to wiggle my toes but can be laced tightly. Perfect fit.

I bought a pair of the cigar featherstones a year ago and recently returned them for a smaller size because they were too big. Unfortunately I kept receiving the color I didn't want vs the color I previously had. Zappos was nice enough to send me multiple pairs of the same color thinking it might've been a fluke but all of them came in a chocolate brown color. All in all great shoe, runs about a half size large just wish I could get the color I wanted.

These boots are awesome. Super good quality and they wear in like a good baseball glove. Takes a bit to soften up, but once they do you are golden. They look nicer after some wrinkles and scuffs accumulate. Negatives: These are too long and narrow for my feet. I wish they offered them in wide. I usually buy 10 - 10.5 tennis shoes. For these I bought size 9, but I think my perfect fit would actually be 8.5 Wide. Absurdly sized they are, but I guess that's how Red Wing rolls. I'll definitely buy another pair of Red Wings because they are way classier and better quality than any other shoe I've owned. You can spot the quality from across the room. I wear these every day and after about 10 days of wearing they are as comfortable as can be.

This boot, especially in the red cherry, is a very classy looking boot. Like most boots at first there is a break in period that can be somewhat painful. After they are broken in (took me about 2 weeks), they were extremely comfortable. It basically molds to your foot, so the shoe feels like it was made for your foot. The sizes do run a little large, but the width is normal. I am usually a 14E in regular shoes and the size 13 I ordered were a little narrow (unfortunately they dont come in a 13E), but had plenty of toe room. Once I broke them in the boots being a little too narrow was not noticeable really. This boot is the perfect example of "you get what you pay for". You will not be disappointed, and if you take care of them they will hold up really well. Mine still look brand new even though I wear them in the salt and snow all the time. Using sno-seal on them is a good idea.

After owning these for about a year, I feel pretty confident about reviewing them. First things first, these will be the BEST quality boots you'll ever buy. Hands down. With proper care, they'll last years. Having said that, there's a couple things to be aware of when you first purchase. The break-in period: Takes weeks. A bit stiff but that's to be expected. A word of warning: if you own WHITE socks, the insides of these boots will turn your socks a shade of ORANGE. It's just part of the break-in process. The laces that came with them were wax-tipped. You'll want to be careful when lacing these, to lace them in such a way as to NOT twist the laces. Doing so will lengthen the life of the laces. Also be sure to have a cleaning/polishing plan. A firm polishing brush and some matching polish will suffice. The scuffing won't go away completely with polishing, but it will certainly help. Also don't forget to clean the under-sole on the bottom of the boot. It's the portion of leather beyond the heel. This portion IS leather and susceptible to water, salt, dirt etc. so don't forget to clean this portion too. Admittedly, these are stiff boots with excellent ankle support. So by the end of the day, you may feel a bit like frankenstein. The one thing I wish I could change about them? I wish they were easier to get ON and OFF. You won't slip these on and off like tennis shoes. You'll have to hunker down and spend a couple minutes, squeezing your foot past the tongue, which is attached half-way up the inside of the boot. And lacing them in such a way as to not twist the wax tipped laces will add some more time but that's more of a personal preference than anything. I also wish they were cheaper. But boots at this price-point are an investment and (hopefully) not something you need to re-purchase after 5+ years. If you're tired of spending money on boots, only to have them last a couple seasons or less and you want some QUALITY craftsmanship that look fantastic, these boots are for you.

The black cherry color is richer and a bit lighter than pictured. The boots did run a full size too large and are difficult to put on because the tongue is attached. However, the design, style, and quality of these boots far outweighs the sizing difficulties!

Now this is a well made boot. Right out of the box you notice the quality and craftsmanship. A boot made with the pride of days gone by. I have been wearing these boots every day for the past month to work (motorcycle mechanic) and they are holding up great and just getting more and more comfortable. The letters on the soles haven't even began to wear off yet. If you want an exceptionally well made pair of boots, don't waste your money on anything less. Do yourself a favor and buy a pair of Red Wings. Worth every dime.

Legitimately my favorite boot ever made. Just enough tread so that inclement weather and mild hiking is no big deal (I live in Maine, so that's a must), yet good looking enough to be worn to a meeting with a client (I'm a photographer, so your mileage may vary). I think the Black Cherry is absolutely beautiful and distinct, as it's interesting color that's still versatile and not overly attention-grabbing. I actually just purchased a pair in Cigar as well...plus I own them in (the now discontinued) Chestnut, which is a lighter brown than they offer. There's not a whole lot (any?) arch support straight out of the box, but that's because the insoles (or lack thereof) are meant to mold to your foot. I put an insole in one of my pairs (superfeet green) which raised me up a bit in the boot and therefore made the seam at the achilles a bit tough during the break-in, but in my subsequent two pairs, I decided to leave insoles out of the equation, and I'm happy with them either way. This boot used to be known as the "Gentleman Traveler" and for good reason. When I visited my 100 year old grandmother-in-law in Arizona, she commented on how much she liked my boots when I dressed up a bit, yet they were also more than capable of hiking in some desert mountains. My favorite thing about these is that they look better the more they're broken in and beaten up. That may preclude them from being used in a truly formal setting, but it's nice when something that costs a lot gets better with age.

If you truly appreciate quality footwear, these Beckmans are for you! When you smell the real full grain high quality leather and feel the boot flex to fit your foot you will know you make the right choice. The construction is solid, classic, and assuring. I will be able to enjoy these boots years beyond anything you can buy at your local discount shoe store.

As has been suggested order 1/2 size smaller. Excellent fit and finish. You pay a little more for RW but based on what I've read, they last 20 years. I treated mine with a silicone protectant that makes them look even better. GREAT for my motorcycling as the sole grabs even in loose gravel. A great value. Some love the burgundy color, some don't. I think they are stand out! ~ LOVE Zappos... always easy to work with. Fun people/great product!

An incredibly well made boot. Can be dressed up or dressed down depending on how you care for them.

I will start off by saying I love Red Wing heritage boots! I wear these everyday to work. Worth every penny. The Black cherry color ages and looks better every day. I am constantly amazed by how comfortable these boots are. Short break in period and then they are part of you. I like them so much a got a pair in black. Size down one whole size.

I wear these in cigar and really think they're beautiful. There are a few cheap looking elements, but thankfully they can be remedied with a little bit of effort. Unlike the 1000 Mile from Wolverine, the eyelets on the Beckman are black. If you wish, you may scrape the black material off and reveal the brass underneath. I believe this gives the boot a more distinguished look. Also, the black leather piping around the rim cheapens it somehow. I removed it carefully with an x-acto blade and am much prouder when I put them on. The leather sole does begin to come asunder if it becomes saturated with water and swells. Know that the stitching is intact but a noticeable void will appear. I've rubbed some Mink Oil in the crack and the leather sort of takes it on and is re-hydrated, but its not ideal or like new. The leather is not as buttery as the 1000 Mile, but is thicker and I trust it. If you are mindful about oiling, the leather softens and the color deepens, complicates, and yes...darkens. I've intentionally left them in the sun for consecutive days and noticed that it lightens them and I'm thankful for it. If you want to return the color to its deeper shade Mink Oil will do it. The toe box is flatter and wider than the 1000 Mile and I appreciate that. If it were available, I may have gone with a wider size. I advise against cutting the folded part of the tongue to relieve any pressure on your foot. The pain goes away and you'll have peace of mind knowing that you boot isn't compromised. When I get them resoled I will have Red Wing throw a stacked wooden heel on like the oxford Beckman's or Chukka to really raise they douchy factor. That's all for now. I've only owned them for 9 months so maybe I'll have more to say someday.