Are Blundstones Worth It? A Long-Term Review

Are Blundstones worth it? Well yes, for a couple of specific reasons. Firstly, they offer excellent durability for the price, and secondly, they have a timeless style that will outlast trends. On the other hand, I can also say from experience that the old-school Australian-made leather Blundestones lasted way longer than the current Asian-made ones.

If that is all you need know to just go out and buy a pair Blundstones…have at it.

BTW…Blundstones usually cost less on Amazon: Check the latest pricing.

For most folks though, I’m sure you’re expecting me to back up my opinions with actual evidence from my own experience as a longterm owner of Blundstones. I’ll do more than that. I’ll also tell you what I don’t like about these shoes.

In This Bundstones Review

Are Blundstones Worth it For The Durability?

Yes, Blundstones are still worth it for the longevity you get from them even though they don’t last as long as they used to.

Blundstone moved production of their leather boots from Tasmania to Asia over a decade ago before Blundstones became a big thing. While the quality of Blundstones is still above average, most newer owners could be forgiven for not realizing that old-school Blundstones lasted a lot longer than they do today. Doc Martin’s went through a similar downgrade to the chagrin of many die-hard fans(myself included.)

Let me give you an example of the difference:

I wore a pair of chisel-toed “Blunnies” made in Vietnam daily for almost 7 years before the sole crumbled and disintegrated.

By comparison, in 2008 an Australian colleague introduced me to his Australian-made Blundstones while we were in Africa. When he left he gifted his used Blundstones to the groundskeeper. To my astonishment, the groundskeeper was still using them as his daily chore boot upon my return in 2022. They were still going strong 13 years later!

However, I still have to say that the uppers on my asian-made Blundstones stood up well considering all the reckless abuse I have heaped on them. Chipping ice with the toe, kicking tires, shoving 2x4s. They weathered the mud, salt and slush of many Canadian winters with ease. The soles showed surprisingly little wear for the amount of use they had. My Blunnies weren’t particularly deep-treaded when I bought them. In fact, I think the tread life is the most impressive factor about these shoes.

Although you can get a more durable boot than Blundstones, you’d also be paying at least $100 more.

Can You Re-sole Blundstones?

Contrary to what Blundstone’s own website says, Yes, you can re-sole them. However, you’ll be getting a different(typically better) sole, and not just any cobbler can do it.

Since Blundstones aren’t Goodyear-welted(the soles aren’t stitched on) you’ll need to mail them to a Blundstone-specialized cobbler. Some offer pretty reasonable rates including return postage.

Blundstone Re-soling Services

• USA: My Shoeman– Salem, OR, NuShoe, San Diego, CA
• Canada: Quick Cobbler– Vancouver. BC

Are Blundstones Worth it For The Comfort?

Meh…Blundstones aren’t the most comfortable out there. Certainly not enough for me to go, “Oh wow, I’m buying these shoes!”

I just don’t feel they match the hype that all the hipsters give them in the comfort department. I would say Blundstones feel similar to Dr. Martins underfoot. Good…but nothing to write home about.

I don’t recommend buying a pair of Blundstones purely on the basis of wanting high comfort but to each their own I suppose.

To help in the comfort department make sure you have comfy insoles. I have gone through two sets of factory insoles and I’m due for another set.

Are Blundstones Worth It For The Style Factor?

Yes, but in one sense, I’m annoyed about it!

In my opinion, spending extra on expensive apparel just for the style points is a glorious waste of money. However, if that item is durable and carries a timeless style…then it may be worth it after all.

Blundstones were designed to be utilitarian hard-working boots. These days they are so popular, that I’m convinced that attention-hungry hipsters literally invented the rolled-up skinny jeans look just to show off their Blundstone tags.

In the end, I think Blundstones are worth considering because of their classic style that will outlast trends.

What are the Best Blundstones

Let me answer that question based on how you might use them.

Best Blundstones for Casual: The 550

By now, some of my younger readers may be offended by my “skinny jean” comment. But if you’ll forgive me my rantings I’ll at least tell you which casual Blundstones everyone loves these days.

The Best Casual Blundstones are the Blundstone 550’s (Amazon link)

The Unisex 550’s are wildly popular. A sign of a product’s popularity is often indicated by how many colors and variants they are offered in. Blundstone 550s come in a ton of colors and materials. So its not a problem to get into a unique looking pair of 550s. The typical rustic brown is what most folks choose.

Keep in mind than prices for the 550s vary quite a bit depending on the options you want.

Best Dress Up Blundstones: Dress Chelseas

Blundstone’s Dress Chelseas are one of Blundstones best selling styles of boot mainly because of their versatility. The Dress Chelseas come in a variety of colors and featuring a more conservative chisel toe profile.

While they aren’t exactly “black tie,” they look great with anything from jeans to business suits. I think they are a good choice for office professionals. I picked the men’s Chelsea style in black for myself because I do a lot of public speaking and could match them with pretty much anything.

Here’s the link to them on Amazon if you’re interested in them.

Best Blundstones for Work: The 990

If there’s one thing I hate about work boots it’s lacing them up. Hello Blundstones! The 990(#168 in Canada) are absolutely rugged and feature a steel toe and shock-resistant soles that can withstand up to 300 degrees Celsius! Of course, by then your legs would have melted off, but cheer up! You’d get to keep your boots!

Anyway, I’m especially impressed with the quality of 990’s outsoles. They certainly are up there with industrial Vibram soles in terms of durability.

You get “a lot of boot” for the money. The 990s are sub-$200 and you don’t need laces. I’m a fan.

You can find them pretty easily on Amazon too.

Here’s a video of guy that has taken his Blundstone 990s literally to the end of the world and back.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, I think Blundstones are worth it for three reasons:

1. No laces- I cannot over-emphasize how convenient it is to quickly slip these on at the door or kick them after a long day. It’s a big deal.
2. Style points- While Blundstones are popular right now they also carry a timeless look that will outlast trends.
3. Durability- They don’t last as long as the old days, but they still out last most other competitors at their pricepoint.

Hey if you’re interested in more durable footwear check some of my other articles:

• 3 Legendary Super Tough Boots
• The Longest Lasting Sneakers: 9 Rock Solid Picks
• 7 Longest Lasting Flip Flops
• 5 Durable Socks Guaranteed for Life