Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
Summer is coming to a close, and that means boot season will soon be upon us. For better or for worse, all our shoe collections are growing; and once you have basic brown and black footwear out of the way, where do you go from there?
Luckily, there are many versatile colors that aren’t quite as common. Enter grey. It might not be the first color you consider when you are searching for your next pair of boots, but there are a quite a lot of options available.
1) Common Projects: Chelsea Boot in Dark Grey Suede
Common Projects might be known for their sneakers, but that doesn’t mean their boots are anything to scoff at. These Dark Grey Suede Chelsea Boots are sleek, simple, and their construction quality may very well surprise you. This pair features a natural crepe sole, which makes these shoes stand out a bit more than some others on this list.
Available for $517 from Need Supply.
2) Red Wing: Iron Ranger in Charcoal Rough ‘n’ Tough
Red Wing’s Iron Rangers are one of the most recognizable work boots on the market, and for good reasons: it’s simple, well designed, and very well made for the price (check out why they’re our top pick for entry level boots). Over the past couple of years, Red Wing has listened to consumer comments about the product and recently released Iron Rangers with lug soles due to complaints about traction, as well as begin to manufacture the style in more varied colorways, such as Charcoal Rough ‘n’ Tough.
Available for $320 from Animal Traffic PDX.
3) Yuketen: Flesh Out Perla Chukka
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Yuki Matsuda’s Yuketen is known for doing things just a little bit differently, but even when they’re whipping up something fairly tame, they do so with quality and elan. Such is the case with their high top camp moc chukkas, made from a flesh-out Horween leather and with a siped boat shoe sole, this “boot” may not fare well for four season wear, but it should handle the first three just fine.
Available for $286 at Yuketen.
4) Truman Boot: Iceberg Kudu
Truman Boot has only been around for a year and a half, but they’ve already made a name for themselves among footwear enthusiasts. Their shoes are made to order, so you aren’t going to be getting your boots overnight, but that does allow you custom certain boots features to your liking. Their Iceberg Kudu boots use leather from the South African Greater Kudu, which is known for being both dense and soft.
Available for $500 from Truman Boot.
5) Dayton: Service Boot in Charcoal Nubuck
Dayton’s Charcoal Nubuck Service Boot is often considered to be their signature boot. Although service boots often feel a bit workwear-y, the charcoal nubuck leather really helps bring this boot into the realm of streetwear. These boots are often seen blacked-out, with black edges, stitching, and eyelets; however, Dayton is another made-to-order bootmaker, so you can customize your boots to your hearts content.
Available for $419 from Dayton.
Plus One – Enzo Bonafé: Button Boots in Grey/Black
Alright, I cheated — these boots aren’t fully grey. But Enzo Bonafé’s Button Boots were far too unique to pass by; they are a classic design, seen here made of black calfskin and grey calf suede. They might not become your everyday boots, heck they might not even become your go-to dress boots, but they’ll certainly add a little something extra to anyone’s wardrobe.
Available for $925 from Leffot.
