Two years ago, I purchased a used pair of Russell and Bromley Chelsea boots from Ebay, and have worn them devotedly ever since. They are now at the end of their life, but I have enjoyed every minute of having these around my feet. The chocolate-brown colour and sleek silhouette has made them perhaps the single most versatile pair of footwear in my rotation. I have worn these with my grey and navy business suits at work, and I have worn these when going on a stroll around the neighbourhood. I have worn these to the store and when travelling round London. I have probably worn them more than any other shoes or boots in my collection, and I have in all likelihood gotten my money’s worth. Coming in at a retail price of £245, I was able to purchase these for £81.85 – a discount of almost 70%. I have had these resoled once, for just under the price of the original purchase, and now that the second pair of Dainite soles are reaching the end of their life, I think it is time to retire them.
I feel loathe to make definitive judgements because I have no idea how old the boots already were when I got them. One issue I have had is that the leather seems to dry out quite frequently despite my best efforts at conditioning it with Saphir Renovateur. The front has endured indelible scuffs that won’t disappear no matter how much I wax and polish them. There are now cracks in the welt and on the edge of the soles, and in one of the boots the sole is coming apart from the upper.
For all that, the wearing experience has been a pleasure. The Blake-stitched soles are supple and comforting, the fit generous, as with all Russell and Bromley shoes. The Dainite provides the necessary grip, without the chunkiness of other, alternative rubber soles like Vibram. Had I bought a pair of these brand new, they may have lasted at least three times as long. Still, I do not feel that these boots have the ruggedness of my other pairs from Loake. The leather is thinner, weaker and less resilient to scuffs and creasing than other boots I have worn. The original adhesive that glued the insole into the leather was appallingly weak and came apart within months of wear, so that I had to pay a cobbler to glue it back in. The leather lining of the insole is threadbare and is, after much wear, faded and dark.
Overall, I would give these boots a 3/5. To replace them, I initially purchased a pair of Crockett and Jones Chelseas from Ebay – the superior workmanship of the Northamptonshire brands has drawn me away from the fashion-forward mass retailing of Russell and Bromley, which increasingly feels like an entry-level option for quality footwear, one I have fast outgrown. However, I have since acquired a £75 voucher from Thomas Bird that I quickly decided to spend on a second pair of Eastwood Chelsea boots in oxblood. A review of those should be forthcoming very soon.