Updated Boots Look Bigger (and Better) Than Ever

Blundstone made its iconic Chelsea boot even better by adding a lug sole.

Although Blundstone has history that stretches as far back as 1870, Blundstone boots as we know them today — the #500 and #550, mostly — date back to 1968, when the company successfully swapped their boots' hard bottoms for soles made from vulcanized rubber. The switch made a durable boot even better.

Since, few changes have been made. Sure, the brand tinkers with alternative materials from time to time — they made vegan boots in 2021 — but the boots in Blundstone's primary collections, the Originals and the Classics, haven't strayed far from their roots — until now.

Blundstone Lug Boot

Prior to 1968, and even shortly after, because the rubberized soles didn't catch on immediately, Blundstone was known as a workwear brand — a place to buy boots with special treads, steel toes and heat-resistant uppers, even boots that were resistant to electric shock. In this line, ultra-durable add-ons like lug soles have long been mainstays.

Through Blundstone's newest silhouette, the Lug Boot, the brand is fusing its two biggest sectors: work and lifestyle.

"The new collection incorporates a fresh take on the brand's iconic Originals Chelsea boot, featuring premium leather uppers, complemented by a chunky rubber sole that has been tried and tested in our work range," Joe Carfora, Blundstone’s Global and Ancillaries Range Manager, says.

Never one to necessarily follow trends, this is also Blundstone's first attempt on record — vegan boots aside — to experiment with the brand's aesthetics. The Lug Boot definitely still looks like a Blundstone product, but it's adventurous, even a little streetwear-ish. 

The lug sole originally appeared within Blundstone Australia's work range styles.

"The Lug Boot Collection was born out of wanting to create an urban boot that nods to the current chunky sole trend while still offering wearers the dependability of a boot that has been developed for industrial working conditions," Carfora adds.

Available in three colors, Black (#2240), Rustic Brown (#2239) and Rustic Black (#2238), the Blundstone Lug Boot is slightly more expensive than the standard Blundstone Work Boots. The slight up-charge, though, is warranted. The Lug Boot features a premium water-resistant leather upper, the aforementioned chunky outsole with deep ridges specifically designed to improve grip and reduce slips and a Comfort Arch footbed infused with XRD Technology through the arch and into the heel to provide improved shock absorption.