Blundstone boots 500's

[Jaffa the Hat]

Hello all

I have just bought a new pair of Blundstone 500's without realizing they were made in Veitnam:eusa_doh:. Does anyone have Veitnam made Blundstone boots? What do think of the Quality? Mine seem pretty good but I am intersted in other opinions.

Thanks

Jaffa

 

[James71]

I stopped buying them when they sacked all their staff and moved to vietnam, so I am afraid I cant speak for their quality.

After 30 years of wearing only blundstones daily, Ive moved to redbacks and love them. Still Australian made and picked up where blunnies gave up. I now give blunnies no more credit than a $18 pair of cheapies at Target.

 

[Jaffa the Hat]

Thanks James

Seems to me you stopped buying Blunnies on principal and I don't blame you. If I'd known Blundstone's background I don't think I'd have bought the boots.

Jaffa

 

[johnnycanuck]

When I buy a pair of shoes all I care about is comfort, price and durability. I tried them on locally before I bought a pair and they feel like a old pair of cowboy boots right out the box (that means they are very comfortable). I mail ordered my Blundstones in from Australia because I could save $50 rather than buy them locally. I read the reviews on-line and found most people like them. I have also read they have some quality issues with the soles disintegrating after a year but if you contact the company they will replace them for free. So the company does stand by their product. That also means they are designed to last longer than one year. From my personal experience one year is the maximum age of most modern production shoes.

With all that said, as of next month my 510 will be one year old. They are not really showing any age yet and are still comfortable. I cannot complain and would recommend them to anyone.

Here is a picture of them with my Asian Dr. Marten shoes that are two years old and still going strong.

Johnny

 

[Jaffa the Hat]

Thanks Johnny

Mine do seem good quality but as they are the first blunnies I have owned I have nothing to compare them with. I will be useing them for work so if I get over a year out of them I will be pleased. Maybe I shouldn't get too political over a pair of boots but I did think Blundstones were like Akubra hats-a 100% genuine Aussie product. I should have done some research first I suppose.

Jaffa

 

[bburtner@moran]

And so it goes,another manufacturer moves its operation to Asia,you probably paid about 160.00US for them correct?How much did it cost to make those Blunnies in Vietnam,labor rate,etc.It hurts,its a sin that so many companies have done this and most do not bat an eye!Just how many shoe makers are left in the US now? Can anyone name 15????

 

[johnnycanuck]

fftopic:

I thought this thread was about the quality of the boots. Not the social economic debate about staying competitive in a global market economy.

Johnny

 

[Jaffa the Hat]

Yes I agree Johnny, my main concern is quality, comfort and durability and if any of these have been compromised by Blundstones move to asia. That said, I don't think I would have any concerns about the quality if the boots were made in oz. But as you say, yours are made in Vietnam and you are happy with them so I have a little more confedance in mine now.

bburtner- I paid 138 NZD for my boots whatever that works out to in USD.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I also think it's wrong for a company to go offshore where workers can be paid jack-shit.

But for what it's worth, I have worn Blunnies on and off for 30 years. They stopped being properly robust back in the 1980's when they re-designed the boot for city folk. They were briefly fashionable, so they changed the materials and look. Another corporate survival choice...

When they were a serious work boot I would get a couple of years out of a pair of Blunnies. Since 1985 (or thereabouts) I am lucky to get a year. The sole wears through and the leather sometimes tears away from the sole. I too get Redbacks these days. Mind you, I walk everywhere and rarely drive a car. Public transport and walking are still possible in Melbourne.

 

[Smithy]

I also think it's wrong for a company to go offshore where workers can be paid jack-shit.

But for what it's worth, I have worn Blunnies on and off for 30 years. They stopped being properly robust back in the 1980's when they re-designed the boot for city folk. They were briefly fashionable, so they changed the materials and look. Another corporate survival choice...

When they were a serious work boot I would get a couple of years out of a pair of Blunnies. Since 1985 (or thereabouts) I am lucky to get a year. The sole wears through and the leather sometimes tears away from the sole. I too get Redbacks these days. Mind you, I walk everywhere and rarely drive a car. Public transport and walking are still possible in Melbourne.

It'll come back and bite them on the arse, and with people like yourself and James71 it's obviously starting to happen. I've had a couple of pairs (last ones back in the 90s) but I wouldn't buy them now and that's because of their moving production to Vietnam.

Jaffa the Hat, you wouldn't happen to be an Aucklander by any chance would you? Just wondering because of your user name. I'm from Auckland but live on the other side of the ditch now. Always good to see another Kiwi here.

 

[Grayland]

I have a pair that are a few years old. I just checked the soles and it says made in Australia, so I'm not sure when the move to Vietnam occured. This is my second pair and I find they wear like iron, but I wear them in a casual manner - I don't do any real work in them. I've "graduated" to the RM Williams Craftsman. A great looking, well-made Aussie boot.

 

[Fletch]

My 510s (black) are 2 years old and say "Made in Thailand" on a small tag inside - complicating matters further. [huh]

Comparing them with my Oz-made 062s (stout brown), I'd say the Thai product is a bit off in size. The 062s fit me just right in an Oz 9 1/2. The 510s were too tight in 9 1/2 and a tick too big in 10 (I wear them with innersoles).

 

[James71]

I remember the old Blunnies. The soles were like iron hard rubber and they would last years, if you kept the polish up to them. Once they made them more comfortable with soft rubber soles they became a one pair a year boot. (if you wear them to do work in - I cant speak for the about town wearers).

I always have a few pairs in rotation. When new they are my "dress blunnies", then get downgraded to "general wear blunnies" followed by "mowing the lawn and working on the car blunnies". When the dress ones get downgraded one pair drops off the bottom and goes to the tip.

They are bit like hats in that regard....

 

[Jaffa the Hat]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

It seems to me Blunnies are not the boots they used to be. I will see how I go with mine but unless my pair last me a year to 18 months I will be dissapointed. Either way I think I will be looking maybe at Redbacks next time (unless they piss off to Asia as well).
Smithy-sorry mate I'm not actually a Jaffa it's only my username.

 

[Smithy]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

It seems to me Blunnies are not the boots they used to be. I will see how I go with mine but unless my pair last me a year to 18 months I will be dissapointed. Either way I think I will be looking maybe at Redbacks next time (unless they piss off to Asia as well).
Smithy-sorry mate I'm not actually a Jaffa it's only my username.

Ah had me going with the Jaffa reference. Must be the Jaffas you rolled down the wooden floors in cinemas back in the day

Where are you in NZ? Was back home last year but in Christchurch as all the immediate family are down there now.

I don't have a pair but have heard good things about Redbacks and apart from those here who sing their praises have a couple of mates who have them as work boots and they swear by them.

Hope your Blunnies hold up to what you put them through.

Talking Aussie boots, it's you're ever after a dressier boot, can't go past RM Williams. Just had some resoled the other day and the cobbler said, they're good for at least another 40 years.

 

[Jaffa the Hat]

Thanks for the tips Smithy. I will check out RM Williams boots for sure.

Btw-I live in Hawkes Bay.

 

[Ponsenby]

These are mine- had them about 8 years I reckon and they have done some hard yards, including time in Darwin where Redback boots soles perished/ rotted- the Blunnies came through OK and have only this year shed the lower outer layer of rubber- not the same as the old solid rubber sole Blunnies but good boots all the same.

And before all the cries of "put leather dressing on them/ why aren't they looked after" come ringing out- these are work boots and always have been. They lasted that long without a shred of boot care. The intention was to wear em into the ground as do most country blokes. Nuff said I reckon! I do think they might make it to the pool room though!

 

[dr greg]

I had a pair of Blunnies of the old style, but they had one major drawback for me, once the old 'hard' soles wore down a bit, they became slippery on wet metal, causing several dings to my person getting on and off the tractor, and in the end I considered them far too dangerous to wear, my fav workboot now is a nameless army type with SHERPA soles: I don't end up on my arse on slopes in the rain, and have no fear of getting minced by any moving machinery.

 

[James71]

Mine go to the tip long before they get that worn.....


...... and I polish mine... lol.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Earlier I posted about my Blundstone boots I bought in February 2010. Well when I pulled them out of the closet and started to wear them this winter I noticed the side elastic was starting to fray. Being I primarily wear them in winter and last year I rotated wearing them with a pair of Doc Marten boots I was a little disappointed. From what I have read the sole was supposed to fall apart not the elastic. Well I contacted Blundstone Canada, who told me to contact the company I bought them from. Sent off another e-mail to http://everythingaustralian.com.au/ and sent them pictures. They needed to talk to the Blundstone Australia representative. Being I am now dealing with a foreign country and company, I wasn’t expecting anything. Considering the boots did last me 2 years and eight months without showing any wear.
Long story short. I now have a new pair of boots that only cost me shipping and handling.
What can I say. Fantastic boots, fantastic company. Both Blundstone and Everythingaustralian.
Thank you.
Johnny