Club Obi Wan

I bought a pair of J. Crew Rugged boots about a year and a half ago and since they got some attention here as an Alden alternative I thought I'd review them. My first experience with them was similar to other posters. They look great but were incredibly uncomfortable. I even posted here asking if anyone had any suggestions for how I could somehow make them comfortable or if anyone was interested in buying them from me. With few suggestions and no prospective buyers I threw the boots in the closet for the summer and ignored them. However I was Indy for Halloween so I got them out of the closet and replaced the leather laces with more Indyesque cloth laces, and I started to wear them a bit. What I found (shocking, I know) is that the secret to making them more comfortable has been to wear them.

Now, after six months or so of moderate wear they're much more comfortable and nicely distressed. I live in the Boston area and they are now my preferred footwear on days of moderate precipitation and cold. I don't wear them on particularly wet or cold days, however, because they're uninsulated and I don’t trust them to keep me dry. The bottom tread is good for tromping across ice and snow, and presumably would provide traction on rocks, sand, tanks, or other terrain.

Because I didn’t care to wear them at first I didn’t take very good care of them. Now that I like them much more I found myself wanting to clean them up so I got some Timberland boot cleaner and a boot cleaning “eraser”. They cleaned up rather nicely.

Regarding sizing, I consistently wear 10 1/2 US and my 10 ½ ruggeds are the correct size.

It's good that you're liking your ruggeds. I bought a pair when they were on clearance for about $30 or so. These boots are okay for moderate wear, but not that tough.

After about 4 months, the soles started to come off the bottom of the boots and they had worn down quite a bit. I had hiked around in mountains and rocks some, but not too much. My ruggeds also left notoriously bad scuff marks on hardwood and vinyl surfaces.

You were right when you guessed that they don't stay dry because they don't. If you walk around in the snow, your feet will get wet and of course the boots aren't that warm either. To the others out there, I just want to say that if you want durable boots for extensive outdoor wear, don't get the ruggeds because they will probably fall apart after a few months.

These are back on sale for $49.95 if anyone is interested.
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jh ... d=cat69489

I now have the Rugged, the Decker and Alden 405's.

I have worn my Rugged's EVERY SINGLE day for the past 6 months. I find them to be quite comfortable, and after wearing them for 10-11 hours a day, they don't feel heavy or tight, I find.

They can be worn with jeans on a casual day, or with khaki's (for work) and still look good.

They scuff and distress pretty easily, but you kinda want that in an Indy boot. I find the sole is as tight as the day they were bought (but the only hiking I do is to the car)

They are work boots, tho, and not hiking boots, so if one is misusing them for purposes other than intended, then they will naturally experience advanced wear and tear.

But I have found that, as I 'baby' my Deckers, I just 'wear' the Rugged's (especially now that it has been winter for the better part of the last half-year!!)

Have not worn the Alden's out of the house yet, as they were just bought, and I can't wear them in winter conditions, but the Rugged's have held up just fine..I would recommend them to anyone.

That's my review.

Hemingway Jones wrote:These are back on sale for $49.95 if anyone is interested.
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jh ... d=cat69489

Thanks Heminway Jones!
I am definitely getting a pair of these!
I have the Deckard model and like them. However, I notice part of the sole where it attaches to the boot has started to come off. It appears to be coming off in a 'sliver' like piece around the whole boot! It reminds me of a gasket.
I Gorilla glued it and have been looking at the Rugged's.

Happy to help, Feraud. Let us know how you like them.

Thanks HJ. Every time I checked the Jcrew site they never even showed them?! Now all of a sudden they're on sale. I don't understand it, but I'm
definately ordering another pair of these; thanks for the heads up.

Regards,
Indybill


EDIT: Ack!!! They're sold out of my size...foiled again!!!

indybill,
Try telephoning them. I've done that in the past. They have found a pair of shoes for me that was showing as "sold-out" on line.
Good luck!
HJ

I tried...no luck though.
I guess I'll keep an eye on them and hope that they get more in
my size before the sale ends.

Heminway is correct. Try calling them.
I think I ordered the last online pair, size 10. I asked my wife to place an order for me this a.m. As she processed it, she thought it did not submit. She re-tried and received an 'out of stock' display.
When she checked her e-mail, she received an order confirmation!

Today is my lucky day.

I noticed when I got on that page again just now that size 10 has been removed from the list. Guess us size 10's are out of luck this time.

Regards,
Indybill

I did not know we were so popular!

indybill,
If you want these boots, get on line. As of 11:00 AM on 3/20/05 J. Crew has these in size 10M.
I just checked!
Good luck,
HJ

I find the J Crews I have to be quite impossible to wear - got them as a pair of stunt boots for filming and at the minute that is all I can use them for - a bit inside the back of the boot knifes into my heel in one boot and after any amount of wear I get blisters on the ankles - I have a pair of Aldens in exactly the same size and they fit like a charm.

Ken

Shooot! I didn't get on here this weekend, so I got on Jcrew as soon
as I saw the promising news this morning and they're showing out of stock
entirely on the Ruggeds. I'm still using the same link Hemingway posted
before, so if there's a different one showing boots available please post it.

Regards,
Indybill

Sorry indybill,
I tried everyway I could to get a hold of you. J. Crew is tricky. I have been trying to get a pair of their dark brown suede wing-tips. They had them on sale, sold out, had them up again, but not in my size; I called them and they said they were all out everywhere. Yesterday, I checked again and there they were in! and in my size. I ordered them and they are on their way. Then, I checked for your Rugged boots and they were in, and in a size 10M. I immediately PM-ed, Posted, and emailed you. I suppose it wasn't enough. If I were you, I would check each day, perhaps a few times each day.

HJ, you're attempts to help go far beyond my expectations. I sincerely thank you for trying to get ahold of me. I just don't get on the net much on the weekends lately, good weather has kept me out of doors (yup, beating the heck out of my Ruggeds). I'll keep checking their site and hopefully they'll make another appearance.

Regards,
Indybill

It's my pleasure. Should I see them again, I'll let you know.
Good luck,
-HJ

Jcrew ruggeds are back on the site as of 7:30am pacific time today, size 8, 9, and 12 only though.

Regards,
Indybill

Holy @#$%!

Size 10 suddenly appeared out of the blue and I snagged a pair.

Ive noticed you guys keep looking for other shoes that look like the Aldens but aint them, is it for the price? how much do a pair of Aldens cost? is it because they are hard to get?


These and more questions will be answered after the break

Hey Indybill, the size 10s are back!!


Congrats, Alabama Jones. My boots have arrived today. As soon as I get to check 'em out, I'll post a review.

Luisiana Jones wrote:Ive noticed you guys keep looking for other shoes that look like the Aldens but aint them, is it for the price? how much do a pair of Aldens cost? is it because they are hard to get?


These and more questions will be answered after the break

For me, it is the price. I am not quite ready to drop approx. $250. U.S.D. on a pair of boots. There are a few 'good enoughs' out there. J. Crew has 2 styles that I can recall that look good. I picked up a pair of the Deckers on sale. Thanks to Hemingway Jones sharp eye, I now have the Rugged's.

Feraud wrote:

Luisiana Jones wrote:Ive noticed you guys keep looking for other shoes that look like the Aldens but aint them, is it for the price? how much do a pair of Aldens cost? is it because they are hard to get?


These and more questions will be answered after the break

For me, it is the price. I am not quite ready to drop approx. $250. U.S.D. on a pair of boots.

Same here.

Also, considering the Crews themselves are regulary $148.00, its just too good a deal to pass up.

Alabama Jones wrote: Also, considering the Crews themselves are regulary $148.00, its just too good a deal to pass up.

Exactly!

I had my boots shipped to my wife's job. She told me this a.m. they arrived. I cannot wait to see them!

lol, thanks i didnt know they cost that much, i should have done some research before though

Feraud wrote:Thanks to Hemingway Jones sharp eye, I now have the Rugged's.

I am only too happy to help!
And to those of you still looking, check everyday. It is literally different everyday.

You've got that right. They've got more sizes in stock again today.
Just give me 5 minutes with a couple of pairs of size 10's in stock...


Alabama Jones, are you sure those were 10M's and not 10H's? All I saw
were the 10H's which are size 10 1/2.

Regards,
Indybill

indybill wrote:You've got that right. They've got more sizes in stock again today.
Just give me 5 minutes with a couple of pairs of size 10's in stock...


Alabama Jones, are you sure those were 10M's and not 10H's? All I saw
were the 10H's which are size 10 1/2.

Regards,
Indybill

I checked my receipt and it says "10H-M". Actually, I hope the are 10 1/2 so I can wear thicker socks of need be.

10H-M is definitely 10 1/2 mediums. I have bought many pairs of shoes and that is how they do their sizing, which I think is a little confusing. How are you supposed to know H is half? It could be a width. That's just my opinion. If they are a little big, wear a thicker sock and get an insert; that's what I do.

I was thinking of buying a pai and now they're allready sold out

Yep, shows page no longer available... Oh well.

Before I came across this thread I was just wondering if there were any alternatives, replicas, or fairly close faxcimilies of the Aldens as there aren't any listed on the site under boots. I guess there's at least a couple.

What are the Decker some mentioned? Is that another J. Crew stile or is it a differnt brand?

IndyDoc;
Different style from J. Crew, though now discontinued I believe.

Redbeard has a nice pair;
http://www.redbeard.de/details/boots.htm

Regards,
Swindiana

Wow, those are the closest thing I've seen by far. I saw some other jcrews on ebay, but they were in womens size, and had a thick "rolled" toe seam. They were pretty close in design except for tha though.

IndyDoc, I have both style boots from JCrew. They are both good boots imho. The 'decker' style could be a bit darker for my taste. The sole on this boot is not as secure as I prefer in wet/snowy weather. I just recently received the 'rugged' style. The are comfortable in general use and the sole seems to have good traction.
Either one is a good buy for general use.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/ ... re2240.jpg

I like the looks of the decker style even though the are light. (you can fix that farily easily. So I guess neither of these are availible except if you run across them on some store or ebay or something?

I believe the decker is out of production. The rugged appear to be a hit or miss affair. The website will list it in stock then be out in a matter of hours or minutes!

Good luck.

I placed a call in to J crew this morning just to see if they had any of the Rugged boots available. The lady told me that all she had was a 10 1/2. This doesnt do me any good b/c I wear either a 9 or a 10 depending on the shoe. She also told me that more probably wouldnt be available untill August or so

And now they seem to be completely out...actually get a message like "due to high demand this product is out of stock".

But we appreciate the updates, folks - if anybody sees them in stock again, send a ping (one ping only, Vasily).


J