We’ve always argued on this website that there’s space in the middle. There’s a middle ground for style. Not dirt cheap, and not so expensive that you need to have a yacht parked somewhere in the Caymans to afford your wardrobe. That middle ground is what Huckberry’s new boot brand, Rhodes, is shooting for here. Good materials, good construction, and intentional & contemporary choices when it comes to the looks.
The Rhodes Dean in Rust. Darker in person than on the Huckberry site.
Made in Portugal with a Blake stitch welt, these look and feel like a slightly more affordable version of the Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill. They’re heritage-style “work” boots that most guys will wear casually or smart casually, not on the job site. And like the Higgins Mill, the Rhodes avoids the super-clunky toe of other work style boots, and while not crushing, keeps things more or less slim in terms of the height of the toe box.
Offered in four colors: Rust, Natural, Whiskey, and Honey.
Rust and Honey come with a cap toe. Natural and Whiskey are plain toe.
The subtle studded rubber sole should provide some weather resistance and traction in wet weather. Some would probably have preferred a Goodyear welt over a Blake stitch (consensus seems to be that Goodyear is more weather proof), but as long as you aren’t standing for extended periods of time in puddles or digging a snow cave in a blizzard, I’m guessing most wearers are gonna be just fine.
Blake stitched with a studded rubber sole.
The leather they use for the uppers is thick without being stiff, they’re comfortable right out of the box, and they even smell good. Leather-heads will notice some imperfections (some wrinkling here and there as well as small scrapes to the hide), but you’re not buying cordovan here. Also these boots break in and show that break in, fast. I think that’s intentional though. Y’know how denim heads love to talk about their own “fades” on their jeans when they start to wear in? That happens here with the leather on these boots. Like the first time you lace them up. Huckberry sent along two pairs (a 10 and a 10.5 for a fit test) and this is what the 10 looked like after I tried them on. The boot’s leather shows individual wear patterns and patina ASAP. Some will like that, some will not. Just be aware of it.
Classic work-boot looks without a ton of clunk.
Sizing does seem to run a half size large. Unless you’re gonna wear extremely thick socks, I’d go with a half size down from your normal size. A size 10 seemed to fit my normally 10.5 D feet best, right out of the box. Boots ship and return for free, so if you’re a bit wary of sizing down a half size, you’re risk free.
Cap toes come on two colors. The other two are plain toes.
They’re a mighty fine debut for Huckberry’s exclusive, in-house Rhodes boot brand. Some guys will have preferred a Goodyear Welt and perhaps some leather that doesn’t show patina so quickly, but I’m thinking Huckberry made those choices on purpose. Both to keep costs down, and to make each pair of boots as individual as the wearer.
Enter here to win a pair of Rhodes boots in your size and preferred leather/color. Sadly, just standard D widths for now. Deadline for entry is 11:59 PM ET on 10/30/18. One entry per person. Thanks to Huckberry for providing a pair of their new Rhodes boots for giveaway!
UPDATE: Congrats to C. Leins who won the drawing for the new Huckberry Rhodes boots!
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