Red Wing Weekender Chukkas. View The Insider Video
How The Red Wing Weekender Is Made
Red Wing fans will be delighted that a new film has popped up on Vimeo treating us to an insider’s view of the manufacturing process of their Weekender Chukka Boot. As the blurb goes;
Just because the Weekenders are not work boots (, it) doesn’t mean they aren’t built to be rugged companions. They’re hand-made right next to all of our other Heritage boots at Plant 2 in Red Wing, Minnesota. And the durable leather for their uppers is sourced from the S.B. Foot Tanning Company just down the road, where we’ve been getting our leather for over a century.
Manufacturing videos are not exactly a revolutionary idea but this one has been shot with a certain intimacy which manages to perfectly capture the care and craftsmanship that is applied to every stage from the initial cut through to packaging and sending them on their way.
About The Weekender
The Weekend (or styles 3320, 3321 and 3320) comes in Roughout leather , charcoal Rough & Tough leather or copper Rough & Tough leather.
While most tanneries split and weaken the hide to create the rough suede surface, Red Wing simply use the other side of the hide for their Roughout leather. This means that it retains its thickness and character which is essential if the weekend is going to be energetic and boisterous.
Rough & Tough is oil-tanned by S.B. Foot Tanning Co. and is a cornerstone for different styles right across the Red Wing range. This leather highly durable and resistant to water, stain and perspiration. But, because the finishing process is less intensive than on a dedicated work boot, it tends to have a more natural look and feel. This in turn, helps the natural beauty of the leather to shine through.
Pricing & Availability
Coming in at around $/€230, Red Wing Weekender chukkas are a little easier on the pocket than the work boot styles. We also hear that stocks are plentiful at the moment.
European Rope Dye can buy online here or, for North American customers, this is where you need to be.
