The Red Wing Heritage Collection has been our most popular line since our grand opening here in Charlottesville, and it’s not very hard to see why! Footwear from the Red Wing Heritage collection epitomizes style and beauty while capturing the soul and spirit of hard work. We want you to know more about this amazing line of boots, and we’ll be doing an in-depth expose on our most popular models… starting with the Red Wing Iron Ranger!
A foreword from Bill Gardner about the Red Wing Iron Ranger:
“The Red Wing Iron Ranger boot is all about the DNA of Red Wing Shoes and the spirit of the American craftsman. In my family alone, we’ve had three generations sell the Iron Ranger with pride to our customers, family, and friends.”
Boot 8111, the Red Wing Iron Ranger, is premium 6 inch boot built from S.B. Foot Tanning Company’s Amber Harness Leather. This oil-tanned leather is stain proof, waterproof, sweat resistant, and features an extremely natural aesthetic that makes it one of our most popular boots. The bump toe and double layer toe cap affords more wiggle room without sacrificing protection for your toes.
The Red Wing Iron Ranger was originally constructed for the workers in the Mesabi Iron Range in northern Minnesota. These iron miners required a rugged, durable work boot that was still comfortable enough to wear all day throughout the mines, and the Red Wing Iron Rangers were cobbled specifically for their needs. Because these boots were built for the industrious workers of the Mesabi Iron Range, the nickname “Iron Rangers” was a natural fit… and one that was quickly adopted. Word of the comfort, versatility, and protection these boots afforded to the iron miners of the time spread quickly, and boot 8111 became one of our most popular models, a superlative they still carry to this day.
In a testament to their lasting popularity, you’ll still find the Red Wing Iron Rangers on the shelf and on feet throughout the world. They started out so close to perfection that we’ve basically left them unaltered throughout the decades. While today there are far better boots for dangerous work, few share the simple beauty of the Red Wing Iron Rangers.
Learn More about the Red Wing Iron Ranger!
We hope you enjoyed this entry! Be on the lookout for the installment of the Red Wing Heritage series, and give us a call at our Charlottesville store or contact us online to find out more about the Red Wing Iron Ranger!