Check out these quality made-in-England Chelsea boots!
The Sutton Castagnia Waxy Suede Boots from Barker — an English shoemaker that has been in business since 1880. These are solid boots for men looking to elevate their smart-casual everyday wear.
With England’s fading shoemaking industry, Barker and these boots succeed in keeping alive the tradition of quality Chelsea boots that have been a staple in London since 1931. Worn by the likes of Queen Victoria and The Beatles, this truly gender-neutral boot style has seen it all.
Nowadays, when footwear like this is outsourced and mass-produced, Barker maintains their facilities in Northamptonshire, England.
Quick Take
These Chelsea boots have the silhouette of dress boots and are durable enough to endure everyday wear and easy hikes.
While not my herbal non-caffeinated cup of tea, these are a solid choice for guys looking for good-looking, easy-to-put-on boots.
First Impressions
My first impression was that the silhouette is quite good. In other words, I really like the last.
However, I do not generally like Chelsea boots. As a result, it took me about a month to try these on. I did like these when I put them on, and the longer I wore them, the more Chelsea boots grew on me.
Colors/Finishes
What you see in this pair of boots is the “Castagnia Waxy Suede” colorway. The elastic paneling, or gusset, and the edges around the sole and heel are all a dark brown. The “Dark Brown Suede” boots are this dark brown color all over.
Barker also offers a couple of non-suede options in the “Sutton” style. The “Brown Pegasus” is a leather boot that is lighter in color than the “Dark Brown Suede”, but still darker than the “Castagnia Waxy Suede”. Each pair of “Sutton” boots has a pull tab on the front and back.
For the darkest color, the “Black Waxy” is another non-suede boot that is entirely black on the exterior. This pair is the dressiest option available among the “Sutton” line of boots.
For comparison, Barker makes a couple of other Chelsea boots in different styles.
The “Bedale” boots draw attention with hi-shine leather and a more narrow toe box. The “Bedale” also only has one pull tab in the back of the boot. Notice the sole of “Bedale” to be full leather, as opposed to the Dainite soles of the “Sutton” line.
If you like the full leather sole, consider the “Hopper” style of Chelsea boots available at Barker. These boots come in two combinations of colors.
The first is the “Cedar Calf / Navy Elastic” duo that features a medium brown, leather body with a bold, brighter navy gusset. The other is the “Dark Walnut / Burgundy Elastic” that proudly displays a red gusset amidst a dark brown boot.
Construction & Aesthetic
One thing I’ve noticed is that rain can cause some discoloring on the upper. That’s not something that happens to my suede Thursday Scout Boots.
However, the discoloration was minor (it wasn’t raining that hard), and by gently “scratching” the suede surface with my fingernail it returned to its original appearance.
Hand Stitching
One thing I could tell quite quickly is that at least some of the boots’ components, including the lining inside the boot shank, are hand-stitched. You can tell that because the width of the individual stitches are different from one another.
In contrast, machine-made stitches are the same width.
After noticing the stitching, I checked the product description, and, sure enough, it says “Hand-stitched detailing.”
Soles
They have a Dainite sole and are available in sizes from 6 through 16. They have a 10mm sole. The grip is pretty good on them as far as I can tell.
Dainite, a high-quality sole and heel manufacturer, has been providing shoemakers with their product since 1894. Other than Barker, you can find Dainite soles on footwear from companies like Loake Shoemakers and Crockett & Jones.
These Barker boots boast the classic “studded” Dainite soles, easily identifiable by their circular pattern. Make no mistake — many others have tried to mimic Dainite’s process, but as Dainite themselves remind us, “Other soles may be studded but they are not Dainite”.
Pull Tabs
These boots have double pull tabs. Both are wide, I guess you could say, ribbons emblazoned with the name “Barker”.
I typically don’t like pull tabs on boots. However, since these have somewhat of a snug fit, they make sense. I just hate when the back of my pants gets caught on the tabs and shows the boots’ collars.
Lining/Insole
As I mentioned, the lining, which is fully leather, has hand-stitched elements.
Towards the heel area on the bottom, the insole has a seam were it is glued to the lower section of the insole. In this area on my left boot, the glue is starting to unstick. When I take off the left boot the heel section of the insole peels back somewhat.
This is uncomfortable, and unfortunately is something I experience often with footwear (take my moccasins, for example).
Fit/Sizing
I ordered a size US 10 (EUR 43), and they fit well.
The fit is snug, and the toe box is narrow, however, they are quite comfortable to wear.
I should note that Barker also sent me a pair of Orkney — Cherry Grain Chukka Boots, also in the same size. These boots, though, fit too large.
My Review
These boots have held up well throughout the weeks I’ve worn them.
I wore them on a few short hikes, and they’ve performed well — no problems with traction and no hot spots.
I’ve worn these with a suit once (my turquoise summer suit, to be exact). In this colorway they’re, quite a bold choice to pair with a full suit — they lend themselves better to more relaxed sports jacket looks.
They’re right at home with dark, rich indigo-colored denim, or olive chinos.
After a few weeks they do have some creasing, which is very much to be expected.
I think that the suede shows more marks than my Thursday Scout Boots.
My Recommendation
At the original price of £400, I would pass on them. However, currently sitting around £270, these boots merit consideration. With hand stitching and a rich English history, despite the price, the boots have plenty of redeeming qualities.
At the end of the day, even if these boots are slightly higher quality than others, such as Thursday boots, I still would opt of Thursday’s variant of the boots.
They are slim-fitting boots. So if you have wide feet, they may not be for you.
Overall, though, these are a solid option if you’re looking for a new pair of Chelseas.
What other made-in-Enland brands do you want us to cover? Let us know in the comments!
