Review: Red Wing 8138 Moc Toe Briar Oil Slick

If breaking in is a crime, then lock us up. We broke-in the classic Red Wing Moc Toe to see what the fuss is about. Now we’re guilty of wanting another pair.

The Specs

Brand	Red Wing
Model	6″ Moc Toe 8138
Colour	Briar Oil Slick
Retail Price	$280USD
Size Reviewed	UK8
Fit	Runs 1 size large
Upper Material	Leather
Outsole	Traction Tred
Lining	Leather
Laces	48-inch Taslan Lace
Made	USA
Construction	Goodyear welt
Extra Detail	Nickel Eyelets

The Look

Inspired by the moccasins worn by indigenous Americans, Red Wing have been making Moc Toes since the 1950’s. It’s been over 60 years and the gamut of people wearing their shoes has ranged from factory workers to hipsters.

The shoe is chunky, the sole, the toe, the leather, the laces… everything, chunky. But it’s not chunky just for the looks, it looks durable because it is.

The leather is thick and has been oiled beautifully, ours had some marks and small scratches straight from the box. But since it’s a boot that’s meant to get beat up, we didn’t mind. It actually added to the charm of the shoe.

Stitching around the upper of the shoe looks terrific with a mix of black and ivory in the right places to highlight the moc toe and the quality craftsmanship.

Also note that our pair is a darker brown, but Red Wing have a range of different colours to go with your wardrobe.

The Feel

It’s feels like a well made boot, because it is a well made boot. We sized down following recommendations on the internet, we’re usually a US10 for sneakers and a US9 (UK8) fit great. It felt snug, but we could still wiggle our toes.

Note: The right shoe had a thin hard plastic insert inside at the toe, which we didn’t notice while breaking them in. It was pretty painful until we figured out that yes, we’re idiots and took the insert out. So just a note to check inside your shoe before complaining about a brutal break in.

The leather, laces and sole all feel like they’re going to last many years before needing replacement. And we’re told if we maintain the leather properly the shoes should last several years, because the soles are goodyear welted you can replace them with confidence and breathe new life into the shoes.

We haven’t had a problem with grip on any surface, but we haven’t done much wet weather walking at this time. If we need to update this review regarding grip performance we will.

Besides the issue we had with a pesky plastic insert, the break-in process was pretty straight forward, wear the shoe incrementally and in time it’ll mould to your feet and become more comfortable with each wear.

Is it Affordable?

Initially no, they’re still an expensive piece of footwear for most people. But as you get older, people will always tell you from experience not to skimp on shoes.

If you take into account the cost per wear, how durable these boots are and the timeless style, these shoes immediately become a very affordable boot option.

If you wear boots a lot, the Red Wing Moc Toe is a no brainer. Buy them, break them in and accept that you won’t need to buy another pair for a long time, but you’ll probably want another pair because of how great they are.