Blundstone 500 Leather Unisex Boots

I pretty much live in these now. For me they are comfortable, I have wide feet with a fairly high instep and the leather stretched out quickly to fit my flappers. I wear them working on the farm, hiking with the dogs, and to town for the pub. I gave them a good slather of boot grease and they keep my feet dry in the snow and spring rain. I will say, the outsoles DO NOT take much heat, I melted them a bit kicking smoldering branches into a burn pile. Nonetheless the tread is holding up pretty well, not much wear in two years, but I'm usually on dirt, not concrete or paving. If I buy again I'll see if there's a version with a stouter outsole.

I was expecting the 500 to have a narrow fit. I used to own the 200 (discontinued) which was the wide model. But then I read somewhere that the AUS half sizes mean additional width so instead of getting a US10, I got the US10.5 and it fit perfectly for my US10E feet. The soles are slightly harder than the 550, which I was expecting, but nothing a good pair of gel insoles can't fix. But as-is, they feel fine so long as you don't expect them to feel like running shoes. Besides, I prefer the thinner-looking soles of the 500. But if you prefer it plush, get the 550 as these are leather-lined inside and have the softer soles.Also, it's the first time I decided to buy a "used" item (probably returned) but it was good as new and the tag was still attached to the shoes, so I saved 30%! Lastly, I was worried I wouldn't like the stout brown color, but I realized I could wear the boots as black or brown so it's pretty versatile.As for the issue about the soles cracking, I'll have to wait and see if this has been rectified. My 200 (purchased in Tasmania) lasted 6 years before the soles cracked and disintegrated. The uppers were perfectly fine and was even starting to look beautifully-worn! Unfortunately the soles cannot be mended in any way and the only option would be to re-sole the boots.

This is my first pair of blundstones. I purchased a half size larger so that I could wear slightly thicker socks. I cannot wear my thickest socks as I normally could sizing up, so they seem to be sized slightly smaller. I ordered an 8.5 US or 5.5 AU. I would probably order the same size again in the future, because it works well with thin socks as well and I can wear these boots in the winter or the summer. Super lightweight boot. I have really high arches/instep, so the first week my arch was uncomfortable but the boots broke in quickly. Though the arch support isn't the best, I actually have no pain or issues wearing them and just use the standard sole insert already provided. These boots are stiff at first, but tailor to your foot/soften after constant wear really fast. They are also so incredibly durable and do not scrape up easily - marks are easy to wipe off/clean. I have had these shoes for over 6 months and they still look new after wearing them almost every single day. I think they'll last a few years.

Been a loyal Blunnies customer for 30 years since my days at Melbourne Uni, bought my first pair at the dearly departed Sam Bear in the city. And that pair came with me to the States where they went through years of Chicago winters and Los Angeles pavements. Then I bought a replacement pair when those eventually wore down, and so on. This pair I bought when I moved to Phoenix eight years ago, where they were lightly used as we have no salty winters, only light gardening. This is the sad result. I’m led to understand management shifted production offshore, and no less than Russell Crowe has suffered a similar fate with his boots. The quality jig is up at Blundstone. I urge you to buy Australian brands like Redback or if you can afford it RM Williams who still make in Australia.

These are great country/city boots for all purpose wear. Great with jeans and casual slacks. They have a lot of cushion and are very rugged. The challenge is to get the right size. They fit like loose fitting sneakers, which is okay if you are aware of it. You can always fill them up with thick socks. I think they run a full size short. I wear a size 8 in dress shoes. I bought size 9 1/2 in these boots. Here's why: first they run small like sneakers made in Asia. I have always worn a full size bigger in running shoes. Part of it is the small Asian last that they are made on, part of it is the thick socks I tend to wear. Secondly, I have slightly narrow feet. The only place this boot will be snug in in the ankle. As a result the foot tends to slide in the shoe because the shoe is so loose (and some would say comfortable.) I hate when my foot slides and touches the front of the shoes. I find it very uncomfortable, so I added a 1/2 size for that. If you have wide feet it may not happen to you, but if you have a D width or narrower, be careful with the sizing.

I've been wearing these religiously for a few months now. I had the 550s, which are leather lined and they were just too tight on my high instep (the top of my foot is very high). I tried stretching them and everything, but nothing worked. I loved the Blundstone boot and how comfortable the sole was and how light they were.... so I bought these 500s hoping without the leather lining they'd give JUST a bit more room inside...and they do. Not much, but they don't press down on my instep like the 550s. I've put months on them and they're great. All day comfort. The soft rubber soles are very quiet... like you can sneak up on your wife in the kitchen and scare the crap out of her.It would be nice if they were still made in Australia and not outsourced, but in this day and age for $180 you get outsourced boots. Quality seems high, though, and I plan on wearing these for years to come.