Grenson Fred Brogue Boot Review

I was looking for a new pair of new boots that would fit my everyday wear last year. With the choices available in the markets, my budget did seem to limit my selection over preferences. For the reason, I chose Grenson over a Crockett & Jones or Allen Edmonds and bought a pair of Grenson Fred Brogue boots on sale in the end.

Grenson Fred Brogue Boot sale

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You may find a pair of Grenson Fred Brogue Boot on sale at around $200, but popular sizes tend to run out really fast.

Grenson G Two quality

I am well aware of there may be a quality issue regarding G Two that people are talking about before making the purchase.

In case you don't what G Two is, Grenson shoes are available in different price ranges and they come in three categories: G Zero, G One and G Two.

G Zero and G One are entirely made in Northampton, England. G Zero has a closed channel sole while G One has an open channel sole. The materials used and the finishing between G Zero and G One are distinctively different as well.

While materials used for making G Two are sourced from the Grenson factories in Northampton, the shoes are made in India. The quality of G Two is inferior to the other two but it's way cheaper as well. You can tell if it's G Two from the big G imprinted on the sole.

I have written below a Grenson shoes review to record my experience from the unboxing to the quality of the product.

Grenson shoes unboxing

Not that it matters, but the box that the shoes come in is not impressive. The box that it came with looked like a box for a cheap pair of mall shoes.

Besides, it did not come with a dust bag that I usually expect from a well-known shoe brand.

Grenson sizing

The Grenson sizing is G fitting which means that it's a bit wider than normal feet. I wear a US 8.5/UK 7.5/26.5 cm for Flyknit Nike sneakers and they are close-fitting sizes. I got myself a UK 7.5 and the fit is good with enough room in the toe box, and if I wear thicker socks it fits like a glove.

Grenson leather quality

The leather quality is not the best as expected, but it doesn't disappoint me either at the price range it comes with. For what it lacks, it makes up for it in the design as the Grenson Fred boots are handsome to look at.

If you consider yourself as a connoisseur of shoes, the quality would definitely not impress you.

Grenson commando sole

These Grenson boots have commando soles which are solid and sturdy for my tastes. The soles are quite chunky and add some decent heft to the boots. Regardless of that, it offers traction and is moderately resistant to weather.

The boots are Goodyear welted which makes it more water resistant than other stitching methods.

The stitches are finished solidly and they appear seemingly intact. Because of the grips in the sole, the only downside would be the fact that small objects like pebbles and gravel get wedged between those spaces, but that's really a non-issue for me.

With the wear and tear, the soles can come off and if you are not fond of letting go of shoes without a final fight, repairing them is always an option. However, sending the boots back to Grenson for full refurbishment will cost £110, which is pretty steep given the price of the boots I paid for.

Are Grenson shoes comfortable?

Like most shoes, the shoes are not comfortable on the first wear and these Grenson Fred boots need to be broken in before you actually feel a sense of ease wearing them. It becomes comfortable after the first five to six wears.

If you are still breaking in new shoes, applying Vaseline to the usual blistering spots will soften them up and make them less a torture to wear.

Summary

Grenson shoes have made a name for themselves since the 19th century and they are iconic in the UK. Many people say their quality has been declining, but I think it is more likely the case that people having wrong expectations. I would say I would give the overall quality a 7 out of 10 which is above average.

The overall experience of owning a pair of Grenson Fred boots has been lovely. The boots don’t come with the premium quality leather, but considering the fact that I bought them for a bit over $200, I would say that I am satisfied.

And if you are willing to shell out more money, there are better alternatives for the full price that you might pay for a pair of Grensen boots.

I hope this Grenson shoes review help anyone who is on the hunt for purchasing a great pair of boots. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave me a comment below.