These Boots Are Made For…Pretty Much Everything

What’s your most versatile piece of footwear? If you’re an Aussie, you might’ve said ‘my thongs’, but Tim has other ideas.

Shoes are funny, they’re unlike any other piece of clothing. They can be safety equipment or high fashion, and they inspire everyone from sneakerheads to trail runners who obsess over their details.

Yet despite closets full of them, including a new one for every different sport, most of us just want to whip something quickly onto our feet and get moving, hence the popularity of the shoes without laces, like Blundstones.

Australians, however, have a terrible time accepting reality. Our houses are often freezing in winter and visit any campsite come the weekend, and I bet you’ll see a bloke in shorts and thongs crunching through the frost.

Which is funny, because Australia’s pretty famous for its boots, particularly the kind you can slip on one-handed, kick around in the mud, and freshen up with a bit of spit and polish.

When Blundstone, the Aussie boot brand from Tassie, asked us to help spread the word we knew it wouldn’t be an issue. Josh and Julia from WAE HQ cracked out their ten-year-old pairs that’d tackled international travel, kicked around on farms, and been on dozens of camping trips.

Fresh pair, meet Josh’s veteran pair | @life.of.fletch

Me? I’d never had a pair of ‘Blunnies’. My boots only seemed to come out when I was wearing a suit, and my hiking boots are in disrepair (I’m a hike-in-trail-runners guy now).

With a fresh pair of Blundstone Original #500s on my feet, I set out to learn what all the fuss was about. I asked the die-hards what they thought.

‘They’re the go-to shoe for travelling’

Julia’s been around. From a stint in Canada to months backpacking through South America, she’s definitely done her time and knows the challenge of compressing your wardrobe into a backpack. So why did Blunnies come out on top?

Juju in her happy place | @aebimedia

‘They’ve come with me through city streets and muddy bush alike, and they don’t look half bad dressed up for a swanky dinner either’, she says. But there’s a sentimental reason too.

‘There’s a certain bit of pleasure derived from a locally-owned bit of gear. I love knowing that the boots carrying me through all these memories come from home soil and are a little piece of home themselves.’

After so many years of dedicated service Julia’s Blundstones were due for retirement, so we hooked her up with a fresh pair of Original #500s ahead of a weekend campout with her brother.

‘We went to Dalys Clearing, down in the beautiful pine forests of Belanglo, and we just so happened to choose a weekend immediately following a bout of very heavy rain’, Julia told me.

‘I’m glad to report that the boots were ace. They kept me toasty and dry as we explored a very waterlogged forest and settled into our muddy camp for the night. The pull-on style of the boots was especially handy for the wet campsite, making it a breeze to pop in and out of the tent with little fuss.’

Blunnies in their happy place! | @aebimedia

Big ticks for versatility coming from Julia. I’m not just saying this, heaps of my mates have Blunnies, but I’ve never thought to dabble myself. I’m starting to wonder why.

But what does Josh think? Our resident grumpy old(er) man, he’s often complaining about fancy coffees, whingers, and corporate greed. So why did Blunnies make the cut?

‘I’ve been wearing Blundstones for almost 20 years.’

‘I was first given a pair when I left school and started my working life in the vineyards of South Australia’, Josh says.

But he soon found them working perfectly for weekend surf and bike trips. They were durable, coped with all kinds of terrain and, crucially for the thong comparison, were easy to throw on.

‘I still wear them for life on the farm, post-surf or ride hangs, or I’m putting them on one-handed while rushing out the door with my one-year-old under one arm. I reckon I’ll be wearing this new pair of #500s in another 20 years’ time,’ Josh told me.

Blunnies ✅ Sunnies ✅ Josh is ready for a rigorous farm day (see also: sitting on ute tray) | @life.of.fletch

Woah, that’s a pretty glowing affirmation.

So, what did I think?

Embracing Boot Culture

No seriously, after talking to Julia and Josh I started wondering why I’d never worn boots like Blunnies before.

‘Probably because you’ve never done any hard work’ is what Josh would say, and yeah fair call. I’m a writer, sue me. Something something the pen is mightier…

Hang on, do these make me look MORE like a writer now? *clutches Moleskine* | @tim_ashelford

But while Blundstones are a great work boot, they’re also great for travelling, camping, adventure weekends, and the coffee run.

I wore them to and from the Blue Mountains for a gravel biking mission, only taking them off for the actual pedalling. They were warm, comfy, and coped well with the mud and dirt at the trailhead.

I’ve been wearing them daily too and suddenly never have to question if I’m going to walk through a puddle, climb an embankment, or scuff them up while exploring the real world.

I’ve started to notice how often wearing the wrong shoes determines what I do. I stick to the path or push a task to later because I’d have to change what’s on my feet.

But the Blunnies are like a Swiss Army knife. They’re ready for just about anything and will take you much further than you’d expect, all while looking pretty snazzy. I feel more adventurous and end up wearing them all day without need of a change.

Am I sold? I reckon I am. Whatever mental block I had that stopped me from exploring the boot life before now, maybe imposter syndrome, has melted away in the ease of their everyday wear and a couple of compliments.

I might even write a follow up article, if you can wait another ten years.

Header image thanks to @aebimedia