A versatile side-gore boot from BLUNDSTONE that you can wear rain or shine. A "boot you grow with," one that becomes more comfortable to your own feet the more you wear it.

There are still scorching hot days, but lately the weather has also been unsettled and gloomy for stretches at a time. With the long rainy season and typhoon season ahead, many of you may be thinking about getting rain shoes. The first thing that comes to mind for rain shoes is the reassuring long rain boot, but their weight, difficulty walking in them, rubber deterioration, and limited usefulness (only for rainy days) can be a concern. You know they'd be really convenient to have, but while you're deliberating over what kind to get, you might end up thinking, "Maybe I don't need one this year after all," and let it go.

Ideally, what you want is a rain shoe so practical that you'll want to start using it the moment it arrives. In our modern lives, getting around by car or well-developed public transportation, isn't this the kind of rain shoe we're really after—one you can start using right away?

・Fits snugly to the foot and is easy to walk in

・Can be worn rain or shine

・Works just as well for outdoor use as for everyday city wear

・Can be enjoyed for years to come (not deterioration, but improvement with age)

This time, we're focusing on Blundstone's side-gore boots, which satisfy all of these conditions. We'll also introduce a new series that has joined the lineup this season.

A newly addedside-gore boot with a heel.

A pair our staff has worn and loved for 5 yearsSide Gore Boots BS500 Stout Brown. You can really tell from their appearance how well they've been broken in and worn.

The ultimate all-round boot: the Blundstone side-gore

Blundstone is an Australian shoe brand said to have popularized the side-gore boot around the world. It was in 1870 that the brand began making work boots for laborers in Tasmania, a land surrounded by vast nature and undergoing frontier development. In 2020, this long-established brand celebrated its 150th anniversary.

The boot that has become Blundstone's icon is the "ORIGINALS" series. Born in the 1960s, this boot features the design now known as the "side-gore boot," with elastic panels on both sides. Prized for its ease of wear, the snug fit it gives the leg, and its sheer durability, it has gone on to be loved around the world for more than 60 years since.

What is it that makes the ORIGINALS series so beloved?

1. It fits snugly to the foot and is easy to walk in

The elastic on the side-gore isn't simply there to make the opening wider so your foot slips in easily—it's what allows a leather boot like this to fit snugly to the foot, giving you ease of movement and comfortable walking. Unlike rain boots, which tend to be designed roomier, the side elastic holds the instep in place, so your whole foot doesn't shift around loosely inside the boot as you walk, making it easy to walk in.

The toe area, meanwhile, is a roomy round toe. Even though this is a Western brand, where narrower foot shapes are more common, the upper also has generous height, so it should suit Japanese feet as well, which are often said to be wide and have a high instep. (That said, individual differences do exist, so please check the fit when trying them on.)

The heel also uses XRD®, a high-performance cushioning material that effectively absorbs impact while walking.

2. Easy to put on thanks to the pull strap

The pull strap at the opening is there to make it easier to get your foot in, but Blundstone's side-gore boots have straps at both the front and back, so you can pull with both hands as you put them on. (Of course, you can also manage with just one hand.)

This pull strap itself also serves as an accent on the shoe, and can be seen as one of the defining icons of the Blundstone side-gore boot.

3. Works for both rain and shine

Blundstone's side-gore boots use "waterproof leather," leather that has been infused with oil, for the upper.

Leather tends to bring to mind "not okay in rain or water," but thanks to a special treatment, these boots can be worn without any trouble on rainy days too—meaning you don't need to keep a separate pair of rain boots on hand, which is also kind to the limited space in your shoe cabinet.

Many of us have had the experience of heading out in rain boots because it was raining in the morning, only for the rain to stop (and the sun to come out) partway through the day, leaving us feeling embarrassed by an outfit that suddenly looks mismatched. But since a boot made for both rain and shine doesn't look like a rain boot to begin with, you can stay looking stylish even if the weather clears up along the way.

Another reason these boots hold up well against rain is the strength of the join between the sole and the upper. They're attached using an injection molding process, in which heated material is poured into a mold and bonded directly to the upper, leaving no stitching. And with no stitching, water has a much harder time seeping in through the sole.

4. For outdoor use and everyday city wear alike

Since the brand originally made work boots for frontier laborers, creating boots that combine toughness is second nature to it. For outdoor activities like camping or barbecues, the boots hold the ankle firmly in place, giving you both ease of walking and protection, so you can feel at ease.

Of course, it also pairs beautifully with feminine outfits like skirts and dresses, making it a great choice for stylish everyday town wear too.

5. Made of leather, so it can be enjoyed for years to come

When it comes to rain boots, rubber ones are usually at their very best the day you buy them—rubber shoes tend to stiffen with wear and often end up cracking. Blundstone's side-gore boots, however, are made of leather.

Leather isn't just durable and long-lasting; depending on how you care for it, its texture and character will change over time, so you could say it's a material that always stays "at its best, right now."

It does require regular care, but there's something wonderful about being able to use and cherish an item for a long time.

The newest additions are a boot with just the right amount of heel, and one built specifically for the outdoors.

These two newly arrived models keep everything good about the ORIGINALS series while adding something new.

Top: side-gore boots with heel; bottom: ALL-TERRAIN THERMAL side-gore boots

A side-gore boot with an easy-to-wear 5cm heel

Left: BS1671009 Black, Right: BS1673251 Brown

A side-gore boot with a heel that strikes an exquisite balance—you can still feel the ORIGINALS series' signature look and easy walkability, while the heel adds its own distinct presence.

These days, with relaxed, effortless outfits becoming more common, many people may find it hard to pair boots with such looks. Blundstone's heeled side-gore boots have a heel, yet also carry a casual, outdoorsy feel, so they work well with laid-back styles too—say, a sweat hoodie paired with a long skirt or denim.

Just like the ORIGINALS, pull straps are attached at both the front and back of the opening, making these often-fiddly heeled boots easy to put on and take off.

Even with a heel, no effort has been spared to keep walking comfortable—one example being the high-performance cushioning material, XRD®, used in the heel area. It not only absorbs impact effectively while walking but is also highly durable, reducing strain on your feet even during long periods of walking.

They handle any weather with ease and stay comfortable through long hours of walking, making them a great choice for travel too. These are boots you'll want to reach for not just on rainy days, but on sunny ones as well.

With this on hand, you can feel at ease. "The boot that can go anywhere."

Left: BS2241009 Black, Right: BS2250251 Brown

The ALL-TERRAIN series takes outdoor capability to its highest level. Born from a collaboration with the Italian sole maker Vibram, this particular "THERMAL" model also boasts strong waterproofing and cold-weather insulation—a dependable choice for any winter.

The sole has been thoroughly engineered for slip resistance. Its compound delivers strong grip even in slippery conditions like snow, while still offering a soft, cushioned feel underfoot.

Careful thought has also gone into the sole's design: grooves running both lengthwise and crosswise improve flexibility, and are also said to give it a self-cleaning function that sheds mud easily.

These boots stay comfortable in any setting—not just everyday wear, but outdoor activities, gardening, and farm work as well. They've also been designed with cold-weather use in mind, with particular attention paid to how warm they feel when worn.

In addition to a shearling-lined insole, the inside of the upper leather uses Thinsulate, a thin, lightweight insulating material. It maintains breathability while offering excellent heat retention, so your feet stay warm without getting sweaty. On top of that, a 0.8mm-thick leather lining is used, which not only makes the boots easier to slip on and off but also helps further with warmth.

The more you wear them, the more they take the shape of your feet. A look at a boot loved for 5 years

What makes Blundstone great is that you can break them in yourself and wear them for years. To know how good something really is, just ask someone who's used it. Here's a boot that's been worn for 5 years, through sun, rain, and snow. Worn about three times a week in autumn and winter, it clearly shows the marks of having been out and about in all kinds of places with its owner.

For instance, the leather upper has molded itself to the shape of this person's foot—it would probably feel oddly stiff and hard to wear for anyone else, but for the owner, it's a boot that slips right on, remembering the shape of their foot, easy to wear every time.

Despite five years of heavy use, the rubber gore panels haven't stretched out at all—they remain taut and in beautiful condition.

We're told he wears them rain or shine, without worrying about the weather—and on days when walking is already difficult, being able to walk without worrying about your shoes is stress-free in itself.

Now, let's care for these boots that have been loved for 5 years, using a shoe brush, shoe cream, and cotton flannel.

He says he's cared for them with a brush and cream about twice a season, but perhaps because dirt from the previous season remained, dust and grime have built up all over, making the leather surface look clouded.

First, brush the entire boot to remove dust and grime. Just this alone will clear away some of the cloudiness on the surface.

Next, if you have one, wipe down the entire boot with a leather cleaner to remove dirt. This serves to remove the cream applied during the previous care session.

Then, apply an appropriate amount of care cream to a piece of cotton flannel or another soft, lint-free cloth, and work it evenly into the entire boot.

Pay especially careful attention to the vamp area, where fine creases have formed from walking. If you wrap the cloth around your finger as you work, you can apply the cream carefully into all the small details.

Let the boots dry for a while. At this point, if you have shoe trees, insert them to help the boots hold their shape.

Finally, wipe down the entire boot with a dry, soft cloth to finish.

The once-clouded leather has regained its shine, and even these long-loved boots have returned to a beautiful state. Caring for them with cream about once a month should be plenty, but making a habit of "brushing when you get home" will make regular maintenance easy too.

Please try experiencing the refreshing, satisfying feeling of wearing well-cared-for shoes!