Boots for the rugged man

The Abington Hiker Boots.

With the winter season lurking around the next corner my mind frequently turns to boots. So the launch of Timberland's latest Abington collection is quite timely. I was fortunate enough to make it to the London launch at their Spitalfields store so could inspect the new designs up close. Last night saw me take my first steps inside a Timberland store and I liked what I found but the Abington collection was certainly one of the highlights.

The collection is aptly named because the brand was originally called The Abington Shoe Company way back when. It is made up of clean, modern classics inspired by the fields and factories of old. The collection, now in its third season, is inspired by traditional boots from a time when the land was rugged, the people were rugged, and the essentials they depended upon had to be as well. Now, I'm hardly the most rugged man out there and my daily activities don't require something quite as rugged as these but I can but dream. Even a Southern Fairy like me holds some romantic notions of exploring the great outdoors in boots like these. I have to confess that as I strolled around the store with the smell of leather filling my nostrils, I did feel that bit 'manlier.'

The Work Chukka - Clean, simple and lightweight design.

SS10 see the launch of three new silhouettes; the Work chukka, Foreman Boot and the Rugged Handsewn shoe. In each, premium materials including leathers from the Horween leather Company of America and the Charles F. Stead & Co Ltd of England, are crafted for warmer weather and the rigours of wear over time. As much as I liked the work chukka with it's clean, simple and lightweight design the real star of the offering is the Hiker...

The Hiker.

The Hiker is a classic hiking boot silhouette with hinged lace holes, a thick sole and high ankle support using the finest Horween leather and Vibram soles. Despite falling short in the required amount of typical 'manliness' needed to pull of these boots I can certainly get on board with their construction and finish. The collection is hand crafted from premium leathers and rich materials that reflect Timberland’s history of quality and craftsmanship.