Blundstone boots now made in Thailand? Quality?

[Flagster]

Maybe this has already been covered but I just started searching for a replacement pair of my Blundstone 500s...all the reviews are trending toward negative since Blundstone has apparently moved their production to Thailand.
Has anyone bought a pair of their "made in Thailand" boots...complaints seem to be brittle leather and chunking soles after just a few uses...I am bumming since the pair I am replacing are my favorite pair of footwear and I have had 5+ years of hard use out of them...
Anyone???

[TRDPARTS4U]

I have ordered 2 pair with in the last 6 months (550 brown,558 black). No issues so far. The reviews that I read said stay away from the 500 series. Time will tell.


Jacque

[4xdog]

Blundstone took production out of Australia a few years ago.

For my money, Rossi Boots are a better choice. They fit me better, wear like iron, and are still Australian-made. Very googleable for the US seller. I give 'em a strong recommendation.

Don

[Flagster]

I have ordered 2 pair with in the last 6 months (550 brown,558 black). No issues so far. The reviews that I read said stay away from the 500 series. Time will tell.


Jacque

HMMM...wonder why the 500s would differ unless production for some styles remained in Aus?...good to know...maybe I will try out the 550s

[TangoBlue]

I never thought to check... I just assumed. I have 2 pair of Blunnies - steel toe 163 and 164 in black and brown. Both made in Vietnam. Both very comfortable and holding up okay.

[DylanT]

Maybe that explains why my buddy was complaining his were falling apart.

[Zatara]

I think the Redbacks are still made in OZ

[Flounder]

I did some extensive research on the Blundstone brand very recently. That research included a brief chat with the president of Blundstone USA. As stated above, they moved production of their boots from Hobart to Thailand and India in 2007. They have since moved some production to Vietnam. This certainly had some serious backlash initially, but much of that was centered around national pride and had less to do with a reduction in QC standards. I was told the materials used in their Thai and Indian factories were sourced from the same vendors as the Hobart boots, and had been since the late 90's. I was also told their facilities in Thailand had a lower rate of manufacturing defects than their Hobart factory. I bet that didn't go over well with the 400 employees from that factory that got released in 2007.

From my personal experience with the brand, I've noticed they're probably not as burly as they were in the mid 90's when I first bought a pair, but isn't that just about true for all boots these days? Either the quality slides just a tad or the price doubles. That seems to be norm. A pair of Asolo 535s sells for $230 in 2012. That same boot was $165 just ten years ago. So, I suppose Blundstone could have kept production in Hobart and used the same Aussie sourced materials they used through much of the first hundred years they were in business, but your 550s would then set you back $250. Pick your poison.

Regarding Thai and Vietnamese footwear, I've been told by a number of footwear suppliers from Sidi cycling shoes to Salewa ice climbing boots, that Vietnam is every bit as capable of making premium footwear as anyone.

I'm plenty happy with my Blunnies.

[Lost Canadian]

I've had two pairs in the last three years, one pair is pretty beat up from hiking in them, the other is not, but both have held up like lead. I was a little concerned when I got my first pair because there were a few tiny little bubble looking chunks missing from the the sole right out of the box, but the soles on my hard worn pair have barely worn let alone chunked. The soles on the second pair were exactly the same out of the box. I too love my blunnies and wouldn't hesitate for a second buying another pair.

[Flagster]

settled...ordering tonight...I can't give up the comfort...
blunnies plus superfeet insole = pedibliss