Red Wing’s Best-Looking New Boot Is an Archival Surprise In a Stunning Roughout Leather

Red Wing revisits a time when Western wear and American workwear crossed paths.

Pair of tan suede ankle boots with stitched detailing on a patterned fabric surface.

Published October 9, 2025

·

If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Red Wing is celebrating its 120th anniversary with a collection of three boots pulled from the archive.

The Logger is the collection’s centerpiece and, objectively, the best boot. But my personal favorite option, and the one that fellow die-hard fans of the Minnesota boot maker should find most interesting, is the Pecos in Hawthrone Muleskinner Leather.

Tan suede mid-calf boot with a low heel on a patterned woven rug. — The Pecos was introduced in 1958 for Texas ranch hands and oil workers.

Red Wing isn’t exactly known for making cowboy boots. The distinctly North American category has long been absent from the brand’s impeccable Heritage catalog.

Modern iterations of the Pecos have popped up on the Work side of the business, but they lack the vintage detailing exhibited by the 120th anniversary version. This pragmatic cowboy boot is a “stitch-for-stitch” replica of the model released in 1958.

Pair of tan suede ankle boots with brown soles on a patterned woven rug. — The Pecos comes in Hawthrone Muleskinner leather with an oiled finish for increased durability.

The Pecos was “designed with clean, classic lines,” explained Red Wing’s Design and Development Manager Mike Larson. “Without any of the decorative stitching that you see in many of the fashion western boots.”

It has distinctively Western features, like Red Wing’s No. 17 last with an almond-shaped toe, an 11-inch slip-on neck and a roper heel. But pull tabs, a synthetic outsole and an oiled finish are optimized for the kind of dirty, dangerous work done by latter-day cowboys.

Pair of tan suede boots with brown soles on a patterned woven rug. — The Pecos has a roper heel, which is shorter and wider than a traditional cowboy boot heel.

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a pair of the new Pecos revival when they launched last week. I’ve long been a fan of low-key cowboy boots (i.e. Tecovas and Lucchese), so a faithful 1950s reproduction from my favorite boot brand gave me high hopes.

I was not disappointed.

For ranchers and roughnecks

As Larson proclaimed in the launch presentation, “this boot was designed for function over fashion.” But in doing so, it provides the type of rugged appeal that is fashionable in a menswear landscape re-embracing workwear.

Pair of tan suede ankle boots with brown soles on a patterned fabric surface. — The 11-inch neck has a wide opening and double pull-tabs to get the boots on and off easily.

The Pecos lacks the flourishes and refined finishing of showy cowboy boots. Conversely, it is packed with functional details designed for mid-century ranchers and roughnecks.

The sole construction might be the most impressive part. It uses a roper heel, which is shorter and broader than a standard cowboy boot heel, providing better support and balance. It is nailed, which makes it individually replaceable. This is handy because heels tend to wear out first.

The outsole is Red Wing’s Chewingum, a synthetic polymer that has some supportive give and grips like rubber, but is more durable than natural rubber. It is molded with an ornate design featuring the brand’s logo, which will, unfortunately, be the first thing to wear off.

Brown rubber sole with white stitching on a tan suede boot resting on a patterned fabric surface. — Red Wing’s Chewingum outsole is molded with an ornate pattern featuring the brand’s logo.

From the heel forward, the outsole is stitched to the leather midsole with a Goodyear welt. Sandwiched between the full leather insole and the leather midsole is a layer of cork and a steel shank.

As a roughout leather, the smooth grain side of the hide is on the boot’s inside, creating a comfortable feel, even without a heavy boot sock. The vamp is also lined with thin canvas.

Top view inside a tan suede boot showing the inner lining and a size label. — The roughout leather’s smooth grain side is on the boot’s inside.

Larson pointed out that the only modern update to the 1958 Pecos blueprint is a foam heel pad glued to the leather insole. Since I strike more with my heel when I walk, this was a welcome update.

Another Hawthorne

Red Wing fans may recognize Hawthorne leather from a Classic Moc that went viral in 2023 when it became available outside of Japan and became Ryan Gosling’s go-to footwear.

That Hawthorne Abilene is a full-grain, full-substance roughout with a hairy texture and natural sandy color.

Close-up of a tan suede boot toe with detailed stitching on a patterned woven rug. — The Pecos uses a Hawthorne Muleskinner leather, which is the Hawthrone Abilene with an oiled finish.

I was excited when I saw that name attached to the Pecos because my Hawthorne Classic Moc is my favorite boot, but it isn’t the same leather. Red Wing calls this leather Hawthorne Mulseskinner, and it adds an oil finish to the cult-favorite hide.

Imbuing the roughout leather with oil increases water resistance and durability, much like waxing cotton canvas. It gives the Hawthorne a darker toasted color and a burnished texture in spots like the toe and heel.

Aside from a tiny run of Copper Rough & Tough leather that Red Wing created exclusively for Stag Provisions (and sold out in less than a week), the Pecos is only available in a single color.

Brown leather mid-calf western boot with pull tabs and a low heel on a neutral background. — Red Wing made a Copper Rough & Tough leather version of the Pecos exclusively for Stag Provisions.

The one and only issue I had with wearing the Pecos is the wide neck opening. Combined with the pull tabs, it doesn’t fit well under my slim-ish jeans.

However, this is a me problem because the design is way more functional than a slim boot neck that is hard to get on and off or a zipper that can break.

With a bootcut jean, I love every second of wearing Red Wing’s reentry into the cowboy boot market. The darker Hawthorne color has really grown on me, and I like it more than my Classic Moc color now.

Availability and price

Red Wing’s complete 120th anniversary collection is available now. The Pecos in Hawthrone Muleskinner Leather costs $370 and is available from Red Wing and several authorized retailers.

Hopefully, Red Wing will make this retro blue-collar cowboy boot part of the permanent lineup.

Tan suede mid-calf boot with pull tab and low brown heel on a patterned woven rug.

Red Wing Pecos Boot in Hawthorne Muleskinner

$370 at Red Wing

About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

+ Add on Google

Boots