First Impressions
The GearGuide love affair with the chukka boot continues. This time, it’s the Ugg Leighton. Made by the now world-famous Ugg Australia shoe company – which was founded and remains based in Southern California, not downunder – this boot has the laidback style of a classic chukka. It also packs a few extras you might expect from a company that popularized shearling linings (more on that later). These boots arrived as a surprise recently and we’re definitely glad they did.
Features
What do you expect from a classic chukka? Suede leather upper, check. Natural crepe sole, check. Droopy cotton laces, check. And an unconstructed feel, check there too. The Leighton delivers all those features with all the panache of the best in the business.
Specs
Upper: Water-resistant suede, cotton laces
Outsole: Natural crepe
Weight: 25 oz per pair (mens size 10.5)
Ugg adds a few bits to this as well. The suede isn’t just your standard. It’s water resistant so you can wear them in the rain without too much fear. The lining is interchangeable. For these shoes, Ugg provides two options: leather lined or those that combine leather and a shearling forefoot. Ours came with the shearling option which shapes naturally to your foot after just a few wearings (as evidenced by the photo).
Underneath the leather and shearling is a light padding that also adds to the boot’s comfort.
Colors vary depending on the season. Ours came in an interesting gray-green known as Burnt Olive. It’s unusual and garnered more than a few comments from co-workers. Black, brown, sand, cordovan, blue, gray are other options.
Fit
The Ugg Leighton presents a classic profile and the fit is pretty standard too. We found our normal dress shoe size of 10.5 to be perfect. No need to size up or down. Comfort was outstanding thanks to that leather and shearling insole too.
Final Verdict
How can you go wrong with a classic kicked up a notch or two with a shearling insole? The answer is you can’t. The Ugg Leighten is top notch, comfortable, water resistant and great looking. Find them online at Amazon.