This Article Says R.M. Williams Are Great (They're Wrong)

About this video

The Gazette team critiques a New York Times article praising RM Williams Chelsea boots, arguing the piece lacks substantive research and overstates the brand’s uniqueness compared to other quality bootmakers. The team examines the article’s claims about durability, construction, materials, and comfort, demonstrating through examples and analysis that many competing brands offer equal or superior quality at similar price points.

Key takeaways

• The Gazette team argues that RM Williams, while durable and well-made, are not objectively ’the finest Chelsea boots in the world’—many other makers like Crockett & Jones, Edward Green, and bespoke shoemakers offer more refined design, materials, and craftsmanship
• The Gazette team contends that RM Williams’ claimed distinctive features—one-piece leather construction, blocking process, and Poron foam insoles—are neither unique nor universally superior; foam insoles especially are typically found in lower-quality shoes, and the Poron version uses cheap synthetic components
• The Gazette team emphasizes that the article’s author provided limited comparative context and expertise, making unsupported generalizations; the team recommends consulting subject matter experts and conducting thorough research rather than relying on personal sentiment alone
• The Gazette team notes that rotating multiple pairs of quality boots extends their lifespan significantly more than daily wear of a single pair, and that professional repair services from brands like Allen Edmonds or local cobblers offer comparable value to factory resoles

Episode details: published January 12, 2026 · 32K views · 30:24 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The style guidance summarized here is the Gentleman’s Gazette team’s own teaching and opinion, presented for education; product recommendations are theirs, not ours. Summaries are written by Self Growth Videos from each video itself.

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