Rocky Wellington work boots review (Rams Horn Model: Any Good?)

Hi, Paul here. Welcome to my review of these Rocky Wellington Rams Horn work boots.

Lucas did a review of the Rocky Rams Horn lace-up work boots earlier this year and this time we wanted to check out the Wellington version of the boots as well.

In A Rush?!

Overall, A Great Work Boot For People With Flat Feet

Comfortable right from the get-go, waterproof, safety toe cap, very happy with them so far. A new friend in my Wellington-style work boots collection which I enjoy very much, to the point where I’m wearing these even in non-working situations.

Compare Prices

See on Rocky Store

See on Amazon

Buckle up cause it’s quite a long review. For your convenience, I’ve created a menu for this page that’s helpful to jump to a specific section. Just click on the “What’s inside” below to open it.

Let’s go!

Who’s working on this page

Paul Kruze
Author

Adam Rich
Editor

Victor Adrian
Researcher & Editor

The environment in which the boots are tested in

I work as a multimedia journalist. That means that I’m on my feet a lot either covering a news story or both covering a news story and shooting video.

I either shoot video on concrete or in terrain areas in the wilderness where I might be trekking with camera equipment and a heavy tripod.

Unboxing the Wellington Rams Horn work boots 

Features of the Wellington Rams Horn work boot

First impressions of my Rocky Wellington work boots

The Rocky Rams Horn Pull On Wellington Boot is obviously their answer to Ariat’s very successful Workhog model pull-on boots.

The boots have a very nice profile in spite of the ruggedness of the boot.

I immediately liked the heavy-duty look and feel but liked that these boots are finely crafted full-grain leather with meticulous attention to stitching which won’t pull off or snag because it is tightly sewn close to the seam.

If you are at all curious, the “Wellington” style boot was originally a type of leather boot adapted from a style of military riding boot.

They were worn and popularized by Arthur Wellesley, the British First Duke of Wellington. The “Wellington” boot became a staple of practical footwear for the British aristocracy and middle class in the early 19th century.

The name eventually gave way to be given to waterproof boots made of rubber which are now commonly used for a range of agricultural and outdoor work boots.

The Rocky Wellington Rams Horn on the outside

Let’s have a look at the outside of the boots and see what we can learn.

Leather quality

The leather quality on these boots are a top quality full-grain leather which is the highest quality leather one will find.

That means that the grain surface of the leather is left intact before applying the surface coating, which allows it to have more fiber strength and durability.

When the leather is finished with a stain or dye, the finish allows the leather to continue to breathe, as opposed to other types of leather which are sanded down and given a thicker finish coat.

Cheaper work boots are often made with bonded leather which is made from the leftover leather scraps and fibers made from processing genuine leather mixed with a polyurethane binder.

These fibers are then rolled together using adhesives to bond them onto a paper backing.

The pull straps which are substantial and very well sewn on top of the boots makes pulling on the boots very easy.

Rubber toe cap reinforcement

There’s no toe cap bumper in these boots. Not that I personally needed it in my line of work but I know some of you out there like that feature.

Boot construction type

The Rocky Wellington boots have a light & flexible cement construction with direct attached PU & secondary EVA midsole.

According to Rocky, the boot is built with nail-free construction to help insulate the boot wearer from the ground to slow down electrical conduction. Great work boots for electricians by the way.

The pro of cemented construction is the boots are very flexible. The con however is that the boots can’t be resoled since they aren’t Goodyear welted or have a stitch-down construction.

The sole

The sole of these pull-on work boots is built in two sections. We have the midsole, which is made out of EVA. Great for comfort, with lots of cushioning under your feet.

And then we have the outsole which is made out of rubber. So these boots will provide a good grip on most surfaces out there.

The lugs and heel provide tons of traction when working outdoors maybe doing landscaping or working at the farm.

Inside the Rocky Wellington work boot

Now let’s see what can we discover by looking at the inside of the boot…

Toe box

You might read in other reviews out there that these work boots have a steel-toe cap. Let me tell you that’s not correct. These are composite toe cap work boots.

Even though the boot uses a composite toe cap, one will find the toe cap provides very adequate protection and still provides adequate room from dangerous situations where your toes might be in peril.

Because the boot uses a composite material made from Kevlar or carbon fiber, the overall weight of the boot is relatively light.

The end of the toe box measures in at about 3 inches which is about ¼ inch wider than Thorogood’s Wellington work boot toe box at the end.

Removable insole

While I am usually very skeptical of the removable insole which is provided with many great work boots, hiking, and cowboy boots these days, I was eventually pleasantly surprised by Rocky’s proprietary EnergyBed LX Footbed with Memory Foam removable insoles.

The more I wore the boots, the more the Rocky footbed conformed to my foot and provided remarkable padding.

While not making the boot overly springy, one can feel the pockets within the insole with every step one takes.

My only wish is that the Rocky provided insoles offered more padding taking more space inside of the boot to allow one to wear thinner work socks. Unfortunately, these removable insoles have minimal arch support.

To see if I could see any improvement in the arch support and be able to wear thinner regular cotton crew socks, I took my set of “medio” model SureFeet insoles and replaced the Rocky insoles with some improvement.

However, I ended up going back to the Rocky insoles. Here are some other good quality over-the-counter insoles we’ve tested and reviewed.

Lining

They do come with a fabric lining that’s moisture-wicking.

Waterproof membrane

The waterproofing on the boots has been designed to keep liquids out without trapping perspiration in, allowing your feet to stay cool and dry.

Even with wearing a heavier work sock, my feet after wearing them for some ten hours were not sweaty at all as the lining is breathable.

To test the waterproof feature of the boots, I dunked the boots in a tub of water and left them there for ten minutes.

Not surprisingly, the boot uppers and soles handled being immersed with flying colors. The uppers did not experience any discoloration.

Heel counter

The heel counter is responsible for rearfoot stability. This is located in the rear of the shoe under the foxing, which extends laterally and medially to the corresponding longitudinal arch.

It is typically made of cardboard or a type of plastic, such is the case with these boots. In these boots, the heel counter made for these boots to be consistently comfortable being worn for over ten hours.

Where are they made?

These Rocky Wellington work boots are made in China. The boots are good general work boots that will appeal to a wide number of wearers.

The solid construction throughout the boot makes them a worthwhile competitor to Ariat’s Workhog boots.

If you’re curious to know where other work boots are made check out this article: Where work boots are made (30+ brands listed)

Will Rocky Wellington’s work boots fit wide feet? 

These boots are very good for wide feet. If you normally wear a standard D width boot, you might find them to the point that you may want to wear a thicker wool sock to compensate for the boot’s width.

Interestingly, the more I wore these boots the better they seemed to fit.

What do the letters stand for when it comes to the width of the boot? (W,M,D,E,etc)

There’s a lot of confusion about these among people looking to buy a pair of work boots. Hopefully, the little table I’ve put together might help you understand what’s that all about!

The letters simply represent how wide the work boots are.

Are these Rocky Wellington work boots waterproof or not?

Yes, as mentioned in the section about the features we can find inside these Rocky Wellington Rams horn work boots, these boots come with a waterproof membrane.

And this membrane proved to do a good job at keeping the water at bay while the boot was submerged in water for about 10 minutes.

Are they lightweight? How much do they weigh?

Yes, they are moderately lightweight, especially compared to a traditional logger-style work boot. According to Rocky, each boot is 3.4 pounds.

Are they comfortable? 

Absolutely. These work boots are comfortable right out of the box. They seemed to get even more comfortable on the second day of wearing.

There was absolutely no break-in period. In fact, one could almost say that these boots are imposters: they look like a substantial boot with the comfort of a high-end New Balance running shoe.

On the third day that I had these boots I didn’t have any particular work situation planned, but I still made these boots my go-to boots on a non-work grocery shopping and errand day.

Break-in period: Do they need breaking in?

None. The breaking-in period for me was inexistent. They kept getting more comfortable the more I wore them.

Are they slippery?

They shouldn’t since the outsole is tested and approved for oil and slip resistance but I found them to be slippery on some shiny surfaces.

It might be because the boots are still new and the rubber needs a bit more wearing. We’ll update you in a month or two on how they perform.

Do they provide support? 

The boots, because they are ten inches high and have no laces, won’t provide much ankle support in all honesty.

The provided Rocky “Energy bed” provide minimal support. Fortunately, one can change out the insoles to one that provides more arch support.

Are they true to size? Do they run small or large? 

In terms of length, the boots are true to size.

At first, I thought I should have gone for a half size smaller, but then it would be more difficult to put on the boots as the throat of the boots after you put your foot inside of the shaft locks your foot into place inside of the boot.

Heel height

The heel measures right at 2 inches tall. So it’s fairly decent heel height but nothing too crazy like some of the PNW logger or lineman work boots out there.

Heel to toe drop

The heel-to-toe drop (the height of the heel less the outsole height at the toes) makes for a very comfortable placement of the foot and measures in at about 1 inch.

How tall are these Rocky Wellington safety boots?

Since these are Wellington-style work boots, they are pretty tall with a shaft height of 10 inches.

Price: how much do they cost? 

At the time I’m writing this review the cost of these boots is around $175 but prices might change depending on when you’re reading this review.

Click here to find out the latest and most up-to-date prices on the Rocky store or click here to check out and compare prices on the Amazon store.

Where to buy a pair of Rocky Wellington Rams Horn work boots? 

There are many online and local stores you can buy Rocky boots from but these ones are available on:

• Rocky’s website
• Amazon

Wester-style models of this boot are available on Zappos.com

Who do I recommend these Rocky Wellington work boots to?

So who might like these boots? These boots are probably most appropriate for work situations where one needs a boot to protect one’s feet and protect against electrical shock.

They are not anything like a heavy-duty steel-toed logger boot, but electrical workers and construction workers doing finishing and framing work will find these boots quite adequate.

In my own multimedia production work, I found them to be light and very comfortable. At the same time, I felt my feet were protected and gave me adequate grip.

Other industries and jobs these boots might be a good fit for:

• Farm and agriculture workers
• Oil field workers
• Mechanics
• Pipefitters

Verdict: Are Rocky Wellington’s work boots worth the money?

On the outside the Rocky Ram Horn Wellington boots look like a great work boot which feel like a solid pair of high-end New Balance running shoes.

These Rocky Ram Horn Pull On boots are excellent throughout in terms of comfort and construction. Like the Ariats, they won’t need any break in.

The provided “Energy Bed” footbed is adequate. The more I wore the boots as I did for fourteen days, the more the footbed seemed to conform to my arch support needs.

To that end, I actually went as far as wanting to wear the boots even when I was not working in the field to dinner and an evening out to a bar.

My only disappointment is that according to Rocky the boots cannot be resoled because its components are cemented together.

One would have kind of hoped that for a $200 dollar boot it would not be a one shot deal – wear them until wear out and then dispose of them.

On the other hand, due to the ruggedness of the sole, one should be able to get a significant amount of wear out of these boots.

At this point, I prefer these Rockys and the Ariat Workhog boots over my pair of steel-toed Wolverine 10-inch Wellington boots which used to be favorites.

All in all, these boots are exactly what Rocky promises and more. During my initial work tryout, they stood up to the task and more. The composite toe worked well in potential situations where my toes might have been compromised.

Get Your Here

Overall, good quality & comfortable pull-on boots

Comfortable right from the get-go, waterproof, safety toe cap, very happy with them so far. A new friend in my Wellington-style work boots collection which I enjoy very much, to the point where I’m wearing these even in non-working situations.

Compare Prices

See on Rocky Store

See on Amazon

More pictures of the Rocky Wellington composite toe work boots

Check out my Instagram or Pinterest page for more pictures. Also, if you really like one of the images, you’re free to borrow an image as long as you mention where you borrow it from!

Team Members Working On This Page

Paul Kruze- Multimedia Journalist

Hey, Paul Kruze here. I’m a San Diego-based award-winning multimedia journalist and videographer. I covered news stories throughout San Diego County which brings me to news events on the street and the wilderness on the United States and Mexico border. I was recognized for my work by the San Diego Press and the Society of Professional Journalists. Come and say hi on Facebook.

Adam Rich – Boots Tester & Editor

Hey, I’m Adam. I’m a welder and metal fabricator. Primarily doing aluminum tig and sheet metal fabrication. Spend most of the day on my feet on concrete floors in the shop with the occasional job site visit.

Victor Adrian – Editor And Webmaster

Construction Professional, driver, crane operator, cleaner, head chef … these are just some of the jobs I did in the past. Working in all these different environments taught me that having good footwear to protect your feet from different dangers at work IS PARAMOUNT for any worker! On this website, I aim to share all my knowledge and personal experience in dealing with different footwear and foot care issues, and hopefully, you can get something out of it. Enjoy!