Summary
The Clarks Men’s Desert Chukka Boot comes in an iconic silhouette that’s stayed on the favorites list of countless shoe enthusiasts for decades. It was launched in 1950 by Nathan Clark, with the design inspiration coming from a particular boot style that was originally seen in Cairo’s Old Bazaar. Since that time, the boot has become a mainstay in wardrobes all over the world, with the classic design that was once chosen for formal wear transitioning to more casual use while retaining its impact on footwear. The upper is made with either leather with a matte finish or suede with a textured softness. I tried this boot in the beeswax leather color that’s one of the best ones available, with the naturally supple look giving even the most casual outfit a boost of effortless elegance.
The no-fuss lace-up front makes for convenient adjustments to maintain a comfortable and secure fit all day long. The footbed is covered in leather to draw away moisture from the skin so that the foot will stay cocooned inside the boot for hours while avoiding excessive sweatiness. This boot is fitted with the distinctive crepe sole that comes from a sustainable source and goes through fewer processes compared to the usual rubber material used in most boots. The crepe rubber material results in a sole that feels remarkably foamy for a comfortable experience that can keep up with long days. The sole feels flexible just like the upper and immediately adapts to the foot’s movements to make walking easier without the obstructive feeling. We will look more intimately at the boot and its qualities so we can determine which ones bring out the best in the footwear and if there are factors that can still be tweaked to enhance the boot’s overall functionality.
With a simple elegance that won’t go out of style, discover why this iconic boot has remained a favorite choice of many since its launch in 1950.
Performance Analysis
Comfort
The Clarks Men’s Desert Chukka Boot is crafted with a soft leather or suede upper that’s soft enough to allow natural foot movements for a completely comfortable experience. The interior came with a soft lining that surrounded my foot with a welcoming feel to keep it protected against blister formation. The EVA footbed offers a padded platform to cushion the foot from below so it won’t be pressed uncomfortably into the sole, enabling you to keep on walking while preventing the pain that can come from too much pressure and friction. This footbed relieves pressure points by massaging your foot with every step so blister formation can be stopped even when you’ve already stayed on your feet for the better part of the day.
A suede heel counter kept my heel secured in place to prevent it from slipping uncomfortably inside the boot, especially when I needed to move quickly in a lateral way.
The crepe sole delivers a wonderfully foamy feel while supporting the foot for maximum comfort, with the material’s gel-like consistency creating a welcoming surface that helps absorb most of your step’s impact to help prevent foot fatigue. The crepe rubber is also flexible so you can walk more naturally without extreme rigidity getting in the way, enabling you to move around more in the most comfortable way as you deal with your numerous activities.
However, the softness of the crepe rubber outsole and the absence of a shank make this boot unsuitable for people who need enhanced arch support, since the base doesn’t have the support necessary to prevent discomfort for those who have flat feet.
The softness of the rubber also makes it incompatible for uneven outdoor terrains since you’ll most likely have an uncomfortable experience when you start feeling the pebbles and other debris on the ground you’re walking on.
Weight
This boot’s weight comes in at the lower end of the scale, which isn’t a surprise given its construction and materials. The upper material isn’t too thick, so I didn’t expect it to contribute a lot of weight, although that thickness doesn’t necessarily affect the leather’s quality. The crepe rubber outsole doesn’t weigh as much as the standard, more heavily processed rubber material that’s used in footwear, so the boot easily maintained its lightweight structure.
Traction
The boot’s rubber outsole offers a foamy feel for outstanding foot comfort, but its downside is that it only offers a low level of traction. The sole didn’t feel grippy enough to maintain my safe footing when I was walking on wet floors so I needed to go a lot slower to prevent slipping accidents.
Fit and Sizing
This boot is true to size, so I didn’t go through the trouble of guessing if I had to go up or down a size to achieve a comfortable fit. It had a regular to snug fit that kept my foot firmly in place because the interior didn’t have the extra space to allow involuntary foot movement or slipping that can cause an unwelcome feeling of instability. However, this snug fit isn’t recommended for those who have wide feet, since it can feel too cramped and may cause painful pinching, especially when the boot is worn for a long time. The boot is designed with a last that follows the natural shape of the foot to allow the toes to spread effortlessly so they can still wiggle when needed to prevent foot cramps from developing. It also has a wide opening to easily accommodate slipping the foot in or out.
Waterproofing
The high-quality leather or suede upper may offer limited water resistance to keep the foot dry when a bit of water is splashed onto the boot. However, as this boot isn’t constructed with fully waterproof features, it won’t provide long-lasting and reliable protection against liquids in case you need to go through settings where there’s extreme wetness, in which case your foot can get completely soaked.
Breathability
The boot includes a footbed with a leather lining that works to draw moisture away from the foot to promote a fresh and dry foot feeling as it disperses the excess heat and moisture outwards before the boot interior can overheat. This enables the boot’s interior to maintain a comfortably dry and fresh environment for longer.
Quality and Durability
The Clarks Men’s Desert Chukka Boot is made with either full-grain leather or suede that delivers lasting comfort and durability to keep up with your activities.
The upper material is flexible and moves along with your steps to make it easier for you to continue walking without stiff materials digging painfully into your foot. The generous boot opening accommodates different foot shapes so you can easily slip on the boot without too much effort or discomfort.
This opening is wide enough for the boot to be slipped on even when you can’t be bothered to deal with the laces, but you can always turn to the laces when you need to tighten or loosen the boot for a more secure fit. The two-eyelet lace-up design lets you adjust the fit to suit your comfort preference in the most convenient way, but the laces feel a bit thin, so they may not hold up to frequent or heavy use. The boot is created with a last that follows the shape of the foot, allowing the toes to be spread out naturally so they’ll have enough space to wiggle when needed to stop foot cramps from setting in. The EVA footbed delivers a massaging motion with every step to help promote proper blood circulation to ease the discomfort of staying on your feet for extended periods. The footbed cradles the foot with a padded platform that relieves pressure points to stop blisters from developing along with the constant friction coming from your repetitive steps. A soft lining keeps the foot comfortable inside the boot as it’s kept protected from painful chafing that can be a huge problem when using unlined boots. The leather lining on the EVA footbed adds another layer of softness inside the boot and wicks away moisture to protect the foot from uncomfortable wetness even when you wear the boots for the entire day. The heel counter stabilizes the heel in place so it won’t slip with every step, ensuring that you can continue walking without the heel moving uncomfortably. This boot is built with a crepe rubber outsole that delivers an incredibly foamy feel, giving the boot a supportive platform that will keep you walking as comfortably as possible for hours. The crepe rubber is sustainably sourced and undergoes less processing compared to conventional rubber materials are used in other footwear, making this boot an ideal choice if you’re looking for footwear with at least one environmentally conscious component. However, the softness of the crepe rubber makes it unsuitable for use in many outdoor settings, since you’ll be able to easily feel sharp stones and other debris on the ground. The softness of the material also results in decreased durability, so these boots may not be able to withstand long-term use in different settings the way standard rubber soles do.
The outsole also offers very limited traction, so it won’t provide a high level of protection against slipping when you’re navigating slippery or unstable floor conditions. This boot isn’t built with waterproof materials and doesn’t come with safety toes, so it’s not recommended for harsh environments exposed to extreme wetness and/or impact or compression hazards.
Other Versions
The Clarks Men’s Desert Chukka Boot is offered in a wide variety of colors in suede or full-grain leather. It doesn’t come in other versions.
The Challengers
The Clarks Men’s Stinson Hi Chukka Boot
The Clarks Men’s Stinson Hi Chukka Boot delivers a casual stylishness that can make your entire outfit a lot more interesting. The moc toe design exudes a ruggedly handsome profile that pairs nicely with workwear as well as with your choice of casual attire, so you can easily enjoy this boot in different settings. A lightly cushioned footbed ensures all-day comfort and cushioning without taking up too much space inside the boot to maintain a comfortable interior that doesn’t feel too cramped and bulky. The last conforms to the shape of the foot to keep the toes spread out naturally so that they’ll have the chance to move in place when needed, especially when foot cramps are starting to set in after a long day of walking. The crepe outsole delivers a foamy feel for maximum comfort throughout the day while absorbing most of the impact from repetitive foot movements to protect your calf and foot muscles from foot fatigue.
The Ariat Men’s Lookout Chukka Boot
The Ariat Men’s Lookout Chukka Boot is a superb alternative if you’re looking for a more heavy-duty-looking boot to keep you company on and off the worksite. The upper features a well-worn finish to enhance the rugged appearance and give the boot an even more striking aesthetic. The moc toe design makes the toe box more spacious so that the toes can shift from time to time to stop foot cramps from developing. The lace-up front offers convenient fit adjustments to ensure that you’ll always achieve a secure boot fit without exerting too much effort on the task. The 4LR technology works to return energy to each step so you can keep walking comfortably for longer, even as it delivers maximum cushioning and support to protect you from pain as you tackle the most grueling tasks. The Dureatread outsole is durable enough to withstand challenging environments without falling apart easily.
The Timberland Men’s Bradstreet Chukka Boot
The Timberland Men’s Bradstreet Chukka Boot delivers a laidback yet striking style that won’t compromise your comfort. The leather is sourced from a sustainable tannery and is strong enough to keep up with your activities in various settings. The boot is built with the exclusive SensorFlex technology that includes a soft EVA middle layer that provides continuous comfort by adapting to uneven surfaces, as well as a top layer that’s compact enough to deliver nonstop support to help you move more easily over different ground conditions without experiencing foot pain. The outsole is designed to flex with your foot’s movements so you can walk naturally without anything getting in the way of your mobility. The OrthoLite footbed creates a cushioned platform to maintain foot comfort for hours and relieves pressure spots so you’ll be protected against the pain caused by blisters. This footbed allows more air to circulate within the boot to ensure that your foot will maintain a fresh and cool environment for hours.
The Red Wing Heritage Men’s Work Chukka Boot
The Red Wing Heritage Men’s Work Chukka Boot comes with an effortless elegance that can be enjoyed on and off the job site. It’s built with a full-grain leather insole and upper and a cork midsole that work together to simultaneously mold to the contours of your foot for a wonderfully personalized fit that’ll feel even better with time. The boot is created to form a snug fit over your foot for a secure feeling so you can move more freely without worrying that your steps will cause your foot to slip from within. The toe box has enough room for your toes to wiggle freely so you can more easily stop the development of foot cramps. The flexible outsole won’t get in the way of your natural movements, allowing you to crouch or kneel effortlessly without experiencing pain in the process.
The Timberland Men’s Killington Chukka Boot
The Timberland Men’s Killington Chukka Boot is a great bet if you want to infuse a bit of a sporty vibe into your outfit. The leather upper comes with a classic work shoe aesthetic that’s enhanced with an athletic-looking white sole, resulting in an interesting contrast of colors and textures that makes this boot truly eye-catching. The OrthoLite footbed cushions the foot comfortably throughout the day to keep foot pain at bay while alleviating pressure spots to stop blister development. The footbed encourages more generous airflow to maintain a breathable boot interior to ensure that your foot remains comfortably dry even when you’re in humid or hot environments. The mesh lining – which is made with a material with at least 50% recycled plastic bottles – wick away moisture to stop excessive sweatiness from disturbing your comfortable boot-wearing experience.
Conclusion & Verdict
The Clarks Men’s Desert Chukka Boot comes in an iconic silhouette that continues to be a crowd-pleaser even after seven decades since its first introduction. It’s a great choice for those after a pair of retro boots that clearly stands out with the high-quality materials used and its classic style. The footbed offers enhanced comfort with continuous cushioning and a massaging motion to ease tiredness while the leather lining wicks away moisture to promote all-day foot dryness and comfort. The crepe outsole delivers a foamy feeling that keeps the foot comfortable and supported but lacks strong traction so the boot can’t be relied on to keep your steps steady when you’re walking on tricky surfaces. The softness of the outsole and its limited traction make this boot suitable only for indoor conditions where the floors aren’t slippery or unstable so you can keep walking safely and comfortably.
