IN THESE days of impatient consumers and instant gratification, it has become something of a fading tradition to have to “wear in” a pair of Blundstones, the hard-wearing Tasmanian work boot. 
Many farmers, tradies and other outside workers swear by the traditional 500 model boot and are only too willing to take the time (and blisters?) to get them into the comfort zone. But, as the fame of Blunnies spread, more city folk wanted to wear them and, well, who’s got the time to run-in a pair of boots? I’ve got jazzercise in 10 minutes.
So, in a bid to keep the 300 cobblers down in Hobart even busier, Blundstone has come up with the NEW 561, a boot for the modern, cashed-up, time-poor, soft-footed suburbanite consumer. And the designers seem to have hit the mark.
Same classical look of the iconic style 500, but with added glove-soft weathered oiled 2.5mm thick waterproof nubuck suede, a more flexible sole, a footbed with the gun shock absorbing material under the heel and — wait for it — kid leather lining. The queue starts here …
So confident is Blundstone, it has adopted a three-second rule for the new boot. That’s how long it will take most people to realise the boot is already comfortable and doesn’t need to be be worn in.