Brands
Red Wing vs Irish Setter
One company, two catalogues — and the differences are not the ones people assume.
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Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Toe & rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Red Wing King Toe 6-inch Waterproof Safety Toe Boot (#2240) Red Wing publishes 44% more toe room than a standard work boot and stocks four widths — the clearest answer on this list for a foot that fights every other last. | Red Wing: four widths and a full ASTM line | Non-metallic safety toeASTM F2413-24, I/C, EH | |
| 2 | Irish Setter Ely 6-inch Leather Steel Toe Work Boot (83612) A black full-grain steel toe with EH protection and a direct-attach sole — no features to pay for beyond the ones the standard requires. | Irish Setter: plain, cheap, compliant | Steel safety toeSteel toe with electrical hazard protection meeting ASTM safety standards | |
| 3 |  Irish Setter Kasota Safety Toe 6-inch Work Boot with BOA Fit System (83658) A waterproof safety-toe boot with a BOA dial instead of laces — you can retension it mid-shift with a gloved hand, which laces do not allow. | Irish Setter: BOA fit, waterproof | Safety toeSafety toe with electrical hazard protection meeting ASTM standards |
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They are the same company
Irish Setter's own brand history page states it plainly: Red Wing Shoe Company has built boots for work since 1905 and for hunting since 1929, and “the Irish Setter brand was born out of this legacy.” The name came from the Oro-Russet leather, the same color as the dog. It debuted in 1950 as hunting footwear and was adopted by American workers through the 1960s.
That matters because almost every “Red Wing vs Irish Setter” argument you will read treats them as rivals with different philosophies. They are two price-and-feature bands inside one company. The real differences are what each line publishes and what each one is built to do.
The comparison
| Red Wing King Toe 2240 | Irish Setter Ely 83612 | Irish Setter Kasota 83658 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| List price | $254.99 (Red Wing list) | $174.99 (Irish Setter list) | Not published on the page read |
| Toe | Non-metallic safety toe | Steel safety toe | Safety toe |
| Safety designation | ASTM F2413-24, I/C, EH — published in full | Steel toe with EH meeting ASTM safety standards | Safety toe with EH meeting ASTM standards |
| Waterproof | Yes — Red Wing waterproofing system | No — the 83618 is the waterproof version | Yes |
| Fit system | Laces; four widths B, D, EE and H | Laces | BOA Fit System dial |
| Published weight | 3 lb 7 oz for the pair | Not published | Not published |
| Construction | Direct attach — Red Wing states it is not resoleable | Direct attach | Direct attach — flexible, light and waterproof per Irish Setter |
| Origin | Globally sourced | Not published on the product page | Not published on the product page |
The case for the Red Wing
Four widths in one model. B, D, EE and H. Irish Setter publishes no width range on either boot here. If width is your problem, this is the only one of the three that addresses it, and best wide work boots explains why sizing up is not a substitute.
The full designation line. ASTM F2413-24, I/C, EH. Irish Setter states “meeting ASTM safety standards,” which is a real claim but not a readable one — you cannot tell the revision or the class from it. What should be on the label is in ASTM F2413 explained.
A published weight. 3 lb 7 oz for the pair. Neither Irish Setter model publishes one.
44% more toe room, as a published figure. Not a sensation someone reported — a number Red Wing prints. If every boot you have owned has crowded your toes, that is what you are buying.
The case for Irish Setter
$174.99 for a compliant boot. Eighty dollars less than the King Toe, from the same parent company, with a steel toe and EH protection. If you do not need four widths or a published weight, the Ely does the job the standard asks for.
BOA, which Red Wing does not offer here. The Kasota uses a BOA dial instead of laces. You can retension it mid-shift with a gloved hand, and it distributes tension evenly rather than at the eyelets — best BOA work boots is the full case, including when it is the wrong choice.
Waterproof on the Kasota, light with it. Irish Setter describes the Kasota's direct-attach build as flexible, lightweight and waterproof. A waterproof boot you barely notice is a fair thing to want.
Plain black leather. The Ely is a black full-grain plain-toe boot. In trades where boots have to look tidy — service, facilities, utilities, anything customer-facing — that is a requirement, not a style preference.
Buy the Red Wing if…
- You need a B, EE or H width.
- You want to read the full ASTM line and a weight before buying.
- You want a fully non-metallic boot with a safety toe.
- Toe room has been the problem with every boot you have owned.
Buy the Irish Setter if…
- You want the lowest price that still gets you a steel toe and EH.
- You want a BOA dial rather than laces.
- You need a plain black boot that looks presentable.
- You want waterproof and light rather than waterproof and roomy.
Where both lose
Every boot in this comparison is direct attach, which means none of them can be resoled — Red Wing says so on its own page for the 2240. If a rebuildable boot is what you want, the company does make them in its welted Heritage lines, but not in the models here; Red Wing vs Thorogood is that argument, and resoling work boots has the cost case. Neither Irish Setter model publishes a width range, an origin or a weight, which is less than the price deserves.
The picks in full
Illustrative category photo — not this model#1 — Red Wing: four widths and a full ASTM line
Red Wing King Toe 6-inch Waterproof Safety Toe Boot (#2240)
Red Wing publishes 44% more toe room than a standard work boot and stocks four widths — the clearest answer on this list for a foot that fights every other last.
Published specifications
- Toe
- Non-metallic safety toe
- Safety rating
- ASTM F2413-24, I/C, EH
- Upper
- Waterproof waxed nubuck leather
- Outsole
- TPU-PU Galaxy outsole
- Midsole / shank
- Non-metallic shank
- Construction
- Direct attach — Red Wing states this model is not resoleable
- Waterproof
- Yes — Red Wing waterproofing system
- Insulation
- Not stated on the product page
- Widths
- Narrow (B), Regular (D), Wide (EE), Wide (H)
- Weight
- 3 lb 7 oz
- Made in
- Globally sourced
- MSRP (list)
- $254.99 (Red Wing list price)
Specifications read from Red Wing Shoes product page (#2240) on 2026-09-27. We have not worn this boot.
What works
- Genuinely the widest toe box on this list, and Red Wing publishes the figure
- Four widths including an H, which almost nobody stocks
- Fully non-metallic underfoot — relevant for metal detectors
- Red Wing publishes an actual weight, which most brands do not
What doesn't
- Direct-attach construction: Red Wing states it is not resoleable
- Expensive for a boot you cannot rebuild
- The square King Toe silhouette is divisive
Who this is wrong for
Anyone buying for longevity through resoling. Red Wing's own page says no on this model — look at their welted Heritage lines instead.
Sizing
The King Toe last adds room at the toes, not at the heel. If you have a narrow heel, take the B width before you size down; sizing down to fix heel slip will crowd the toes the boot was built to free.
Illustrative category photo — not this model#2 — Irish Setter: plain, cheap, compliant
Irish Setter Ely 6-inch Leather Steel Toe Work Boot (83612)
A black full-grain steel toe with EH protection and a direct-attach sole — no features to pay for beyond the ones the standard requires.
Published specifications
- Toe
- Steel safety toe
- Safety rating
- Steel toe with electrical hazard protection meeting ASTM safety standards
- Upper
- Full-grain black leather
- Outsole
- Direct attach sole
- Midsole / shank
- Not published on the manufacturer page
- Construction
- Direct attach
- Waterproof
- Not waterproof in the 83612; the 83618 is the waterproof version
- Insulation
- Not insulated
- MSRP (list)
- $174.99 (Irish Setter list price, read 2026-09-29)
Specifications read from Irish Setter product page (Ely 83612) on 2026-09-27. We have not worn this boot.
What works
- Black leather passes dress codes that brown work boots do not
- Direct attach is flexible from day one
- Simple boot, simple price
What doesn't
- Direct attach is not resoleable
- Not waterproof
- Very little published spec detail
Who this is wrong for
Wet work. Buy the waterproof 83618 instead — the 83612 upper is not sealed.
Sizing
Irish Setter's work lasts run close to true. Because the boot is unlined-feeling and flexible, it will not stretch much to fix a tight fit.
Illustrative category photo — not this model#3 — Irish Setter: BOA fit, waterproof
Irish Setter Kasota Safety Toe 6-inch Work Boot with BOA Fit System (83658)
A waterproof safety-toe boot with a BOA dial instead of laces — you can retension it mid-shift with a gloved hand, which laces do not allow.
Published specifications
- Toe
- Safety toe
- Safety rating
- Safety toe with electrical hazard protection meeting ASTM standards
- Upper
- Leather upper with the BOA Fit System
- Outsole
- Direct attach sole
- Midsole / shank
- Not published on the manufacturer page
- Construction
- Direct attach — flexible, lightweight and waterproof per Irish Setter
- Waterproof
- Waterproof
- Insulation
- Not insulated
Specifications read from Irish Setter product page (Kasota 83658) on 2026-09-27. We have not worn this boot.
What works
- Retension in one gloved motion — genuinely useful when feet swell mid-shift
- No laces to snag or untie
- Waterproof
What doesn't
- A BOA dial is a mechanical part that can be damaged by impact
- Even tension across the instep means less ability to lace around a pressure point
- Direct attach is not resoleable
Who this is wrong for
Anyone working where the dial will take direct hits — demolition, scrap handling, anything that drags across the instep.
Sizing
BOA distributes tension evenly, which suits a normal-volume foot and fights a very high instep. If you normally skip an eyelet to relieve a pressure point, BOA will not let you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Irish Setter owned by Red Wing?
Yes. Irish Setter's own brand history page states that Red Wing Shoe Company has built work boots since 1905 and hunting boots since 1929, and that 'the Irish Setter brand was born out of this legacy.' The brand debuted in 1950, named after the Oro-Russet leather that matched an Irish Setter dog's coat.
Is Irish Setter the same quality as Red Wing?
They are different bands within one company, not different quality tiers of the same boot. On the models we compare, Red Wing publishes considerably more — four widths, a pair weight, and the full ASTM F2413-24 I/C EH designation — while Irish Setter states the rating in general terms. Both are direct attach and neither can be resoled.
Are Irish Setter boots resoleable?
Not the Ely 83612 or the Kasota 83658. Both are direct-attach constructions, which bonds the sole to the upper and cannot be cleanly separated. The same is true of the Red Wing King Toe 2240 compared here — Red Wing states it on the product page.
Which Irish Setter boots are waterproof?
The Kasota 83658 is waterproof. The Ely 83612 is not — Irish Setter lists the 83618 as the waterproof version of that boot. Read the model number rather than the name, because the same boot name covers sealed and unsealed builds.
Sources
- Irish Setter — Rooted in Tradition (brand history) — Irish Setter's own page: the brand was born out of Red Wing Shoe Company and debuted in 1950, named for the Oro-Russet leather color
- Red Wing Shoes — repairs and resoling — Red Wing's own factory repair service
- ASTM F2413 protective footwear standard — technical summary — Label format, the mandatory I and C designations, and each optional code
Read next
Red Wing vs Thorogood
The resoleability argument this comparison cannot have.
Best BOA Work Boots
Whether the Kasota's dial is worth choosing over laces.
Work Boot Brands Ranked
Where both lines sit against the rest of the market.
ASTM F2413 Explained
How to read the designation Red Wing prints and Irish Setter summarizes.