When I heard that Irish Setter was releasing a new casual boot, I got pretty excited. I previously had the opportunity to try out the Irish Setter Elk Tracker XD boots last year and I was impressed with them. I had the opportunity to slide my meaty double-wide ten-and-a-half hobbit feet into the Setter Fifties a few weeks before they hit the market. I was pleasantly surprised about how comfortable they were right out the gate, but I was not shocked considering my great experience with my last set of Setters.

When my Setter Fifties came in, I went all in. There was no breaking them in or giving them a test drive around the house for a few days. I did something daring and potentially stupid. I put them on, laced them up and headed for the 2024 Great American Outdoor Show, where I was going to be walking and on my feet for three days straight. Was this a good idea to do with an unproven pair of footwear? Absolutely not. But based on my former experience I decided to make such a bold move.

The Irish Setter Setter Fifty line of casual boots have three different models for men and two different models for women. “These comfortable boots are lightweight and feature sustainable materials,” Irish Setter’s release noted. “As part of Red Wing Shoe Company, Irish Setter is committed to developing high-quality footwear that blends comfort, durability and style.”

Part of the sustainable classification of the boot is their proprietary white wedge sole. 

“ExtraLight® sole platform made from 51% recycled material. Making outsoles from this compound saves around 50% of mineral resources and 50% scraps from disposal. The sustainable footbeds provide support and enhanced comfort using recycled EVA.”

The ExtraLight® sole had quite a fair amount of give to it. When wearing the boots and walking in them for several hours, my feet did not fatigue prematurely. To be honest, the first day of wearing my Setter Fifty boots, I did experience a little discomfort in one of my feet, but that subsided with some rest.

The following two days of high step counts did not leave me with feet more sore than they usually would be. Being fair to Irish Setter, I’m quite a few pounds on the hoof, so having sore feet after jiggling my rotund physique through the farm complex is not something they’re really responsible for. Taco Bell? Maybe.

I was not sure how I was going to feel the boots would look. With the three different models they offer, I picked the one that I felt looked the sharpest and did not have the elastic side panels. I wanted a boot that would lace up tight. The color was the only thing that buggered me out. I liked the color of one of the other models, a dark tobacco (Men's 3928) rather than a fawnish brown – what Setter is calling “mango.” When I got the boots and put them on, I had no regrets getting the Men's 3918.

After getting a chance to cruise around in and see how the 3918’s look, I’d happily add the other two models to my collection. The third selection for men is the Men's 3917, and they’re a steely-blue black color. I did get to see both of the other two models in person while visiting my friends over at the Irish Setter booth at the 2024 Great American Outdoor Show. They’re handsome for sure, as are the women’s models.

“Irish Setter is known for its original Wingshooter upland hunting boots dating back to the 1950’s. We’ve brought key elements from the classic into this new line for casual wear. The ExtraLight outsole is extremely lightweight and comfortable for casual wear,” said Charley Bryant, Irish Setter Product Merchant, via their release. “Irish Setter boots have always been built for outdoor enthusiasts. We’re proud to incorporate more sustainable features in this Setter Fifty family to help do our part to ensure the great outdoors we appreciate today are available for generations to come.”

I was shocked at the overall level of comfort I had wearing the boots right from the box. Was there no break-in period? Well, no. But there was not a lot of pains at all getting used to the boots. Because they were comfortable, I ended up wearing them a lot over the last few weeks and I really have no complaints.

I was reluctant to wear the boots in foul weather. The softness of the leather was almost like a super fine suede and I did not want to ruin the finish of the boots by wearing them out in the rain or snow. During the month that I’ve had them, I pretty much wore them as long as the weather was nice and I did get some compliments on how smart looking they are.

Was this a boot I would have bought? No, I don’t think I would have gotten them, thinking they’re not my style. After owning them and wearing them, I love them. I’m considering checking out other Setter boots that I wouldn’t have given a second thought of in the past after this experience.

As a casual boot, you might be thinking where else could I get away with wearing them? I did wear them in a business setting while wearing khakis and a blazer. The Setter Fifties did not look out of place or weird while sporting a sport coat, shirt and tie, and some classier threads. If you work in an office setting – and by no means am I an expert on fashion – I think you could get away with sporting these boots at work. I also think the style of Cam’s work cowboy boots would be fine in an office setting too, so take my taste with a giant grain of salt.

I’ve worn Red Wing boots for work going on a decade and a half now. Irish Setter is a line that Red Wing launched in 1950, and the same quality and craftsmanship goes into the Setter line that goes into the Red Wing line. Overall, I have been pleased with this set of footwear, as well as my Elk Tracker XD’s, and I’m quickly becoming a fan of this division of a company I’ve trusted to keep me shod for years.

You can check out the entire line of Irish Setter Setter Fifty boots at their homepage in the “casual footwear” area. If you’d like to catch the booth side walkthrough of new products I received at the Irish Setter booth at the GAOS you can check that out HERE or in the embed below.