Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill vs Grant Stone Brass Boot

99 facts in comparison

Based on 124 Reddit opinions. Close race—Higgins Mill edges ahead.

124 opinions
Higgins Mill leads by 1pts
Reddit's Pick
Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill
77%
B
Based on
197 Redditors
Winner

Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill

~$550
49 opinions

tldr; American dress shoe/boot mainstay. Recraftable, wide size range. Quality dipped after acquisition.

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VS
GS
Brass Boot
76%
B
Based on
288 Redditors

Grant Stone Brass Boot

75 opinions

tldr; Best value in goodyear welt boots. Chinese made but excellent quality. Diesel boot is the standout.

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Leather QualityConstructionComfort & Break-inDurabilityFit & Sizing
LEA
CON
❤️COM
🔧DUR
📐FIT
52
Points
74
Points

Score by Category

Leather Quality
33%100%
Construction
38%75%
Comfort & Break-in
100%33%
Durability
33%100%
Fit & Sizing
40%49%

Why is Stone Brass Boot better than Edmonds Higgins Mill?

  • Better durability (100% vs 33%)
  • Better value (89% vs 67%)
  • Better leather quality (100% vs 33%)
  • Better fit (49% vs 40%)
  • Better construction (75% vs 38%)
  • Excellent value at $350 range
  • GYW construction, resoleable
  • Crimson CXL popular colorway
Based on 485 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Higgins Mill

Winning by 1 points (77% vs 76%)

Better comfort
Made in Wisconsin
CXL and Weatherproof options
High confidence (485 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 485 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Higgins Mill
7.7/10
197 mentions
Brass Boot
7.6/10
288 mentions
COMFORT
Higgins Mill10.0/10
Brass Boot3.3/10
CONSTRUCTION
Higgins Mill3.8/10
Brass Boot7.5/10
VALUE
Higgins Mill6.7/10
Brass Boot8.9/10
LEATHER QUALITY
Higgins Mill3.3/10
Brass Boot10.0/10
FIT
Higgins Mill4.0/10
Brass Boot4.9/10
DURABILITY
Higgins Mill3.3/10
Brass Boot10.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Higgins Mill: 1|Brass Boot: 5
ComfortHiggins Mill
Higgins Mill100%
Brass Boot33%
ConstructionBrass Boot
Higgins Mill38%
Brass Boot75%
ValueBrass Boot
Higgins Mill67%
Brass Boot89%
Leather QualityBrass Boot
Higgins Mill33%
Brass Boot100%
FitBrass Boot
Higgins Mill40%
Brass Boot49%
DurabilityBrass Boot
Higgins Mill33%
Brass Boot100%
Higgins Mill77%
Brass Boot76%
Close race - Higgins Mill edges ahead by 1 points

Key Specs

SpecAllen Edmonds Higgins MillGrant Stone Brass Boot
Brand
Allen Edmonds
Grant Stone
Manufacturer
Allen Edmonds
Grant Stone
Color
Brown
Various
Weight
4.1 pounds
966g per boot
Last
Floyd last

Key Highlights

Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill
🇺🇸 Made in Wisconsin
🎨 CXL and Weatherproof options
🪡 GYW construction, resoleable
⚠️ QC concerns post-2017 acquisition
💰 Best during sales at $250-300
Grant Stone Brass BootWinner
💰 Excellent value at $350 range
🪡 GYW construction, resoleable
🎨 Crimson CXL popular colorway
📏 Leo last - size down 0.5
👍 Better finishing than Thursday

Topic Battles

Higgins Mill: 1|Tied: 0|Brass Boot: 4
Leather Quality
Brass Boot wins
Higgins Mill
33%
Brass Boot
100%
Construction
Brass Boot wins
Higgins Mill
38%
Brass Boot
75%
❤️Comfort & Break-in
Higgins Mill wins
Higgins Mill
100%
Brass Boot
33%
🔧Durability
Brass Boot wins
Higgins Mill
33%
Brass Boot
100%
📐Fit & Sizing
Brass Boot wins
Higgins Mill
40%
Brass Boot
49%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill

Best Praise
+6 pts
Bummer. I really like my Higgins Mills
r/goodyearwelt
View
Top Criticism
+14 pts
I’ve encountered problems with ‘off the shelf’ Higgins Mill and other AE products. I’m also not a big fan of how they completely ruin the ‘weatherproof’ cxl, might as well remove the Horween name from that garbage. However, let me tell you that my shell Higgins Mill that they made when I placed an order (7 weeks) is one of the best boots I’ve ever worn. And it’s a damn shame that one has to pay $1k just for them to get the basics correct. Those off the shelf HM should be made just as well as the custom ordered shell pair I received, and it’s garbage that there is such a difference.
r/goodyearwelt
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Grant Stone Brass Boot

Best Praise
+7 pts
Absolutely gorgeous boots. That kudu is spectacular. Personally, I think the Brass Boot is GS's best silhouette by a mile.
r/goodyearwelt
View
Top Criticism
+2 pts
Cool to see them next to one another. I love the black cypress teacore leather. The one thing I don’t like about the brass boot is how high on the boot the moc band is.
r/goodyearwelt
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill
$400$480$560Jun '25Jul '25Jul '25Jul '25Jul '25Aug '25Oct '25Nov '25Nov '25Apr '26Low: $356.96Current: $550
Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill
All-time low: $276.5(2021-04)

Which is Better?

Too Close to Call

Both products have nearly identical approval ratings (77% vs 76%). Choose based on your specific needs and preferences.

Why Higgins Mill
  • 🇺🇸 Made in Wisconsin
  • 🎨 CXL and Weatherproof options
  • 🪡 GYW construction, resoleable
Why Brass Boot
  • Better Value for Money (89% vs 67%)
  • More discussed (288 vs 197)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

19%Positive
Positive
19%
Neutral
75%
Negative
6%
Based on 197 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

20%Positive
Positive
20%
Neutral
74%
Negative
6%
Based on 288 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill or Grant Stone Brass Boot?
Based on 485 Reddit comments, Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill has a slight edge with 77% positive sentiment vs Grant Stone Brass Boot's 76%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill or Grant Stone Brass Boot?
Both have similar approval ratings (77% vs 76%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill?
Reddit users highlight: Made in Wisconsin. CXL and Weatherproof options. GYW construction, resoleable. With 197 mentions and 77% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Grant Stone Brass Boot?
Reddit users highlight: Excellent value at $350 range. GYW construction, resoleable. Crimson CXL popular colorway. With 288 mentions and 76% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 485 Reddit comments: 197 about Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill and 288 about Grant Stone Brass Boot. Data was sourced from Quality Boots community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

124 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 5/31/2026