Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill vs R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman
97 facts in comparison
Based on 163 Reddit opinions. Higgins MillAllen Edmonds Higgins Mill leads by 7 points.
163 opinions
Higgins Mill leads by 7pts
VS
Reddit's Pick
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.
Check pricesVS
70%
B-
Based on
270 Redditors
R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman
~$539
114 opinions
tldr; Australian Chelsea boot icon. One-piece leather construction. Perfect for smart casual.
Check prices⭐LEA
⭐CON
❤️COM
🔧DUR
📐FIT
52
Points
53
Points
Score by Category
Leather Quality
33%50%
Construction
38%35%
Comfort & Break-in
100%75%
Durability
33%75%
Fit & Sizing
40%44%
Why is Williams Comfort Craftsman better than Edmonds Higgins Mill?
- Better leather quality (50% vs 33%)
- Better durability (75% vs 33%)
- Australian icon Chelsea boot
- Wholecut construction, 8+ year lifespan
- Comfort insole divisive among owners
Based on 467 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge
Reddit prefers the Higgins MillAllen Edmonds Higgins Mill
Winning by 7 points (77% vs 70%)
Better comfort
Better value
Made in Wisconsin
High confidence (467 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 467 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Higgins Mill
7.7/10
197 mentions
Comfort Craftsman
7.0/10
270 mentions
COMFORT
Higgins Mill10.0/10
Comfort Craftsman7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION
Higgins Mill3.8/10
Comfort Craftsman3.5/10
VALUE
Higgins Mill6.7/10
Comfort Craftsman4.0/10
LEATHER QUALITY
Higgins Mill3.3/10
Comfort Craftsman5.0/10
FIT
Higgins Mill4.0/10
Comfort Craftsman4.4/10
DURABILITY
Higgins Mill3.3/10
Comfort Craftsman7.5/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Higgins Mill | Comfort Craftsman |
|---|---|---|
Comfort | 100% | 75% |
Construction | 38% | 35% |
Value | 67% | 40% |
Leather Quality | 33% | 50% |
Fit | 40% | 44% |
Durability | 33% | 75% |
Category Wins
Higgins Mill: 3|Comfort Craftsman: 3
Head to Head
Higgins Mill: 3|Comfort Craftsman: 3
ComfortHiggins Mill
Higgins Mill100%
Comfort Craftsman75%
ConstructionHiggins Mill
Higgins Mill38%
Comfort Craftsman35%
ValueHiggins Mill
Higgins Mill67%
Comfort Craftsman40%
Leather QualityComfort Craftsman
Higgins Mill33%
Comfort Craftsman50%
FitComfort Craftsman
Higgins Mill40%
Comfort Craftsman44%
DurabilityComfort Craftsman
Higgins Mill33%
Comfort Craftsman75%
Higgins Mill
77%
70%
Comfort Craftsman
Higgins Mill77%
Comfort Craftsman70%
Higgins Mill wins by 7 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill | R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Allen Edmonds | R.M. Williams |
| Manufacturer | Allen Edmonds | R.M. Williams-Men's Non Seasonal |
| Color | Brown | Various (e.g., Black, Brown, Chestnut) |
| Weight | 4.1 pounds | 4.375 pounds |
| Material | — | Premium grade yearling leather upper |
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
R.M. Williams Comfort CraftsmanWinner
🇦🇺 Australian icon Chelsea boot
💪 Wholecut construction, 8+ year lifespan
🧰 Comfort insole divisive among owners
📉 QC concerns raised in recent years
💸 Retail >$500, look for sales
Topic Battles
Higgins Mill: 2|Tied: 0|Comfort Craftsman: 3
⭐Leather Quality
Comfort Craftsman winsHiggins Mill
33%
Comfort Craftsman
50%
⭐Construction
Higgins Mill winsHiggins Mill
38%
Comfort Craftsman
35%
❤️Comfort & Break-in
Higgins Mill winsHiggins Mill
100%
Comfort Craftsman
75%
🔧Durability
Comfort Craftsman winsHiggins Mill
33%
Comfort Craftsman
75%
📐Fit & Sizing
Comfort Craftsman winsHiggins Mill
40%
Comfort Craftsman
44%
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
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
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman
Best Praise
+19 pts“RM Williams comfort craftsman are significantly more comfortable in my opinion. Objectively they are much more formal and subjectively I think they are a lot better looking compared to blundstones as well. However they are quite pricey, but worth it imo.”
r/malefashionadvice
ViewTop Criticism
+13 pts“RM Williams aint gonna cut it for any wet outdoor conditions. I tried walking with it on a short footpath with mud and had water ingress. The leather soles don't have traction and will get annihilated by wet and rough terrain.”
r/malefashionadvice
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Higgins Mill
Comfort Craftsman
📈Historical Price Data
Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill
R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman
Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill
All-time low: $276.5(2021-04)
R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman
Which is Better?
Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill Wins
77%
Mill
vs
70%
Craftsman
Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill leads by 7 points based on 467 Reddit opinions.
Why Higgins MillWinner
- Better Value for Money (67% vs 40%)
Why Comfort Craftsman
- 🇦🇺 Australian icon Chelsea boot
- 💪 Wholecut construction, 8+ year lifespan
- More discussed (270 vs 197)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
19%Positive
Positive
19%Neutral
75%Negative
6%Based on 197 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
29%Positive
Positive
29%Neutral
58%Negative
13%Based on 270 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill or R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman?
Based on 467 Reddit comments, Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill is the preferred choice with 77% positive sentiment vs R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman's 70%. Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill leads by 7 percentage points.
Should I buy Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill or R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill has stronger approval ratings (77% vs 70%). However, R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
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 R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman?
Reddit users highlight: Australian icon Chelsea boot. Wholecut construction, 8+ year lifespan. Comfort insole divisive among owners. With 270 mentions and 70% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 467 Reddit comments: 197 about Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill and 270 about R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman. 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.
163 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 7/28/2026