Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill vs R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman

97 facts in comparison

Based on 163 Reddit opinions. Higgins Mill leads by 7 points.

163 opinions
Higgins Mill leads by 7pts
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.

Check prices
VS
R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman
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
Leather QualityConstructionComfort & Break-inDurabilityFit & Sizing
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 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 mentions

Overall 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

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 Mill77%
Comfort Craftsman70%
Higgins Mill wins by 7 points

Key Specs

SpecAllen Edmonds Higgins MillR.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 wins
Higgins Mill
33%
Comfort Craftsman
50%
Construction
Higgins Mill wins
Higgins Mill
38%
Comfort Craftsman
35%
❤️Comfort & Break-in
Higgins Mill wins
Higgins Mill
100%
Comfort Craftsman
75%
🔧Durability
Comfort Craftsman wins
Higgins Mill
33%
Comfort Craftsman
75%
📐Fit & Sizing
Comfort Craftsman wins
Higgins 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

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 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
View
Top 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
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill
R.M. Williams Comfort Craftsman
$400$480$560Jul '25Jul '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Apr '26Low: $356.96Current: $550
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 7/17/2026