Crown Northampton Woodford Review: Best Luxury Desert Boot

December 7, 2025December 7, 2025 by 100wears

Price: $426

Why Buy?

The Crown Northampton Woodford offers a no-compromise desert boot for those who want the best.

Why Avoid?

The Crown Northampton Woodford isn’t cheap and has a substantial wait time.

Specs

Model	Woodford
Height	5″
Materials	Kudu Suede / Crepe Rubber
Size	12UK
Weight	607 g / 1 lb 5.4 oz
Construction	Stitchdown
Country of Origin	United Kingdom

History

Crown Northampton is a brand we featured on 100wears not too long ago in the sneaker section with their Harlestone. To say I was impressed was an understatement. In fact, I believe that the Harlestone is the best minimalist sneaker I’ve tested for any price.

Today, however, we’re looking at something tied a little bit more closely to the brand’s history – the Crown Northampton Woodford Desert Boot. Noted by Crown Northampton as being inseparable from British style, this build takes them a bit closer to their roots as a traditional footwear maker.

Still, we know that Crown Northampton can make a world-class sneaker, this is different. Can Chris Woodford, the current owner of the brand, build a boot that justifies putting his name on it? I knew I had to find out.

Let’s dive in and see if the Woodford lives up to the name, or is just trading on it.

Disclaimer: This pair of Crown Northampton Woodford was provided for the purpose of this review; however, this review is not sponsored. Everything said below is true to my own opinion.

Looks

Upper

The upper of the Crown Northampton Woodford is available in three main materials: Chromexcel, Janus Suede, and what you’re seeing in these pictures, Kudu suede. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them, it just comes down to how formal you want to go.

For a pattern on the upper, the brand from Northampton opted for a clean, minimalistic look. As far as stitching goes, you’ll find a single thread holding the heel cap on, and a double thread holding the quarter to the vamp. On that quarter panel, a two-eyelet design only builds on the classic aesthetic.

The edges on the just-a-bit-taller-than-average quarters remain cut, exposing the substantial thickness used for the kudu suede. This raw edge, combined with the unlined upper, give the Woodford a casual feel. Great in person, though a bit hard to photograph.

While the interior is unlined, this suede does contain the top grain of the leather, so there is a smooth surface inside the boot. Finishing everything off, a cushioned heel pad features the Crown Northampton Logo, and reminder of where these are made.

As you would expect with this brand, all the stitching on my pair is flawless.

Mid- and Outsole

For the crepe outsole, Crown Northampton allows you to change the look up. While I am a big fan of the standard color crepe outsole, you can also get the sides stained in Toffee, Brown, or Black. The stains definitely elevate the feel a bit, if that is the style you’re looking to go with.

As you look at the sides of the boot, the first thing you notice is the substantial leather midsole, sitting on top of several layers of crepe rubber. It should go without saying that this natural color is the classic desert boot design. Unlike some brands, there is no foam filler to take up space.

Crown opted for a shorter heel, which makes sense given the casual nature of the Woodford.

Summary

The Crown Northampton Woodford desert boot, depending on how you opt to spec them out, really is whatever you want your desert boot to be. Classic design or modern interpretation? It’s just about the choices you make for the upper and the stain.

As someone who is old enough to remember when there was no design more timeless than a sand suede desert boot, I find this make up perfect. However, if you want a more modern interpretation, maybe a dark brown with a brown stain, Crown Northampton has you covered as well.

When it comes to how to style these, I’d definitely opt for elevated casual looks. Their more svelte design won’t work with thicker denim, but chinos pants or shorts would look great.

Fit & Comfort

Fit

The Crown Northampton Woodford runs on the narrow side, especially in the toe box. The good news is that the Kudu suede on this pair is soft and stretchy enough that even with my slightly wider than average feet I can comfortably wear them. Though, I’m not sure the chromexcel uppers will be quite as forgiving.

Another thing to know is that Crown Northampton aligned their Woodford last sizing with their sneaker sizing, so you probably need to go up in size compared to other desert boots. For example, I went with a size UK12 / US13, a full size up from my standard stitched footwear sizing.

If you’re not sure what size to go with, Crown Northampton has a useful guide here. It will help you measure and determine which side fits you best.

Comfort

The Crown Northampton Woodford is a pretty comfortable boot overall, especially if you get the Kudu suede upper. Kudu suede has a rubbery property to it, giving it a stretchy and bouncy feel. This, combined with the bouncy feel from the crepe outsole, give the whole boot a springy feel as you walk around. Like you’ve wrapped your feet in superballs.

To be clear, these are not going to replace your sneakers. They’re working with natural materials, not super foams. But there is a noticeable step up in bounce compared to other desert boot options.

I do need to flag one thing. If you need arch support, these are not going to offer much right out of the box. This should improve with time given the thick leather insole, but only with some wear.

Materials & Construction

Materials

As expected, the materials used on the Crown Northampton Woodford don’t disappoint. The upper is made of real Kudu leather. This is something that Crown Northampton is proud of.

The Woodford originally launched in Kudu, but had to give it up due to supply restrictions. Coming from government-controlled culling programs in Africa, not only is the availability limited to what the government views as necessary for that year but only around .1% of hides are usable in this sand colorway. That’s one out of every 900 skins.

As the worldwide supply crunch gave way post-pandemic, Crown Northampton was able to secure some leather – but only in certain colorways. If you want a brown pair you’ll have to “settle” for the world-class Janus suede.

On the Kudu, this leather is known for being a bit stretchier and more durable than cow suede. Though you do trade some suppleness in exchange for that durability.

Under foot is a veg-tanned leather footbed, which should improve comfort with time. Below that is a natural crepe rubber outsole. Crepe isn’t going to be the longest lasting outsole material, but it’s the classic choice for a desert boot and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

On the details, the Woodford has a structured heel and toe. They don’t say what they use up front, but the toe feels celastic. In the back? A double piece of leather. A thin foam heel pad is under an equally thin leather cover, and 4 gunmetal eyelets finish everything off.

Included with the boots are two sets of identical waxed cotton laces.

Construction

The Crown Northampton Woodford is made using stitchdown construction. This is one of the oldest ways of making footwear, with the upper folded out and then sewn directly to the midsole. The lower layers of the crepe outsole are then glued to the midsole. This style of construction should be quite weather resistant – though the upper might not be.

Typically, the area where stitchdown is lacking is repairability since the upper can only be resewn so many times. After a while, the stitch holes get too large to hold the upper down. However, with these a cobbler would just peel off the old crepe outsole and glue a new one. Your local cobbler should be able to do that, but if you prefer, Crown offers a resole for $138.

As for where these are made – the mecca of British shoemaking, Northampton. You really can’t ask for a more prestigious location to make footwear.

Pricing

The Crown Northampton Woodford Desert Boot is priced at $426 (inc. tariffs). That certainly isn’t cheap. Around 3x the price of the Clarks Desert Boot. However, like all things, if you want a no compromise product it’s going to be more than other options. Things like careful leather selection, outstanding clicking, and quality control all take time and result in waste product.

One item to be aware of – Crown Northampton sets their prices in GBP. If the spread against your local currency increases, or decreases, you might see a different price.

Are the Crown Northampton Woodford Worth It?

All this being said, are the Crown Northampton Woodford worth it? That depends on who is asking.

If you are first dipping your toes into the style and not sure if you’re going to actually wear them, this pair might not be the right one for you. This is a substantial investment, both from a wait time and price perspective. Taking a gamble and finding out you hate this style would be painful.

However, if you know what you want and are ready to invest in a pair that will go the distance, the Woodford won’t let you down. They really do offer the whole package – good comfort, top notch materials, unbeatable build quality, customizability, and outstanding customer service. Other than maybe the fit, which is pretty subjective, there is absolutely nothing you can complain about.