Initial Impressions, Stitched Footwear, Warfield & Grand

Warfield & Grand Batton: A Common Sense Pick

September 24, 2023September 24, 2023 by 100wears

Price: $199

Why Buy?

The Warfield & Grand Batton offers a comfortable and stylish option in a price range that almost everyone can afford.

Why Avoid?

The Warfield & Grand Batton doesn’t offer quite the same level of materials as higher priced options, and availability can come and go.

Specs

Model	Batton
Height	6″
Materials	Suede / Leather / Rubber
Size	12
Weight	714 g / 1 lb 9.18 oz
Construction	Blake
Country of Origin	China

History

Warfield & Grand as a brand has been around for some time. However for much of that they were not something that would typically be found on menswear review sites. Initially, they were a cemented shoe with leather that looked fine for when you need something for your uncle’s wedding, but probably not the type of shoe you’d use if you needed to wear it every day.

More recently, however, the brand has started to move upmarket. More premium materials, more premium construction, and – of course – a more premium price. They’ve also worked on improving their own online presence. Encouraging people to buy directly from them instead of retailers. You can still find them on places like Nordstrom and Amazon, but the largest inventory will be found on their own site.

With all of these changes, I wanted to take a look and see if this is just a trick to get you to buy something more expensive, or is Warfield and Grand a brand to keep in consideration. I’m particularly interested because, if we are being honest with ourselves, while us boot reviewers love $600+ pairs, the reality is that there are far more people who view $200 as too much to spend on a pair of footwear. This review is far more important than another Viberg 2030 Service Boot review.

What’s the answer? Well, let’s dive in.

Disclaimer: This pair of Warfield & Grand Batton boots was provided at no cost for the purpose of a review. Warfield & Grand was not able to review, edit, or comment on what was said here prior to the review going live. Everything below is my true thoughts on the product.

Looks

Upper

I’ll let you all in on a secret: suede, even pretty good suede, is more affordable than you would think. Sure, there are even cheaper suedes that might save a couple bucks on a shoe when manufacturing. However, if you have a price target and know the brand wants to make a good product, you should always consider looking at the suede option.

For the Warfield & Grand Batton, that is no exception. The upper of this pair is done up entirely in a wheat-colored suede that would look appropriate on a boot costing twice as much. This is the only color suede the boot comes in, but it’s a really nice shade to my eyes.

When it comes to design, the Baton is clearly designed to be focused on a more classic design. The upper has that little derby overlap near the laces, and minimal flairs beyond that. The stitching is clean and the little odds and ends – such as eyelets, hooks, and laces – all appear like they will easily last the life of the boot.

There are also little details that show there was some thought put in the design. As an example, the tongue is lined. They could have just put two slits for laces to run through, but they added a sewn on lace loop. Speaking of that lining, it’s actually cut on the back to allow the tongue to lay flat where your foot meets your ankle. This should help ease break in and avoid issues similar to “White Bite.”

Mid- and Outsole

When looking at the bottom half of the Warfield & Grand Batton, you’ll see the brand continuing the theme.

The leather midsole is sewn to a rubber half-sole – a look that I’m a big fan of on dressier boots. It is mated to a shorter heel stack, which is again fitting for this pair.

This boot also features a stylistic (i.e. non-structural) welt. I know there are people who don’t like that – and Warfield & Grand do have options without it, but I appreciate that they actually used a welt as opposed to a flat rubber piece acting as a second midsole that kind-of sort-of looks like a welt.

They are also very up front that these are not goodyear welted shoes in the description. However, as someone who was fooled by this early in my footwear journey, I did want to flag.

As far as style goes, there is one decision I do question: the insole. Covered in a camo pattern, it looks a bit out of place compared to the more formal design of the boot. Nobody will see it, so it isn’t a huge deal, but I do wonder if a simple brown could have fit the dress-boot theme a bit better.

Summary

Overall, the design of the Warfield & Grand Batton does what it’s intended to do. It looks great – especially the last shape – and should be a versatile option for a service-style boot.

Personally, I find these a bit too formal for denim. At least the heavier weight stuff people typically associate with stitched boots. The thinner last, refined stitching, and lower heel tend to work better with thinner fabrics with a bit more drape.

Warfield & Grand does offer less dressy options. For example, the other boot I was considering for a review – the Trench in Oiled Leather – should be extremely similar in build quality and construction but work better with more heritage focused outfits.

Fit & Comfort

Fit

The Warfield & Grand Batton definitely fits on the smaller side. Especially compared to other boots. I got these in my typical dress shoe size of 12 and I can wear them with thin dress socks, but only just. I’d strongly consider going up a half size from your typical dress shoe size (potentially a full size from your normal boot size).

The good news is that if you order from Warfield & Grand directly, size exchanges are free. The risk of mis-sizing is fairly low.

Once you do get the sizing correct, the last itself is a bit on the dressier side. Doubly so considering this is a boot. Featuring a slightly elongated and narrowed toe box, it should fit most people well but if you have particularly wide feet and/or toes you definitely will need to size up. Even with thin socks.

I got these in a size 12, which is my typical dress shoe size. For comparison, I typically wear a 13 in sneakers, 12 in dress shoes, and 11.5 to 12 in boots. For a list of sizing for all shoes reviewed on this site, click here.

Comfort

The Warfield & Grand Batton surprised me with just how comfortable they were. One problem I often have with blake-stitched footwear is the construction – almost required by the design – typically has very little in the way of arch support. The stitching has to run under the arch, and the construction doesn’t leave a lot of room for a substantial shank.

While this boot certainly doesn’t have Pacific Northwest style arch support, it’s perfectly respectable. Add in the lighter-weight midsole (more on that later), and I wouldn’t have any concern wearing these all day for casual activities.

There is one caveat here, though. Obviously, when you’re coming in a price point this low, compromises need to be made. One of that is the counters. The counters used are quite flexible. OK for just walking around, but if you’re doing any physical work in these, you might find the lock down lacking. When deciding how to wear these I wouldn’t wear them anywhere that you wouldn’t wear a pair of dress shoes.

Materials & Construction

Materials

The upper of the Warfield & Grand Batton leaves little to complain about for the most part. The suede feels great, and the leather lining – with fabric backing – does the job it set out to do. The eyelets are metal, and the cotton laces are thick with just a hint of wax.

While I do wish the clastic counters were more substantial, this boot makes no pretenses about being a work boot. For the task the boot was built for – casual wear – they should be just fine.

Underneath your foot, you will find a bit more in the way of compromises to fit within the budget of this boot. The midsole is indeed leather, though it’s not very dense. This actually isn’t a huge deal to me – the rubber will be taking the brunt of the walking and the less-dense midsole actually offers more impact protection – but I could see people not liking it.

On the positive side, the insole – made of foam – is pretty nice. Made from what feels like a PU material (think memory foam) it is comfortable and should last plenty of time. I know that there are some leather-or-nothing insole folks out there, but for this boot these feel just fine.

Finishing out the Baton is the rubber patches on the bottom of the outsole and heel. I really like the compound they picked. It is a nice medium between durable and soft so your feet don’t get destroyed walking around and the boots won’t fall apart after a few wears. Again, with blake construction you need to find alternative ways to keep the boot comfortable, and this was a great way to do so.

Construction

As I mentioned in the beginning, one big difference with modern Warfield & Grand compared to when they first launched is their method of construction. No longer cemented, the brand now uses a blake style construction including on the Baton.

Blake is one of the oldest ways to make a piece of footwear. The upper is made and lasted, folded inwards, and then the outsole is sewn directly to the bottom of the boot. If you want to learn more about blake, click here, but those are the cliff notes.

This style of construction is often used as it provides a sleek silhouette, offers a quicker and easier break in, and is more affordable to build. As for drawbacks, blake construction won’t be as waterproof as something like goodyear welting, and it can be harder to find someone able to resole them.

Pricing

The Warfield & Grand Batton comes in at a price of $199 in this suede version. If you prefer smooth leather, the Ruxon is the same design at a price of $225. Though, honestly, I believe the suede version would be preferable even if the prices were identical.

Similarly priced boots are pretty rare. The obvious comparison is Thursday, which shares that same $199 price point. Another option in this range is Beckett Simonon with a very similar design in their Dowler for $259.

One thing to be aware of – if you search you’ll find a lot of Warfield & Grand stuff on sale. However, be careful. Looking around, many of these are their older, cemented style shoes. I’d suggest going to their direct sale page where you can find the blake-constructed stuff for pretty big discounts.

Sizing is pretty limited, but there are some insane deals if you manage to find a pair in your size.

Are the Warfield & Grand Batton Worth It?

Shoe reviewers, myself included, can sometimes get a bit detached from reality. You’re looking at a pair of White’s one week, then Viberg, then Alden, etc. It becomes really easy to scoff at brands that cost less than a month’s rent in a low cost of living city. That any compromise in construction can feel unacceptable.

In the real world, however, it isn’t normal for a guy to have thousands of dollars of shoes lying around. The vast majority want a pair of boots that will look good, be comfortable, and that they can wear for a long time. Brands like Warfield & Grand understand this.

Are there compromises compared to those expensive brands? Of course. The midsole isn’t as dense as it could be, and thicker heel caps would offer more support. However, for the guy wearing these to the office that isn’t going to impact how he lives his life. My other complaints – such as the camo insole – are purely stylistic.