Sorel Men’s Madson Chukka Waterproof Boot
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The Sorel Madson Chukka is a waterproof casual boot that is designed to keep you in good graces with the fashion gods while keeping your feet comfortable and protected from inclement weather. These boots are one of the better looking boots available today and they come with a history of Sorel trying to keep your feet warm and dry in the winter for 50+ years.
Boot Traction
When I first saw the boot traction design in the Madson line from Sorel a few years ago, I was a little skeptical as to whether this would keep me upright in winter conditions. After testing out the Madson Hiker Boot with the same traction design, I am happy to say that the traction does the job. Living in Steamboat Springs, CO where snow is on the ground from November through April in many places, winter traction is important to me. I haven’t used this traction in serious mountain adventures, but for walking snowy, icy and slushy city streets and sidewalks, the traction holds up just fine.
Sorel Madson Hiker boot outsole after 1 year of use
There are little nubs on the bottom of rubber that help with traction but I found that these typically wear out on the high use areas of the outsole within a season or two as shown in the Madson Hiker boot that I have worn for a year.
Sorel Madson Chukka Boot Comfort
While the Madson Chukka boots look like they fall into the dress boot category, they still offer plenty of cushion. The comfort comes in the form of a cushion insole, an EVA midsole and a felt lined toe box.
The insole is similar to that of a running shoe and has more cushioning next to the bottom of your foot compared to traditional dress boots and shoes. There is a layer of EVA in between the boot upper and the outsole rubber that provides a nice cushioned ride on each step. EVA breaks down over time this depends on the weight of the person wearing the boots and how many often or how many miles they are walking in the boots.
Felt lined inside the toe box
The felt lined toe box allows for a little extra warmth and allows the boot to absorb moisture better than a pure leather or synthetic leather lined boot.
Boot Durability
For light use, the Madson Chukka boots will hold up just fine. The leather on the outer of the boot gets softer and more comfortable with age, but it also will lose some of it’s shape which is the case with pretty much any boot and shoe outer that is made with leather. These boots are not intended for hiking and if you use them more for hiking, they will wear out faster.
Boot Design
The Sorel Madson Chukka is a boot that you can wear in a lot of different scenarios. I think the boot looks dressy enough to wear with a suit, but they also look sharp with a pair of jeans. There are sections of the leather that are darker for a worn and distressed look, but not to the point where it people start commenting, WOW, how long have you had those boots?! There is a cool little Sorel patch on the back of each boot and branded logo on the side of the boot that is usually covered up by the cuff of your pants. In addition, there is also a Sorel cloth patch on the bottom of the boots, so you’re pretty much covered from every angle if you want to show off your good taste in footwear.
Sorel Madson Chukka Boot Sizing
If I have one beef with Sorel is the inconsistency in their sizing for men. I tend to swing between a size 11-12 in their boots and it seems to differ from year to year. This happens to a lot of footwear manufactures from dress shoes to running shoes, so it is not something unique to Sorel. I still would like to have some consistency in their sizing. That said, I find the boots fit more true to size. I tested out a size 11 since I tested a size 11 in the Madson Hiker boots and they fit perfect. I wish I would have sized up to an 11.5 in the Madson Chukka boots.
Final Thoughts
The Sorel Madson Chukka Boots are a good option for someone looking for a casual boot that can withstand a little inclement weather. At a price point of $170, they fall in line with most other medium to high end casual boots. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/sorel.
