Amberjack Chelsea Boots Review: Full-Grain Leather In Chestnut Colorway

Style & Appearance

When it comes to their design, Amberjack’s Chelsea boots have a traditional silhouette without any ornamentation aside from their embossed logo. If this upper was a single piece of leather, or something closer to a “wholecut” Chelsea, these would likely appear more formal.

Yet, Amberjack’s catalog leans more towards the versatile business casual look and I think they’ve succeeded with these Chelseas in that regard (more on these Chelseas’ formality later in the review.) Of course, you can opt for different leather tones or even an Italian suede colorway to further tailor the formality for your purposes.

I opted for the Chestnut colorway, which is composed of a dark brown American steer leather upper, a light brown midsole that imitates the look of a traditional leather welt, and a dark brown outsole.

Out of the box, the leather looked great and even had some burnishing in the toe and heel areas that I hadn’t noticed in the product listing. As you can see in the image above, after a couple of wears, the leather has started to crease as one would expect with any leather shoe. Nevertheless, there’s no cracking, and the patina is developing nicely.

Overall, I really enjoy how Amberjack’s Chelsea boots look. They’re sturdy and sleek yet retain the iconic Chelsea appearance. Perhaps most importantly, they accomplish this while exuding Amberjack’s modern twist imparted by the brand’s proprietary sole.

Fit & Comfort

As with the other Amberjack shoes we’ve tried, these Chelsea boots are supposed to fit true-to-size (TTS) so I ordered them in size 12, my normal sneaker size. This was the right call as they fit perfectly.

As far as comfort goes, Amberjack’s Chelsea boots are likely the most comfortable I’ve ever worn. I’d mostly credit the brand’s memory foam inserts and multi-density outsole for this, though the leather upper is evidently of good quality; it’s very soft and supple and had almost no break-in period, which was surprising. It did stretch out slightly and mold to my feet with a couple of wears, but I would not suggest sizing up in expectation of this.

Perforated Leather Lining

I have a relatively wide foot and the toe box was wide enough to accommodate it comfortably. Moreover, I wore Amberjack’s Chelseas with thicker winter socks, and the fit was still very comfortable – the boots did not feel too tight or stuffy when walking around. They do have a perforated leather lining which helps with breathability, yet this did not work as a detriment in the cold winter of NYC.

The one characteristic about Amberjack’s Chelsea boots that I would change is that I’d add a pull tab to the back of the shoe. It’s not only an iconic aspect of the Chelsea boot design but also an incredibly convenient tool when putting these on. This is not to say that these were an issue to put on, but the pull tab would have made it much more manageable.

Other than the missing pull tab, Amberjack’s Chelseas are extremely comfortable, making it very easy to complete full walking days in NYC and Montreal during a recent trip.

Dress Code & Formality

Being a largely traditional pair of Chelseas, Amberjack’s boots are ideal for casual and some business casual settings. As mentioned above, if they had a wholecut leather upper and classic leather sole, it’s possible they’d be appropriate for more formal occurrences.

However, this is not what Amberjack intended their Chelsea boots to be. In my opinion, they’re designed for social outings and some of the more laid-back workplaces; implement them in these settings and you’ll find them to be a stylish and very comfy pair of boots, as I did.

I picked these as my sole pair of shoes during a trip to the Northeast USA/Canada and was more than glad I did. They were incredibly comfortable to wear for extended periods, the Chestnut color paired well with both light and dark denim, and most critically for travel, it was effortless to take these off and put them back on when going through TSA at the airport.

Presentation & Value For Money

Amberjack’s Chelsea boots are shipped in a delivery box that doubles as the shipping box. Inside, you’ll find the boots stuffed with packing paper as well as a shoe bag and a thank you card. I wouldn’t expect nor want more from a $200 pair of Chelsea boots as at this price point, I’d want the focus to be on the materials, design, and construction rather than the presentation.

When it comes to value, this $200 price point is a competitive one for boots such as Amberjack’s Chelsea.

Unfortunately, it’s easy to find both overpriced Chelseas of poor quality and great-quality, aggressively priced boots. Without experiencing them in person, it can be difficult to tell the difference.

With Amberjack’s Chelsea boots, I can confidently say they reside in the latter, great-quality-for-a-great-price camp. From what I’ve experienced, the leather used is of excellent quality, the proprietary sole makes them phenomenally comfortable, and the fit is on-point. When it comes to value, I’d say they’re absolutely worth the $199 price tag.

Closing Thoughts

Having tried some of Amberjack’s other shoe offerings in the past, I had an idea of what to expect from their Chelsea boots: supple leather, comfortable and supportive soles, and a classic design with a modern touch.

On all of these fronts and more, Amberjack once more did not disappoint with their Chelsea boots. By producing great-looking shoes with unmatched comfort and at very competitive prices, Amberjack continues to carve its own lane within the modern shoe space.

At this point, you’ve likely seen Amberjack’s shoes on social media, and I can confidently say that they’re not just hype—give these a try and see why they’ve become so widespread since their launch in 2020.

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading this shoe review, feel free to check out our other shoe content:

• The Ultimate Guide To Chelsea Boots
• Amberjack Brand History & Review
• The Best Italian Shoe Brands
• Bespoke Unit Dress Shoe Guides
• All Of Our Shoe Reviews