> Blundstone seems to be a highly regarded brand, which outsources its production to various countries throughout Asia.
I live in my Blunnies, I wear them daily but the quality has varied on the 500's over time, generally for the worse. I bought a pair in Australia circa 2002. I had them resoled by NuShoe but eventually the leather and elastic panels wore out. The two pairs I currently have were made in Vietnam, both about ten years old. One pair had the sole crumble and disintegrate, the other is fine. On both the leather is holding up but the elastic panels are shot. My son had a pair of Super 550's made in China that lasted a year before the leather gave up on one toe and a leak formed at the welt. I intend to replace mine with Redwing Heritage Chelsea boots and see how they hold up.
For what it's worth, John Fluevog shoe quality also went down when the manufacturing went from Vietnam to China. My first pair I bought in Canada (no idea of the origin) and ruined the leather, my second were from Vietnam and still look great after many years of light use, the third pair and only ones I ordered online were made in China and the quality is gone- the "angelic sole" is softer, the leather cracked, the stitching is poor, the insole was badly fitted and wore and the inner heel on one wore out. They look cool but I won't buy more.
