For years we have been carrying the CSA Greenpatch™ safety boot, a comfy no-laces alternative to the traditional lace-up safety boot. They have a slip resistant sole, safety toe cap and shank, and Deluxe Poron™ Footbeds.

They are loved by people in all lines of work–chances are you’ve eaten a meal prepared by someone who wore these in a restaurant kitchen or you’ve sat in a house built by a Blundstone-wearing builder.

Now there is a new kid on the block– the CSA Greenpatch™ in nubuck “Crazy Horse” leather. These puppies will wear in beautifully–when treated they turn a few shades darker or you can leave them alone and let the nubuck work in on its own. Don’t forget, the safety boots also come in black and brown, if nubuck isn’t your thing.

Icebreaker made it into Time Magazine! Click here to read the article about the birth of the brand and how it is influencing the outdoor apparel market. Icebreaker is made from merino wool, a very renewable resource, where  many competitors use petroleum based synthetic fabrics to make their apparel. This is just one of the reasons we love the product.

Meet the UGG Lo Pro Button, a summery new UGG that is a little bit lighter than its fully sheepskin lined counterparts. It has a light and breathable cotton jersey knit material on the upper and a sheepskin sock liner on the bottom to keep feet cozy, but never ever sweaty. Sheepskin is a natural fibre that wicks away moisture from your tootises, so fear not, you don’t have to give up UGGs for the summer. Another fancy little feature about this newcomer is if you decide to unbutton the boot and fold it over there is a nice pink striped pattern on the inside. Oo la la.

When you love ‘em, you love ‘em. Mike Soroka bought a pair of R.M.Williams Comfort Craftsman boots several months ago, and now there’s no stopping him. He’s already on to special ordering RM clothing and is working on getting a pair of RM custom-made top boots.  When he isn’t lovingly caring for his Comfort Craftsman boots or teaching his cat, Pearly, about the quality of the RM brand he can be found writing an entry to Outback Magazine, an R.M.Williams publication out of Australia. He is entering a short story and this photo of his cat to the magazine in hopes of winning an R.M.Williams prize. Best of luck, Mike! We’re here to support your new addiction!

Is that Sidney Crosby wearing Icebreaker? Nope, although this Icebreaker model does show a striking resemblance to Canada’s hockey darling, it’s not him. But hey, I bet Sidney would love Icebreaker Pure Merino Clothing. The lighter merino garments are not only great for winter layering on and off the hockey rink, they are amazing in  summer. Merino wool wicks moisture away from your body and the texture of the merino is breathtakingly soft. Contrary to popular belief, wool in the summer can be an excellent idea!

We have some wonderful new Icebreaker additions this Spring including some great printed Ts for men. Above you can see Sidney the Icebreaker model wearing a Men’s 150 Tech T Lite Crosscut with a delightful circular print on the side.

Look what book jacket caught our eye in the window of our neighbourhood music shop, Rotate This. Displaying yet another excellent place for Blundstones–the stage.

Our favourite sock and clothing brand, Icebreaker Pure Merino, is having a cheeky little contest that’s running the length of the olympics. There are still  a few days left to enter! - Andria

We have some spring newcomers to our Aussie shoe family–the Swamisz sandals! Like our other brands at ABC, they might take some getting used to at first, but once you get them on, you will quickly realize what the hype is all about.

Swamisz is an Aussie owned brand and the all natural rubber sandals are based on an ancient Indian shoe called the Paduka–traditional footwear of Swamis and Yoga masters. They keep your foot in place with a yogi-inspired toe plug and a simple support strap that goes over the top of the foot.

In true Australian Boot Company tradition, we are always on the look out for more comfy and functional footwear and we have found it once again with Swamisz. Traditional flip flops are great, but Swamisz just might be a bit better.  You can relax your feet while walking in them–no toe clenching for dear life as you run to catch the streetcar, and unlike the traditional flip flop, the Swamisz neither make the sound of flipping nor flopping, creating a ninja-like silent approach to simple summer footwear.

In the tradition of the original Paduka, you can wear Swamisz while doing yoga, in fact, a lot of people already do. They are flexible and comfy and, if I may say so, they just might be to yoga footwear what Lululemon is to yoga pants.

So come on down, give ‘em a go. We have 6 different colours and they are going for $24.95. We know it’s still snowy, but you can never be too prepared for spring.

Today we had a wonderful conversation with an artist who is part of the Canadian Forces Artists Program project. Last year she spent time with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan as a War Poet where she documented- oh so eloquently- her time with the troops.

During this time she never took off her old school chisel toe lace up Blundstone Boots (pictured here still dusty from the desert…)

Check out her poetic diary on her website warpoet.ca; I did- and I was quickly reminded how lucky I am to be here in the comfort of my peaceful world.

On Monday night some staff from Vancouver attended the Olympic Welcome Party for Team New Zealand; sponsored by Icebreaker Pure Merino. Dressed all clad in our Canadian gear, our Blundstones, and of course our Icebreaker we headed downtown to get our party on. A great night was had, complete with the traditional Haka dance, a fashion show,  some live kiwi music, and of course some New Zealand wine!

**Note the giant live merino ram- frightening enough to make a grown man cry.