Grenson shoes are a renowned brand for their durable well-made shoes with a timeless style all year round. From outdoor excursions to occasion footwear, we’re seeing Grenson shoes everywhere, serving a firm case for their versatility and making them all the more tempting.
To help you make the move from wish list to bag, we’ve put together the ultimate buyers guide to Grenson shoes, complete with everything you need to know about fit, care and style.
#1 What’s the history of Grenson?
Grenson began in 1866 with William Green travelling around a little town in Northamptonshire each day, handing out jobs to his shoemakers at their homes before they had a factory. After moving into their first factory in 1874, they became one of the first factories in the world to use the Goodyear Welted method of shoemaking, which they continue to use to this day. As a testament to their humble, all-quality no-fuss attitude, Grenson is only now on their 3rd factory, still using the same techniques, maintaining the ethos of their family-run origins.
As it stands now, Grenson encompasses all its history. Their durability is inspired by their time making boots for soldiers in WW1, while their design is informed by Hayden Grenson’s time spent travelling.
#2 How do Grenson boots fit?
Women
| UK | US | EU |
| 3 | 6 | 36 |
| 3.5 | 6.5 | 36.5 |
| 4 | 7 | 37 |
| 4.5 | 7.5 | 37.5 |
| 5 | 8 | 38 |
| 5.5 | 8.5 | 38.5 |
| 6 | 9 | 39 |
| 6.5 | 9.5 | 39.5 |
| 7 | 10 | 40 |
| 7.5 | 10.5 | 40.5 |
| 8 | 11 | 41 |
Men
| UK | US | EU |
| 5 | 6 | 39 |
| 5.5 | 6.5 | 39.5 |
| 6 | 7 | 40 |
| 6.5 | 7.5 | 40.5 |
| 7 | 8 | 41 |
| 7.5 | 8.5 | 41.5 |
| 8 | 9 | 42 |
| 8.5 | 9.5 | 42.5 |
| 9 | 10 | 43 |
| 9.5 | 10.5 | 43.5 |
| 10 | 11 | 44 |
| 10.5 | 11.5 | 44.5 |
| 11 | 12 | 45 |
| 11.5 | 12.5 | 45.5 |
| 12 | 13 | 46 |
All the Grenson women’s styles are in a standard D width fitting, and the men’s have a standard F width. So if you have wider feet you may have to go up a size, especially in some of the men’s brogue styles which have slimmer toes.
#3 How to care for your Grenson shoes
The most important thing to know is to not wear your Grensons out in the rain until you’ve worn them at least 3-4 times. Getting the leather wet can soften them, affecting the process of the shoe moulding to suit your foot. If you do get caught in the rain, take them home and leave them to dry fully on a shoe tree or stuffed with newspaper to make sure they keep their shape.
In general, water will age your shoes faster, causing them to fade and soften as a faster rate, so don’t go splashing around in puddles in them.
#4 How to clean your Grenson shoes
For leather styles
Start off by wiping them over with a dry cloth to get rid of any dust or dirt. Avoid using any water which will fade the leather, a once over with a cloth or shoe brush should do the trick. Or for tougher marks, use the Grenson William Green’s Cleaning Tonic which is gentle enough to be used on leather styles and white soles.
If they need a spruce up, use either a wax to polish them up and renew their shine, or leather cream to rehydrate them for a new lease of life. Whichever you use, put plenty of product on the shoe then let them sit overnight to soak it all in, then buff them with a cloth before wearing again.
If you notice any scratches or scuffs on your shoes, use your finger to gently dab a little bit of coloured polish onto the mark then wipe off the excess. This will mask any annoying little marks.
For suede/nubuck styles
Use a suede brush to get rid of any dust or marks. Whatever you do, don’t use water. Instead, you can get suede protector or Grenson’s own Suede Salvation to help form a water-resistant barrier to protect your pair.
