Redback Boots has become one of the most recognized Australian work boot brands in the world, known for lightweight elastic sided boots trusted by tradespeople, emergency services and defence personnel. The brand carries a genuine Sydney manufacturing story.
Redback Boots was founded in 1989 by brothers Matt and Mark Cloros, part of a bootmaking family whose Australian story stretches back to the 1920s. The company is headquartered and still manufactures in Sydney.
So where are Redback boots actually made and are they worth buying in 2026? This guide covers ownership, the Sydney workshop, a major 2025 ownership change, and how Redback compares to other work boot brands. Keep reading before you buy.
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Who Owns Redback Boots
Redback Boots was founded by the Cloros family in 1989 and has been run by brothers Matt and Mark Cloros, continuing a family bootmaking tradition dating to the 1920s.
In December 2025 the American investment firm Ares Management acquired a majority stake in Redback Boots, marking the first major outside ownership in the brand history.
That change is recent enough that most published guides have not caught up with it, though the company has continued to present itself as an Australian original with Sydney production, according to Wikipedia.
Where Are Redback Boots Made
Redback boots are made in the company Sydney workshop, where the boots are cut, stitched and finished by a skilled local workforce.
According to Redback Boots, each boot is still hand crafted around a traditional high strength innersole, with soles fitted by bootmakers continuing generations of local craft.
The domestic manufacturing claim is independently backed, since Redback Boot Company Pty Ltd is accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia with a majority made in Australia designation.
A Look At Redback Boots History
The Cloros family bootmaking story traces to the 1890s, with brothers Stanley, Bill and John leaving Greece and arriving in Australia in the early 1920s, bringing their trade to Sydney.
They salvaged cast off leather from barbershop razor straps and sold handmade boots at the Surry Hills markets, and their elastic sided work boot became the style later known worldwide as the Chelsea.
When many manufacturers moved offshore in the 1970s, George Cloros deliberately kept production in Australia, and his sons Matt and Mark launched the Redback name in 1989.
Redback Boots And Made In Australia Considerations
Redback is one of the genuinely rare work boot brands that kept manufacturing at home while most competitors moved production to Asia.
By 1996 production had expanded to a Waterloo site lifting output to 650,000 pairs a year, and Redback became the preferred supplier for fire brigades, police, emergency services and steelworkers.
Redback secured the Australian Defence Force contract in 1998 and later became the only foreign made boot supplied to the US military, a genuine mark of the manufacturing standard. Our guide on where Thorogood boots are made covers the American equivalent.
Redback Boots Warranty And Customer Support
Redback provides warranty coverage on manufacturing defects handled through its regional distributor network across Australia, the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany, Israel and the Nordics.
Customer support runs through a dedicated support portal along with a store finder and stockist directory for buyers who want to try boots on before purchasing.
The distributor structure means service quality can vary by country, so buyers outside Australia should confirm warranty handling with their regional seller.
Redback Compared To Other Boot Brands
Redback is most often compared with Blundstone, since both are Australian elastic sided boot brands with overlapping heritage and similar silhouettes.
The critical difference is manufacturing, since Redback still makes its boots in Sydney while Blundstone moved most leather boot production to Asia starting in 2007.
Against American work boot brands, Redback is far lighter and requires almost no break in, though it uses a bonded outsole rather than a resoleable welted construction, unlike the brands in our Wolverine boots manufacturing guide.
For buyers who want a genuinely Australian made pull on work boot, Redback is effectively the default choice in the category today.
Is Redback Boot Really Good
Feedback on Redback boots from tradespeople, emergency services workers and everyday wearers is consistently strong, and the brand has real institutional credibility behind it.
Owners praise the light weight and near zero break in period, which matters enormously for people standing or walking through full shifts rather than wearing boots occasionally.
The construction details earn specific praise, including double stitched uppers, a triple layered sole that absorbs impact, and an anatomic arch design that spreads weight to reduce strain over long hours.
Institutional adoption is the strongest signal here, since fire brigades, police, steelworkers and the Australian Defence Force all standardised on Redback rather than cheaper imported alternatives.
On the downside, the bonded outsole cannot be resoled the way a welted boot can, so a worn out pair generally means replacement rather than rebuild.
The other open question heading through 2026 is the Ares Management majority stake acquired in December 2025, since private equity ownership has pushed other heritage bootmakers offshore, and buyers who value the Sydney workshop should watch for any change.
Redback Boots Frequently Asked Questions
Where Are Redback Boots Made
Redback boots are made in the company Sydney workshop in Australia, with accreditation from Ethical Clothing Australia confirming majority Australian manufacturing.
Who Owns Redback Boots
Redback was founded by the Cloros family in 1989, and American firm Ares Management acquired a majority stake in December 2025.
Are Redback Boots Used By The Military
Yes, Redback has supplied the Australian Defence Force since 1998 and became the only foreign made boot supplied to the US military.
Is Redback A Good Boot Brand
Yes, Redback is highly regarded in 2026 for lightweight comfort and genuine Australian manufacturing, though its bonded sole cannot be resoled.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.