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The 31 best cowboy boots for men in 2024
Tecovas is the direct-to-consumer Western boot brand that delivers premium cowboy boots, as well as other Western wear, at a fair price since they cut out third-party retailers. What you get is a traditionally handmade cowboy boot with premium leather — including many exotics like sharkskin, stacked leather heels, and authentic lemon wood pegging (which is more durable than metal nails and keeps the sole and shank in place). These are some of the best cowboy boots you can get, especially at this price point.
We've had a pair of the Dean boots for about two years and they're holding up really well. These are zippered ankle cowboy boots that are equal parts rock n' roll and Wild West. Like all the brand's boots, they're made in León, Mexico, which is famous for its footwear industry. It takes more than 200 steps to create the brand's cowboy boots. Be sure to read our full Tecovas cowboy boot review to get a more in-depth look at how the boots are made and how they feel.
Twisted X may be younger than many other boot companies in this roundup, but that hasn't stopped it from making huge strides. Born in Texas in 2005, Twisted X has made innovation one of its core values and that includes in how the company produces its boots, something we especially love at Insider Reviews. Twisted X is an industry leader in sustainability. The company reached net-zero emissions in 2020 (meaning Twisted X has removed the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions it produces).
The brand has also created footbeds using recycled PET bottles and foam factory waste, which leads into another area where Twisted X really excels: comfort. The 12" Rancher, which the company produces in Mexico using full-grain leather, is one of the most comfortable pairs of cowboy boots we've worn, thanks in part to the company's patented comfort system called Cellstretch that activates your foot's pressure points, according to the company.
The Tech X boot is, incredibly, even more comfortable. Like the Rancher, this boot has a wide square toe, but features softer roughout leather and a more traditional leather outsole. If you're looking for some of the best cowboy boots for comfort and sustainability, Twisted X is a superb choice.
When a 140-year tradition of boot making excellence meets a resolute unwillingness to compromise quality in the face of a changing footwear industry, you get Lucchese, a luxury label making some of the very best cowboy boots in the world. Lucchese handcrafts all of its cowboy boots, which many consider the finest on the market, in its factory in El Paso, Texas, where the bootmaker is based.
Lucchese cowboy boots start at $395 and go up to $16,000. The label only uses the highest quality leather and other materials in its boots that go through 150 steps and take more than two weeks to create. But like other luxury labels, the price also reflects the cachet of owning a pair. Lucchese has a great range of boots in the $400 to $500 range that are a good jumping off point to discover the brand for yourself. The Raymond, for instance, is a classic roper the company makes using sturdy but soft and slightly waxy cowhide and features hand-done top stitching, lemonwood pegs, and a stacked leather heel. It's as handsome as it is practical.
Ariat is another younger brand that's made its well-earned reputation as a leader in the Western boot industry through its innovative approach to bootmaking. Launched by Beth Cross and Pam Parker in 1993 with a focus on equestrian footwear, this California brand was the first to use the same technology found in running shoes to amp up the comfort level and performance.
We love products that can do double duty and the Hybrid Rancher ticks all the boxes with classic Western looks and work boot sturdiness that's easy on your feet. These boots feature a slip-resistant rubber outsole and PVC heel for work and a traditional top-stitched design on the full-grain leather upper for play. We tested them out, and they proved to be comfortable straight out of the box and into a day working outside. They can easily take you from barn chores to the bar or farm to table with their iconic style, hardworking performance, and superior comfort.
Not that the brand is only about work. Ariat has a wilder side too, with offerings like the Futurity Time Western Boot with its bold turquoise shaft and the gorgeous Bench Made James Western Boot that Ariat handcrafts in Mexico from Louisiana alligator. The brand's prices range from $150 to $750, with something for everyone.
Black Jack Boots is based in El Paso, Texas, where the company handcrafts all its products using only the best of the best in a variety of leather sourced from around the world and everything else that goes into these beautiful cowboy boots. If you're looking for something exotic, like rattlesnake or caiman with lots of hand tooling and beautiful details and colors, look no further for some of the best cowboy boots money can buy.
That being said, if you're thinking of getting a pair, they'll run you around $500 on the low end and into the thousands on the high end. But considering all of Black Jack Boots' products are true works of art that have been meticulously crafted and will last for decades if properly cared for, they're a worthy investment.
Frye may be based on the other side of the country from where cowboys originated, but that doesn't stop this heritage brand founded in Massachusetts in 1863 from crafting some exceptional cowboy boots that are heavy on the rock n' roll vibes. The brand uses premium leathers in its Western-style boots including supple pull-up leather for the Duke Roper, and ostrich for the Bruce Pull On. Pull-up leather is made using aniline dyes that can't mask the hide's natural grain and thus require top-quality leather for the process. Frye also uses Goodyear welting so the boots can be easily resoled.
The Frye selections below are all lined in leather and made in Leon, Mexico, using traditional construction methods. While the quality of the materials and manufacturing means you get a great boot, like many high-end brands, you're also paying for the name.
For nearly a decade, the direct-to-consumer footwear brand Thursday Boot Co., has been crafting exceptional boots at a fair price. While the company's better known for its dress boots and leather sneakers, Thursday Boot Co. also makes excellent cowboy boots.
The brand's offerings include everything you'd expect from the best cowboy boots, like full-grain leather with hand-stitched patterning, stacked leather heels, and Goodyear welt construction. Plus, Thursday Boot Co. goes further by fully lining its boots in a buttery glove leather and including cork midsoles and shock-absorbing insoles for comfort. And they all come in at under $250. The company's boots tend to run about a half-size larger than what you would wear in a sneaker, so consider sizing down.
Justin Boots, the iconic Texas footwear brand, has more than a 140-year history, and a continued stellar reputation for producing some of the best cowboy boots around. Amazingly, the brand still makes its boots in El Paso (they source the leather and other materials worldwide) and offer them at a fair price. The boots range from around $120 for a basic roper — a style with a lower shaft and square heel — to $500 for more exotic selections.
Justin Boots may have a storied history, but that hasn't stopped the brand from including modern touches like super cushioning insoles for added comfort. The sweet spot for the brand's classics is in the $200 to $300 range. You get a lot of boot for the price.
Dan Post, a Tennessee-based brand born in the mid-1960s, is best known for taking cowboy boots and making them way more comfortable with little to no break-in time required. Dan Post's cowboy boots incorporate things like shock-absorbing heel pads and multilayer insoles along with traditional touches like leather lining for comfortable all-day wear.
Beyond comfort, the brand's boots come in many classic styles, which Dan Post crafts using top-notch leather, including exotic skins like lizard. The prices range from around $210 for a solid pair of traditional round-toe boots like the Milwaukee, to $495 for the more exotic selections made from caiman and ostrich. The brand makes most of its boots in Mexico and offers a nice range of colors, sizes, and widths.
Tony Lama is another storied Texas boot brand that still produces some of its cowboy boots in the U.S. and offers them at a fair price. Like Justin Boots, which bought Tony Lama in 1990, they make a selection of boots in El Paso and source the leather and other materials globally. The cowboy boots they produce stateside range in price from around $250 to $635.
We've included three of the best Tony Lama cowboy boots made in the U.S., like the Hays Full Quill, a singularly handsome ostrich skin cowboy boot. You're sure to standout in these beauties and since they include the brand's patented comfort system you'll feel as good as you look.
Durango Boots is another Western boot company born in the 1960s and, like Dan Post, helped popularize the style for everyday wear for regular folks rather than just working cowboys and ranchers. Originally located in Georgia, the brand is now headquartered in Ohio and produces many of its cowboy boots in Mexico. Durango Boots are a great option if you're looking for a well-made cowboy boot at a lower price point. The brand offers many styles in the $150 range.
Like some of the other boot companies in this roundup, Durango sells several Western work boot styles and more classic cowboy boots like the Santa Fe Canyon Clay, which they make out of full grain leather using traditional methods. The boots feature a stacked leather heel and outsole and Goodyear welting for easy resoling down the line.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected].
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