Save this story Save Story Save this story You might think that cowboy boots are a privilege reserved for ranch hands and folks who can actually ride a horse. But with a little chutzpah, the best cowboy boots are just as adept on a saddle as they are on the subway. Is that so surprising? Before they blossomed into their fashionable forms, much of menswear’s most riffed on garments were rooted in function: cargo pants , work jackets , even suits . With enough time, they were adopted by civilians and adapted to their second lives as symbols of self-expression and creativity, not just job uniforms. Cowboy boots are no different.
In terms of styling, the classic move for western boots is to lean into their rougher side. Toss them on with some well-fitting jeans (preferably vintage boot cuts) and with a snap shirt. And that's still a great approach. But if you open up your mind and step outside of the saloon, the possibilities are practically endless. A slick pair of exotic leather cowboy boots matched with a ‘70s-inspired suit screams filthy rich oil tycoon if not Alessandro Michele-era Gucci. Or, why not mix up a preppy pair of chinos with a grungy graphic tee and some roughed-up suede ropers? The point is, you don’t have to pretend to be a cowboy to wear their boots. So treat them like any other pair of shoes in your closet and wear them however you want. Hell, we’d go so far as to call them an essential pair of boots for every wardrobe.
And if you’re having trouble, well, that’s why you’re here. We’ve wrangled together the best cowboy boots west—and east—of the Mississippi, from the budget-friendly to the ostentatious and every vibe in-between.
The Best Overall Cowboy Boots Tecovas The Cartwright Read more $375 Tecovas
The Best Upgrade Cowboy Boots Lucchese Gavin Boot Read more $995 Lucchese
The Best Budget Cowboy Boots Ariat Groundbreaker Boot READ MORE $155 Ariat
The Best Roper Boots Red Wing Shoes Pecos in Hawthorne Muleskinner Leather READ MORE $370 Huckberry
The Best Dressy Cowboy Boots Tony Lama Nacogdoches Teju Lizard Cowboy Boot READ MORE $360 Amazon
More Cowboy Boots We Love What Should I Wear With Cowboy Boots? What to Look for in a Great Pair of Cowboy Boots How We Test and Review Products How We Make These Picks Best Overall Cowboy Boots: Tecovas The Cartwright Boots Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Tecovas
Pros Handcrafted Classic style Wide range of leathers and colorways Cons Leather could be thicker The good folks at Tecovas are living, breathing proof that direct-to-consumer brands aren’t all operated by algorithms tasked with solving imaginary problems. The DTC upstart might be the youngest of the bootmakers on this list, but it's quickly endeared itself to budget-strapped swashbucklers with a hankering for democratically-priced kicks.
Take, for example, the Cartwright, a handsome riff on a classic western silhouette made in Leon, Mexico, a bona fide cobbling capital of the world with over a century of expertise to draw on. It boasts hand-laid cording at the shaft, a resoleable Goodyear-welt construction, and a slew of colors and leathers to choose from, including genuine cowhide and goat leather. They’re not the cheapest boots on this list, but the relatively approachable price belies the craftsmanship involved. For $375, they’re one small step up from our favorite budget cowboy boots—but one giant leap in overall quality.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Red Wing Shoes
Pros Fewer details makes them easier to style Goodyear welted, so endlessly resoleable Cushioned insole for comfort Cons Not many–an option in black would be nice You can think of roper boots as the chilled-out version of the average western boot. Originally designed for calf roping, roper boots feature a shorter shaft and a shorter, squared off heel. These details made it easier for cowboys to dismount their horse and run after the calves they roped. Coincidentally, they also make roper boots easier to walk in which is why some people prefer them over other cowboy boots for everyday wear.
Our pick for the best roper boots currently goes to Red Wing. (Perhaps no surprise, given the brand also makes our favorite trend-proof boots .) Part of Red Wing's Heritage line, they're crafted with premium S.B. Foot Tanning Company leather, and feature Goodyear welt construction so you can have them resoled and keep ‘em going for a long time. Plus, if you’re just dipping your toes into the cowboy boot world, the minimalist uppers forgo the decorative western stitching which makes them easier to style.
Pros Affordable Meets ASTM safety standards Cons Not resolable If you’re after that western look but need a pair of boots that can handle the demands of a jobsite, a lot of guys will tell you to look to Ariat. That’s because they manage to blend classic cowboy style with modern-day features, and a palatable price point in perfect proportion. While they do offer a range of work boots in lace-up styles, their Groundbreaker boots are a standout with classic cowboy boot looks.
They’re made of full-grain leather, include a supportive and comfortable insole, and meet ASTM standards for slip resistance and electrical safety. Because it’s among Ariat’s most popular styles, it’s also available in a wide range of colorways, toe shapes, and even steel toe versions. Some more traditional cowboys will poo-poo the fact that these aren’t made stateside, but if you’re on a budget, you’ll get more than what you pay for.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Tony Lama
Pros Sleek design Solid price point Subtle texture Cons Not available in California Cowboy boots aren’t all rough-and-tumble affairs. In fact, the right pair can easily strut the red carpet or waltz into a fancy restaurant with panache. You’ll want a pair with leather that shines up well and in a darker colorway. For date nights and more formal affairs, these Tony Lamas will impress thanks to the exotic lizard skin uppers and low-key embroidery. They’re the kind of boots that can play well for the in-laws with a tailored suit or play a rock-’n’-roll star with some vintage jeans and a tight white tee.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Lucchese
Pros As good as it gets, quality-wise As iconic as it gets, brand-wise Cons You can buy a horse of Luccheses, but probably not both These days, most boot brands walk in the shadows of one brand: Lucchese. They’ve been outfitting American presidents, high-profile celebs, and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for decades and it’s all thanks to their commitment to high-quality craftsmanship. Though any pair of Lucchese’s would earn you more than a few approving head nods, the most coveted are the boots that they make in their Texas workshop.
Using a range of full-grain leathers and exotic leathers like caiman alligator and pirarucu fish skin, each pair is crafted by master bootmakers using time-honored techniques. The Gavin, in their iconic Black Cherry, is a picture-perfect style featuring smooth Santini goat leather uppers with intricate embellishments, welted construction, and lemonwood pegs—made the old-fashioned way, basically. They’ll cost you a pretty penny, of course, but they'll last pretty much forever, and the drip you’ll get in return is priceless.
From Ralph Lauren’s western-inspired sub-label, these RRL boots meld high-end materials with old-world craftsmanship and feature American-tanned leather uppers, Goodyear-welted construction, and vintage-style rubber soles—all crafted in a multi-generational Texas bootmaking factory.
Frye is another American brand with proven boot quality chops. (In fact, it claims to be America's oldest continually-operating boot company.) Its Roper boot has all the same strengths as Red Wing's, and comes in a non-roughout leather.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Tecovas
We don't typically include the same designers twice on one list, but Tecovas are that good. The Johnny is for anyone who wants a softer, slightly more charming boot than the eternal Cartwright up top.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Rhodes Footwear
For fellas whose style skews a little more regular-guy than rodeo, these lower-profile, lower-priced Ropers have a Goodyear welt and Vibram outsole. Bang for your, ahem, buck.
Wythe's playing-card-inspired boots feature all the bells and whistles, including premium leather inside and out, hand-applied details, lemonwood pegs, and second-to-none construction all-around. While some brands tap the expert bootmakers in Léon, Mexico to pump out high-quality mass-appeal boots, Wythe tapped these artisans to really let them cook.
Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Yuketen
All of Yuketen's shoes are perfect, which is a big part of the reason Drake's now carries them. And while they're best known for their moccasin styles, the brand makes an exceptionally handsome cowboy boot too. Really, they're just showing off now.
The classic move for western boots is to lean into their rougher side. Toss them on with well-fitting jeans (preferably vintage bootcuts) and a snap-button shirt . But open up your mind and step outside of the saloon and the possibilities are practically endless. A slick pair of exotic leather cowboy boots matched with a '70s-inspired suit screams filthy-rich oil tycoon—if not Alessandro Michele-era Gucci . Or why not mix up a preppy pair of chinos with a grungy graphic tee and some roughed-up suede ropers? The point is, you don’t have to pretend to be a cowboy to wear their boots (though you certainly can). So treat them like any other pair of shoes in your closet and wear them however you want. Hell, we’d go so far as to call them an essential pair of boots for every wardrobe.
Peter Middleton knows a thing or two about the lifestyle having cut his teeth at Ralph Lauren and used it as a springboard for his own western-inspired brand, Wythe. “To me the beauty and shape of the Cowboy Boot (and a lot of the original design intent) lies in its curves and that’s what makes a great boot SEXY. There isn't a lot of men's footwear that has these dramatic curves, leather, and a high heel but the right cowboy boot has them all.”
He says that good cowboy boots should be made with natural leathers that age well with wear, mould to the wearer’s feet, and can be recrafted repeatedly. His non-negotiables include full leather construction from the insole to the outsole, linings, uppers, and heels. Look for Goodyear welted construction which will allow you to have the boots resoled and extend their life. The toe bug (the fancy stitching at the toe), should sit right where your foot flexes to help cover up the crease that comes with each step. Preferably, this would be corded by hand, of course.
Price points will vary, and you can get some well-made boots for around $300. The really great stuff will often be twice that much. Middleton says, “the best thing to do is wait and save up until you can buy the version you actually want because its impossible to cut corners and still deliver the product you want.” So if you can be patient, save up. If you can’t, try buying secondhand. But if you simply can’t wait, you’ll do well enough with plenty of the mid-tier brands until you’re ready to upgrade.
Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers , the flyest affordable suits , or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week , GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.
Our staffers aren’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and know the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.
We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality , fit , and price .
To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.
We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.
Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.
Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a superlative version on this list for you.
Source: Celebrities
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