11 Best Cowboy Boot Brands for Men in 2025, Tested and Reviewed
Good thing for you, I’m obsessive about this shit. I spend an ungodly amount of time on eBay looking for old cowboy boots. I know the design and business minds behind Lucchese’s resurgence. And most days of the week, I’m in a pair of boots. They’re loafers, tennis shoes, and slides all in one. I’ll wear cowboy boots to the airport, a court date, my wedding, and my funeral. Bury me with my boot collection.
Let me also make it clear, I’m happy that more guys are wearing boots than I’ve ever seen before. It’s such an iconic piece of American menswear. We should treat it as reverently as the bison, bald eagle, and Statue of Liberty. If you’re new to buying cowboy boots or an old head looking to rebuy after your old boot maker retired, this is Esquire’s expert guide. These are the best cowboy boots you can buy on the Internet.
” data-next-head/>
Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.
Best Direct-to-Consumer Cowboy Boot Brand
Tecovas
Pros
- Great price-to-value ratio
- Offers plenty of men’s and women’s styles
- Plenty of limited releases
Cons
- Won’t get the high quality you get from nicer brands or custom makers
Tecovas is the new kid on the block. Founded in 2015, its affordable, direct-to-consumer model has had a huge hand in pushing western wear on social media. The bona fides are there, though, and we endorsed ’em back in 2019 and again in 2022. They’re made in León, Mexico, a city long known for leatherwork. These boots are going to be affordable and easy to buy with large stock.
Associate style editor Trishna Rikhy is our office’s biggest Tecovas evangelist: “Tecovas is the only cowboy-boot brand I keep going back to—and that’s high praise, coming from a Texan. But why wouldn’t I, when no one is doing it like them in terms of contemporary styles that still feel timeless? These boots are endlessly comfortable and durable, and every time I wear ’em on the streets of N.Y.C., I feel the Austin-based craftsmanship that makes them so damn authentic.”
Best Luxury Cowboy Boot Brand
Lucchese
Pros
- Plenty of options for men and women
- Super high-quality
- Classic styling, with regular fashion and exotic releases
Cons
- Boots are pricey
This is my turn to talk. I’m a Lucchese man. Since 1883, these have been the boots of presidents, celebrities, and diplomats. That’s always had a big impact on me. These days, the company tries to do as much of its production as possible in its El Paso factory. That’s why I come back to Lucchese over and over.
Beyond that, the best personal praise I can give Lucchese is that these boots pictured are at least a decade older than I am, and I wear them multiple times a week. I scored these that were made in San Antonio for $200 on eBay a few months ago. The San Antonio tag means they were made no later than 1986, since that’s when the company moved to El Paso. (Coincidentally, Chris Stapleton revived this style in his 2023 capsule collection under the name San Antonio.)
My other pair is a rock-star-inspired buffalo leather in black with a snip toe, pictured in this article’s lead image. Between the two, I’m in Lucchese more often than anything else. They’re my most comfortable, most reliable footwear. There’s that rich man’s aura about Lucchese that some people think is stuck-up. They’re frequently worn by celebrities and politicians, and in Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men Lucchese boots are used as a differentiator between have and have-not characters. But there’s a reason for that aura. Off the shelf—or custom, if you’re a real die-hard—they’re the best boots you can buy.
Best Modern Cowboy Boots
Parker Boot Company
Pros
- Simple, classic looks off the rack
- Incredible quality
Cons
- Though not custom, these are of that quality, and the price reflects it
Stephan Parker’s company, Parker Boots, originally started as a bespoke brand, but as of 2025, it introduced its first made-to-order program. This line takes the greatest hits of Parker’s career as a boot maker and distills them down into a tightly edited range of boots that don’t require the time (often measured in months) and expense (we’re talking around four grand) of going through the entire bespoke process.
Esquire style director Jonathan Evans gives a rundown of the brand: “The ‘modern cowboy,’ as Parker calls his customer, could be anyone from a businessman to a lawyer to a doctor or even a style blogger. The key is that they appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a pair of bespoke boots—and like to tell their friends about it.”
Eight Other Cowboy Boot Brands We Like
Best Performance Cowboy Boot Brand
Ariat
Pros
- Super comfy
- Well-priced
Cons
- Performance construction doesn’t sit well with some cowboy boot purists
- Overseas assembly also doesn’t sit well with the westernwear crowd
Ariat, in my mind, has always been a true western boot in the sense that most models were made for work. Hybrid rubber soles, horseman heels, and affordable prices so you won’t lose sleep if a pair needs to be tossed. The brand is the official sponsor of Professional Bull Riders, doesn’t get more cowboy than that. Ariat got ahead of the curve by being the first company to integrate athletic footwear properties into its boots.
One common thing you hear about Ariat boots is that they can be difficult to resole. That comes from models having rubber outsoles that themselves cannot be swapped out and replaced. You can, however, swap out entire soles, and Ariat does that in-house if you don’t have a cobbler you trust.
Also, Ariat is one of the few brands that does some manufacturing in Asia. The quality is fine; it’s an affordable boot brand anyway. It’s just nice for boots to be made in North America, since it’s such a core Mexican and American style.
A Classic Cowboy Boot Brand
Frye
Pros
- Unique, modern styles
- Trusted heritage brand
Cons
- On the pricier side
Frye is reputedly the oldest boot company in the United States. Since 1863, the brand has been offering styles, particularly harness boots, that are as sleek as they are durable. Throughout the years, it has also created some mighty fine Western-inspired boots, all made of hard-wearing leathers (typically crafted from Goodyear) with some of the most beautiful patinas in the market. It’s a brand for those who want to dip their toes in the style without going whole hog.
Cult-Favorite for Exotics
Rios of Mercedes
Pros
- Great quality
- Cool styles
Cons
- Pricey
For over 160 years, Rios of Mercedes has, relatively speaking, flown under the radar. It is a brand with an incredibly loyal fan base, a brand for real-deal cowboys, the kind of folks who truly value quality leather, standout exotics, and timeless design. Often talked about in the same breath as Lucchese, they still make all of their boots in Texas, so the price point is on the high side. The designs are a bit more exotic and fashion-forward than some other brands.
Another Great Affordable Cowboy Boot Brand
Justin
Pros
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- High quality, but more workboots than fancy dancing boots
Almost a decade before Lucchese set up shop, Herman Joseph Justin opened a shoe repair business, eventually making bespoke boots that featured decorative stitching (a hallmark of cowboy boots) on the shaft so as to stiffen the leather. Over a century later, the brand is still kicking around, offering authentic cowboy boots at the most affordable prices. But the brand doesn’t just stop there, they also offer other badass western apparel that will serve as the perfect pairing to your new set of kicks.
Best Wide-Ranging Cowboy Boot Brand
Stetson
Pros
- Plenty of styles
- Modern look
Cons
- On the pricey side for the quality level
When it comes to true American labels, it doesn’t get more authentic than Stetson. The brand, for well over a century, has outfitted cowboys, ranchers, and the military, becoming synonymous with a brawny, take-no-prisoners vibe. It may be best known for offering the best cowboy hats and other accessories, but its boots are not to be overlooked. This specific style has a clean and understated design, pointed snip toe, and dark black color that reminds you of the famous movie cowboy Lee Van Cleef—but if that isn’t your vibe, they also offer numerous other shapes and colorways.
best affordable yet high quality cowboy boot brand
Thursday Boots
Pros
- Offers a variety of shoe styles
- Highly reputable
Cons
- Not a cowboy boot specialist brand
Thursday Boots is the perfect happy medium when it comes to cowboy boots. Notice how a lot of cowboy boots are…expensive? They’re excellent quality, don’t get me wrong—we wouldn’t be recommending them to you if they weren’t. But unlike many others, Thursday Boots keeps that high quality at a much more affordable price point. They have classic styles that you can wear for years and years.
best authentic cowboy boot brand
Alvies
Pros
- Western wear institution
- Timeless styles
Cons
- Pricey
A true South meets West brand, Austin-founded Alvies is giving you cowboy boots directly from the source. This is a company that’s a household name in Texas, so you know you’re getting authentic, high-quality designs and boots that take you anywhere. And while our editors especially love this quarter-inch snip-toe style, we understand it isn’t for everyone, but if they are for you, then you stand out as a little more fashionable than the next guy.
Best Simple Cowboy Boots Brand
Rhodes Footwear
Pros
- Great prices
- Classic look
Cons
- More basic styles
The iconic cowboy boot style is remixed with Rhodes Footwear. The brand excels in cowboy boots without all the bells and whistles but with a healthy dose of Western flair. Made in Leon, Mexico—which is quickly becoming the global capital for handcrafted men’s Western boots—this option can work just as hard as any work boot, thanks to their expert craftsmanship. But what makes them truly a standout pick is that they have a shorter, more comfortable heel that’s a lot more approachable.
Why You Can Trust Esquire
I was wearing cowboy boots before TikTok brought them back in style, and Esquire at large has been doing the same. We talk about a lot of pairs, but we always come back to the same makers. Most recently we loved Tecovas, Lucchese, and the occasional small-time maker. We love no-frills stuff like these suede Tecovas or the chocolate shade counterparts, but we love us some exotics as well. Broadly, we report on Westernwear, and we’ll talk to anyone that wants to talk about boots. Sure, we go heavy on Tecovas and Lucchese, but that’s because we’re buying ready-made fashionable boots. If you want want to talk custom, we can do that too. Basically, what do we not know about cowboy boots?
Watch Next
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
link
