Cowboy Boots

[Art Vandelay 1712]

42 minutes ago, squib said:

Well fellers, let's just say that a big box in the closet revealed more than I had previously outlined. Nephews have picked through. The remaining treasures will be posted here when I get time and a few beers in me. The only teaser I will provide is that the Texas Ranger boots posted above are no longer the prize of the stash. 8 pairs to go--some even have the cow shit still on the soles so you city slicker types can own at least one set of manly footwear that has been off the sidewalk. 

Here is the only pair that fit me. I am plenty happy to add them to my collection. Tony Lama lizard. 

These look exactly like my Tony Lama chocolate lizards (those may be black, can't tell), which are my oldest pair of boots. Bought in 1995 - my first "nice" pair of cowboy boots. They're not in the best shape anymore and I would love to buy another pair but I don't think they make them in chocolate anymore.  

[billfromlaketravis 11447]

The Texas Rangers boots are pretty darned cool. 

I’m in a holding pattern on buying boots. If you’re working from home, what’s the point right now?

[Steel Shank 9421]

I have two pair of customs, but my most comfortable pair are some 18 year old Justin Ropers in ostrich.

[TexasEd 8066]

On 7/1/2020 at 9:45 PM, squib said:

These are 10.5

Most seem to be 11

 

I may offer up a few pair. Gonna hold back a few pair for his grandsons. For the others--I'd be glad to know they are being worn by you assholes. 

I'm an 11 and need more boots.

I have a pair of Tony Lama Lizard Ropers from the 80s or early 90s that look like those just shorter shaft.  I love them.  Wear black socks with them, they do leave dye on white socks.

Edited July 4, 2020 by TexasEd
lizard

[TwiceHorn 31438]

On 7/3/2020 at 11:05 AM, Steel Shank said:

I have two pair of customs, but my most comfortable pair are some 18 year old Justin Ropers in ostrich.

Are they your only pair of ostrich?  Obviously, to most, ostrich is pretty thin and flexible, but also durable.  But I read somewhere that the holes in the bumps where the quills were function as ventilation.  Makes perfect sense, but it had never occurred to me.

Those Tony Lamas upthread are noice.  It's a shame how far the Berkshire Hathaway boots have fallen.

[Steel Shank 9421]

25 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Are they your only pair of ostrich?  Obviously, to most, ostrich is pretty thin and flexible, but also durable.  But I read somewhere that the holes in the bumps where the quills were function as ventilation.  Makes perfect sense, but it had never occurred to me.

Those Tony Lamas upthread are noice.  It's a shame how far the Berkshire Hathaway boots have fallen.

I own four pair of ostrich. Of the customs, one is ostrich, the other is standard cowhide.

[gmoda 0]

botas vaqueras mexicanas

https://www.garciamoda.com/

https://www.garciamoda.com/mens/botas-vaqueras.html

 

[TexasEd 8066]

^ Product placement   Looks like the exotics are imitation if I'm reading it right. 

[gsoda3 3245]

$159 for caimans and poster has no posts before this. Seems legit.

I'll test your product though if you need a tester

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

The quality is probably shit but I think that's a pretty boot. 

[JohnnyChorizo 20]

Can't vouch for that site, but I own a pair of El General real alligator boots. They are very similar to the ones in the picture. Ended up getting drunk  one night at my favorite Mexican place and my waitress' husband was a boot dealer. We had a great time drinking and talking and he let me order whatever I wanted at his cost. I guess I have owned them for 10 years or so and they are well made. 

 

 

[tx 3 putt 76869]

arent tecovas made in leon, mexico ?

 

[JohnnyChorizo 20]

Yes they are. Lots of boot companies down there. That is where the Cuero boots are made too.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4975]

The majority of your boots these days that aren't hand welted and probably even some that are are going to be made in Leon. That's not a bad thing, but not necessarily a good thing either. It just is what it is.

[billfromlaketravis 11447]

We’re goin into month 6 of Cuero being sold out of everything. I don’t get it. Tecovas also makes their boots in Leon and they’re still going full tilt. 

[Godzillatron 292]

Anyone have experience with Ferrini boots?

https://ferriniusa.com/

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4975]

They look to be made about like the AB Horsepower boots I dissected several pages ago. Stitching doesn't go all the way through the uppers, and they claim their welts are both glued and stitched. That probably means the have a gemming strip glued down with a row of stitches sewn with a blake stitching machine to secure it. It looks something like this. The jagged fabric stuff is the gemming, which holds the welt to the upper.

Since their little diagram didn't mention anything about a leather insole, that probably means they use a fiberboard insole like you will find on a lot of less expensive commercial shoes.

Contrast that with hand welted insoles, where the upper, insole, and welt are all stitched together with the same thread like this

There you can see there is a grove cut out of the leather insole, and a curved awl and needle is used to saddle stitch all three parts together. This is the best and most durable method, but you can't create boots at that low of a price point using this method as easily because it takes a lot more time and a lot more skilled labor. Glueing and stitching down gemming to a fiberboard insole is a perfectly acceptable way to make boots that you don't expect to repeatedly get rebuilt, so if you just want something to wear on the weekends and aren't planning to have the resolved until the upper falls apart they should be just fine.

[Teebox 89]

Luccese black cherry ostrich - thoughts?  I’ve always thought this color was pretty cheesey, but as I’m looking for an add to my boot collection I saw some and thought “not bad”, so considering a pair. Just not certain I will like once actually wearing. 
 

 

[BabaYaga 15288]

27 minutes ago, Teebox said:

Luccese black cherry ostrich - thoughts?  I’ve always thought this color was pretty cheesey, but as I’m looking for an add to my boot collection I saw some and thought “not bad”, so considering a pair. Just not certain I will like once actually wearing. 
 

 

Have a pair of those in half-quill, 1883 with red uppers.  I like them.  The color fades over time and doesn't have that shiny, bass-boat vibe as when you first bought them.  I need to re-sole them, but they super comfortable and now more of a rich, dark color.  From a distance they look black/dark brown.

[4th and 5 4914]

On 7/1/2020 at 9:20 PM, squib said:

Check this out. Cleaning out the residence of my recently deceased father-in-law. He was a panhandle DA that was in place for a long time and had a reputation of putting people away. Anyway, he was the larger-than-life type of lawyer that would have worn boots with his suit daily. So I am going through his closet and come across boxes and boxes of boots. He was a bigger guy than me so I wasn't able to pinch any but one pair of lizards. 

Anyway, scope these. Not sure of the story, but I have looked and I can't find anything about Tony Lama ever mass producing a Texas Ranger branded boot. He had all kinds of "swag" around including some stuff from a governor or two. But these boots interest me most. Wife was going to put them in a garage sale this weekend, but I held them back. 

 

These boots were given to me by the senior Texas Ranger Captain. 
 

 

[BabaYaga 15288]

58 minutes ago, 4th and 5 said:

 

These boots were given to me by the senior Texas Ranger Captain. 
 

 

So cool!

[TwiceHorn 31438]

2 hours ago, Teebox said:

Luccese black cherry ostrich - thoughts?  I’ve always thought this color was pretty cheesey, but as I’m looking for an add to my boot collection I saw some and thought “not bad”, so considering a pair. Just not certain I will like once actually wearing. 
 

 

I think that's a great color.  I'm not a big fan of black anything, even dress shoes, but if you are going for dress wear, you have to come pretty close.

Burnishes over time and develops more character than straight up black, but still plenty conservative.

It's the boot version of cordovan (the color if not the hide).

[gsoda3 3245]

1 hour ago, 4th and 5 said:

 

These boots were given to me by the senior Texas Ranger Captain. 
 

 

that's awesome, i feel like there's a story behind it...

[4th and 5 4914]

3 hours ago, Teebox said:

Luccese black cherry ostrich - thoughts?  I’ve always thought this color was pretty cheesey, but as I’m looking for an add to my boot collection I saw some and thought “not bad”, so considering a pair. Just not certain I will like once actually wearing. 
 

 

I have them in roper classics. I wear them frequently. My son steals them from my closet frequently too. 

[Steel Shank 9421]

3 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

I have them in roper classics. I wear them frequently. My son steals them from my closet frequently too. 

That's cool about the boy. I hope my son swipes some boots in the future. I'm getting to the point where wearing pants is a "no-go" for me.

 

PANTLESS I tell you!!!!

Edited October 7, 2020 by Steel Shank
edited to add the obvious.

[Dry Elbows 142]

13 hours ago, Teebox said:

Luccese black cherry ostrich - thoughts?  I’ve always thought this color was pretty cheesey, but as I’m looking for an add to my boot collection I saw some and thought “not bad”, so considering a pair. Just not certain I will like once actually wearing. 
 

 

One of the most versatile boots you can own.

[Murfdogg21 4412]

Tecovas black python boots just went live on their website. 

[66BUFF 2562]

1 hour ago, Murfdogg21 said:

Tecovas black python boots just went live on their website. 

Hair bands, acid wash jeans and mullets should be returning any day now.

[BabaYaga 15288]

1 hour ago, 66BUFF said:

Hair bands, acid wash jeans and mullets should be returning any day now.

[billfromlaketravis 11447]

While I’m sure everything is above board at Tecovas, the pattern/texture of their python boots looks fake. Like a geometric design. 
 

I wish they’d come out with a work boot. 

Edited October 16, 2020 by billfromlaketravis

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

Finally picked up my second pair of Maidas this week. Plain red kangaroo intended to be everyday walking around boots. Love the fit and the quality of the construction. They slide right on and off and the arch is perfect. Love these boots. Already thinking about my next pair. Maybe some dark brown or chocolate elephant with some extra fancy adornments on the shaft.

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2020 by crimsonlonghorn

[TwiceHorn 31438]

Simple.  Elegant.  Nice.

How tall are the tops?  First shot looks short, second fairly tall.

Dare I ask what they ran you?

Sam Maida was at UT at the same time as me and is now a lawdog in h-town.  I never asked, but always assumed same family.  My recollection could be failing me, but I would swear he was a ZBT.  Jewish-Italian bootmakers?  Stranger things, I suppose.

Edited October 16, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

Haven’t measured but they are about 2-3 inches taller than my Tecovas and the shaft circumference is all around my calf and goes all the way to the ankle, so they still appear to be very proportional from the side but look taller and skinnier head on. 
 

These are literally the base model and were $2,600. I was so pleased with the fancy full quill ostrich he did for me that I wanted something more to wear everyday that fit the same way, so I ordered these. 
 

These don’t bind the top of my ankle/foot like the Tecovas do, which I never noticed until Sal pointed it out as to why it was so much easier in comparison to take the Maida boots off. 
 

The difference between bespoke and off the shelf is night and day. Well worth the high cost IMO. 

Edited October 16, 2020 by crimsonlonghorn

[Horn of Gabriel 1614]

These are literally the base model and were $2,600.

Wait, what?



That’s some surly 1% shit right there. That’s not even a humblebrag, that’s a straight up brag.

[fattyflattie 4639]

34 minutes ago, Horn of Gabriel said:

That’s some surly 1% shit right there. That’s not even a humblebrag, that’s a straight up brag.

The kangaroo is the brag part, imo.   Nothing fits like a custom pair of boots. 

[Zepol87 9185]

Those look badass. I have never owned a pair of boots that weren't from Academy for summer work type of shit. I am looking for my first real pair.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4975]

If you like square toes get Anderson Bean and don't look back.

[Godzillatron 292]

PSA: Tecovas free matching belt with boot purchase until midnight tonight.

[RMac5 1551]

On 10/16/2020 at 8:25 PM, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

If you like square toes get Anderson Bean and don't look back.

Absolutely. I have several pair of Beans and couldn’t be happier. 

[Godzillatron 292]

Absolutely. I have several pair of Beans and couldn’t be happier. 

Wish they would build something that wasn’t a wide square toe...

[TwiceHorn 31438]

Rios of Mercedes and Olathe are same company/quality and have some variety in toes.

[RMac5 1551]

I know lots of folks don’t care for the square toe, I did not either at first. The first pair of sq toe I owned I felt like a damn clown when I wore them. I will tell you though, they are so much more comfortable than the round or traditional toe. I don’t even own any of the round toe boots anymore. I live in the Panhandle and they are by far the most popular up here, the only ones wearing round toe boots are the old guys, my dad is one of them.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4975]

8 hours ago, Godzillatron said:

Wish they would build something that wasn’t a wide square toe...

Same here. They are hands down the most comfortable boots you can buy off the shelf at most places like Boot Barn or Cavender's, but a little variety would be nice. And if you buy the american made Beans they are probably the only traditionally welted boots in the price range.

[NoName 16350]

At this point, what are generally recognized as the sweet spot between price and quality of the direct to consumer / Hecho en Mexico boots?

Not looking for anything exotic, just some basic (new) boots.

[TwiceHorn 31438]

28 minutes ago, NoName said:

At this point, what are generally recognized as the sweet spot between price and quality of the direct to consumer / Hecho en Mexico boots?

Not looking for anything exotic, just some basic (new) boots.

Well, the main thing to understand with all but pretty premium boots is that they are not constructed a) completely of leather and b) in such a way (fully welted) that they can be resoled and rebuilt an almost infinite number of times until the uppers are worn out.

Some less-expensive boots, such as most of the Justin and the other Berkshire Hathaway boots, Ariat, etc. take that to a bit of an extreme with various plastic and synthetic materials and they may not even be resolable once.

And, apart from construction, the stitching and leather are of variable quality that becomes pretty obvious.  Meaning, you can have cheap boots that are obviously cheap top-to-bottom, and then some that have the outward appearance of top-quality, but aren't built in the traditional, most-expensive method (Lucchese 1883 or whatever the not-Classics are called these days are a great example).

So, if you don't care about "lifetime" or "heirloom" construction because of the way you wear your boots, there are a number of brands (Tecovas, Cuero, Anderson Bean Horsepower, higher-end Berkshire-Hathaway, etc.) that can satisfy your needs/wants.  Looks like they run about $200-300/pair.

I'm not convinced that the "direct-to-consumer" brands offer that great a deal compared to "smart shopping" for deals on other similar brands.  The customer service may be worthwhile though.

Edited October 28, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4975]

Yeah, pretty much what TwiceHorn said. Personally I would try and inspect them in person to gauge the quality of the leather. Also look at how well they are finished. One thing that will usually indicate better quality materials is leather piping down the sides versus plastic. Inspect a few that you know to use leather there like Anderson Bean or Lucchese and it should be obvious when you look back at a pair that uses plastic piping. If that bit is made from real leather then the rest of the leather is probably pretty good. Another indication that they are better made is whether or not the stitching on the shafts goes all the way through. While this isn't as reliable of an indicator, most of the cheap boots don't have this feature. There is something about the manufacturing process (probably streamlining the order that the parts are constructed due to division of labor) that makes stitching the outer layer and then glueing in the liner later less expensive. So if they use a more expensive production method then they probably use better materials overall as well. There are, however, some pretty good quality nontraditionally constructed boots like AB Horsepower that don't stitch all the way through the shaft, so absence of this feature doesn't necessarily mean they didn't use higher quality leather.

[fattyflattie 4639]

4 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Meaning, you can have cheap boots that are obviously cheap top-to-bottom, and then some that have the outward appearance of top-quality, but aren't built in the traditional, most-expensive method (Lucchese 1883 or whatever the not-Classics are called these days are a great example).

I don’t break them apart like @NotActuallyALonghorn, but I’ve got a few pairs of 1883’s and one of the “2000’s (iirc).  All between 5 and 15 years old.  At least 2 pairs have >4 sole changes.  I haven’t had one come back yet where they couldn’t do anything for it. So while they aren’t classics or customs by any stretch, they are pretty far from being confused with cheap, imo.  My typical wear is everyday straight for several years, and I’ll switch over to an old pair while the new ones are being soled. Sometimes they lose their spot in line for a few months.  But I don’t wear several pairs a week like I should.  Since ‘13, I’ve pretty much daily worn a pair of 1883 caimans. Unless I lost count, they are on their 4th resole, and need one in a bad way right now.   My next pair with be some AB, but its not from dissatisfaction from the Lucchese’s.  Just need a wider toe and I like what AB been doing last 5 years or so. 

[TwiceHorn 31438]

On 10/28/2020 at 12:48 PM, fattyflattie said:

I don’t break them apart like @NotActuallyALonghorn, but I’ve got a few pairs of 1883’s and one of the “2000’s (iirc).  All between 5 and 15 years old.  At least 2 pairs have >4 sole changes.  I haven’t had one come back yet where they couldn’t do anything for it. So while they aren’t classics or customs by any stretch, they are pretty far from being confused with cheap, imo.  My typical wear is everyday straight for several years, and I’ll switch over to an old pair while the new ones are being soled. Sometimes they lose their spot in line for a few months.  But I don’t wear several pairs a week like I should.  Since ‘13, I’ve pretty much daily worn a pair of 1883 caimans. Unless I lost count, they are on their 4th resole, and need one in a bad way right now.   My next pair with be some AB, but its not from dissatisfaction from the Lucchese’s.  Just need a wider toe and I like what AB been doing last 5 years or so. 

It's possible that 1883 are made pretty traditionally, but with less handwork than Classics. They have had some lower-tier boots (2000? as you mentioned, I have never been sure which is which and Lucchese doesn't offer a lot of info). There is some indication that 1883 are not made entirely in El Paso, which isn't a big deal to me.  If it has a cushion insole, that's a pretty good indicator that it isn't an "all-leather, fully welted" boot. 

Like NAAL said, there are variations of quality with mostly leather, but not fully welted and some with more "plastic" in them and also not fully welted.

Also, you can get non-fully welted boots resoled unless you let them get too far gone, just probably not as many times as fully welted because the upper leather is more involved in the welt construction and will eventually be too "holed out" to repair.

Edited October 29, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Juicy 725]

For those looking the cheaper route Cuero has their new lineup in stock. Price online is 76.50 which seems insane to me. But ill grab another pair or two as they have added some colors. 

 

Looks like the old colors are all still out of stock but the new square toe and the new colors are all incredibly cheap. 

UPDATE: It appears something is still up with the website as you can't actually buy the boots. There is an error when selecting the shipping method. 

 

$76.50 for boots was too good to be true

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Juicy

[Godzillatron 292]

For those looking the cheaper route Cuero has their new lineup in stock. Price online is 76.50 which seems insane to me. But ill grab another pair or two as they have added some colors. 
 
Looks like the old colors are all still out of stock but the new square toe and the new colors are all incredibly cheap. 
UPDATE: It appears something is still up with the website as you can't actually buy the boots. There is an error when selecting the shipping method. 
 
$76.50 for boots was too good to be true
 

Site appears to be working now. Add $100 to that price.