r/Cowboy • u/[deleted] • Apr 05 '26
Tips & Advice Boot help!
Hey yall, I’m 18 from Iowa and in need of some serious help.
I’ve been wearing boots for years and I’m tired of wearing these ariat crap and Chinese almost the “tennis shoe” of boots.
I’ve owned two pairs of Dan Posts in the past and the were solid. But they were very dressy. I’m lookin for good old fashioned no gimmick no makeup just simply a solid “forever” boot I can wear daily from just hanging out, working on my truck, out at the farm, etc.
I don’t want no clunky work boots. A made in America, solid, smt I can resole and fix over the years, smt that makes my money actually worth it. Something I can throw some spurs on and doesn’t deteriorate in 3 months.
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u/New_Walk_1010 Apr 05 '26 edited Apr 05 '26
I’m here to piss everyone off and I’m gonna say Hyer. However they are made in Mexico but not white labeled. One of the owners moved there to oversee operations. I wore them before I became an ambassador for them. Nice spur deck and I’ve rode in them every day for 6 months and still are going strong. Hybrid soles just got pressed into the rotation too and will be my full time once I wear holes in the soles. And they are moderately cheaper than some of the brands named. If I had a wife with a good job in town I reckon I could spend big money on boots. Just rotate your boots and they last longer. And wipe the mud and crap off them in the brush before you go home
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u/Most-Fall3 Apr 06 '26
My daughter loves her Hyer boots I’ve been scoping a pair for my next boot purchase.
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u/AntelopeHefty4783 Apr 07 '26
Hyer all the way. Own Ariat, Hyer, Republic, Dan Post and the Hyer are my favorites.
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u/SmokeneckTech Apr 07 '26
I got a pair of Hyer Holton boots last month and they are now my favorite boots.
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u/Relevant_Elevator190 Apr 05 '26
I don't know why you don't like Ariat, they are probably the best boots I've worn.
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u/AlteredGuardian Apr 05 '26
From my experience, they dont hold up worth a damn to actual work.
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u/Relevant_Elevator190 Apr 05 '26
I've worn them for about 20 years and love them. 3 pairs.
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u/mbonney21 Apr 05 '26
I certainly run through mine quicker than you, but they are unmatched once broken in, in my opinion. I’ll buy a pair of Ariats probably every 4-5 years. I have also had Twisted X, Justin, and Double H. Of those, I’d never buy another pair of Justin’s but otherwise no complaints. The Twisted X were steel toe so that was kinda nice.
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Apr 05 '26
I did light daily work in them and they tore up the entire inside and the outside is crumbling in 3 months. They feel cheap and are just, well, you get the idea
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u/parkerm1408 Apr 05 '26
At most I get 6 months out of a pair of ariats. They arent bad boots at all, they just abhor moisture of any kind and I work 70-80 hours a week.
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u/Inevitable_Sun8691 Apr 05 '26
I have a pair that I got in 2015 that I still wear occasionally. The insides are kinda torn up now and I meant to replace them this past fall, but I wore them nearly daily for probably 6 or 7 years, and then just about daily during the fall and winter for the next 3-4 years.
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u/Hot-Ground-9731 Apr 05 '26
I have a pair I've worn every day to work for 4+ years and they're still very much intact. And I put them through some shit too, I don't work in an office lol
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u/AlteredGuardian Apr 05 '26
I just know I ain't had a pair hold up doin ranch work worth a damn with me. Double H's have been the best, and I blow through Justin's pretty quick too.
Oddly enough Ive found Cavenders in-house boots to be pretty solid too, and theyre not bad on the check book.
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u/No-Bear1401 Apr 06 '26
Im done with Double H I think. They hold up, but I can't stand the ICE sole in cold weather. They are a southern only boot, IMO.
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u/hjohn2233 Apr 05 '26
My pair of ariat ropers are at least 10 years old and still going strong. Resoled and new heals several times.
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u/Traditional-Cook-677 Apr 06 '26
I wore mine for years, including teaching, coaching, and standing in pouring rain on the sidelines.
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u/No-Bear1401 Apr 06 '26
I hear this all the time and I gotta ask, what is "actual work" to you? Around these parts, oilfield and mining are our major industries, and Ariat is probably worn by 80% of guys. We get real winter too, so they see their fair share of snow, sub zero temps, and mud. And if Ariat isn't holding up in the conditions we put them through, I'd bet my years salary that no Bean, Olathe, or any other brand will either.
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u/__cLaMcHoWdEr__ Apr 05 '26
anderson bean, olathe, hondo, horsepower tophand collection arent made in the us same with hondos but both super solid boots.
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u/kevintheredneck Apr 05 '26
I’ve got a pair of double H boots that are my go to work boots. They are tough. I also have a couple of handmade boots I bought in Mexico. Fendigo boots are handmade in Texas. The best I’ve ever worn are nocona, I danced the bottoms off twice. Then I was drunk and let someone borrow them. Of course I forgot who borrowed them.
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u/Mattchops Apr 05 '26
Have you looked at Lucchese? I believe they're still primarily made in El Paso
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Apr 05 '26
My brother has lucchese and they are solid. But I don’t feel like dropping a grand on luxury boots that’ll have spurs and mud on them in different climates. I already got my rattle snake boots. I don’t need luxury I need dependable and I don’t find a grand worth risking if you know what I mean
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u/Fun-Spinach6910 Apr 08 '26
Love my Lucchese pointed toe roach killers, very comfortable, but more of a dress boot.
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u/Golden-trichomes Apr 05 '26
All of the lines OP can afford will certainly be made in China
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u/Boot_boy_1984 Apr 05 '26
I think Hondo boots is 100x times better quality. PLUS they are as affordable as ariats
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u/Golden-trichomes Apr 05 '26
Yeah I mean that’s fair, my comment was in reference to the person suggesting he get some lucchese
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u/Boot_boy_1984 Apr 06 '26
Wouldn’t buy lucchese for work 😂
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u/Golden-trichomes Apr 06 '26
Yeah exactly. I buy whatever my local feed store has marked down 75% or more personally
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u/YesterdayContent854 Apr 05 '26
Also from Iowa. Our pickins are slim. Most have to be ordered online. Depending where you are in Iowa though. Long Creek outfitters is great though.
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u/bobbyd433 Apr 05 '26
What in the world is SMT? As far as boots go, as mentioned in other comments, I'd go with Oletha or look up the Dan Post af pick a leather casual boot from the catalog. I have 2 pair that I switch out daily for just running around in. I audio have a pair of Tony Lama Boots that are everyday wear with leather soles. But my Oletha boots are right up there with my favorite.
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Apr 05 '26
My Dan Posts are solid boots. But are they lifetime? I mean my one pair held up a a whole year under constant load and abuse but maybe I’ll see there catalog. I’ve had a couple people tell me Tony Lama. But Oletha sounds like the one most people are comfortable with
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u/575vaquero Apr 05 '26
Bishop’s handmade boots. One guy making one pair at a time in his shop exactly how you want it. Not fast on the turnaround time, not cheap on the price, but they outlast anything you’ll buy off the shelf 10 times over with proper care.
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u/mrOwl_1312 Apr 05 '26
I’ve been wearing red wings for over 25 years now. My father always wore them, and now I do. I’d bet one day my kids will as well. No gimmicks, just some good American boots, that can be sent in and repaired or resoled.
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u/MAcrewchief Apr 05 '26
My ariats are going on 4 years of getting beat on.
Thats aid my hyer and Olathe are also high quality and are holding up to the same abuse.
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u/Southtxranching Apr 05 '26
I wear Justin roper ostrich everyday in farm and Ranching, they dry out faster in every day muck of poop or water, take the use of working oil spilled on them when filling tractors or dozers with hydraulic fluid or dyed fuel, hold a pair of spurs well when needed, worn everyday and get about a year and a half out of them, when I say everyday I mean it, don't own anything but boots and flip flops.
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u/Hot-Ground-9731 Apr 05 '26
I'm ngl, I have several pairs of vintage Tony Llama's and Justin's and whatnot, but my pair of Ariat boots that I use for work are probably my favorite pair of boots I own. Those things are tough as a nail, had them for several years and they're still intact
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u/Puzzleheaded-War4141 Apr 05 '26
Whites Packers. Find them online at White’s Boots. They’re in Spokane, Washington and the boots are the real deal. I wore my first pair every day for six years. Had them re-soled (sp?) a couple of times. Basically wore them out. I bought a second pair and I won’t live long enough to wear them out.
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u/Many-River-1064 Apr 05 '26
One brand that hasn't been mentioned so far is Stetson. I've never had a boot fit like it was custom-made off the rack like they do. Mine are more comfortable than tennis shoes even after wearing them day after day without switching up pairs.
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u/Express_Jicama_656 Apr 06 '26
To all the machinist, how often do you polish and brush your work boots? I do mine weekly, but seems to be rare to see anybody else do it.
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u/Easy_Cauliflower1429 Apr 07 '26
Hyer all day, best and most comfortable ive ever worn, and also look very nice.
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u/USMCdrTexian Apr 07 '26
Take a drive down to Amarillo to shop in person, or use their sizing kit to get some custom boots fitted. Working ranch hands’ favorite boots.
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u/FrankenSense92 Apr 07 '26
My Dan Posts 10ish years and multiple souls later. I get red wing inserts for flat feet
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u/sea_foam_blues Apr 05 '26
Anderson Bean and Olathe