# Cowboy Boots - what is the best RTW?



## ASH (Feb 7, 2006)

I am looking for a good pair of cowboy boots. I was looking at Lucchese's? Anyone's comments on this brand would be appreciated. How about Antelope leather?

Finally, is it true that it is best to soak the boot in water overnight prior to wearing? Any thoughts?


----------



## Bob Loblaw (Mar 9, 2006)

I would rate a good boot with the same metric I would use for a good shoe (welted not glued, full grain leather that isn't grain corrected etc).

If I wore that style of boot I would go with Lucchese but only their classic line. The other lines appear to me to be poorly constructed fashion/comfort/lifestyle boots that are just vile.

As far a soaking boots in water - no, don't do that.

Also this might be of interest to you:
https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=49389


----------



## SpookyTurtle (Nov 4, 2007)

You might also take a look at Justin boots. They are very popular and are made in Texas.

https://www.justinboots.com/

Tony Lama is another option.


----------



## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

I have to say i am a fan of lucchese boots I have a couple pairs in kidskin that have held up well-- esp with how i treat them.


----------



## indylion (Feb 28, 2005)

Lots of lucchese boots on ebay

https://search.stores.ebay.com/Grap...leZmensQ20westernQ20bootsQ20Q2dwomensQQsofpZ0


----------



## bwep (Apr 17, 2005)

I am a fan of Lucchese and boots in general. Of my wears, my Lucchese classics are my favorites. I prefer a roper heel. I wear them on multiple occasions. I cannot say enough. A fair amount of handwork.

JB Hill, made in El paso, is comparable to Lucchese. They spend a little more time on the finish and final detailing, but I think more handwork goes into the Lucchese, though I cannot confirm. 

One of these days I will make a roadtrip to Abilene to ML Leddy to have some bespoke boots made. I tried here in Dallas, but as I noted in another thread the company Andreas Beckmann were thieves.


----------



## kitonbrioni (Sep 30, 2004)

The two most recent pairs of boots I bought were Lucchese and Black Jack. They both are among the bery best rtw boots.


----------



## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

While the last pair of western boots I purchased was awhile back, I believe the Lucchese Classic line of boots are still quite well thought of. Nacona also puts out a nice boot for the price. Paul Bond has a line of RTW offerings, in addition to their bespoke and MTM designs but, they are a bit pricey for RTW.


----------



## Good Old Sledge (Jun 13, 2006)

If you're going to ride and work in them, Justin. If they're for showing off and dressing up Luccese. If they're for walking in, Ariat.
Don't soak them.


----------



## bwep (Apr 17, 2005)

Good Old Sledge:

I am not looking to get into a pissing match here, but I have to respectfully disagree with your comments somewhat. I have grown up in boots. Used to wear Justin ropers throughout highschool, college and medical school. They are no where near the quality or comfort (and that may simply be my feet) of Lucchese. The Luchesse classics are considerably more in price, but there is more handwork and better quality leathers that go into their boots. I believe that Justin is all machine made these days. I wear my Lucchese's during casual times out, occasionally to work, in the operating room, and even for some nights on the town. I wear one pair to ride.

I agree that Ariat makes a nice "workboot". It has high arches and may not be comfortable for everyone. Red wing makes a nice workboot in a roper heel. Both are popular in the southwest.


----------



## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

There's a guy down here by me, cannot remember whether he's in Nogales or Tombstone, but he supposedly makes some of the best boots in the world. I am sure a poster here knows who I am talking about and can provide his name.


----------



## Charles A. (Jan 22, 2007)

For me, nice/dressy boots = Lucchese Classic; work/muddy boots = Tony Lama. Soak your boots = myth.


----------



## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> There's a guy down here by me, cannot remember whether he's in Nogales or Tombstone, but he supposedly makes some of the best boots in the world. I am sure a poster here knows who I am talking about and can provide his name.


That would be Nogales and Paul Bond is the boot maker...they do make great boots!


----------



## ASH (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks for all the input. Great!


----------



## jkreusc (Aug 14, 2006)

I have one pair. A classic brown Tony Lama that I got for about $129 without looking for a discount. For the price point, it it very well made. It is welted (albeit with very thin thread compared to my AEs) and holds up very well.


----------



## eyedoc2180 (Nov 19, 2006)

*Lucchese*

My 50th birthday present was a pair of black Classic Lucchese roper boots in ranch hand leather. They are the best constructed shoes I have ever worn, including a closet full of Aldens and AEs for work. The ranch hand leather makes them feel like I am wearing a big pair of socks. The comfort is unbelievable due to great construction and softness of the leather. One caveat: I would highly recommend having them fitted professionally, at least for the first time. Sizing varies, as my standard shoe is a 10E but my boot size is an 11D! Leddy's Ranch in Fort Worth did a great job. Yes, I paid too much, but it was well worth it. Cheers! Bill


----------



## Bama Mike (Dec 14, 2007)

I have two pair of Lucchese boots and they are very comfortable. I didn't soak them in water before the first wear but I've heard of it being done. The best pair I ever had, however, was a pair of Tony Lama boots purchased in El Paso, Texas. Good luck.


----------



## Liberty Ship (Jan 26, 2006)

Ariat


----------



## rnoldh (Apr 22, 2006)

Here in Texas, Lucchese is considered the best RTW, and many consider ML Leddy the best Bespoke boot.


----------



## damon54 (Dec 12, 2007)

I happened to be in Culwell & Son by the SMU Campus the other day & was very surprised at how affordable Lucchesse Cayman skin boots were.

Looked every bit as good as most alligator boots I have seen.

Only Boots I wear are from Redwing (decidedly distressed work boots, but perfect for my use)
I only have a Nocona Catchers mitt but here is a good link with a current sale:

https://www.noconabootshop.com/nocona_mens_6.htm

Nocona, founded by Enid Justin, merged with her brothers Justin brand some time ago.
The old shop in Nocona where they still made gloves burned in July of 2006 but has been rebuilt I believe.

These boots are now made in either El Paso or heaven forbid the Missouri plant.


----------



## eyedoc2180 (Nov 19, 2006)

Bama Mike said:


> I have two pair of Lucchese boots and they are very comfortable. I didn't soak them in water before the first wear but I've heard of it being done. The best pair I ever had, however, was a pair of Tony Lama boots purchased in El Paso, Texas. Good luck.


Leddy's advocates a soak with a 50-50 mix of water and rubbing alcohol to help the break in, but only if you need it. I would be REAL careful with this idea, though, if the boot is lighter in shade. Bill


----------



## jmonroestyle (Nov 6, 2006)

The best RTW cowboy boot to buy is always the one that fits your foot. Each company's boots fit a little differently, so it is important to try different brands to find the one that works the best.
Since cowboy boots don't have laces or buckles, it is crucial to get the fit right, or they will put your feet through sheer agony. However, if they fit right, they are super comfortable.

For mid-priced cowboy boots, Lucchese classics are the best quality factory boots that are the easiest to find to try on, as they are available in most better Western stores. I would put Rios of Mercedes boots a notch above for quality. However, they have a more limited distribution, and are not found in as many stores as Lucchese Classics. They fit very differently than Lucchese Classics and one brand will usually fit a persn better than the other.

If one goes more upscale, than J.B. Hill, Ammons, Stallion, T.O. Stanley, and Falconhead/Tres Outlaws, all have RTW boots in addition to their custom MTO program. However, these boots are usually only found in upscale "boutique" type Western stores.

M.L. Leddy makes the best boot made in a small factory. Since they don't wholesale their boots, one must go to their stores in Ft. Worth, or Abilene to buy them. The Ft. Worth store has about 1200 pairs of boots in stock, and it is perhaps the largest showroom of high end cowboy boots anywhere.

Paul Bond in Nogales sells mostly custom made boots. They also have a few pairs of stock boots to sell, mostly made of heavy leathers to be used as work boots. They have a fairly high arch, so a flat footed person may not be able to wear them.

I never soak my boots in water. Most of them are made from kangaroo hide, and they are soft and comfortable right from the start. Sometimes I will stretch the boots in certain places when I first get them to fine tune the fit. This will happen anyway by just wearing them. However, I would rather have my stretcher do the work, rather than my feet.

Here is a link to an article about South Texas Cowboy boots in The San Antonio Express newspaper for which I was recently interviewed.



I own boots from almost all the above companies, so if you have any specific questions about them, feel free to ask.

Jess


----------



## jmrdc (Dec 12, 2007)

*Lucchese*

I have at least 5 pairs of Lucchese and they are, in my opinion, the best boot made. I'm from Oklahoma and have been wearing boots since I was old enough to be in shoes. I have worn every brand of boot known to man, including "bespoke" custom boots, and can tell you that Lucchese is by far the best. They also have a few different styles (regardless of hide used):

Classics - as close to a custom boot as you can get. Make sure you know your EXACT size (in boots, not shoes) before you buy.


----------



## jdtx3302 (Jul 21, 2007)

*FYI*

Hello, Just to let everyone know, Tony Lama, Justin and Nocona are all owned under Justin Brands which is a Berkshire Hathaway company. They are all made in El Paso from what I know.

And in my opinion, I believe that the best RTW boot, that is most widely available will be the Lucchese Classic line of boots.


----------



## ChicagoTrad (Feb 19, 2007)

I know this is an old thread, but just wanted to add to those who love the Lucchese Classic boots. I have several and it's a pleasure to wear them whenever I get the chance.

Also love the J.B. Hill boots I have and the pair of black jack boots I just got.

I have an old pair of Dan Post that I keep for bad weather and work situations


----------



## Charles A. (Jan 22, 2007)

Since we're updating the thread, I will add - I no longer regard Luccheses as the best RTW western boot. They're still near the top, but both on a value for the dollar basis, and in a head to head comparison, I find Heritage Boots to beat them out. There are only 2 stores that I know of (Austin & Fort Worth), but they are my new go to boot store.


----------



## dks202 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Heritage Boots*

The web site looks like they have some pretty good stuff. I wonder if that's where Rick Perry got his boots... I'll have to take a road trip to Austin.


----------

