The 10 Best Boots for Under $500

The internet is jam packed with lists of best boots under $200 and best boots under $300 because, let’s be real, $300 is a jaw dropping amount of money to spend on footwear for the average guy.

But some guys have more flexibility in their budget — but they don’t want to be ripped off. This list is for you.

To be super clear: this list is not in any particular order. I have no interest in holding debates with people on who should tOp the list.

But here are some very good boot brands for under $500!

1. Truman Boot Company

A complete anomaly in the industry, Vince Romano’s Truman Boot Company (named after his beloved dog) has had massive success against all odds: moving headquarters three times, switching from stitchdown to Goodyear welts, remaining independently owned, and spending basically nothing on marketing.

In fact, Vince tells me he sells too many boots, even directly asking online boot hubs Stitchdown and r/goodyearwelt (and me) to not feature him. The man can’t keep up with demand and it’s not hard to see why: nobody hits the same balance of super hardy heritage boot aesthetics and creative and rare leathers.

While he’s always got his famous bestsellers Java Waxed Flesh and Coach Rambler in stock — in multiple lasts, no less — many of his boots are one offs, as Vince is always looking for new and interesting leathers to work with.

This led his brand to foster something of a collector community, and you’re simply very unlikely to find burgundy bison, turquoise waxed suede, or blue horse rump boots like these anywhere else.

2. Oak Street Bootmakers

Plenty of their boots are just over the $500 mark but their bestseller, the Trench boot in natural Chromexcel, is $488 with a Dainite sole and they even give you the thoughtful option of choosing a leather soled version for $462.

Modeled after World War 1 military boots (World War 2 boondockers are so played out), the Trench boot stands out in the market for a lot of reasons that most guys simply don’t appreciate. But guys reading a list like this probably will: they’re hand lasted.

Evidence (read: all the hand lasters I’ve interviewed) suggests this makes for a boot that more accurately takes up the shape of the last, and that’s especially the case at Oak Street because the upper is then left on the last for weeks instead of the process being sped up with heat.

The stitching’s done by eye, the clicking’s done by eye, the boots components don’t get pressed into place by machines — all of this is very rare for an American made boot, plus Oak Street has only raised prices by 5 percent in the last 10 years.

3. Thursday Boot Co’s Black Label

Thursday Boot Company is best known for their sub-$200 boots and for being the first and last pair of boots a lot of guys buy — it’s a brand that seems to very much not be for the high end boot guy reading this.

Or it was, until they got tired of Redditors always dunking on their poron insoles and Mexican leathers, which led them to release the Black Label Collection at the end of 2024. They’re still made in Mexico, but it’s very hard for boot aficionados to complain about anything else.

The logger boot they’re calling the Challenger has all leather internal components (no celastic or steel to be found), double row stitchdown construction, and an assortment of leathers that would make any Redditor’s mouth water: CF Stead’s rambler, Maryam’s horsebutt, and even Shinki Cordovan.

The Journeyman Chelsea, meanwhile, is clearly inspired by Indonesia’s Briselblack, offering whole cut boots in leathers from Stead and Shinki for under $400. I even compared the SPI of the Challenger to Nicks (very similar) Urban Logger and found the stitchdown to have more stitches per inch on the Thursday. Good boots.

4. Bridlen

Indian bootmaking is having a moment, and while they’re getting a lot of press for brands like Blkbrd and Craft & Glory for producing handwelted boots under $200, Bridlen represents a higher level of craftsmanship that should impress anybody.

Bridlen might be an unfamiliar name to some, but they’re not new; they’ve been building their brand in Japan and Europe for years and are just now making inroads to the US market.

They’re much better known for their dressy footwear and country shoes, but they have a good selection of casual boots, one of which is owned by Stridewise editor Karl. (This one, a monkey boot made of kudu suede. Cool!)

I had the good fortune of visiting their factory in Chennai (India’s first Goodyear welting operation, or so they told me) and was amazed by all the unusual shoemaking techniques I found there:

They line their boots without glue, getting the comfort of lining with superior breathability. The upper is closed over the last instead of being sewn together on a table and stretched over it later. They use a shank that’s both steel and leather, with one fastened on top of the other.

And most impressively, they combine the benefits of hand welted and Goodyear welted boots with the channeled insole Goodyear welt process: instead of sewing through the canvas rib of a Goodyear welted boot, they cut a channel into the insole to stitch the welt onto like one does with a hand welted boot. But they use a Goodyear welt machine to do so. This gives them the extra durability of a hand welted boot (ie. no glued on canvas that can become unstuck) but the speed and scale of a Goodyear welting operation.

They didn’t invent this technique, but I haven’t seen it on the kind of dress shoes and boots that Bridlen’s best known for. Add all that to the fact that their uppers include the likes of Shinki cordovan and Stead’s Janus calf and you’ve got bonkers high quality footwear — most of which is under $300.

5. Sagara Bootmaker

There are a lot of amazing boot brands in Indonesia making hand welted, hand lasted boots with top tier leathers at terrific prices. The thing is, though, that these days those “terrific prices” — while still terrific! — are usually over $500.

The main reasons we’re landing on the great and powerful Sagara on this list is that they’re still putting out less expensive boots and their wait times aren’t too crazy. Their hero product is probably their lace-to-toe “Cordmaster” boot, which is typically made with natural horsebutt from Maryam and comes in at about $600.

But Sagara will also make you a hand lasted, hand welted service boot with a single midsole and local leather for $385 — and you can get the same boot with leather imported from Badalassi or Cloe for $500. You can also get a Norwegian welted boot for $405. So they still fit the list.

Another reason we’re pointing you in Sagara’s direction is that they’re reliable and established.

See, it’s a little hard to just recommend “Indonesian bootmakers” or “bootmakers from Bandung” (the scene’s hub in West Java) because if you don’t have a specific brand you’re looking for, you might wind up with a less than savory one. There are brands that are cheaper or faster, and that have even been putting out product and picking up good reviews for some time.

But the same was true of Monroe, Alvinos, Santalum, Daedalus, and Hidalgo until they picked up reputations for not fulfilling orders and keeping the customers’ money.

6. Grant Stone

The feat that Grant Stone has pulled off is incredible: make boots in China that are targeted at the discerning boot guy. It was an uphill battle for a long time, but eventually word of mouth won out: on the r/goodyearwelt subreddit, Grant Stone might get more positive coverage than even Viberg.

They make Goodyear welted boots with brand name leathers but they’ve really won over American crowds with a combination of excellent quality control, a wide array of widths and sizes, a fast-delivering distribution center in Michigan, and excellent customer service. Over e-mail or Instagram, Grant Stone is responsive and will send you multiple pairs of footwear in a week to make sure you get the size that’s right for you.

They’re also top of mind for keeping in stock a huge range of unusual leathers: kangaroo, bison, and ostrich leather are standouts. My favorite is the undyed kangaroo they used to sell on their Ottawa boots — no longer available, which is the rub here — but I got a pair of their flagship Diesel boots for my dad made from kudu, an antelope from East Africa.

Many of the leathers I’ve gushed about in the past, like that natural kangaroo or an ultra hairy suede loafer, aren’t sold anymore. But doing such limited offerings (while always keeping bestsellers in stock) does a great job of keeping their community hungry for more Grant Stone. More!

7. Unmarked

Unmarked is a Mexican brand that makes handlasted, stitchdown, Chromexcel service boots for $490. That’s pretty good.

When you string all those words together you might think of Viberg, the nearly-$900 service boot sold out of British Columbia, and I’m the first to tell you: they’re not quite as good as Viberg. The backstay on my boots was a little crooked and there were one or two other flaws that a Viberg customer would not have accepted.

But I’ll tell you what: the DB Hunter Cap Toe Boot is close to half the price of Viberg and at this pricepoint, you can be pretty dang happy about the quality you’re getting, even with the six-ish week wait time.

They also have an impressive array of models to choose from that can lure in many a skeptic, including bull shoulder monkey boots and natural vegetable tanned service boots made by hand welting. Yep, still under $500.

8. Parkhurst

Not many brands have had as rocky a journey as Parkhurst. They debuted in the late 2010s with the incredible hook of American-made Chromexcel boots with Dainite soles for under $300. It wasn’t long before founder Andrew Svisco learned why nobody else was doing that: it’s not a price that can sustain a business. So Parkhurst’s prices slowly creeped up.

They remained in good standing with the boot community and the lights remained on, but a series of upsets related to the Covid 19 pandemic led Parkhurst to close operations in New York and move manufacturing to Spain.

That might make it sound like Parkhurst is unrecognizable from its origins, but the DNA is still strong, here. The company specializes in handsome, sleek but not too sleek service boots with almond toes that don’t crowd your pinkies and a range of cool leathers that deftly balance classic and creative.

Now, look: they suck at keeping product in stock. It’s hard to recommend them too much because they’ll often go months without anything in your size. But if you’re patient and keep an eye on Instagram for drops, you can walk away with a boot made with blue elkskin, moose leather, purple Rambler, or just some of the nicest quasi-Chromexcel you’ll find under $400.

9. Meermin Mallorca

So much about Meermin is inexplicable: how do they offer so many boots in so many lasts with leathers from such well known tanneries at such low prices? We know they’re made in Shanghai, that’s fine, but still: the kind of value that Meermin offers really isn’t matched by anyone else.

The cordovan on their $375 service boots is off brand, sure, but otherwise you’ve got your pick from Stead suedes, Annonay calf, and more kudu than you can shake a stick at.

They’re probably best known for their whole cut Chelseas and their array of kudu models, but don’t look past their super light and flexible Goodyear welt that they achieve by swapping cork for foam.

Their loafers are no slouch either, but my favorite quality of Meermin is that they sell Chelseas in several different lasts, making it easier than ever to find a laceless boot that fits your foot.

And you’re very unlikely to spend over $300 on anything.

10. Red Wing Heritage

The best known American heritage boot brand remains a very good American heritage boot brand. The fact remains that if you want an American made, Goodyear welted boot, Red Wing Heritage offers very good value.

They haven’t been immune to inflation, but with their flagship Classic Moc and Iron Rangers still clocking in at under $350, you have to be thankful that this brand is so popular that they’ve been able to build an economy of scale that produces very cool boots, with firm spots in our very country’s culture, at reasonable prices.

They’ve had trouble attracting more business with new models — trying a new construction with an easier break in caused riots in comment sections — but my favorite development at the brand of late has to be the addition of a wide range of new leathers on the more streetwear-friendly Classic Moc.

Wrapping Up

That’s the article! Leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail if you get this far, because very few people Google boots under $500. But even though that’s the case, I think this is a pretty solid list of ten — what would you add?