Shopping for boots can be a painful, expensive, time-consuming process. You’re not just looking for some cheap kicks to wear to the gym. You need a pair of workhorse boots that can stand up to a snowstorm and still look good. Or you’re looking for something dressy that can work with your office slacks. Maybe you’re after a combination of the two, or something completely different. Most boot reviews are superficial or knee-jerk reactions that just aren’t that helpful.
In any case you’re going to be spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on these shoes, and you need to know you’re making the right buy for your own individual needs. Having grown up in subtropical Australia before moving to Manhattan, I had no idea what to wear when I was facing my first New York blizzard. I needed more than just sneakers and dress shoes. Finding the right pair of boots for me took a ton of research and outreach because just I couldn’t’ find anything like Stridewise.
Want to know how I rate boots? Check out the Stridewise.com boot review process.
Find Your Perfect Boot
Choosing the right boot shouldn’t be hard. Below are some of the most popular boots I’ve reviewed, broken down by category. And you better believe I’ll keep expanding this page.
The 5 Best Boots of All Time
Arranged by best overall, best moc toe, best chelsea, and more.
American Made Boots
Thursday Boot Company – Vanguard
Classic, Plain Toe Boots
Oak Street Bootmakers – Trench Boot
Dayton – Service Boot (Discount available)
Newer American Brands
Thursday Boot Company – Captain
Helm – Muller Boot (Discount available)
Helm – Zind Boot (Discount available)
Parkhurst – Delaware (Discount available)
Sutro – Alder (Discount available)
Sutro – Charlton (Discount available)
Oak Street Bootmakers – Lakeshore
Work Boots
Boots Over $500
Boots from Abroad
Bordon – Tukano (Colombia)
Dayton – Service Boot (Canada)
Urban Shepherd – Original (Portugal)
Viberg – Service Boot (Canada)
Tricker’s – Stow Boot (Great Britain)
Sagara – Legacy IX (Indonesia)
Santalum – Mile 85 (Indonesia)
Beckett Simonon – Dowler Cap Toe (Discount available)
Beckett Simonon – Douglas Jodhpur (Discount available)
Beckett Simonon – Gallagher (Discount available)
R.M. Williams – Comfort Craftsman (Australia)
Doc Martens – 1460 (Great Britain)
Edward Green – Galway (Great Britain)
Meermin – Chestnut Country Calf (Spain)
Comparisons
Alden Vs. Allen Edmonds Vs. Grant Stone
Thorogood Vs. Red Wing Vs. Chippewa
The Jack Erwin Chester
Dressier Boots
Allen Edmonds – Sullivan Street
Meermin – Chestnut Country Calf
Chelsea Boots
Thursday Boot Company – Cavalier
R.M. Williams – Comfort Craftsman
Helm – Holt (Discount available)
Suede Boots
Boot Conditioners (See My Top Picks)
Cobbler’s Choice Leather Conditioner
The Frye Jones Lace Up
Disclaimer: To keep the lights on, some (not all) of my reviews contain affiliate links. That simply means that if you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission for sending you there. This does not cost you any extra money whatsoever, it just means the origin of the sale is tracked back to Stridewise.
