He Owns 60 Western Boots; Here’s his top 5

I recently met up with boot collector and YouTuber C.J. Cook, who has an incredible collection of over sixty cowboy boots. (Although C.J. prefers to call them Western boots because he is not a cowboy.)

He and I have known each other for years, regularly crossing paths in New York’s niche of boot nerds, but he’s changed, man. When I first met him he was all about Red Wing boots, even starring in my video guides to the brand. But after falling in love with the ease and convenience of laceless footwear, he’s becoming a die hard Western boot collector.

Reluctantly, he managed to select his five favorites for the video below.

Stridewise (SW): Before we start, why Western boots?

CJ: I love that they are pull-on; they’re so easy. And the second thing is the silhouette. When you have them on with a nice pair of trousers, they just look so good.

Defining Western Boot Styles: Cowboy, Roper, and Peewee

• Cowboy Boots (Standard Western): Typically feature a 13-inch shaft, a 1.5-inch riding heel (angled for stirrups), and often a pointed toe.
• Roper Boots: Designed for groundwork, these have a shorter shaft, a rounded toe, and a shorter “walking heel.”
• Peewee Boots: A hybrid style with the pointed toe and riding heel of a cowboy boot but with a shorter shaft, similar to a roper.

SW: Let’s cover a quick glossary. There are three main types of Western boots we’re looking at today, right?

CJ: That’s right. First, you have your standard Western boot, often just called a “cowboy boot.” Western boots typically have a 13-inch shaft, a pointed toe, and an inch-and-a-half riding heel, meaning that the heel is angled to help grip stirrups.

SW: The next type is the “roper”. What are the standard features of a roper boot?

CJ: The roper has a rounder toe, a shorter shaft, and a shorter “walking heel.” Not all Western boots are for riding horses; the roper is more geared for walking.

The riding heels of a typical Western boot are made to dig into stirrups, while ropers are for the guys on the ground, literally roping animals. They need that extra stability of a flatter heel.

SW: And then there’s a third type that’s sort of in between?

CJ: Yes, the peewee. The peewee is a hybrid of the standard Western and the roper. It has the riding heel and the pointed toe of a cowboy boot but with a shorter shaft.

SW: So, to recap: the standard Western boot often has a pointed toe and taller shaft, ropers have a rounded toe and walking heel, and the peewee mixes those features with a pointed toe, riding heel, and a shorter shaft.

CJ: Precisely!

Understanding Western Boot Stitching

SW: Another thing to point out about Western boots is the embellishments. There are a couple of main kinds, is that right?

CJ: That’s right. You have decorative stitching, which can be like squiggly lines.

Then there’s cording, which involves an actual rope — literally a cord — underneath the leather. That creates a 3D effect on the shaft.

SW: And these patterns aren’t just for show.

CJ: Right. People see these patterns sewn into the shaft, whether it’s the 3D cording or the more 2D stitching, and think it’s purely decorative. We even called it decorative just now! But it actually serves a purpose: it helps to keep the shaft from collapsing.

SW: That’s also why you’ll see stitching on the vamp (the area over the top of the foot) to help keep that area from collapsing too. It’s functional.

Arguably, you need it, even if you’re not into decorative touches. The stitching is sort of a loophole where guys get to play more with decoration and embellishment, with the defense of, “No, no, I need it because it has a functionality!”

Cowboy Boot Stitching Patterns

• Decorative Stitching: Simpler patterns, like intricate lines, add visual appeal to the boot’s shaft and vamp.
• Cording: A more complex technique where a cord is run underneath the leather, creating a raised, 3D textured effect on the shaft.
• Functional Support: Beyond aesthetics, stitching (both decorative and cording) on the shaft and vamp provides structural integrity, helping to prevent the leather from sagging or collapsing over time.

The Deal with Leather Soles

• Traditional Choice: Leather soles are the conventional option for most Western boots.
• Breathability: They are favored for allowing the feet to breathe, which is a big plus in hot climates.

SW: When we talk about traditional Western boots, they usually have leather soles, don’t they?

CJ: They do. A big reason is that leather soles breathe better, especially in the heat.

CJ’s Top Five Western Boots

SW: Okay, we have 60 pairs of boots here, and C.J. is going to walk us through his top five. How easy was it to pick your favorites?

CJ: It was extremely difficult to land on just five.

SW: One thing to note about C.J. is that his favorite brand of Western boots is Rios of Mercedes.

CJ: That’s right. The company is in Mercedes, Texas – hence, Rios of Mercedes.

SW: Now, when people see a man as good-looking and telegenic as C.J., they might think, “this guy gets boots for free, and he’s getting paid to talk about them.”

So, we want to be very clear: Rios of Mercedes is so not paying us for this that they don’t even have a website where you can buy stuff directly.

CJ: (Laughs) If you like them, you’ve got to hunt them down. You have to plug in your zip code on their site to find a store near you.

SW: So, we’re about to say a lot of nice things about Rios, but you should know, no money is changing hands. Unless they want to send me a check! I’ll take it.

CJ: (Laughs) Fair enough! Let’s start with number five. Or actually, I want to start with the boot I currently wear the most.

Boot 5: Rios of Mercedes Work Boot (Rust)

CJ: It’s the Rios of Mercedes work boot with a mini lug sole, a walking heel, and a round toe. So it’s a roper. They’re super comfortable, which is probably why I’m wearing them the most right now. They have a roughout vamp and a nubuck shaft.

SW: So, this one deviates from the traditional leather sole?

CJ: Yes. One thing I really love about Rios of Mercedes is that they often come with a comfort insole.

SW: Is this an off-the-rack boot they sell, or was it custom-made?

CJ: No, they sell this boot. The vamp is bovine roughout, and the shaft is nubuck.

SW: A lot of people get confused between nubuck versus suede and suede versus roughout. Suede is when the leather’s been split, giving you those fleshy fibers. But the fleshy fibers on this roughout are because it’s the regular thick leather, just turned inside out. Nubuck, on the other hand, is usually full-grain leather that’s been sanded down to create that soft nap.

CJ: Yeah. I didn’t realize nubuck could be so durable. I have custom-made turquoise nubuck boots, and they are both eye-catching and durable.

Rios of Mercedes Work Boot (Rust):

• Sole & Heel: Features a robust mini lug sole and a comfortable walking heel, designed for everyday wear.
• Materials: Made with a durable roughout leather vamp and a contrasting nubuck shaft.
• Comfort: Includes a built-in comfort insert, a hallmark of many Rios of Mercedes boots.

Boot 4: Rios of Mercedes Custom Peewee (SB Foot Leather)

SW: Alright, what’s next on the list?

CJ: The next one on the list is a Custom Peewee from Rios of Mercedes. These can be called peewees because the shaft is about 10 inches versus the typical 13-inch shaft on a standard Western.

It has a shorter shaft, but it maintains the Western riding heel and a pointy toe, unlike ropers, which usually have walking heels and round toes.

This particular pair is made of S.B. Foot Tanning leather. I actually purchased the leather at the Red Wing flagship store.

SW: That’s fascinating! C.J. is one of the most avid fans of Red Wing boots in the world and Red Wing Heritage, the American boot brand, owns its own tannery: S.B. Foot.

All Red Wing Heritage boots use S.B. Foot leather, but not many people know that S.B. Foot also sells leather to other makers, including some really high-end ones, like Iron Boots.

CJ: I went to the Red Wing flagship in New York, and they had some pieces of scrap leather. I asked if I could get a deal on it, and they gave me one and I had these boots made from it. Nubuck on the top and roughout on the vamp, like some of the others; neither are full grain but both are super tough.

SW: How did you get a similar color if one part is nubuck and the other is roughout?

CJ: It’s the same leather. The hide itself was a nubuck hide; I just had them use both sides. The other side of nubuck is also fuzzy. This specific leather is called Copper Abilene from S.B. Foot.

SW: So you got a greasy-palmed, under-the-table deal on some funky leather leather, and found someone to take your contraband leather and turn it into a boot?

CJ: Yes! Her name is Jalen, from Planet Cowboy out of Nashville. If you find some funky leather, she’ll make you some custom pieces. Absolutely amazing.

SW: And you design the rest of the boot?

CJ: I do. I draw it out and send the drawing to them.

Rios of Mercedes Custom Peewee (SB Foot Leather):

• Leather: Crafted from unique Copper Abilene S.B. Foot leather, with a nubuck top and roughout vamp.
• Style: Classic peewee design featuring a 10-inch shaft, a traditional Western riding heel, and a pointed toe.
• Origin: A truly custom pair, made by Planet Cowboy using leather that CJ personally sourced from the Red Wing flagship store.

Boot 3: Lucchese Charles (Caiman Belly)

SW: What’s number three?

CJ: Lucchese. Caiman belly, in this beautiful in black cherry: equal parts black and red. These are so, so sick. I wear these to weddings, I wear these to funerals.

SW: I’m glad you included these because you can’t have a Western boot video without talking about Lucchese. And you can’t really have a Western boot video without discussing exotic leathers, either. What’s it like wearing caiman?

CJ: The thing about caiman is it doesn’t really stretch. How it feels when you get it is probably how it’s going to feel permanently. I probably should have gotten these in an E width, but they’re a D width. I remember walking in the rain once, thinking, “I hope these stretch a little bit.” They didn’t. Caiman is tough.

SW: Many people wonder about the differences between animal leathers. The way a leather is tanned makes a huge difference, and you can have a hundred types of cowhide with different characteristics. But the animal itself also makes a big difference, especially when you go outside of mammals.

Lucchese Charles (Caiman Belly):

• Exotic Leather: Features genuine caiman belly, known for its distinct texture, durability, and rigidity.
• Shaft Detail: Showcases intricate cording on the shaft, which provides both structural support and a sophisticated aesthetic.
• Color & Versatility: The rich black cherry color allows these boots to be paired with a wide range of outfits.

Boot 2: Rios of Mercedes x Planet Cowboy’s CJ Blues

CJ: My second favorite is another pair of Rios of Mercedes. These are the “CJ Blues,” a collaboration I did with Rios of Mercedes and Planet Cowboy. I designed everything about this. This is a cowhide.

SW: So, Rios doesn’t sell on their own site; they sell through stores. And a bit like Alden, they’ll sometimes do collaborations with stores. This is one that you designed, so you’re making a bunch of money talking about it in this video, right?

CJ: (Laughs) No, I honestly didn’t make any money on this. It’s not that sophisticated of an operation.

SW: Are they still sold in the store?

CJ: No, but if you guys wanted one of these, Jalen at Planet Cowboy would do another order of them.

SW: What inspired you to come up with this actual design?

CJ: Navy can sometimes be a turn-off for some in Western boots; you can’t really wear black denim with a navy boot in my opinion.

SW: I agree, though I’m sure most guys don’t care.

CJ: I was mostly thinking of wearing these with blue jeans, I thought that would look really cool. I think navy is a great transition color because you could wear it from day to night. Meanwhile, this cream-colored element here is called a “dress white.” I thought it would look really, really cool with cuffed selvedge denim, having that white detail.

SW: I love it.

Rios of Mercedes x Planet Cowboy’s CJ Blues:

• Collaboration: A custom boot designed by CJ in partnership with Rios of Mercedes and Planet Cowboy, known as the “CJ Blues.”
• Design Elements: Crafted from navy cowhide, these boots feature a distinctive “dress white” accent on the shaft, intended to pair well with cuffed denim.
• Inspiration: Aimed for a transitional style suitable for both day and night wear, with a focus on complementing blue jeans.

Boot 1: Rios of Mercedes Chief Boots (Caiman and Horse Leather)

SW: And now, number one! Your current favorite pair of boots. As a boot fan, obviously, your favorite boot changes by the second. But what’s your absolute favorite right now?

CJ: It has to be these right here — these Chief boots.

SW: These are pretty sick! Walk us through these leathers.

CJ: This is has Cayman belly on the vamp with a horse leather shaft, featuring a beautiful, ornate Native American chief head. And these are Rios of Mercedes, so they do have that comfort insert.

SW: What’s the story behind their creation? Why this synergy of a Native American chief, horse leather, and caiman?

CJ: So, RRL (Ralph Lauren’s heritage brand) and Rios of Mercedes have a great relationship. RRL once came out with a similar boot that was made in cowhide rather than caiman, and I think the owner of the Beverly Hills West store saw those and said, “I’m just going to tweak it and put caiman belly on it.”

SW: We’ve touched on caiman. What’s it like to wear a horse leather Western boot?

CJ: When you tell people it’s horse, everyone’s kind of like, “Ugh,” they turn their face a bit.

SW: Oh yeah.

CJ: But these are mustang, wild American horses. And the leather has been washed, a way of processing it to make it softer than the usual super rigid horsebutt that some boot guys are used to. I was surprised how soft this horse leather is.

SW: This underscores what we were saying earlier: how soft a leather is can have as much to do with how it’s processed as what animal it comes from. Horsehide has a reputation for being thick and tough because if you want it to be thick and tough, you can make it thicker and tougher than any cowhide. But it’s not always going to be that way.

Rios of Mercedes Chief Boots (Cayman and Horse):

• Premium Materials: Combines an exotic caiman belly vamp with a surprisingly soft, washed horse leather shaft.
• Unique Design: Features a striking, ornate Native American chief head embellishment on the shaft.
• Comfort & Heritage: Includes the Rios of Mercedes signature comfort insert and is inspired by a similar design from a Double RL collaboration.

Honorable Mention: Summer Boots

SW: That’s the top five! But we wanted to do an honorable mention as well. These are your summer boots?

CJ: These Anderson Bean Ropers are my summer boots! I wear boots all year round, no matter how hot it is. And these are a roughout without any dye, which makes them very breathable. So, it’s natural, 100% natural.

SW: You know, I didn’t realize that not dyeing it makes it more breathable, but I guess it makes sense. What’s the deal with Anderson Bean?

CJ: This is a sub-brand of Rios of Mercedes.

SW: I love it. Fantastic.

SW: That wraps up our list! Once again, C.J.’s favorites change every second, as any boot collector‘s do. Nonetheless, those are his current top five.

Definitely subscribe to C.J.’s YouTube channel if you want to get close looks at the rest of his amazing collection.