Where to Order Custom Boots: 7 Best MTO Boot Brands

Have you been dreaming of a boot that doesn’t exist? Well, you’re in luck!

Ordering custom boots online is actually not as difficult as it sounds, and there’s a bootmaker out there for just about anyone looking for anything, from a heavy work boot to flashy wedding wear or your third pair of moc toes.

Remember that custom boots take time to make, and they’re not easy to return, but we’ve got some options here that’ll be at your doorstep in under two months.

So, let’s dive into everything you’ll need to score the best boots from solid brands and the nuances you need to know before buying made-to-order personalized boots.

What are Custom Made to Order (MTO) Boots?

Custom made-to-order boots differ from your average mall brands or mass-produced brands because they’re not ready-to-wear boots.

Each of the companies I’m listing makes the boots once you’ve placed the order. Because they’re being made for you instead of coming off a shelf, these brands give you extra control over how the boot will be made.

Whether you want pink leather for a wedding or you need ice-gripping soles for winter work, you’ve got options here.

The boots I’ve chosen boots fall into three major camps:

• Snappy boots for casual or formal wear
• Solid work boots
• Boots for ‘Boot Guy’ who are part of a community that prefers really rare materials and construction methods.

Custom Boots Pros

• Personalization and customization
• Handy for guys with mismatched foot sizes
• Often more environmentally friendly than mass-produced boots (less warehouse storage, etc)
• Rarer materials and construction methods available

Custom Boots Cons

• Longer waits, it takes time to make a custom boot, from 1 to 18 months
• Sometimes more expensive than mass-produced boots 
• No guarantee you can return these boots, and you can’t try these boots on

My Experience Buying Custom Leather Boots Online

I’ve bought over 100 pairs of boots. Most aren’t made-to-order, but many are, from large-ish brands like Nicks to small makers in Asia and elsewhere.

I’ve bought custom boots online at least a dozen times from fantastic companies in the United States, Guatemala, and Indonesia, as well as every company on this list. (Except Wesco. You’ll see why.)

So, I’ve got a bit of background here, and I’m pumped to share my favorite made-to-order boots.

Best Custom Boots: Idrese 

• Price: Typically under $400
• Wait time: Less than a month
• Very customizable: lots of fun materials like pink linen and leopard prints

Idrese stands out for its quick turnaround and affordability relative to the other boots on the list, with most footwear priced under $400. They offer remarkable customization options, from exotic materials like blue leopard print and Scottish tartan to all manner of leathers, roughouts, and suedes, plus functional options like storm welts and various soles.

I custom ordered a brown, roughout Chelsea with a storm welt and Ridgeway sole, which they now sell as the ‘Shadbolt.’ Value and a wide range of styles make Idrese an excellent choice for those on a budget seeking quick, personalized footwear.

Who Should Order Idrese Boots

• Guys looking for faster delivery of their boots
• Those who don’t want to pay over $400
• Individuals interested in a wide range of materials and styles, from traditional leathers to unique options like leopard print or Scottish tartan
• Anyone seeking a blend of functional and stylish customizations, such as storm welts or special soles

Who Shouldn’t Order Idrese Boots

• Those who prefer hardwearing work boots
• Guys looking for unusual construction methods like stitchdown or Norvegese

Most Flashy Custom Boots: Taft x You

• Price: ~$350
• Wait times: 5-6 weeks
• Very stylish: Popular for weddings

Taft is a go-to for boots with flair. I own their flagship Jack boots, but their ‘Taft X You‘ program allows you to express your own designs. Pick everything from the leather type and add unique details like dragonfly prints or personalized initials. 

While having a slightly longer wait time than Idrese (5- or 6-weeks) Taft’s pricing a little more competitive, usually $350 – $375. Idrese has them beat on the range of options, but Taft has great variety as well, and some patterns (like floral printed leather) you won’t find elsewhere. 

Who Should Order Taft Boots

• Fashionable guys looking for eye-catching, creative designs in their footwear.
• Anyone who wants a mix of affordability and unique style.
• Guys who want wide widths.
• Individuals seeking extensive customization, including fabric choices like tweed or tartan, and personalized touches like initials.

Who Shouldn’t Order Taft Boots

• Customers in need of highly specialized or work-specific boots.
• Those who want any construction other than Goodyear welts.
• Buyers who require extremely fast turnaround times.

Toughest Custom Boots: JK Boots 

• Price: Starts at $600
• Wait times: 14-16 weeks, 9 weeks if you pay extra
• Focus on practical but customizable work boots

JK Boots offers rugged, Pacific Northwest-style work boots with a quicker turnaround time than the other work brands on this list. You can bet on receiving your boots in 4 months or less, and if you pay extra, they’ll get to you in nine weeks.

They focus on work boots for loggers, firefighters, and linemen, and construction workers. If you’re keen on something closer to a lifestyle or casual boot, check out the Forefront. 

Who Should Order JK Boots Custom Boots

• Workers needing tough boots for challenging environments
• Guys who like extra thick leather, JK’s clocks in over 3mm
• Buyers looking for custom boots made in America that won’t take a year to arrive 
• Those who need cold-weather boots

Who Shouldn’t Order JK Boots

• People looking for urban, fashion-forward boot designs
• Customers who prioritize lightweight footwear with no break in

Best Custom Work Boots: Nicks Handmade Boots

• Price: Over $600
• Wait times: Up to 35 weeks
• Built for work: durable and tough

The strength of Nicks custom boots is less about a range of bizarre materials you can choose or having different leathers for different panels and more about how damn tough they are, how many styles of work boots you can customize, and the fact they’re USA made.

Nicks offers a very wide range of work boots for everyone from firefighters to linemen to city guys who just like the feeling of extra tough casual boots. (That’d be the Robert or Urban Logger, FYI.)

You can pick from about two dozen kinds of leathers, several shaft heights, toe structure, speed hooks, edge color, toe cap, sole type, and a couple of other elements.

Because they’re made with a ton of leather, the old-fashioned way, and in the United States, prices will be over $600, and the wait can take as long as 8 months. (Order in late spring, that’s their slower period.) 

Who Should Order Custom Nicks Boots

• People in need of durable, functional work boots that can withstand heavy use
• Buyers who require a wide range of sizes, especially wide-foot options
• Those willing to invest in high-quality, American-made boots with a higher price point
• Guys who want more leather options

Who Shouldn’t Order Custom Nicks Boots

• Fashion-forward buyers looking for trendy or avant-garde styles
• People who need boots in under 6 months 
• Anyone who wants comfort over durability, these are heavy and break in slowly
• Those on a tight budget, as Nicks boots are a significant investment

Most Customizable Work Boots: Wesco 

• Price: Over $800
• Wait times: Up to 18 months
• Tons of customizations: Everything from stitching to the gusset leather

Wesco, another American work boot brand, is known for its meticulous craftsmanship, but the wait time is significant: up to eighteen months, and once you’re done customizing, the price will likely be closing in on a thousand bucks.

But you have more options for customizing than Nicks: more soles (like one made for gripping ice), different leathers for different panels, choosing your own thread color, and quite a lot more.

Pricing easily exceeds $800, making Wesco more suitable for those who prioritize exceptional build quality and are willing to wait.

Who Should Order Wesco Boots

• Individuals who want the most customizable work boots in America 
• Buyers willing to wait longer and invest more for a premium product
• Those who need heavy duty work boots for a range of conditions and OSHA requirements

Who Shouldn’t Order Wesco Boots

• Customers looking for a quick turnaround: Wesco has an 18-month wait
• Budget-conscious shoppers, as Wesco boots are priced in the higher range
• Those who prefer lightweight or more fashion-centric boot styles

Best Fitting Custom Boots: Carmina Shoemaker

• Price: ~$530-1100
• Wait times: ~60 days
• Tons of leathers, including Cordovan, box calf, and exotic leathers

Heading across the pond we’re looking at one of Europe’s premier luxury shoemakers, Carmina, located on the island of Mallorca, Spain.

Carmina has established itself as a go-to brand for dress boots since its founding in 1866, and the family’s fifth generation still manages them.

Carmina’s custom boots stand out for their extensive and luxurious customization options, including very sought-after leathers like cordovan from Chicago’s Horween and reptile, but their bread and butter is calfskin, offering a huge range that includes Box Calf, Vegano, Museum, Funchal, and Vitello.

Overall, their boot designs fall into the “European style” camp and thus lean sleek and dressy, but perhaps the most impressive feature is you can choose from thirty different lasts. This is more than any on this list. 

Suffice it to say, you’ll find something that works for your foot, including triple E lasts for wide-footed guys.

Who Should Order Carmina Custom Boots

• Those who appreciate the finer details of traditional European shoemaking and seek a blend of luxury and craftsmanship.
• People who have a precise shape of a boot in mind: you have 30 lasts to choose from.
• Anyone who wants more calfskin options than they thought possible.
• Chelsea lovers; Carmina’s world famous for theirs.

Who Shouldn’t Order Carmina Custom Boots

• Budget-conscious shoppers, Carmina’s price range might be a bit steep.
• If your style leans more towards casual and rugged, Carmina’s dressier leathers might not align with your preferences.

Best High End Custom Boots: Indonesia

• Price: $400-800
• Wait times: Variable depending on brand; usually 1 to 6 months
• Fantastic value: Whatever boot you get, it’d cost twice as much if made in America

Indonesia is where boot guys get their custom boots. It’s hard to summarize high-end bootmaking in a short space; suffice it to say there are unusually expensive and laborious leathers and construction methods that are rare because, well, they’re pricy, and most people aren’t boot hobbyists who see their value.

A good example is the Cordmaster boot from Sagara Bootmaker in Bandung, Indonesia. 

The leather is very thick, vegetable-tanned, undyed, and horsebutt  — every one of those qualities is rare because the average dude is happy with brown cow leather.

We run through a bunch of them in this guide to Indonesian boot brands. Still, some of the most respected are Sagara (extra well-known for cordovan and monkey boots), Briselblack (Chelseas and laceless styles), Onderhoud (service boots and boondocks, but hard to buy), Winson (dressier footwear), Fortuna, and Junkyard.

They’ll take a good few months, maybe six, to make boots that would cost four figures if made stateside. If you want a shorter wait, newer and hungrier brands like Jakkrabits and Fortis can probably get you your boots in under two months.

Prices are usually between $400 to $800, with those newer brands charging less and moving faster because they haven’t yet built the reputation or clientele.

Who Should Order Indonesian Boots

• Guys who want rare leathers and materials found on more expensive boots
• Anyone looking for unique styles and amazing construction at a great price
• Really, any guy who wants any kind of boot and is happy to wait; if you send them the specs of any boot, they’ll make it for you

Who Shouldn’t Order Indonesian Boots

• People uncomfortable with ordering off of Instagram or WhatsApp; most of these guys don’t have websites.

Conclusion

Once your boots actually arrive, you’ll see what we mean about how special the feeling is of wearing unique boots made to your specs. From Idrese‘s quick and affordable options to the Pacific Northwest’s rugged offerings, we have zero doubt there’s a brand on this list that will make what you’re looking for. Hope you found your perfect customizable boots featured on this list!

Is it possible to get custom shoes made?

Yes, you can get custom-made shoes and sneakers online; Idrese and Taft can craft a wide range of shoes and sneakers for men and women. Wesco and Nicks have fewer options.

How do you measure for custom boots?

Wesco has a custom fitting card you can print out and send them measurements of your feet. Adalante has virtual fittings. Nicks has a DIY sizing guide online. Neither Taft nor Idrese have printable sizing charts, but both have great customer support.

How long does it take to make a custom pair of boots?

None of these companies keep thier custom boots in stock, they create these boots when you order them. The wait time is generally 1 to 18 months.