best boots under 200

Dievier is a new boot company based in San Diego that's managing to bring something new to the table: resoleable moc toes that are even cheaper than Thursday Boot Company. At the moment, the young brand only offers one style: the Nomad. This is a Goodyear-welted moc-toe boot that has a sleek design, a lightweight build, and is extremely affordable. Currently sitting at only $170, there is virtually no widely accessible brand that sells products at this price point. I tried out two of Dievier's Nomads: one in green ("Forest") Crazy Horse leather and one in tan ("Olive") Waxed Suede, and here is what you should know before buying a pair. Who Should Buy Dievier Nomads? People who are looking for an affordable boot; as stated above, there are practically no other Goodyear-welted boots that you can buy for under $200 dollars post-tax. Guys who like longevity; like all Goodyear-welted boots, the Nomad can be re-soled an infinite amount of times. For people who like old fashioned comfort; this boot has a layer of cork, leather insoles, and a leather midsole that will mold to the contour of your feet. Who Should Not Buy Dievier Nomads? People who exclusively buy 'Made In America' products; these boots are made in Leon, the shoemaking capital of Mexico. People who prefer heavy boots; these are lightweight, reflecting the low price. People who have wide feet; these boots only come in one standard width. Guys who prefer chunkier boots; the Nomad has a real flat forefoot. Dievier Nomad Boot Design Sleek silhouette with a low profile toe box Comes in six leathers: half crazy horse, half waxed suede 360-degree Goodyear welt Polyurethane sole with slip & oil resistant properties The Nomads are a true moc-toe design, meaning that the toe-box consists of two pieces of leather stitched together. Some brands just put a decorative U-shaped stitch on the toe instead of actually sewing two pieces together. That's not to say one design is better than the other, it really comes down to your preference. My initial impressions of these boots were that they were very sleek: they are one of the lowest-profile moc-toe boots on the market. Depending on what you're looking for, this could be a great feature or a detrimental one. One thing's certain: it stands out in the industry. Their slim design pairs well with tapered jeans but also complements wider pants elegantly. I've worn these boots both ways and especially with looser pants, the Nomads give off a Chuck Taylor vibe due to how tight you can sinch the uppers using the speed hooks. If you're someone who wants a fashion boot that looks like a work boot, then the Nomads might be what you're after. But if you are someone who needs work boots that look like fashion boots, then they probably aren't going to be your best option: they're not robust enough for work, nor do they pretend to be. The lower profile streamline toe will not offer a lot of protection. With that said though, these boots can still take a beating and will function nicely if your job doesn't involve heavy debris falling on your feet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vjtw-6PutYL4 Leather Options Currently, Dievier offers six different colorways for the Nomad: three Crazy Horse options and three waxed suede options. All are lined with white glove leather. The upper leather is fairly thick: even though the Nomads are lined, the boot feels relatively light. The suede versions are definitely made up of thinner leather but they sizing is also more forgiving Leather Thickness Dievier's Crazy Horse leather upper is approximately 2.5mm thick Dievier's waxed suede upper is approximately 1.4 - 1.6 mm thick Dievier's liner and insoles are roughly 0.8-1mm thick Something that is worth mentioning is that while all makeups use a double midsole made of Vachetta leather, the second layer of leather in the wax suede versions are dyed black to match the outsole. What is Crazy Horse Leather? Crazy Horse leather is a term used to categorize a leather that is traditionally used to make horse saddles. This is because it's very waxy and oily, making it particularly rugged and water resistant. It is a pull up leather, meaning there are so many oils and waxes in the leather that as you wear it, the oils and waxes move around the inside of the leather, creating a "two-tone" effect of light and dark areas. Dievier's Crazy Horse Leather Colorways Charcoal: This leather has a dark gray-black color. The stitching is done with black threads. Forest: This leather has a rich olive color that will lighten and darken in various spots. The stitching is done with a lighter olive thread. Expresso-"This leather has a lighter gray color with hints of brown and resembles the color of an elephant. The stitching is done with a contrasting brown thread. What is Waxed Suede? Suede with wax on it! Full-grain leather is split down the middle to make suede, which is thinner and has exposed fibers from the flesh: that's the "fuzz" on suede. We picked up the habit of waxing suede when we want the stain-prone material to be a little hardier and more water resistant. One advantage of waxed suede is that it rarely picks up any scratches and any stains or grime can be removed easily with a suede brush or hidden with an additional coat of wax. Waxed Suede Leather Colorways Olive: This is a light olive color that has hints of brown and yellow. The stitching is done with a light brown thread. Midnight: This leather has a matte black color. The stitching is done with black thread. Cognac: This leather has a copper-brown color. The stitching is done with a similarly brown thread. Construction Goodyear welted for durability and ease of resoling Cork footbed Leather insole Leather midsole No shank Polyurethane outsole The Nomads are 360-degree Goodyear-welted, meaning the welt circles the entire perimeter of the boot. (Many brands use a 270-degree welt for a sleeker look at the heel.) The benefit of a Goodyear welt is that it makes your boots repairable, resoleable, and extremely water resistant. The construction of these boots includes a surprising amount of leather: both the insole and midsole are leather, which is shocking given the price, though it's worth noting they're fairly thin. With time, the layers of leather will conform to the shape of your foot. What's great about having a cork footbed on top of the insole for your leather insole is that this material acts as an insulator, protecting your feet from cold and heat. It also has shock-absorbing properties that will make walking in them less strenuous. (This might sound strange to 20-somethings, but wait til you've got 40-something knees — they know when your footwear is shock-absorbing or not!) Finally, the outsole is a black lightweight oil and slip-resistant wedge sole made of polyurethane, as opposed to the natural crepe rubber that's more popular. But in a sea of boots made using white crepe, this black wedge is refreshing to see. It might seem a tad less "streetwear" than a white sole, but it certainly hides dirt and scuffs better! https://www.youtube.com/watch?vSvpFcM-gkhc Dievier Nomad Boot Sizing Order your true size The Nomad fits true to your Brannock size. Most boot brands run large, requiring you to size down: Red Wing, Wolverine, and Grant Stone are all popular brands in which someone with an 11.5-sized foot will need to order an 11. In Dievier, though, he'd go with his "true size" of 11.5. Dievier offers the boot in men's sizes 7.5 to 13 and while that is a good selection of sizes, they're only offered in D width. The brand states that if you have wide feet, you should order a half-size larger. Why Are Dieviers So Cheap? Just how can Dievier price their products so low and still turn in a profit? One obvious answer to this question is that they're made in Mexico where labor costs are cheaper, but $199 seems to be the threshold for a company to make a profit — and sometimes that's too low even for a big company to handle. That's why Wolverine had to discontinue their BLVD line. Dievier makes their boots in ultra-small batches, so once a model becomes sold out, you will have to wait until they are restocked. That helps to keep costs down, but the real reason is that the materials aren't world class, nor should you expect them to be at this pricepoint. The leather midsole is quite flimsy and the boots are overall quite lightweight. They also keep some of their components' origins a mystery. For example, instead of using a well-established Vibram crepe sole, Dievier opted for an alternative with no mention of where they source it from. The tannery that they partner with is also unnamed, which is never a good sign for its reputation. Are Dievier Nomads Worth It? But costing just $170 before taxes and shipping, and $160 for the waxed suede, Dievier Nomads are absolutely worth it. These are the cheapest Goodyear-welted boots made with full-grain leather that I've found. While lightweight, they're well-built for the cost and should last a long time with some occasional TLC. Dievier is constantly updating its catalog and introducing new limited runs on specific colors, so if this boot piques your interest, keep an eye on their site!