Thursday Boots Review: 7 Boots Tested Over 7 Years

We’ve reviewed and compared dozens of Thursday Boot Company boots since the brand launched in 2014.

For over a decade, Thursday has been making resoleable, Goodyear welted boots that manage to be stylish, hardwearing, and extremely comfortable — plus, they keep most of their footwear under $200. Their popularity led to an ever-broadening range of men’s and women’s footwear, but now that there are so many options, it can be hard to find the perfect one for your style and needs.

So, we compiled our reviews of Thursday’s boots into one place to help you find the perfect boot.

The Thursday Boots We’ve Reviewed

1. Our Top Pick: The Captain
2. Thursday’s Rugged Chelsea Boot: The Legend
3. Made-in-America Thursday Boots: The Vanguard
4. Surprisingly Sleek Moc Toe: The Diplomat
5. Budget Dress Boots: The Cavalier
6. Stylish Western Boots: The Desperado
7. Rugged, Outdoorsy Thursday Boots: The Hero

1) Our Top Pick: Thursday Captain Boots

• Hybrid dress boot and work boot look for great versatility
• Poron insole and light weight make for great comfort relative to traditional work boots
• Rich, full-grain leather available in over a dozen colors
• As Thursday’s most popular boot the Captain has the most leathers and widths available
• Fantastic value at $199

I consider Thursday’s Captain Boot as one of the best boots available, and I review boots for a living. (Weird job, I know.)

When friends and family — in other words, normal people who aren’t obsessed with the industry — ask for a boot recommendation, I always suggest the Captain.

First and foremost, they’re Goodyear welted, meaning they’re water resistant and resoleable. For such a big brand, I’ve found the quality remarkably consistent across the multiple Captains I’ve owned. Plus, they’re under 200 bucks, which is unbelievably rare for a boot with this kind of construction and materials. Somehow, Thursday has been able to keep making boots without raising the price for over a decade.

On top of the durable construction and low price, I think they look great. They have a decorative toecap, reminiscent of old-timey work boots like Red Wing’s Iron Ranger or Wolverine’s 1,000 Mile boot, but the silhouette is sleeker, so The Captain is easier to wear with modern wardrobes and tapered jeans, with casual outfits like jeans and a t-shirt or smart casual with chinos and a button-up shirt. With a shinier leather, I can even see these working in a business casual environment (depending on the gig and office culture).

The comfort is also noteworthy. Unlike traditional work boots (like the pricier Red Wings), Thursday Boot Company combines old-fashioned materials like leather midsoles and cork filling with insoles made of modern EVA foam. This material, which is common in the sneaker industry, improves the shock absorption and reduces painful break ins that are common with heavier, chunkier boots.

Of course, some guys prefer the old fashioned construction of leather on leather, preferring to wear boots like their grandfather’s, and I can appreciate that. There’s nothing wrong with liking tradition. But it must be remembered that the foam is a big part of why Thursday is so darn popular: the average person prefers this construction because it makes a big difference in comfort, especially right out of the box.

Lastly, the Captain fits a wide range of feet, tastes, and styles. Thursday offers both wide and extra wide sizes in many of their leathers, and whether you want classic brown or a modern blue, you won’t find any brand with this many colors to choose from.

If you’re only going to own one pair of boots, these are it.

Who Should Buy the Captain Boot?

• Guys who want versatile boots; the Captains pull off “rugged” and “dressy” at the same time.
• You want durable, resoleable boots; you can put a new sole on Goodyear welted boots multiple times.
• Those who like have a choice of leathers; these stand out in Thursday’s lineup for their huge range of leathers.
• Men with wide feet; the Captain has the most options for both wide and extra wide.
• Anyone who appreciates value, $200 is a great price for a boot with a Goodyear welt construction.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Captain Boot?

• Guys who only buy American-made boots; for that you can check out the Vanguard.
• Anyone who needs functional boots for work; while durable, these aren’t built for work and don’t meet any ASTM standards.

2) Thursday’s Rugged Chelsea: The Legend

• Not too slim and with an outdoorsy sole, this is the bestselling of Thursday’s three Chelsea models
• Excellent construction: Goodyear welted with a very hardwearing sole
• Storm welted versions available for extra water resistance
• Available in several leathers and “WeatherSafe” suedes
• $199

Chelseas don’t have the same work boot origins as the other models we’ve discussed, and they’re often designed to be slim and dressy. It makes sense, then, that the extra casual Legend boot is Thursday’s bestselling Chelsea.

The market was clearly waiting for a Chelsea that dresses down: with oil tanned leather and meaty “StormKing” soles, the Legend is more rugged than their other two Chelseas, the smart casual Duke and the dressier Cavalier. While it looks beefier than either, Thursday simply put tougher leathers and a chunkier sole on the smart casual Duke. And that’s the appeal: it’s rugged, but refined.

The Legend is crafted with high-quality leathers on the “hardwearing” side of things: the “Rugged & Resilient” leathers are tanned with extra oils to make them more waterproof and require less care, and there are also WeatherSafe™ Suede options that offer the look of suede but with much higher stain and water resistance.

Not to mention, you can get Legend in two different constructions: a resoleable Goodyear welt or an even more water resistant (and still resoleable) storm welt.

Who should buy the Legend?

• Guys who want a more casual, outdoorsy Chelsea.
• Anyone who wants a Chelsea for foul weather; these have more waterproof construction and slip resistant soles than most models out there.
• Men who don’t want to worry about leather care; the Legend line emphasizes low-maintenance leather.
• You want out-of-box comfort with little break-in.
• Wide-footed guys; there are currently two Legends in wide widths

Who shouldn’t buy the Legend?

• Anyone who wants functional work Chelseas that meet ASTM standards, like some Blundstones.
• Guys who need a versatile Chelsea that dresses up easily.

3) Made-in-America Thursday Boots: The Vanguard

• Short service boot aesthetic
• Silhouette inspired by WW2 military boots with a more tapered toe
• Many American made leather options, like industry favorite Chromexcel
• Made in America
• $265

For the Vanguard, Thursday devised a model very similar to the Captain but a little shorter and with a slightly roomier toe. The idea was to refine the classic “service boot,” the low profile number worn by World War 2 servicemen. (Though actual service boots had much wider toes to accommodate as many foot types as possible.)

On a sliding dressiness scale, it’s not quite as sleek as the Captain and the leathers are more casual, but the Vanguard still more elegant than your standard, bulbous boots like Red Wing’s Iron Ranger or Thursday’s more traditional Hero boots.

For your choice of leather upper, the Vanguard’s lineup is casual. As their American-made boot, the offerings emphasize various shades of Chromexcel from Chicago’s Horween Leather Company, which is probably the industry’s most beloved boot leather. There are even a few kinds of waxed roughout leather, also from Horween — the Vanguard is definitely a boot to please the purist.

The Vanguard I reviewed is made with “Burnt Copper,” a popular option that’s just the right kind of gold. It aged wonderfully; l used them for over a year and even took them around Jordan and Lebanon, taking some footage you can see in the video review.

When comparing the Captain and Vanguard, the main thing to note is that it’s got a tiny bit more volume in the toe, it’s a hair shorter, but above all it doesn’t have wide widths and it comes in more casual leathers. And, of course, it’s totally made in the USA — even the laces, the shanks, the eyelets, and the Poron insole.

Who Should Buy the Vanguard?

• Guys who want a quality American-made boot at a low price; no one else stateside is making Goodyear welted wonders like this.
• Fans of American leather; the Vanguard has way more options from Chicago’s Horween than other boots from Thursday.
• People who want boots that look cooler with wear; the Chromexcel-heavy lineup, and in particular the waxed flesh options, are very well known for their patina.
• Men looking for something versatile, but leans casual; the shape and leathers selected for this model emphasize informal.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Vanguard?

• Guys with wider feet: unfortunately, there are no wider sizes available.
• People who want a super easy break in; the Vanguards are a little stiffer than the Captain.
• Anyone here because of Thursday’s “under $200” reputation (these are $265).
• Guys who want something as easy to dress up as the Captain; again, the Vanguard’s shape and leathers are more casual.

4) Thursday Moc Toe: The Diplomat

• Versatile moc toe because of its unusually low profile
• Great arch support
• Options of cream “wedge” sole or more versatile lug soles
• Durable leather that is also easy to care for

My first pair of good boots was Red Wing’s famous Classic Moc, and while the Red Wings are great boots, they’re $300, brutal to break in, and above all very casual. Indeed, with their traditionally chunky build and work boot origins, moc toe boots are usually considered the informal boot: a great way to make a casual outfit look more put together but impossible to dress up.

The Diplomat really stands out among other moc toes not just because of its low price but also its low profile: the toe is sleek and streamlined, and it makes a moc that, while not formal, is much less bulky and therefore easier to wear with more fitted trousers and smart casual looks than other mocs.

Moc toes are typically sol on white wedge soles like you see here, but another cool addition is the range of Diplomats made with more subtle lug soles. Couple that with the versatility and the Diplomat makes it far easier than other brands to find a moc for your individual style.

Beyond the price and aesthetics, the arch support is unusually strong for a Goodyear welted boot, even for a Thursday boot, and most of the leathers are from Thursday’s extra-easy-to-care-for Rugged and Resilient line, which makes sense given the moc toe’s casual DNA.

Who should buy the Diplomat?

• Guys who want a more casual boot than the Captain.
• Anyone who wants a moc toe that’s easier to wear smart casual than a burly work boot.
• Men who want solid arch support; the Diplomat has a stronger arch than most Thursdays.
• People who want a moc toe with the option of a wedge or lug sole.
• Guys with wider feet; several come in wide, though not extra wide like the Captain.

Who shouldn’t buy the Diplomat?

• Guys who like classic, chunky, work boot-style moc toe boots.
• People who get moc toes because they can easily fit your own insoles; again, there’s less volume in there than most.

5) Thursday’s Best Dress Boot: The Cavalier

• The most sleek and dressy Chelsea
• Ideal for both professional and smart casual wear
• No pull tabs, for a cleaner look
• $190

This company nails the modern, smart casual look better than any boot brand. They don’t do work boots and they don’t do dress boots, exactly. But they do do a dressy Chelsea boot, and it’s among the best on the market.

If you get one of the smooth leathers, the Cavalier can be the perfect first dress boot for guys who want to look professional but also want to be able to wear their boots with jeans after leaving the office.

Even though this boot is just $190, I think it holds its own against more expensive (and less flexible) competitors in the dress boot game, like Meermin. The Cavalier is great for guys who need something dressy — but don’t want to spend $400 and don’t want to be stuck with a boot they can only wear to the office. 

And the Cavalier isn’t so dressy that it can’t be worn with jeans, especially if you go with their most popular leather, which is actually this snuff suede I wore all over Spain last Winter.

Another thing I love about these Chelseas is that Thursday removed the pull tabs, so you don’t need to always make sure your trouser cuffs aren’t being stuck at the boots’ opening.

Who should buy the Cavalier?

• Men who want a dressier Chelsea that doesn’t break the bank, these are a steal at $190.
• Guys who want a boot they can both wear to the office and under jeans
• People who want longevity from their office footwear; the Goodyear welt gives these real longevity.
• Wide-footed guys; you’ve got several options with this model.

Who shouldn’t buy the Cavalier?

• Anyone who prefers all-leather soles on their dress boots; the Cavalier has rubber studs in the leather, which hampers the flexibility and breathability you get from leather soles.
• Guys who prefer pull tabs on their Chelsea boots.
• Men who want grippier boots; as a more formal option, low profile soles are the go-to here.

6) Classic Western Style: Thursday’s Desperado Cowboy Boots

• Great value for well-made, classic cowboy boots
• Tall, 13″ shaft that isn’t hard to wear under jeans
• Studded soles give more traction than traditional leather
• Resoleable and water-resistant Goodyear Welt construction

In 2023, Thursday branched out from their “city boot” origins into the classic Western boot, and they went all out with this 13-inch tall boot with a 1.5-inch stacked leather heel, their most popular Rugged and Resilient leathers, and they even decided to use two shanks.

Thursday also adds ornamental stitching, done by hand, with an eye-catching fleur-de-lis. While noticeable, it’s not over the top and is mostly hidden by your jeans or trousers. (Unless you’re tucking your pants into your boots, in which case: more power to you.)

When we reviewed the Desperado, we found the tall shaft was surprisingly easy to “hide” under jeans if we chose to, and the studded sole was grippy enough even to perform some light chainsawing in the garden.

Overall, these unassuming boots work with a wide range of casual, Western-adjacent styles like straight-leg jeans and a flannel shirt. Add some waxed canvas outwear from Filson or Huckberry to really top this off with a look that’d fit right in on Yellowstone.

The main concerns were the lack of wide widths (extra notable for a laceless cowboy boot) and we know some guys prefer leather soles for the breathability they offer in hot environments.

Who Should Buy the Desperado Cowboy Boot

• Guys who want low maintenance cowboy boots at a uniquely low price.
• Anyone looking to experiment with Western style without committing to a really over-the-top look.
• Folks who wear their boots hard; the Goodyear welt means these will last through many soles.
• Men who want studded soles on their cowboy boots instead of leather soles.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Desperado Cowboy Boot

• People who need wide widths.
• Guys who prioritize breathable boots: the leather lining and rubber soles mean these may not breathe as well as traditional cowboy boots in extreme heat.
• Folks who like rare and exotic leathers on their cowboy boots, like ostrich or lizard or even goat. There’s just cowhide here, pardner.

7) Rugged Thursday Boots: Hero

• Taller, rounder, and more of a classic combat boot look
• Unusual storm welt for extra water resistance
• Durable reinforced eyelets (no speed hooks)
• Hardwearing lugged sole that provides stability and extra grip
• Lots of boots for only $199

Yes, Thursday is best known for refining and popularizing the “dress boot-work boot hybrid” that can dress up and down more easily than classic, bulky boots.

But what if you kinda like classic, bulky boots? Then you’re the target audience for one of their newer models, the Hero, which takes its cues from fashionable combat boots like Dr. Martens.

These are taller and more outdoorsy than your typical Thursday boot, but retain their combo of Goodyear welts and Poron insoles that boost the comfort and durability ratio over many of their competitors. In fact, the Hero is another model constructed with a storm welt for extra weatherproofness. This means the welt is wider and curves up onto the boot’s upper to better keep out water and muck.

These have some similarities to classic combat boots like Solovair or Doc Martens insomuch as the toe is rounder and more bulbous than most Thursdays, they have eyelets and no speed hooks, a 6-and-a-half-inch height, a chunky 1.5-inch sole, and a pull tab on the back. They differ from Docs in that they don’t come in high-gloss leather or bright contrast stitching. This is why I called them “the grown up Dr. Martens” in my Hero boot review.

Who Should Buy the Hero Boot

• Ideal for guys who prefer chunkier, more traditional boots.
• Anyone looking for a solid sole that offers lots of grip and won’t wear down for years.
• Guys who appreciate having five durable leathers to choose from.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Hero Boot

• Outdoorsy guys who want functional hiking boots, the tongue isn’t gusseted, which reduces the water resistance, and there are no speed hooks.
• People who want a perfect Dr. Martens imitator, there are black leathers, but they’re not glossy. The Hero veers more in the “outdoorsy” direction.
• Guys looking for a versatile boot, you can’t wear these in smart casual situations.
  

Meet Our Experts

We interviewed Thursday Boot Co’s co-founder and CEO, Nolan Walsh, about sizing. We visited Mexico to see firsthand how Thursday makes boots and even visited the tanneries that make their leathers and suede. The other co-founder, Connor Wilson, walked us through their headquarters. Outside of the company, we’re probably the foremost experts on these boots.

(For the record, we’ve visited a ton of other brands’ factories and tanneries as well. Thursday is just one of many companies we’ve done deep dives on!)

Moreover, we’ve reviewed a ton of other boots on our blog and YouTube channel so we can compare Thursday’s boots to every other popular brand on the market, and we can confidently say these are some of the best value boots you can buy.

Wrapping Up

That’s our Thursday boots review! The company has plenty more models than this, but in this roundup, we decided to feature a range of models that we think best showcase what the brand offers and what they specialize in.

More than ten years after their founding, the company’s at a point where they no longer just sells city boots. Even if you need western or combat-style boots, there’s something here that’ll work for just about every guy, whether you’re looking for a versatile boot like the Captain, something you can dress up like the Cavalier, or a more outdoorsy style like the Legend or the Hero.