Leather Boot Reccomendations
I'm sure this has been asked plenty of times. I've done a handful of research into leather boots and it appears for decent quality, entry level boots, Thursday Boots is a brand that comes up often.
I really like Thursday's Presedential line but I'm looking for recommendations of similar style boots that may be considered higher quality.
175 Replies
From what I've heard, Thursdays don't live up to the hype
The definitive reddit boot brand
thursday quality fell off super hard, try red wings
I wouldn't want to get boots from a company that thought this was a good idea
That is very true lol
I was reading this too. I'll take a look at red wings
I have looked at allen edmonds, red wing, beckott simonon, and grant stone - the presidential is my favourite looking model. It's frustrating as it seems the consensus is all the other brands are considered better quality. Was hoping to see some other brands that I'm missing.
Have you seen them in person?
iirc Thursday spends a LOT on advertising
Thats my problem, Canada is rough to see a lot of those in person, especially my city
Where are you in canada?
Im located in Toronto myself so theres a few nice boot spots
Next time I go to Toronto I plan to check a few places out
Live a few hours away from there now
I’m not a boot expert but the one time I actually touched thursdays they felt cheap and plasticy compared to the red wing and Allen Edmonds I own.
Good to know
You could try Meermin which I know some people like https://meermin.com/collections/mens-boots/products/514886-burgundy-heritage-shell-cordovan-e-1
Meermin Shoes
514886 - BURGUNDY HERITAGE SHELL CORDOVAN - E
Introducing our all-new plain toe boots, designed with the utmost comfort and durability in mind. The boots feature our newest NEGON last, which boasts a wider and flatter toe shape, providing ample room and a more comfortable fit for your feet. Additionally, the last incorporates a supportive back area to ensure excel
I actually just came across that one, its up on the list now
Or Alden depending on budget https://www.aldenshop.com/collections/boots/products/45770h-military-plain-toe-boot-brown-calf
The Alden Shop
45770H Plain Toe Boot (Brown Calfskin)
Plain Toe Boot in Brown Calf 379x Last Double Oiled Leather Outsoles Alden of San Francisco Makeup
Haven't come across them yet, the price is likely why
I do like the casual look from the laces on presidential. Wonder what that meermin would look like with some laces like that
Those look like waxed flat laces. A bunch of companies sell them
Big fan of Solovair's - they are basically Doc martens but higher quality, check them out! The ones you posted look a bit like their 6 eye astronaut boots.
2nding solovair!
I was gonna recommend them too
Haven't come across solovair yet, cool
I don’t have any pairs (but I do have docs :caught:), I’ve just seen their name passed around a lot
GS diesel is basically the same as the Thursday and its going to be better quality and from a better company
Had my eye on these too
I’ve got solovairs they’re pretty aight
I also have DMs fwiw they’re still…fine and probably closer in price to Thursday?
How they haven't received a cease and desist for this I have no idea
OP, is there a specific aesthetic you're looking for, or type of boot? I have Thursday chukkas, and while I'm not sad about the purchase (worth the $ imo) there are better options for that money and in that range for last quality. I'm not upset I bought them but I wouldn't buy them again
Doesn’t sound like you’re that happy with them
If you don't mind the wait times, Beckett Simonon Is in that price range and does a better shoe/boot on a better last in my opinion. India has some promising shoe makers with mixed reviews at that price as well. If you wanted dressier boots at red wing prices, Trickers has a factory website where you can get seconds and discontinued models for almost half off retail. If you can find somewhere to try on a few Trickers models to see how the different models/lasts fit, that would be a solid option
I bought them to wear through slush and nasty north Midwest weather without having to care if they got thrashed, for their use case I'm okay with them but outside that, not great boots
The dye on their lining leather bleeds and stains socks like crazy, too. Annoying
I’ve got a pair of docs that I like, but I wouldn’t buy them again
Because then I’d have two pairs of the same shoe
I'm buying the same pair of austerity brogues from Beckett Simonon in a different leather here soon, they fit great and wear well for their Cost. Tbh, they are what Thursday advertises as being
I want to wear them at my office job while still being able to wear them with more casual outfits. I want them for winter for the office for sure, I currently wear my oxfords and even though I work inside, theres quite a bit of snow, ice, and salt somedays... I could switch footwear when I get into the office, but I like the idea of having a leather, dressy-ish style boot
BS uses a Blake stitch instead of a welt though, not a big deal for me
Can Blake stitch still get soles replaced?
thursday sucks
more like turdsday
So it would appear lol
Sanders UK makes some great options with rubber soles for this use case, and Trickers is the king of hardy British country dress boots
Yes, not as many times as a Goodyear welt though and there may be an issue with water wicking into the shoe with Blake stitch. Blake stitch has the outsole directly stitched to the shoe, so the stitches penetrate the middle through the outsole
The bonus is Blake stitch breaks in faster, is lighter, and is more flexible than welted shoes, where welted shoes have more between the ground and your foot and higher water resistance
I like lighter, but the water resistance is interesting too, especially for what I imagine I want them for. I definitely will still be avoiding puddles and snow
Here's an option from Sanders, quality suede isn't a bad option for winter if you use a good waterproofing spray
Beckett Simonon
Dowler Boots - Pull-Up - Men's
Sturdy boots with a fine appearance. Sometimes you want something extra sturdy and hardy, but refined. Inspired by tough workwear boots, Dowler Boots in pull-up leather fit the bill. Their utilitarian roots have been smoothed out, and the result are refined boots which are still able to take scrapes and bruises with no
Here's Beckett Simonon, they have a long lead time due to their MTO program but it helps keep their price down
That's not why I would regret buying Thursday's....
Not to be combative but why do so many run-ins with involve you defending/repping problematic brands
seconding this
I got the Thursdays to see if they would fit the use case I had for the money I had to spend at the time, and they do but outside of that I do not think they would have been worth it. Why would you regret buying Thursdays?
Reddit
From the goodyearwelt community on Reddit
Explore this post and more from the goodyearwelt community
The other brand that's problematic is Rosen, and I didn't know about what made them so until recently thanks to this discord. Before that I had heard of them years ago and last I had checked the tech wear reddit they were respected, so I tried them out
the joke for those Thursday Air Force 1 knockoffs is that they're called the alt-right 1s
you defended them after we revealed the issues tho
Alt-right 1's is hilarious
I do get that you likely didn't recommend these maliciously though
Imagine naming a company after the worst day of the week
I wanted to at least play devil's advocate since Gracia wasn't going to be able to defend the brand and I had had nothing but good experience dealing with her, that one with Rosen really stung for me
why was this neccessary to do
if we are buying racist boots, at least get the platonic ideal of a M-43 service boot, which is the boot that the Thursday is bastardizing: https://standardandstrange.com/products/m-43-service-boots-dark-brown-waxed-flesh
Standard & Strange
M-43 Service Boots - Dark Brown Waxed Flesh
The original M-43 service shoe that serves as the model for these was issued in 1943, with the rivetless version starting in 1944. The basic specifications for this boot were very simple. Composition sole, welted construction, natural combination-tanned rough-out cowhide, all built up on the Munson last with an unstruc
If we're doing racist, I'd say you should go for a Galliano Boot
To be absolutely open about it, Gracia made my wedding suit. I got married in one of her pieces, I really didn't want it to be true.
eBay
JOHN GALLIANO DIOR VINTAGE SNAKESKIN PYTHON LACE UP BUCKLE MID CALF...
ANKLE BOOTS, NO GALLIANO BOX. COLLECTORS UNIQUE FIND! BLACK SNAKESKIN. SZ 6, 4" HEELS,MID CALF, 11" HEIGHT FROM SOLE, 10" FROM HEEL TO TOE. BUCKLE WRAP IS 8"-9" AROUND CALF.
Only time I've worn Thursday was when they were sent to me for free. And I still threw them away
im buying those and squeezing my 10.5 feet into them
alright it seems that thursday boots is an sleeper agent activation code here
I'm here to help
Clark's shill
be normal and just help the guy get some boots
fiiiine
OP, service boots are a great key word to check for
Hey phrase? Not really one word
Haha I'm fine with all this, it's funny
Probably going to want to make sure that sole is rubber and has some type of lugging, like dainite or a commando if a use case for them is bad weather/winter
I still planned on wearing them with more casual outfits when I go downtown and such in Spring/Fall if it makes sense to
Grant Stone
Diesel Boot Dune Chromexcel
The word “diesel” doesn’t exactly remind us of something flashy but instead of something built for strength and longevity. This is our rendition of the basic plain toe boot pattern—made with nothing but proven leather uppers, lining, and insole. Chromexcel leather tanned by Horween in Chicago is incredibly resilient wh
anyway these are still my top pic
if within budget
Yeah get these
I'll second grant stones, they are damn nice
They come in a lot of leather options too
Yeah they're up there for sure. I'd prefer cheaper, does GS go on sale much?
Not really no
They have a B grades section you can browse
Didn't think so
Grant Stone B grades are incredible value
How risky are seconds or bgrades? Will I get a lemon or dud sometimes?
I have a b grades loafer I bought 4 years ago, still trying to find why they're B grade
No
Yeah I had a feeling its the luck of the draw, but have no experience
B Grade just means it didn’t pass GS very exacting QC. So maybe a scuff or a slightly wonky stitch or two
They won’t sell a boot that won’t be wearable though even as a B Grade
b grades can be a good option if they happen to have your size
Grant Stone
B Grades
B-Grade footwear have imperfections such as light creasing or marks on the leather upper. Performance and longevity will not be a concern. They offer great value and a perfect way to jump into Goodyear-welt footwear. Limited sizes and quantities are available. Items will not be restocked. Please note that B Grade item
Grant stone has the QC we all wish Alden had
sales do happen but thats just a question of checking stocklists
The GS diesel in dark burgundy or crimson are so nice
Crimson is an underrated footwear color, goes great with so many things.
Except my financial better judgement, it almost never goes well with that
Do you usually keep the laces on boots like these? If not, what kind of laces do you guys like putting on them?
whatever they come with tbh
some people also do leather
but 99% of people just leave it
I've never touched the laces of shoes other than skate shoes like 15 years ago when I was a lad
I either just the ones provided or get leather laces, depends
Can't wait for some more tariffs between US and Canada so I can pay more when I order these
Leather laces help dress them down, and I used to prefer leather laces on my work boots. They have some innate give and I could lace my boots pretty tight and they'd loosen to perfect after about 30 min of walking around
This is why I was asking. Kind of wanted to dress them down slightly for a more casual look to them
Yeah, international trade relations going to shit is definitely not enjoyable
Who knows, maybe they'll get delayed another month
I only ever change the laces when they get worn down
I likely wouldn't change them
Does anyone remember if Grant stone provides a pair of both?
I had leather and waxed cotton for the suede kudu diesels I used to have, can't remember but I want to say both came with the boot
Are there many storefronts that carry them? I desperately want to try them on before ordering
Who knows though, maybe when Shmelf goes to order there'll be some insane tariff on leather laces and GS will skip packing them
GS doesn't need to worry about the tariff really, it'll be me paying it to get it past my border
Well they might need to worry about importing it from China, then I have to pay another for it to enter Canada lol
Standard and strange is the only stockist that comes to mind
I'd prefer to just buy them in person and wear them across my border. Obviously I would still declare them though...
They recently raised their price a decent bit, pretty sure this is why
Hopefully we don't see more lol
Don't hold your breath, 2025 is shaping up to be the sequel to Idiocracy
With these kind of boots, if I wear size 9.5-10 usually, is it more likely the 9.5 fits better? Or think 10 would?
no
but they are very good with returns
so they will exchange
they also tend to be pretty solid half down from brannock
I appreciate all of your input (and anyone's future input), thanks everyone
Should you get the heels tapped?
look rad tho
LEMAIRE
Black Soft Workwear Boots
Discover our Black Soft Workwear Boots. Explore the entire LEMAIRE wardrobe on our official website. Free worldwide standard shipping and returns.
LEMAIRE
Teck Chelsea Boots
Discover our Teck Chelsea Boots. Explore the entire LEMAIRE wardrobe on our official website. Free worldwide standard shipping and returns.
fwiw i love my thursday boots
i’ve got the captains, they hold up well. got them second hand and if it wasn’t for a scummy seller i’d have no complaints
Yeah, if you replace the r in rad with b
haters gonna hate
Yeah those boots are fugly
They somehow managed to make the nike check look even worse
depends on your gait
if you're someone who drags your heels when walking i'd get them but typically i wait for the heel quality to degrade first, otherwise i find they affect the gait ime
applying topy soles may be worth it if walking in bad weather
RA is also notoriously a paid Thursday boots shill
Also pretty disliked by the boot community for it
Ah ok, I didn't know that. The one video I saw them do on Thursday Boots they said the quality wasn't very good
Yeah he said that then later kinda turned around to pitching the shitty materials as “innovative” and budget friendly, but there’s just better boots in that price range
Is Myrqvist a known and respected brand?
Yep! White label out of Spain or Portugal iirc but they make good stuff
Meermin, carmina, Alden, and Crockett and jones. Not sure is velasca does boots
Alden and Carmina are a bit outta the price range
Alden appears to have sales that are within the price range though, so I guess I can't say absolutely not to them
Alden pretty much never has sales - you may be lucky if J Crew slips with a code or if a retailer is getting rid of the last stock.
However, plenty available secondhand on eBay for 2-300 if you’re open.
I really wish there were more stores that carried them for me to try them on
Your knowledge and appreciation of Lemaire is as dependable as the sun rising
Rose anvil seems extremely shilly for a number of products, I skip the cut in half section for products I'm interested in and that's it
If Carmina has options you like the look of, check out TLB Mallorca. For a good boot at a lower tier, yanko and meermin are good options. Be careful of Spanish lasts though, they can run rather narrow
Why would you come into a q&a thread just to support a racist?
Bad take
They’re excellent for the price
If you’re looking at Myrqvist, I would also check out stuff on Skolyx:
https://www.skolyx.se/en/58-boots?
I just got the 514386 - TOBACCO WAXY CALF from Meermin a few days ago, can send pics and details if you’d like
I have Jim Green Nuzmaans and I love them
Please do, theyre very high on my list. Whats the fit like? Are pretty much all these leather booties half sized down from brannock?
sure, I'll share some details later when I'm home!
I’m not sure if I got those exact ones, but I got a similar pair from Meermin beginning of January. I like them. They tried to get me to buy ones that were way too small, idk what was up with the attendants. had to bring them in and exchange.
The soles are slippery for the NYC subways on rainy days though. Low key looking forward to adding heel taps just for grip purposes.
Oh I got these, so I guess the less shiny version of the same thing https://meermin.com/products/514386-rust-waxy-commander-e?srsltid=AfmBOoo0-BykkpOIjbJAdl-wKWP0tKRw3JTpo7lhwmxhYuwGiT8dB-Rh
Meermin Shoes
514386 - RUST WAXY COMMANDER - E
Introducing our newest version of our workboot, meticulously designed to provide unmatched comfort, durability, and style featuring an all new pattern & last: The NEGON last. Crafted using the resilient Waxy Commander in Rust which has been part of the lineup for years now, sourced exclusively from Charles F Stead
Good to know about slippery heels, interesting.
Can anyone else confirm if a lot of these style of boots are fairly slippery on wet days?
I see a lot of the boots have this style:
Is that pattern less slippery than the meermin ones?
the commando sole (lower) has moderately more traction than the Dainite (top)
Interesting
I’ve been having small slips with the commando soles on metal surfaces on rainy days. Mostly wore timbs, sneakers, and gum soles before, and never had issues in 10 years. It’s fine 90% of the time, but not ideal for that situation.
Wanted these specifically as all weather winter boots, so unfortunate that they’re not right for that exact situation.
Wanted these specifically as all weather winter boots, so unfortunate that they’re not right for that exact situation.
dainite is also harder and takes longer to wear out
both commando and dainite are a bit too hard to be super grippy, but soft soles wear fast and have to be thicker so they look worse on boots imo
also tbh wet metal is just slippy
almost no matter what
For sure
Are either of those soles rubber?
both are a kind of rubber
just a pretty hard one
Right
Grant stone doesn’t use dainite but their own blend that’s a bit softer and much lighter iirc
on nice
i knew it wasnt legit dainite but i assumed it was a very close replica
Softer means slightly comfier steps, correct?
If I'm walking around downtown for hours, will these be quite uncomfortable?
Yes but also wears faster. Pros and cons. I’m a dainite hater tho so I’m biased
Depends on your feet and how well they fit with the boots tbh. I can wear my Indy boots all day but the softer sole on my Chelsea boots doesn’t matter as much bc the last doesn’t fit my foot as well
Would be awesome if brick and mortar stores held stock of all these brands to try on
If I went to NYC or something, I'd have better luck lol
Canada is rough when it comes to this apparently
Most of the budget brands aren’t widely carried to begin with bc having retail presence is a lot more overhead even if you’re just selling to stores
Definitely. Just a bit frustrating when I'm so uncertain and would love to actually see all of these in one place
I'm leaning towards Beckett Simonon's Lopez or Dowler/Lorenzo boots I think, mainly because they're on sale right now.
I guess this doesn't mean they're on sale
Although it's blake stitch vs. goodyear welt. The Lopez and Lorenzo are also rubber sole instead of leather compared to Dowler
blake vs goodyear welt really only matters when you need a resole
Which is unlikely for most people anyway, get the ones you like the look of most
Side note: ignore that traditional retail vs our price bs from a DTC brand like Beckett Simonon, that’s just marketing. They’re not a $400 shoe, they’re a $200ish shoe
This is what I assumed
After rereading
So are you not able to resole Blakes? Or it's just not as good to?
Oh I see, it requires a specific machine and it's more complicated and expensive.
If I certainly knew I fit Grant Stone's size, then I'd certainly order these b grades. I'd be concerned if I don't fit them well because you can't return them
Go get yourself measured in a store on a bannock
GS sizing is super straightforward
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1163/3390/files/Lasts.pdf?v=1612803231
I noticed nobody mentioned Amberjack. I know they aren't in the same price range as Meermin and Grant Stone, but are they contenders that are better than Thursday and about as good as Beckett Simonon?
You can't resole them, can you?
I don't see any info about them being blake or goodyear welt
no one mentioned them because they’re ugly
They are uglier than all the others mentioned, but my wallet finds them attractive
Buy the thing you want and you’ll save more money in the long run
If you buy something cheaper, you will still end up just buying what you want
And then probably take a loss on whatever it is that you didn’t want in the first place
Yeah thats why I haven't bit the bullet yet on any cheaper stuff
It would be convenient for them to last a decade or longer
I would advise against buying something that you think you will wear in 10 years, because taste typically changes over that amount of time. Especially if your purchasing power increases
I don't see me ever wanting to purchase any footwear more expensive than the $500 boots.
I also could see me wearing them for 10 years, assuming they hold up well. I could maybe see me reducing how often I wear them casually, but for work I would almost certainly still wear them during the winter or rainy days
I get what you mean though
Even if I double or quadruple my salary, it would be hard to consider getting $1000+ footwear lol
there's a difference between something costing $1000 and you paying $1000
similar to what mao said you may have different footwear needs in 10 years; if the cheaper option gives you foot problems it's not worth it
Yeah, thats why I'm suggesting I haven't bought the cheaper ones yet, but I certainly won't be buying $1000 ones anytime soon
I can afford it, but I can't justify it
I'm fairly thrifty or frugal
I'm still debating between Meermin 514886 - BURGUNDY HERITAGE SHELL CORDOVAN - E and Grant Stone Diesel Boot Crimson Chromexcel
I found a pair of Grant Stones that are B Grade (9.5 US, I usually wear 10) but if they don't fit great, I wonder how long I'd sit on them if I try to resell them
Don’t settle for something you don’t like because it’s cheap
Better to just not buy anything at all at that point
Both of those boots are well regarded but maybe get yourself sized to match GS’s chart
I do like the cheaper ones, just concerned on quality. If the more expensive ones really will last that much longer, it's almost a no brainer
/Vimes enters the chat/
As long as you treat them decently, the meermin or grant stones could theoretically last a decade or two assuming you resole when you need to, correct?
yes
Probably resole them every 2 or 3 years if theyre worn like 3 days a week or something??
Obviously depends on a lot
just whenever its worn
Do you usually want to send it to the manufacturer for that? Or any well reviewed cobbler/shoe repairer can handle that?
any solid cobbler should be able to do it
i recommend buying the boot then wearing the boot but dont think about boot