Today I thought I would tackle a myth, or at least the subject of a myth, that that is brought up quite frequently when talking about cowboy boots. It is especially brought up by people that down own a pair of boots or have never even worn a pair for that matter. Are cowboy boots comfortable?
That has to be one of the most prevalent questions that I have come across either online or even when I’m out and actually have a friend, acquaintance or even a complete stranger that sees me wearing a pair come up and ask me. I have actually taken my boot off in the middle of a bar and had a person try them on. Hey, I don’t really care what you may think about that lol, I had a clean pair of sock on and stuff like that doesn’t matter to me anyway. I just wanted the person to try them on and know exactly what I was talking about. Keep in mind that after talking to them for a minute or two we realized we were pretty close to the same shoe size. Also, a couple of beer might have been involved, but I digress, cowboy boots being or comfortable or not was the main thing on my mind at the time. After explaining the correct way to put on a pair of boots and hearing the “thump” of his heel popping in, it was a little amusing to watch them walk around inside the bar and have a very surprised look on their face. I’m really not sure how I feel about it though. The look on their face was as if “wow, I can’t believe these feel that good”. I mean what do people who have never worn cowboy boots think? Do they think it’s like walking around with pebbles in your shoes or something! Anyway, let’s get into some more detail.
Why Do Some Think Cowboy Boots Are Uncomfortable?
The first thing that comes to mind is the traditional toe. People think they have to jam their toes in their and hey, I get it, that would be super uncomfortable. The truth of the matter is, it’s just not true. If you get the proper fit of boots, you won’t have to worry about your toes being crowded in “The toe box”. Square toe, pointed toe, Roper toe, etc…, it doesn’t matter what the toe style of the boot is. If you have the proper fit, you won’t have to worry about the style, you can wear whatever you want in comfort.
Why Are My Heels Slipping?
Let’s say a person who has never worn a pair of cowboy boots walks into a store or buys a pair online, or tries on a pair from some knucklehead in a bar. Say these are some really high priced boots and they truly look magnificent. He puts them on, takes a couple steps, turn around and takes a couple steps back and says “These are uncomfortable, I don’t like the way my heel slips in them”.
Well, don’t worry, but that is supposed to happen when you get a new pair of boots. It’s supposed to slip up to 3/4 of an inch. Once you “break them in” the slipping will subside a bit. The boot will conform to your foot and feel completely natural. After that, you won’t get a second thought. When you try on a pair of handmade boots, you want to feel that heel slip. If it isn’t slipping or it’s tight against the heel of your foot, that means the boot is too small and guess what? Yeah, the boot is going to be uncomfortable.
The Overall Look, Big Shaft, Tall Heels Look Uncomfortable
Cowboy boots can be pretty intimidating. If you’ve never worn a pair, are a guy, and never wore a pair of combat boots, then there’s a good chance you’ve never worn anything like them. I’m not saying they are like combat boots, but you’ve probably never worn anything that’s had a tall upper shaft like combat boots or cowboy boots. That feeling of wearing something like that for the first time can be uncomfortable and if you don’t have the right pair of jeans, there’s a whole other problem that you have to contend with. You are gonna want some boot cut jeans to allow for the shaft of the boot. Once you have the correct jeans and take a little bit of time to get used to the shaft of the boot, that should solve the problem of the shaft being uncomfortable.
Tall heels definitely might not be something you are used to wearing if you usually wear sneakers or even a nice pair of dress shoes. I really don’t think it will take very long to get used to a pair of heels. Remember, the tallest heels you find on a pair of boots is gonna be about an inch. Some are even shorter than that. A pair of Ropers has a really short heel. The looks might be pretty intimidating, but I don’t think you will even notice it. Sneakers, dress shoes, etc… either have built in heels into the shoes or have a modest heel to them. Don’t let a cowboy boot heel bother you, they are definitely in style.
Ever Had A Pair Of Cowboy Boots That Were Uncomfortable To Your Ears?
Yeah, you heard me right, your ears. No, this didn’t happen in the bar after several beers either (thank god). Every once in a blue moon you might try on a new pair of handmade cowboy boots and there will be a squeak when you walk. I don’t care what you are wearing on your foot, this would annoy the heck out of me. When I put on a pair of cowboy boots, I want them to not only be comfortable on my feet, I want them to be comfortable to my ears lol! The reason for this squeak is probably in the heel.
The heel on a pair of handmade cowboy boots are made from stacked leather. That is several pieces of leather stacked on top of each other to a height of the heel of your cowboy boot. The soft supple leather will rub against each other and there is that annoying squeak that is bringing you some unwanted attention. Fear not though, there is an easy fix. Grab some leather conditioner and rub it along the outside of your boot. This is something you may do every once in a while with a nice pair of dress shoes or cowboy boots, but this time do it on the heel as well. This will soften the leather and cause it to slightly expand and presto, no more squeak. A common leather conditioner is flax seed oil or you can buy a bottle at a pretty reasonable price. Coconut oil can also be used as a substitute for leather conditioner. Make sure you clean your boots first before using either. You can find all you need from the article we wrote on Boot Stuff and Accessories.
Cowboy Boots – Comfortable, Stylish & An American Icon
In my opinion, handmade cowboy boots are some of the most comfortable things you can wear. One of the biggest considerations in a pair of any leather footwear is the quality of the leather. The finer the leather, the more comfortable those shoes or boots are gonna be. If you are looking around at any of the boots mentioned on this site, most are from Pinto Ranch. I can tell you with firsthand knowledge, Pinto Ranch sells boots with only the finest quality leathers. Once you get the right fit, you are gonna have a pair of boots that are super comfortable.
If you are a little hesitant in getting a pair of cowboy boots, my advice to you is try a pair on. Don’t let the question of “Are cowboy boots comfortable” scare you off. Try them on for yourself. Cowboy boots are more popular than ever. They come in many different styles, colors, types of leathers these days. There is practically a pair for everyone.
If you have any questions, requests, or just want to chat about some great handmade cowboy boots or other questions about cowboy boots and if they are comfortable or not, please let us know below. I hoped this post helped you out in your quest for a great pair of cowboy boots. As always we hope that we helped you to find your new favorite pair of cowboy boots!
