To me, there are two things that I immediately think of when either describing a particular cowboy boot to someone or the two main characteristics of a boot. The first is what it’s made from i.e. snakeskin, ostrich skin cowboy boot, baby buffalo, any other exotic leather, etc… The second is the toe. For the newbie, they may just have an image of a cowboy boot and it’s the typical cowboy boot you see in the old westerns and that is all they know. Too bad they don’t know about all the different stylish cowboy boot toe types and the difference those looks can give to each and every pair of boots.
Since the cowboy boot was first invented in the late 1800s, I think the biggest change or key features to styles of the boot have definitely been the toe type. I would have to say that the pointed look would be the traditional style that one thinks of first when a cowboy boot comes to mind, buy you may have something else in mind or a particular toe preference these days.
Check out our article on “Are cowboy boots comfortable“. Some good info and some myths about Americas favorite type of boot!
I’m gonna go over 5 different types here. I have included a pic that shows 7, but I’m only going over 5 since the cowboy toe is practically the same as the round toe in my opinion and you really don’t see the pointed toe too much anymore. Pinto Ranch the largest inventory of cowboy boots online doesn’t even carry a pointed toe boot for the guys and only 2 pairs for the ladies. Yeah, there are some other variations here and there, but to me, these are the 6 most popular. They may also be called by another name depending on where you are from, but don’t worry, I’ve included a picture of each. Also, something to know is that a lot of boot bands will have their own brand specific names for the type of toe, but these are usually just some slight modification to the toe types I’m gonna talk about below. For the most part it’s just a marketing ploy and every major brand will pretty much have a similar toe type as all the others.
The Round Toe – Definitely A Super Popular Cowboy Boot Toe Type
The round toe cowboy boot is definitely a very common cowboy boot you see. It’s definitely been around a while and that is probably one of the reasons of its popularity. To be honest, I really don’t see much difference between this toe type and the cowboy toe. I mean if anything, it might be just a little less rounded at the top, but that’s about it.
The round toe pretty much looks good in anything. Dressy, jeans, wedding, night at bar, whatever. You really can’t go wrong with this boot in my opinion. Over at Pinto Ranch, they have 47 different pairs of handmade round toe cowboy boots for the guys. They also have 24 different pairs of ladies cowgirl boots sporting the round toe.
The Roper Toe Is Pretty Misleading, So Be Careful
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As soon as you hear the word “roper”, you might be thinking about a pair of roper boots, but here we are just talking about the toe. A roper boot is actually a completely different style of boot that is kind of cross between a western boot and a dress boot. It also has a special kind of roper heel that is different from most types of cowboy boots.
The roper toe is really rounded at the tip of the boot, more so than the round toe that we talked about above. I’m definitely a fan of the roper toe. Just by looking at them I feel like my feet have a little more room to stretch out and breath lol. Pinto Ranch has 28 different styles of men’s cowboy boots with the roper toe and unfortunately the ladies only have 2 pairs of boots offering the roper toe both by Lucchese.
I’m Definitely Becoming A Big Fan Of The Snip Toe
The snip toe is one of the newer types of cowboy boot toe types compared to the round toe or pointed toe cowboy boots. I absolutely love it though. I’m not sure if it’s because of my personality or maybe the military lifestyle that was once instilled into me, but I think the snip toe will definitely become a classic toe type in everyday cowboy boots.
Basically a snip toe is a pointed toe that looks like the very tip was cut off to square it off. It is also referred to as a “D toe”. You can find 33 men’s snip toe cowboy boots at Pinto Ranch and a staggering 111 different pairs of snip toe women’s cowboy boots (I told you they had a lot!).
The French Toe On A Cowboy Boot Is Tres Bien
Yeah I know, it doesn’t sound very cowboy-ish, but a french toe is a very good-looking boot. It looks like a rounded toe that is trying to become square. I really don’t know how else to say it. I’ve had this same toe type in dress shoes and it was only a matter of time until someone got smart and put it on a cowboy boot.
To the casual observer or person that doesn’t know too much about cowboy boots, they might not even notice that it’s different than say a roper toe or round toe unless they were side by side. You can find 14 cowboy boots for the guys sporting the french toe and none for the ladies. Sorry about that girls.
Hey, It’s Hip To Be Square
I actually wrote an article about square toe cowboy boots within the last couple weeks or so. The popularity of this boot or toe type has definitely went off the charts. The toe can be very misleading if that is the only thing you are looking at (like the picture of the 7 toes above). It doesn’t look much like a cowboy boot when you are looking at just the toe portion of the boot. When it comes to cowboy boot toe types, this one took a little while to get going, but it’s definitely finishing strong.
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When it comes to working on a ranch, farm, etc… this toe type has definitely become a favorite. You seriously need to try a pair on and get a good look. This toe type looks great with jeans by the way! You can find 15 different pairs of awesome square toe boots for the guys at Pinto Ranch and unfortunately, 0 for the ladies. Girls, I think this is because you have so many snip toe to choose from and your foot is so much more slender than a guys, that a snip toe would practically look the same as a square to, so don’t be to disappointed.
Choices, Choices & More Choices – Different Heel And Toe Types
Every boot brand out there produces different models of boots that vary with heel types and toe types. As I mentioned earlier in the article, some brands kind of like to make up their own names and you just have to work through that with them. If you aren’t sure though, you ask us below and we will find out if it’s confusing. Most of the time they just come up with their own name of a cowboy boot toe type and it’s just a slightly modified version of something else. No big deal. For the longest time cowboy boots for men and women were kind of stuck with one single look, but someone came up with a different heel height or a slightly different toe type and ever since it’s taken off like gangbusters. I’m actually glad it did because I love some of the newer styles.
As far as choices are concerned, you may be asking yourself “What toe type should I be wearing with ___________?” Fill in the blank. Jeans, dress pants, a dress, whatever. There isn’t really a rule of thumb on this toe type should be worn with this or this heel should just be worn with a dress, etc… It all comes down to what you like and that is one of the great things about cowboy boots. Your biggest concern should be proper fit of the boot that you like the best. After that, everything is secondary!
Now You Know Your Toes
Wow, I bet you never thought you would be thinking about the toes on a piece of footwear this much! When you look at the picture of all the toe types I put at the beginning of this article though, you can definitely see the influence the toe of the boot has on a pair of cowboy boots or any other piece of footwear for that matter.
As just about any style of any type of article clothing out there, it all comes down to personal taste. I know I said I really love the snip toe and the square toe cowboy boots, but I’m not trying to sway you one way or another. I’m just giving you the information you need to make help you find the best cowboy boots that you will be able to cherish for a years and years. Cowboy boot toe types might not be the first thing you bring up at your next social gathering, but you never know when it may come up and if it does, you will definitely know your stuff.
If you have any questions or comments about any other type of toe or boot or just want to give some friendly tips or advice, please let us know in the comment section below. We here at We Heart Handmade Boots are here for you so you can find your favorite pair of cowboy boots today!
