Debunking Popular Myths About Cowboy Boots

So you’re the proud owner of a brand new pair of handmade cowboy boots. Congratulations! You’ve probably heard a lot of good things about cowboy boots, and you’ve probably heard a lot of cowboy boot myths.

If you’re a cowboy boot veteran, this will be a good refresher on common tall tales surrounding the mythical, legendary footwear we all love.

If this is your first time buying boots, welcome to the family! This is the first day of the rest of your life! And this article will lay down some essential know-how for living your best boot life.

Every bootmaker does something a little different from the other, such as the iconic twisted-cone last on Lucchese Classics or the cushioned insoles that Rios of Mercedes includes in their boots.

That being said, these myths are universal. We even have the solutions for them!

(And in case you don’t have any boots yet, you can see our guide on buying handmade cowboy boots online)

Myth #1 - Pointed Boots Jam Your Toes

“I can’t wear pointed boots because they jam my toes!” We hear this a lot, and it’s just not true.

At Pinto Ranch, we care deeply about all your little piggies, and we definitely don’t want your toes being jammed. It’s our #1 priority. Well, actually it’s probably our #14 or #15 priority, but it’s up there!

Joking aside, we are here to make sure you get the best pair of boots you can, and if you want to wear pointed boots, we can find pointed boots that fit you.

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Many of our customers have a history with trying on pointed boots that are uncomfortable.

Here’s the truth: if the boot is the right size for your foot, the toe style won’t matter. The boots we carry are designed to fit you perfectly, and once you find the right size for you, you can wear whatever boots you want.

Of course, not all bootmakers are the same. Check out our article on buying boots online to see our fit guide by brand.

Myth = busted.

You CAN wear pointed boots, we just have to make sure they’re the right size for you. Come visit us or call us to learn more.

Myth #2 - Help! My Heels are Slipping!

“The heel of my cowboy boots is slipping! My boots don’t fit!”

When you buy a new pair of handmade cowboy boots, the heel is supposed to slip about a quarter inch.

Once the leather is conformed to the shape of your foot, the slipping will feel natural. Easy as that!

If you’ve only ever bought machine made boots, the slipping may throw you off, but don’t worry - this is supposed to happen.

If the heel isn’t slipping, or the heel is tight against your foot, that means the boot is too small or too tight, and this will cause fit problems for you down the line.

Myth #3 - The Mystery of the Squeaking Boots

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Sometimes boots will squeak.

This means there is a mouse trapped inside the boot that needs to be freed, or a clown has stowed away in the toe box somewhere. Clowns are notorious for being able to fit into tight places. See: clown cars.

Of course, that’s not actually true - there are no clowns or mice in your boots.

Because of the soft, supple leather our boots are made of, sometimes the stacked leather heel will squeak a little. The heels are made from several pieces of leather, stacked on top of each other and combined, so sometimes when they rub against each other they will squeak.

This does not mean there is anything wrong with the boot. If you don’t like the squeaking, we have a quick fix for you.

Take some leather conditioner (we recommend Bick 4 conditioner) and rub it along the outside of your boot heel thoroughly. This will soften the leather, causing it to slightly expand and stop the squeaking.

Myth #4 - Cowboy Boots are Uncomfortable

Handmade cowboy boots are in fact some of the most comfortable footwear on the planet, plain and simple. The leather used in the construction of all our boots is the finest leather on the planet.

The leather is soft, supple, and our boots feel very, very good to walk in.

Machine made boots take months to break in sometimes, but this is not the case for handmade cowboy boots, which are made by experts and skilled artisans.

We only carry Handmade Cowboy Boots.

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In many cases, a boot from Pinto Ranch may feel perfect for you as soon as you try it on for the first time. It all depends on the fit and your foot.

You can come in for a fitting whenever you want and try our boots yourself! Some of our customers have described the boots we carry as fitting better than their own socks do.

Myth #5 - Cowboy Boots are Only for Cowboys

This is maybe the most popular myth of all. Who are cowboy boots really for? They’re for you.

In the beginning, back in the 19th century, cowboy boots were just a different kind of riding boot used by Americans in the Southern USA. Now, cowboy boot culture has exploded, and cowboy boots are a whole kind of shoe style themselves!

There are traditional cowboy boots for riding, newer cowboy boots for walking, roper boots for wearing to work, and even decorative and luxury boots for fancy occasions.

In fact, every American president since Ronald Reagan has owned cowboy boots, making cowboy boots the most powerful footwear in the world. There may be nothing more American than cowboy boots, as they are worn by our nation’s leaders and the farmers who grow our food.

Cowboy boots are for you. They come in all shapes and sizes and qualities. If you want boots to ride in, you can wear cowboy boots. If you want boots to work in, you can wear cowboy boots. If you want boots to wear to a fancy event, you can wear cowboy boots.

So there you have it. You don’t have to be a cowboy to wear cowboy boots. You can just be yourself, and that’s good enough!

The Bottom Line

Handmade cowboy boots are different. Most of the work you have to do to make machine made boots fit and feel comfortable doesn’t apply to what we carry at Pinto Ranch.

We only choose the best.

We work every day to find, develop, and curate the world’s very best collection of handmade cowboy boots. We have more than five thousand hand-selected, handmade cowboy and cowgirl boots in stock for you to take home today.

And when you become a customer of Pinto Ranch, you also get the best customer service in the world. We’re here for you, every day, to answer all your questions and go above and beyond.

And definitely give us a call if you hear any more good cowboy boot myths. We love debunking myths.

Cowgirl Boots for Women

Cowboy Boots for Men