Cowboy Boots

[Edward]

Thanks, Edward, for such an informed and dispassionate response. I'm sometimes reluctant to mention the hide because some of the responses can be pretty irrational. Though it's unlikely I'd have another pair of elephants made, they came from a reputable maker and the hide was CITE's qualified.

That I can understand. I've had similar over here in the past with a horsehide jacket.

 

[MisplacedHillbilly]

Tony Lama, goat leather s#!t kickers, although the goat turds are to small to kick!

 

[Edward]

View attachment 434699 View attachment 434700
Tony Lama, goat leather s#!t kickers, although the goat turds are to small to kick!

Always love seeing boots like this worn as workwear, as per the original design intent! These look a comfy shape, too.

 

[MisplacedHillbilly]

Always love seeing boots like this worn as workwear, as per the original design intent! These look a comfy shape, too.

Thanks, these aren't normally quite that grungy but I'd been moving some hay around. These boots are very comfortable but it wont be long before they'll need to be resoled.

 

[coyote-1]

Hello! First post here. Storyline: I outgrew a nice pair of Fryes back around 1980. Didn’t own any boots at all since… until a few weeks ago. I was not looking for them; they kinda found me. Stumbled across a black pair of distressed leather vintage DanPosts at a thrift for $12 that are a perfect fit. Have since added two more pair, vintage dark cherry Dan Posts that have hardly been worn ($35) and a pair of vintage caiman Rudy Lara.

All in great shape, with plenty of life left in their original soles and heels. I just conditioned all three pair over the past few days. The Laras, despite being stamped my size, are a bit big. Right now I’m using corrugated cardboard to compensate, but will soon be seeking some thick hard-ish leather from which to make decent insoles.

 

[coyote-1]

A brighter shot. Conditioned and buffed

 

[coyote-1]

That I can understand. I've had similar over here in the past with a horsehide jacket.

Horsehide is comprehensible. They are plentiful, and best to use them to their fullest if we are using them to begin with. But elephant? My issue with elephant and some other exotics is that they are clearly critically endangered, and that it’s the market for these things that drives them toward extinction. Stating that reality is neither irrational nor ‘emotional’.

If we could guarantee that the elephant hide used in these products was from elephants that had died naturally, I’d be fine with it. But they (along with black rhinos etc) are critically endangered, and poachers are desperate to keep killing them as prices for these products rise due to scarcity. A vicious circle, literally.

So if you’re 25 years old now, and will want elephant boots when you turn 60, the way things are going now it’s very likely the ONLY way you’ll be able to do that is by finding vintage boots. The one way to prevent that, and be able to get ‘new’ elephant boots in the year 2048? Ensure we don’t kill them off now.

Sustainable harvest. Enlightened self-interest. A most rational concept.

 

[BobHufford]

These are on eBay now. Probably not wearable, but would be cool to have duplicated.

 

[clementishutin]

R

I wear cowboy boots all the time.
Justin Ropers are hard to beat for comfort.

Rock on.

 

[handymike]

Recently got these Double H boots

 

[coyote-1]

These are on eBay now. Probably not wearable, but would be cool to have duplicated.

View attachment 435649

Seems like two bootfuls of B S to me.

(yes I know the grammar is flawed, and look at the pull loops before imagining I’m being nasty.)

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Seems like two bootfuls of B S to me.

(yes I know the grammar is flawed, and look at the pull loops before imagining I’m being nasty.)

Probably just differential enlightened self-interest.

 

[Bamaboots]

You think?

 

[Edward]

Horsehide is comprehensible. They are plentiful, and best to use them to their fullest if we are using them to begin with. But elephant? My issue with elephant and some other exotics is that they are clearly critically endangered, and that it’s the market for these things that drives them toward extinction. Stating that reality is neither irrational nor ‘emotional’.

If we could guarantee that the elephant hide used in these products was from elephants that had died naturally, I’d be fine with it. But they (along with black rhinos etc) are critically endangered, and poachers are desperate to keep killing them as prices for these products rise due to scarcity. A vicious circle, literally.

So if you’re 25 years old now, and will want elephant boots when you turn 60, the way things are going now it’s very likely the ONLY way you’ll be able to do that is by finding vintage boots. The one way to prevent that, and be able to get ‘new’ elephant boots in the year 2048? Ensure we don’t kill them off now.

Sustainable harvest. Enlightened self-interest. A most rational concept.

I get where you're coming from. AS noted above, I have no moral problem with elephant hide provided it is - as Bamaboots' boots are- properly certified. There is a bigger question ,of course, as to what stimulates certain markets, and that always will remain an open debate, I think - much like the 'vintage fur' which used to be a hardy perennial in vintage circles.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

My small klan of critter groups.

 

[Bamaboots]

My small klan of critter groups. View attachment 436115 View attachment 436116

Good to see the ostrich again. Great pattern and vamp matching. Who made the gray elephants? Nocona?

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Good to see the ostrich again. Great pattern and vamp matching. Who made the gray elephants? Nocona?

Thanks Greg.
Yes Sir, Nocona.

 

[MisplacedHillbilly]

Recently got these Double H boots
View attachment 435945

I have three pairs of Double H, I think they're great boots. I jave a pair of regular ropers,a pair of elephant ropers and a pair of lace up packers. I'll try to get a group shot tomorrow. Not only are they great well made boots,they're made in the U.S.A

 

[jonbuilder]

Thanks, Edward, for such an informed and dispassionate response. I'm sometimes reluctant to mention the hide because some of the responses can be pretty irrational. Though it's unlikely I'd have another pair of elephants made, they came from a reputable maker and the hide was CITE's qualified.

Elephant hide is a good choice for a pair of low-maintenance working boots. Looks good, comfortable, hard wearing, and cleans up well.

 

[jonbuilder]

Horsehide is comprehensible. They are plentiful, and best to use them to their fullest if we are using them to begin with. But elephant? My issue with elephant and some other exotics is that they are clearly critically endangered, and that it’s the market for these things that drives them toward extinction. Stating that reality is neither irrational nor ‘emotional’.

If we could guarantee that the elephant hide used in these products was from elephants that had died naturally, I’d be fine with it. But they (along with black rhinos etc) are critically endangered, and poachers are desperate to keep killing them as prices for these products rise due to scarcity. A vicious circle, literally.

So if you’re 25 years old now, and will want elephant boots when you turn 60, the way things are going now it’s very likely the ONLY way you’ll be able to do that is by finding vintage boots. The one way to prevent that, and be able to get ‘new’ elephant boots in the year 2048? Ensure we don’t kill them off now.

Sustainable harvest. Enlightened self-interest. A most rational concept.

Far as I know poachers are not killing elephants for hides, they take the ivory with chain saws and leave the carcass to rot. an economical crime and within the larger scale consideration less impact than habitat lost and coal-burning rather than clean energy production. I do assume US boot makers source elephant hide from certified suppliers.
In some locations, elephant populations are thin to prevent overpopulation in the shrinking habitat, and certified hides come from the killed elephants. I am not an expert, my comments come from my memory of watching documentaries and reading websites of some of the larger boot makers