Monday, July 16, 2012

Cody James Western Boots


The folks at Boot Barn contacted me two months ago and asked if I would be interested in wear testing some boots from their new Cody James line of western wear. I enjoy wearing western or cowboy boots and agreed to try a pair from their new line. After looking over the available models, I chose the Cody James Men's Distressed Square Toe Western Boots




The other western boots I own or have owned, all have the more traditional round toe. I decided to get a pair with the square toe and see if I liked them as well as my others. Square toes have been popular for a few years now, but sometimes I'm reluctant to jump on the latest trend bandwagon. I also liked the overall appearance of these particular boots.


Specs
I'm not going to spend time on the technical stuff. You can click the links above in the first paragraph and read all of that. Here are the highlights for this model (#2004031):
Premium full grain leather foot and shaft
12" shaft height
Cushioned leather insole
Leather outsole
Steel shank
Goodyear three quarter welt
Stockman heel with rubber heel cap
Thermoplastic heel counter
Spur ridge






My Impressions
When the boots arrived, I was impressed with the quality of the construction. I couldn't find anything that would indicate sloppy or second-rate craftsmanship. Of course, I had to try the boots on and I was a bit concerned at first because they seemed very tight as I pulled them on. I thought they were going to be too small, but it turned out they were the perfect size. Initially, these boots were a tighter fit around my ankles than the other boots I own, but after wearing them a few times, the leather broke in nicely.


I've been wearing the boots for several weeks now and have had no issues with the construction at all. Rachel at Boot Barn said I would find these boots just as comfortable as my favorite pair and she was right. Once the initial break-in was done, the boots felt just as good as the pair I've been wearing for several years.


One very nice feature of the Cody James boots is that they can be re-soled if necessary. A lot of boots today of all styles don't allow for re-soling. It's a shame to throw out a comfortable pair of boots just because the sole can't be replaced.






I really like these boots. The square toe design grew on me very quickly and I'm glad I chose that style. The boots are holding up very well, they're comfortable, and they look good. Obviously, I'm not out roping steers or training cutting horses, but in the everyday mundane tasks of standing, walking, and driving, the boots have impressed me. Honest-to-goodness cowboys are in the minority, so the way I use the boots would apply to the majority of people.


As I usually mention in my reviews, I won't recommend a product if I am not happy with it. Just because something is sent to me for wear testing doesn't mean it gets a good review. It has to be good to get a good review. As far as these boots go, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. When my feet are happy, I'm happy. If you like western style boots, the Cody James line is worth looking at when deciding on your next purchase. And there are several different models from which to choose. Boot Barn also has a Shyanne line for women.


Boot Barn Website





29 comments:

Roan said...

They should use your photographs in their ads.

Nancy said...

Nice looking boots -- I tend to go for roper style boots as I find them more comfortable. Do you know where these boots are made?

Elizabeth Edwards said...

they need some mud ... look to clean. ha. ha!! (:

Lindsjö taxar said...

I agree with Roan, why dont you work as a photogapher with them?? Nice boots...really good looking..

Anonymous said...

Wow, how did you get so lucky to wear test boots? I wanna do that, I've always wanted a pair of western boots!

Anonymous said...

Good-looking boots!

Tanya Breese said...

those look nice and i love your photos of them, especially the one of the soles! like roan said, they should use your pics for advertising!

Pamela Gordon said...

These are beautifully made boots. It's nice that they can be resoled. So many things today are 'throw away' once they are worn out. Good leather shoes and boots worth the money if they can be resoled. Hopefully you can find a cobbler when you need it done! :)

Andee said...

I love the Cody boots. Well at least the pics and description.

TexWisGirl said...

nice looking boots! your 'sole' photo is beautiful, and the way you edited the last pic is pretty great, too. nicely done all the way around. they should be happy with your endorsement. :)

Grandma Barb's This and That said...

Nice looking boots. I love the last picture. As others have said, they should use your pictures in their ads.

Gail Dixon said...

This is one handsome pair of boots. :) I would think a square toe would be more comfy fo the toes.

Mary said...

That's a nice perk from making a blog. Good job.

Anonymous said...

They certainly are stylish western boots. My husband use to wear western boots because he found them to be quite comfortable.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Nice looking boots- I go for comfort too-

DeniseinVA said...

That's a great recommendation. They are handsome looking boots. I have never owned a pair but this makes me want to jump right in.

Tammy said...

Nice looking boots! I like the square toe.

Shaun said...

how, what, but....... i cannot imagine someone calling me up to see if i wanted to trial wear something...Excellent job Brian
Shaun
July Giveaway @ ValleysShutterBug

Jan n Jer said...

Great advertisement for this company! I agree with Roan...you should do the pics for a catalog. They are very nice looking boots.

Faye said...

Very handsome except for the white stitching around the soles--you need to get them a bit scuffed in a hurry,Brian. That square toe is a bit of a departure in men's footwear--awkward at first?

Your talk of re-soling reminded me of the great Kentucky environmental lobbyist, Tom FitzGerald. Do you know him? For many years he wore the same old shoes (purchased from Montgomery Ward)when he was "hounding" the legislature. Never polished them until they enacted some positive environmental legislation!

Debbie said...

They are too pretty and I was expecting a barn!! Otherwise great job!!

barbara l. hale said...

I don't wear cowboy boots, but I like the looks of those. Nice embroidery. Of course, your photography shows them off very well.

darlin said...

Very nice looking boots Brian, glad to hear they're so comfy. I found my c'boy boots uncomfortable the first few times I wore them but soon enough they stretched and I LOVE them... kind of makes me wonder why I don't wear them more often. I'll check out their ladies boots as well, I might "need" another pair of boots to put with my collection of shoes and boots I own! lol

I agree with those who commented the Boot Barn should use your photos for their ads, they're fantastic pictures!

Cheers.

A Colorful World said...

Really nice shots! I agree that they should use your pictures in their ads. Glad you were happy with the boots, also.

Vores have said...

WAU, with some "cool" boots :)

Stewart M said...

Ye har!

Don’t think I could wear these - I spend too much time in shorts!

Stewart M - Australia

PS: keep an eye open for a new meme on Wednesday!

Ana Mínguez Corella said...

Qué chulas!!!.. ja.. Regards from Spain..

Andrea @ From The Sol said...

A new dimension of Brian the photographer ... Brian the salesman. You have sold me, but I could probably never wear cowboy boots, just sayin'. I agree with some other comments ... they should use your photo's to sell their boots. Great job!!

Andrea @ From The Sol

#idh70 said...

The Cody James brand by boot barn is a bad representation of boot barn ! They took a Well known professional cowboys tie down ropers name and ran with it ... goggle Cody James and you’ll see the cowboy from Arkansas pop up ... they are profiling a real cowboy for their good ... but what boot barn isn’t telling is there may not be a cody James brand for long ... there is a law suit