Thursday Captain Boot Review (2024) | Five Years Testing the “Anywhere Boot”

I’m the kind of weirdo who decided to make a living by testing and reviewing boots.

And after six years, dozens of reviews, hundreds of YouTube videos, and visits to factories and tanneries in eight countries, I feel pretty darn qualified to say that Thursday Boot Company makes the best value boots on Earth.

Sure, some guys only wear handwelted Japanese boots that cost four figures, but when a normal, everyday, not-glued-to-boot-subreddits dude asks me for a boot recommendation, I always go with Thursday’s Captain.

Why? Well, to summarize: they’re inexpensive, match with anything, come in a ton of widths and colors, they’re more comfortable and lightweight than traditional bulky work boots, and returns and exchanges are really easy.

There’s no one else on the market that matches their value proposition, but if you need some more convincing, let’s take a closer look at the boot that turned a humble Kickstarter page into the industry’s leading brand: Thursday’s Captain boot.

Who Should Buy the Thursday Captain Boot? 

• Those who want a versatile “anywhere boot,” this is a hybrid of dress and work boots that looks great with just about any outfit.
• People who want great value at under $200, this is far and away the best price for a resoleable boot, which usually runs about $300+.
• Guys who prize longevity and durability, thick leather on a resoleable Goodyear welted boot means the Captain can endure multiple resoles.
• Folks who find most boots uncomfortable, instead of thick leather, Thursday put a layer of Poron foam underfoot to add sneaker-y shock absorption and reduce break-in.
• People who like a lot of choices, there are over a dozen different leathers available
• Guys with wide feet, these come in wide and extra-wide sizes.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Thursday Captain Boot? 

• Anyone who needs a seriously heavy duty work boot or hiking boot; although it’s very water resistant, this lacks the technical features of dedicated work or hiking footwear.
• Those who prefer American made; for that, check out Thursday’s slightly pricier Vanguard.
• People who prefer the look of traditional boots; the Captain is less chunky and more streamlined than your Grandpa’s work boots.
• Guys who hate it when your boot tongue slides; it’s a weak point, but you can always cut a slot in the tongue for your laces.

Thursday Captain Boot Overview

• “Hybrid” of a dress boot and work boot
• Low profile silhouette
• 5.5″ tall, plus 1.25″ of heel
• Two rows of speed hooks to get in and out fast
• Available in full-grain leathers and suedes in over a dozen colors

Before getting to the interior of these leather boots, let’s do a quick “first glance” and what you see when you unbox them.

Boots come in all shapes and sizes and purposes, and you should know that this is not a boot for sheet welders, lumberjacks, hikers, or miners. It is a boot for guys who want durable footwear, keeps their feet dry, feels comfy, and matches whatever they’ll wear with them. Pulling off that combination (and at this price) is the feat for which the Captain is rightly celebrated.

About 5.5 inches tall with a 1.25-inch heel, these are stylish boots that are designed so as to not stand out too much from the crowd the way a meaty logging boot would in the city, but these aren’t dress shoes either. With a low profile toe box and a “cap toe” design — it’s decorative, not another piece of protective leather, so as to keep the silhouette relatively flat — it nails the kind of subtlety the average guy wants from his footwear.

(As it turns out, it’s also the kind of look the extremely not-average Dwayne Johnson likes as well:)

There are currently two sole options: one with recessed, grippy lugs that look completely flat from the side and chunkier “StormKing” lug soles that broadcast practicality and outdoorsiness.

Like a great leather jacket or pair of well-loved jeans, the Captain aims to look good in a classically masculine, American way without making you look like you’re trying to get noticed or like you don’t know how to dress outside of a warehouse.

Perhaps the most important thing to emphasize is that, unlike a lot of competing workhorse casual boots like Red Wing’s Iron Rangers, it’s sleek in a way that pairs well with tapered trousers and, with a glossier leather, even business casual environments. If you love wide and baggy jeans, it might not be for you, but for just about anyone else, this is just the right kind of uncontroversial look that will fit in with most wardrobes and situations.

Thursday Captain Boot Leather

• ~Two dozen leathers available
• Most popular are the “Rugged and Resilient” line
• ~1.8-2.0 millimeters thick
• Sourced from well-known tanneries, mostly Lefarc and Horween

As part of their mission to make high-quality boots that aren’t so hard to break in, the Captain’s leather is about 1.9 millimeters thick. That’s thinner than work boots (~2.2mm) but thicker than dress shoes (~1.0mm), aligning well with the Goldilocks elements of the Captain: not too thick to be painful, not too thin to be dainty.

As their most popular boot, the Captain offers the widest range of leathers to choose from, including the occasional “limited edition” like blue suede. At the time of writing, there are two dozen uppers to choose from.

The Rugged and Resilient Leathers

The two most popular Captains, Arizona Adobe and Black Matte, are part of the Rugged and Resilient line. These leathers, as the name suggests, are developed to be hardwearing and to require little care. Most leathers need some conditioning and moisturizing every few months, but these are oil-tanned.

This means they’re infused with extra oils during the tanning process, which makes the leather more waterproof and, well, resilient: boots from this line need no care or conditioning at all, so they’re great for guys who want a rugged-looking boot.

The Classic Leathers

Guys who need more versatility from their boots can pick from the Classic line, most of which are easier to dress up than the outdoorsy-looking Rugged and Resilient line. The best-known Classics are Thursday Chrome, combination-tanned leathers that were the most popular boots that the company sold — until the Rugged ones outpaced them.

Still, if you want something you can wear casually but also slip on under chinos and a sports jacket, the Classic line will have what you’re after.

The Suedes and Roughouts

You can also pick up some Captains in suede, and they sell two kinds: the regular soft suede that you’re used to and their much more popular waterproof (“WeatherSafe™”) suede, which is imbued with oils and waxes to make it stainproof and waterproof.

You might encounter “Waxed Flesh” as well, like the “Coyote” on the left above. Roughout looks a little like suede, but it’s actually normal, thick, full-grain leather — turned inside out. The furry part that’s usually on the inside of the boot is now on the outside, and it gets coated with wax to add waterproofness. Also, it’s very scratch-resistant, and boot nerds gravitate toward waxed flesh because it ages dramatically, lightening and becoming fuzzier at stress points.

Thursday’s Leather Quality

All of Thursday’s leather is from United States cattle, and it comes from a variety of tanneries. The most esteemed example is probably Horween Leather Company in Chicago, who produce the world famous Chromexcel leather you can see on the Natural Captain and most of the Vanguard boots.

But most of the uppers are from Lefarc tannery in the leather hub of León, Mexico. Lefarc won a gold medal from Leather Working Group in 2009, was named one of the two best tanneries in the Americas by World Leather Magazine in 2013, and process leather for a wide variety of American boot companies — I actually visited them for a fun series of videos in 2021. The Leather Working Group certification is important: it means they’ve been rigorously audited to make sure their production isn’t polluting local waterways or harming workers, effects that are not unheard of in poorly regulated tanneries.

Whichever upper you choose for your Captains, you can be confident that the leather quality is high, especially for the price. It’s a little thinner than work boots, but, again, it’s thicker than dress shoes. Still, if you want boots that will withstand all manner of scuffs and nicks with pride, go with Rugged and Resilient or one of the waxed suedes or roughouts.

Some of the Classic leathers are indeed a little easier to scratch, so while they’re far from delicate fashion boots — and it’s not hard to remove most scratches with care and conditioning — opt for Rugged if you plan to wear them hard.

[Related: My list of The Best Leather Briefcases for Men]

Thursday Captain Boot Leather Care

• Condition once or twice per year
• Rub with a clean, dry rag
• Apply Cobbler’s Choice  or a similar product
• Buff with a horsehair brush

Suede, waxed roughout, and the Rugged and Resilient Captains don’t need conditioning creams. You can use a stiff-bristled brush to clean the suede if it’s looking dirty, but that’s about it.

But if you bought the Classic leather, or if you just want your boots to get that nice, lustrous look of well-loved leather that every guy covets, your boots need a little moisturizing now and then — just like the skin on your face. Here’s what you need to do:

1. First, rub them down with a clean, dry rag.
2. Then dab some leather balm on the rag and work it into all their creases. (Thursday recommends Cobbler’s Choice, which I’ve reviewed.)
3. Once you’ve worked the balm into all the creases, gently wipe the boot down until there’s just a thin film of balm on the shoe.
4. Buff it with a horsehair brush, let them dry for ten minutes, and they’re good to go.

How often you should condition the boots depends on how often you wear them, but I think twice a year — at the start and end of boot season — is a good recommendation.

Thursday Captain Boot Sole

• 2 options to choose from: Flat or “StormKing”
• EVA insole, cork bed midsole
• Vegetable-tanned leather midsole
• Steel shank improves stability
• Soft leather lining

If you want a more casual and outdoorsy boot, get a Captain with the chunky StormKing sole; for a more versatile option, get one with the flat rubber sole. More leathers come with the flat offering, which is clearly inspired by Dainite soles, a brand you’ll find on countless high-quality boots over $400.

Thursday made their own version of the rubber that works about as well: while it’s flat, the recessed lugs offer a surprisingly solid grip. I’ve worn these during several particularly grueling storms and didn’t once find myself skittering into a gutter, as I have with other brands made with leather soles.

Thursday Captain Boot Construction

The big attraction here, especially to fans of quality footwear, is the fact these are Goodyear welted boots. That refers to how the leather upper is attached to the sole: sneaker are typically cemented or glued. The Goodyear welt, invented in the 1860s, is a much more complicated method that essentially means the upper and the sole aren’t directly attached to each other. They’re stitched to a strip of leather between them called the welt. This means that when your sole wears down, a cobbler can easily attach a new one, vastly extending the boot’s lifespan.

This kind of construction quality has other benefits: it’s extremely water resistant, it’s very stable, and it’s usually made with leather midsoles and cork filling, both of which conform to the shape of your foot over time and produce a boot that, after a few months of wear, has molded to your individual foot. Basically, Goodyear welted boots get more comfortable every day you own them.

Are Thursday Boots Comfortable?

The downside of boots with this kind of durable construction is that they’re often tough to break in, especially if the upper is thick. This is because leather needs heat and friction to conform to your foot’s shape, which is why they break in first and then get more comfy.

Thursday limits the break-in issue by using uppers that are a little thinner than work boots and by using a Poron insole instead of a leather insole. This is tech borrowed from the sneaker world: Poron is softer than leather and much better at absorbing shock. Thanks to the cork filling and leather midsole, the Captain still gets much of those conform-to-the-foot benefits of a Goodyear welted boot. But the Poron really helps with comfort, and if you’ve spent much time in heritage boots like Red Wing Iron Rangers, you’ll know that old-fashioned constructions feel like walking on hardwood. Not so with the Captain.

If you’re getting one of the Rugged and Resilient Captains, there’s a good chance you’ll get a blister or two in the first week of wear.

I don’t want to oversell this, though: if you’re getting one of the Rugged and Resilient Captains, there’s a good chance you’ll get a blister or two in the first week of wear, like I did when I first got my Black Matte Captains.

Just know that this is to be expected with any resoleable boot and that after a few wears, things will ease up. Consider bringing a pair of sneakers with you the first few times you go out in your Captains just in case your feet need a break.

[Related: Thursday’s President Boot Review | Rugged and Resilient for $199]

How to Size Thursday Captain Boots

• Order a half size smaller than your typical sneaker size
• Half sizes and 3 widths available

Thursday changed their sizing at the end of 2023, so listen up.

The new rule for sizing Thursday boots is: order a half size smaller than your sneakers.

Most boot brands recommend subtracting a half size from your Brannock measurement (that’s the device you measure your foot in at the shoe store, sometimes called your “true size”).

But when I asked Thursday’s CEO Nolan Walsh if that’s what he meant by “a half size smaller than your sneakers,” he said that they received fewer returns and exchanges when customers order a half size smaller than sneakers than when they ordered a half size smaller than Brannock.

So look at all your sneakers, get the average size, and go down a half size.

A big benefit of the size of this company is that they can offer multiple widths, an extravagance that smaller footwear brands can’t pull off. You can get the Captain in Wide and Extra Wide for EE and EEE feet — not for all the leathers, but the more popular the leather the more widths you can choose from.

If your feet feel too wide for your boots, you have the option of ordering a wider width, but many find success by simply sizing up half a size. Since Thursday does free exchanges, it might be worth trying both of those strategies for hard-to-fit feet before deciding this boot just isn’t for you. (And that does happen, sometimes. I simply can’t get a good fit in Thursday’s Duke Chelseas, but that’s another review.)

[Further Reading: How to Size Thursday Boots]

Thursday Captain Boot Price

• $199

The Captain, and the majority of Thursday’s boots, cost $199 on both their official site and Amazon, inclusive of shipping.

I get that this company is often a guy’s first foray into boots after a lifetime of sneakers, and he might find it rich to call that a great deal. But I encourage you to look around the market: nobody makes boots that can be resoled infinity times at this price point. Almost every other Goodyear welted boot on the market is over $300.

I even whipped up an exhaustive list of other boots that cost under $200 and none of them come close to this quality. (No, Dr. Martens don’t count, they can’t be resoled.)

Thursday Captain Boot Alternatives

“How can I get something similar without paying so much?” You can’t. This boot is the best-made boot at this price, but if you like the look or the build and want to know about Thursday boot alternatives, here are some that are often in the conversation.

Portland Leather Goods’ Breaker Boots: They look just like the Captain, but they cost a dollar less. Sometimes, even less when they’re on sale, the problem is they aren’t Goodyear welted. The upper is glued to the sole like sneakers. That means they cost about the same, but they’re made more cheaply, so they’re not a great buy.

Red Wing’s Iron Rangers: An extraordinarily popular casual boot, the Iron Ranger has the advantage of being made in the USA, but it’s $150 more expensive, doesn’t absorb shock well at all (there’s no midsole), and the break in is much tougher. Plus, it’s a lot chunkier, but maybe that’s the look you’re after.

Meermin’s Boots: This is probably the next best value for a boot in the same casual category as Thursday. The tanneries are great, and the build is solid, but they usually cost around $275. Still, the best place to shop if you’re looking for unusual leathers like kudu or cordovan.

Jim Green’s African Rangers: They’re resoleable, and they’re under $200, but they’re closer to hiking boots than city boots.

Thursday Captain Boot: To Buy or Not to Buy?

Again, as a guy who writes about boots and visits factories and tanneries for a living, I recommend Thursday more often than any other brand.

I think that’s easy to justify given the fact that very few guys want to spend more than $200 on boots, but even if money isn’t a factor for you, the Captain’s versatility, array of leathers and sizes, low break-in, free shipping and exchanges, and great customer service make the Captain a great option for anyone.

Traditionalists might prefer a leather insole over Poron foam, and some guys prefer bulkier boots. And, of course, some dudes need boots with ASTM ratings for factory work, all of which is fine if that’s your jam.

But the reason Thursday has gotten so popular is that they’re ideal for the average use case: most guys just want good-looking, comfy, rainproof boots that look good with anything.

Thursday Captain FAQ

Here are the most frequently asked questions from guys looking to buy Thursday’s Captain boot.

What type of boot is Thursday Captain?

Thursday Captain Boots are cap toe service boots, which means they're leather lace up boots with stitching across the toes and a fairly low profile — they're not big and blocky like work boots, rather they're suitable for casual and business casual wear.

Are Thursday captains waterproof?

They’re very water resistant, though not technically waterproof. Their Goodyear welt construction and water resistant leather mean your socks will stay dry in a rainstorm, they’re just not ideal for standing in a lake fishing all day.

Are Thursday boots durable?

Yes, they have all the hallmarks of your traditional rough and tumble boots: full grain leather, leather midsoles, and Goodyear welt construction — so you can replace the sole when you need to and thereby extend the boot’s lifespan. If you need something to handle a jobsite and electrical hazards you should perhaps look elsewhere, but for daily wear it’s far more durable than a sneaker.

Are Thursday Captain boots resolable?

Yes, all of the Captain boots can be resoled because of their Goodyear welt construction. Some are made with storm welts, but this is just another kind of Goodyear welt that's extra water resistant.

Do you think they are good for everyday casual wear or too clunky?

The Captain boot stands out in the market for its unusual silhouette: slimmer than a chunky work boot, but less dainty than dress boots. This makes for an extremely versatile piece of footwear that can be paired with everything from a blazer to a t-shirt.

How do I care for the Thursday Captains?

It depends on the leather; there are over a dozen different kinds to choose from. For most of the leathers, applying Cobbler’s Choice Leather Conditioner every 6 to 12 months will help to hydrate the leather and improve its longevity. The Rugged & Resilient lines don't need conditioning, but it’s also a good idea to leave cedar shoe trees in the boots between wears to help maintain their shape and reduce moisture.

How long does it take to break in Thursday’s Captains?

Usually, no time at all: the leather is about 0.2 millimeters thinner than most chunky work boots plus there’s shock absorbing foam on the insole, both of which make for a boot that’s easier to break in. However, Thursday’s “Rugged and Resilient” line of leathers are tougher and stiffer and will take a few wears to soften up.