Thursday Boots Review (for 2024): Are They Any Good?

Reviewed by Elina Ansary
Last updated:

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TL;DR: After testing the Duchess Chelsea Boots for the past 2.5 years, I recommend Thursday Boots with some caveats. These are the key takeaways from my Thursday Boots review:

  • My Duchess boots developed creases across the top of the toe, but the leather remains soft, and the stitching is in good condition.
  • Versatile enough to wear with dresses and pants.
  • Comfortable to walk around town in, but the sole is lacking cushion
  • Higher quality than H&M boots, but not as high as I was expecting for the price. My Duchess boots are aging well after almost three years.

I bought my first pair of Chelsea boots from an H&M in Europe years ago. I was wanting to upgrade my look from my usual sneakers to a comfortable boot I could walk through Europe’s cobblestone streets with.

From first wear, I was in love with the simple yet classic look of black Chelsea boots. Suddenly, my usual comfortable travel wear (like my go-to black leggings) looked stylish when I wore them with my Chelsea boots.

My sister and any of my closest friends can attest to just how much I wore those boots that year and how sad I was when the soles finally gave out (because H&M quality).

Since throwing away my old boots, I’d been on the lookout for a new pair of black Chelsea boots. I tried another pair from an H&M in the US and they were pretty bad, giving me blisters every time I wore them for more than 20 minutes at a time.

I couldn’t seem to find the exact style that my previous boots embodied. All of the pairs I came across were either too shiny, had a weird ankle cut, or were too stiff and uncomfortable. #bootproblems

But in my search, I eventually came across Thursday Boots and I was intrigued. Their Duchess boot matched everything I was looking for. It had the exact same look and style as my previous H&M boots but the quality seemed better, at least I hoped so with their price tag.

So, I purchased a pair for myself for Christmas and I was delighted when I put them on for the first time and found they not only looked as stylish as my old boots but were just as comfortable.

I’ve now had a couple of months to test out my Duchess Thursday Boots more fully, so I wanted to write up a review to share my experience with them.

In this post, you’ll get a full overview of the company, their many styles of boots, my personal experience with the Duchess Boots, and everything you should know before deciding whether or not to purchase a pair yourself.

Note: I bought my pair of Thursday Boots myself and this post is in no way sponsored by the company. With that said, this post does contain affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you so I can keep providing free advice and tips.

There are plenty of Thursday Boot styles to choose from. Here’s a quick look at my favorites.

Thursday Boots StyleKey Features
Duchess (Women)

Thursday Boot Company Duchess Women’s Chelsea Boot
Classic Chelsea style, comfortable & goes with anything
Read Review
Captain (Men/Women)

Thursday Boots Captain
Cap-toe design (women’s doesn’t have steel shank closures)
Read Review
President (Men)

Thursday Boots President
Stylish and a little rugged
Read Review
Duke (Men)

Thursday Boots Duke
Chelsea-style comfort, sleek look
Read Review
Scout (Men)

Thursday Boots Scout
Chukka style, versatile 
Read Review
Wingtip (Men)

Thursday Boots Wingtip
Hand-finished burnish, statement shoes
Read Review
thursday boot company - are they any good?

A Quick Look at Thursday Boot Company

Thursday Boot Co. is a New-York based company that started in 2014. And they’ve come a long way since then, selling various styles of men’s and women’s boots and other accessories too. They’re now available in all 50 states and 60 countries around the world.

The co-founders of Thursday Boot Co., Conner Wilson and Nolan Walsh, started the company because they wanted to bridge the gap between work boots and fashion boots, without the crazy price tag that’s usually associated with them.

They found work boots to be too clunky and not very versatile for wearing outside of work, and many fashionable boots to not be durable or comfortable enough for long-term wear. They also found most boots to either be too expensive or bad quality for a cheaper price, there was no in-between.

So they decided to create Thursday Boot Co., which finds that balance between comfort, durability, versatility, and honestly priced shoes. The company is big on functional fashion and offering shoes that won’t break the bank but also won’t fall apart quickly.

One aspect that I especially like about Thursday Boot Co. is its dedication to ethically, handcrafted footwear. They collaborate with artisans and suppliers to make sure the materials they use are not only high quality but ethically sourced.

If you want to read more about Conner and Nolan’s story and how they founded Thursday Boot Co., I’d recommend reading this article. It’s a good introduction to the brand and its values.

Thursday Boots Review: My Experience With the Duchess Boots

I ordered my Thursday Chelsea boots just after Christmas and they arrived within the shipping timeframe they said on their site. They looked great right out of the box, there were no quality control issues and no breaking-in period necessary.

Besides being stiff when putting them on, which I’ll talk more about below, they were everything I was expecting when I ordered them.

The one hiccup I had with these boots was when I was doing my photo shoot for this post, the back tab on the right boot came loose when I was trying to put them on. This was disappointing after only two months of wear, but I contacted their customer service team and got it sorted within a few days (more on that below). 

All up though, I’ve had a positive experience with my Chelsea-style Thursday Boots. I wear them about once or twice per week, and I’ve walked over two miles at a time in them without any issues with blisters or my feet feeling uncomfortable.

I love having a classic black Chelsea boot in my wardrobe to dress up an outfit, and I’m glad I was able to find an affordable pair that will hopefully last for years to come.

Here is my full Thursday Boots review and the main pros and cons of the shoes so far.

thursday chelsea boots - the duchess

Pros

Number of Options

Thursday Boots is all about the options. They have a plethora of men’s and women’s styles, as well as accessories and cleaning products.

For women, they currently have 18 styles of boots and a variety of different heel sizes from 1-2” to 3”+, with some of the most popular styles including the Duchess and the Captain.

The full line of women’s Thursday Boots styles includes the following: Duchess, Legend, Knockout, Captain, Combat, Coda, Dreamer, Rebel, Ryder, Downtown, Raider, Diplomat, Heartbreaker, Tempest, Avenue, Paloma, Highline, Rogue, and Country.

For men, they currently have 17 styles of boots, with some of the most popular styles including the Captain, President, Duke, and Scout. They also have a line of dress shoes for men.

The full line of men’s Thursday Boots styles includes the following: Captain, President, Legend, Explorer, Casa Moto, Cavalier, Diplomat, Cadet, Duke, Major, Scout, Vanguard, Logger, Commander, Wingtip, Rogue, Harness.

They have a number of accessories on offer too, including belts, socks, laces, and various products that help you take care of leather.

This is all to say that you’re spoiled for choice and it would be hard to not find at least one (if not many) boot styles that you like.

Style & Versatility

The aspect that Thursday Boots does so well is its practical style. They’ve done a good job of bridging that gap between style and comfort.

Their boots, especially their classics (like the Chelsea styles or the Captain) are fashionable and can really be paired with most outfits. The thing I love so much about Chelsea boots and why I often travel with them is that they can be paired with jeans, leggings, or dresses easily and work with most of my wardrobe. And my Chelsea Thursday Boots are no exception.

women's Thursday boots - stylish and versatile

Quality

So far, I’ve been impressed with the Thursday Boots quality. Although they don’t use as high-quality materials as some of the more expensive boot companies that price their boots around $300+, they use real leather in their shoes and the construction of them feels sturdy.

The Chelsea style I bought is made from full-grain leather, glove leather interior, elastic goring, antimicrobial shock-absorbing insole, and studded rubber outsoles.

As I mentioned above, the one issue I’ve had with their quality so far is the back tab that helps you put on the shoe, which broke on my right shoe after only a couple of months of wear. 

However, I contacted Thursday Boots about this and they quickly responded with two options: I could send back the boots for a free exchange or find a local cobbler to fix the back tab for me and they would reimburse me up to $65.

This ended up being a good test of their customer service with how quickly they replied and the choices they offered to make sure I was happy with my boots and the quality.

I also realize now that I probably should’ve been using a shoe horn to get my boots on instead of just tugging at the tab with full force. 

Overall, I’ve been happy with the quality and how good they still look after a couple of months. The soles especially have stayed almost brand new and still feel supportive even after my lengthier walks.

The only other thing I’ve noticed is creasing in the leather, especially near the front ankle part of the shoe. Apparently, this is common with the type of leather they use (Thursday chrome leather), but it’s just something to be aware of if you don’t like that creased look.

With that said, I’ll update this section if anything changes as I continue wearing them.

Free Shipping & Returns

Another pro to these shoes is that they offer free shipping for customers based in the US if your order is over $50.

They also offer free and quick returns and exchanges within 30 days of purchase, again for customers based in the US. However, they have to be as good as new in order to return them (e.g. you haven’t worn them outside and there aren’t any creases). They offer free return shipping as well for orders over $100.

Cons

Stiff Leather

This is probably just part and parcel of wearing leather shoes, which I don’t have a ton of experience with except for my Tieks, but Thursday Boots can be quite stiff to put on. I always have to sit down and sometimes really tug on the back tab to get my feet into them.

This isn’t a huge deal and one that I hope will get easier as I break in the boots more and start using a shoe horn, but it definitely takes some effort to get them on. With that said, once they’re on, they feel snug and comfortable.

The only other area that sometimes feels a little stiff and that will hopefully break in more as I continue wearing them is the toe box.

thursday boots cons - stiff thursday chrome leather

No promo or discount codes

Because Thursday Boot Co. is mostly a direct-to-consumer brand that focuses on honest pricing, there aren’t any Thursday Boots promo codes or discount codes. This can be a bummer for those who are always looking for a good deal, but the reason they say they do this is because they offer good valued boots year-round.

Limited In-Person Stores

If you’re someone who likes to try on your shoes before you buy them, you’re mostly out of luck with these boots. Thursday Boot Co. only has one physical store in New York City and most of their boots are sold online on their site or Amazon.

The good news is, similar to Allbirds, they have a good return and exchange policy if you don’t like your boots for any reason, as long as they haven’t been worn outside and it’s within 30 days of purchase.

This means that it’s super easy to order a pair of boots and try them on at home for a week or so before deciding if you want to keep them or not. I’ve personally grown to like this way of buying shoes since it gives me more time to test them out and I don’t have to deal with going into stores.

To Be Determined

Durability

Since I’ve only had my boots for a couple of months, I can’t say much about their durability yet. However, I scoured the Goodyear Welt subreddit (where Thursdays are talked about a lot) and read about other customer’s experiences with long-term wear.

The general consensus is if you’re wearing these boots almost every day, they’ll probably last for 2-3 years before needing to be replaced. If you’re able to change them out with other shoes throughout the week (maybe wearing them 1-3x per week instead), they’ll last longer (probably closer to five years).

For the price, I still think this is a good deal for an entry pair of quality and stylish boots.

thursday boots durability
goodyear welt and rubber soles

Other Thursday Boots Styles

There are a lot of other Thursday Boot styles than just the Duchess, here are a few more of the most popular styles to choose from.

Thursday Boots Captain Review

The Thursday Captain Boot is probably the most popular style, along with the President. The Captain Boot is offered in both men’s and women’s styles and has half sizes and wide options as well.

This boot style is a classic one that reminds me of late 1800s fashion (talk about never going out of style). The Thursday Boots Captain style pairs especially well with jeans or pants, although these are stylish enough that they could also look great with a long or knee-length dress.

In terms of materials, the Thursday Captain Boots are Goodyear Welted and have a fully-lined leather interior and exterior (besides the rubber sole, eyelets, and laces), steel shanks, shock-absorbing insoles, Kevlar blend laces, and cork bed midsoles.

The only difference between the women’s and the men’s Thursday Captain boot is that the women’s isn’t made with the steel shanks, otherwise, the construction and materials are the same.

The Thursday Captain Boot is known as rugged and resilient for those who are looking for that tough boot look that’s stylish and made with quality materials.

Thursday Boots President Review

The President Boot is another popular style and one that looks very similar to the Captain Boot at first glance. If you’re wondering what’s the difference between Thursday Boots Captain vs President styles, it’s the slight difference in the exterior look of the shoes and how the leather ages. The President boot is also only offered in men’s sizes.

The two boots both have the same Goodyear Welt construction and use the same materials. They’re even priced the same. However, the Captain has a “cap-toe” design and the President has leather that ages more aesthetically. The President also has a slightly more rugged look than the Captain and doesn’t have as many color options.

Thursday Boots Duke Review

The Duke is the men’s version of the Duchess, with Chelsea-style comfort and a sleek look that comes in full and half sizes. This boot is not as rugged-looking as the Captain or President and is easier to dress up or dress down as needed.

Similar to most Thursday Boots, the Duke style has Goodyear Welt construction, making the shoes water-resistant.

The boots are also made with full-grain leather upper, a glove leather interior, shock-absorbing insoles, cork bed midsoles, elastic goring, and studded rubber outsoles. The suede Duke style is made the same, except with a suede upper instead of full-grain leather.

Thursday Boots Scout Review

The Thursday Scout Boot is a chukka-style boot that is part American, part British and comes mostly in suede options (as well as two leather options).

Similar to the Duke, the Scout is another style that leans more into its stylish than rugged side and is easy to dress up or down with all kinds of outfits. This is another style that’s only offered in men’s sizes, but there is a wide range of sizing options including full sizes, half sizes, and wide sizes.

These shoes have the same Goodyear Welt construction and materials used in most Thursday styles but they mostly come with a WeatherSafe suede upper instead of the Thursday chrome leather.

Thursday Boots Wingtip Review

And finally, if you thought the Captain Boot brought you back to the style of the 1800s, let me introduce you to the Thursday Wingtip Boot. The Wingtip is a more premium-priced boot that only comes in men’s sizes and three color options.

The most unique feature of the Wingtip Boot is the hand-finished burnish and brogue pattern around the shoe and on the toe. These are definitely statement shoes and for those who want something that has some stylish ornamentation yet still offers a rugged vibe. They also have a higher ankle than any of the other styles mentioned above.

Thursday Boots Sizing Tips

Thursday Boots sizing is on par with other dress shoes and designer footwear, which means they’re not true to size if you’re thinking of what size you wear with your normal shoes, like sneakers.

This means you’ll need to size up or size down depending on which style you’re buying. Each product page has its own sizing guide, which is pretty accurate and a good place to start.

Overall, men’s Thursday Boots run slightly big so you’ll want to order a ½ size down from your sneaker size.

And women’s Thursday Boots fit a bit more snug, so you’ll probably want to size a ½ size up. I’m usually a 9 ½ and size 10 fit nicely for me and was still snug but not painfully small.

Luckily, Thursday Boot Co. offers half sizes for a lot of their styles, but if you’re in between sizes they recommend sizing down for men’s styles and sizing up for women’s.

If you have wide feet, it’s probably good to always size up unless you’re buying one of their styles that are offered in wide (these include the President, Duke, Scout, and Captain boots). If you’re not buying a wide style, their men’s sizes are a standard D width and their women’s sizes are a standard B width.

thursday boots sizing

How to Take Care of Your Thursday Boots

Although these are entry-level leather boots, they’re still an investment and it’s a good idea to take care of them as best you can to get the most out of your purchase.

Thursday Boot Co. offers their own line of leather care goods, which is a good place to start. The line includes leather cleaner, leather conditioner, leather cream, leather balm, waterproofing spray, among other products and kits. At the very least, it’s good to get into the habit of conditioning them regularly.

It might also be good to invest in a shoe horn to help slip on the shoes without needing to tug on them so much and some shoe trees to keep them in shape long term.

Lastly, if you really want to make sure your Thursdays last as long as possible, I’d also recommend grabbing some Angelus Black Wax Polish and using a PEET Boot Dryer at the end of the day whenever you wear them.

thursday boot co - care tips

Return & Exchange Policy

Thursday Boot Company has a decent return and exchange policy and, from my personal experience, their customer service team is reasonable and gets back to you quickly.

They allow free returns and exchanges for any of their boots as long as it’s within 30 days of receiving your order and your boots are in re-sellable condition (e.g. no wearing them outside and no creases). You also have to have the original packaging to send them back.

Thursday Boots Discounts

So, are there ever any Thursday Boots discount codes? Unfortunately, Thursday Boots coupons aren’t really a thing. This is because they try to instead focus on bringing a good value product to consumers year-round.

With that said, if you’re on a tight budget but you’re still hankering for a pair of their boots, they sometimes have lightly used boots or factory seconds available at a discounted rate. You can email them with your size and style preference to see if this is an option.

Where to Buy Thursday Boots

As mentioned above, there is only one Thursday Boots store in New York City. So unless you’re going there anytime soon, I’d recommend ordering them from their site or from Amazon.

where to buy thursday boots

FAQ

How Long do Thursday Boots Take to Break-In?

The break-in period for Thursday Boots is pretty much non-existent. My pair of boots didn’t take any time to break in besides being a little stiff to put on. Other than that, they haven’t given me any blisters and they’ve felt comfortable from the first wear.

To give you an idea, I walked two miles in them in one outing the first week after they arrived and they were super comfy.

Where are Thursday Boots Made?

They’re designed in New York and handcrafted in small batches in Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and Arkansas.

Are Thursday Boots Real Leather?

Yes, Thursday Boots are made with full-grain, Chromexcel leather. Their leather comes from the USA, France, and Italy and it’s tanned in North America and Italy.

Are Thursday Boots Waterproof?

Besides the suede styles, most Thursday Boot styles are water-resistant since they use Thursday chrome leather. Most of their products also feature a welt construction, which means there’s a leather welt between the upper and the sole. This helps keep water from getting into the shoe.

With that said, these shoes are still made out of leather so they’re not waterproof. They’ll keep you dry on rainy days but to keep them in the best shape possible, it’s not recommended to wear them in wet weather.

If you’re looking for fully waterproof shoes, I’d recommend checking out my list of the best waterproof walking shoes

Why Are They Called Thursday Boots?

Because Thursday is a weekday but also the unofficial start of the weekend when people start winding down. It’s a nod to the versatility of the boots and how they’re practical but also fun.

And yes, you can wear them on non-Thursdays too. 😉 

So, Are Thursday Boots Any Good?

So, are Thursday Boots good? After wearing mine for a couple of months, I can honestly say yes.

As you can probably tell if you’ve gotten this far in this Thursday Boots review, I feel like you get a lot of value for the price of an entry-level boot. The quality is what I expected and I finally have a Chelsea boot that I love wearing (and will hopefully be taking on trips again soon).

I’ve also been impressed with their customer service and the fact that they really seem to care that you’re happy with your boots for a long time to come.

If you’re on the fence, I’d recommend ordering a pair to check them out for yourself. And if you don’t like them for any reason, you can always send them back with their free returns (as long as you’re in the US).

are thursday boots good?
Wearing my Thursday Boots with leggings and a sweater makes for a comfortable and slightly dressier look than sneakers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mimi McFadden Headshot

Mimi McFadden
Founder & Editor-In-Chief

Mimi McFadden grew up in Santa Cruz, California, and founded The Atlas Heart in 2013. Starting in 2020, she began testing new footwear to find that perfect balance of style, comfort, and versatility that’s so important for travel. In just a few years, she has tested over 30 shoe brands as the main footwear tester at The Atlas Heart and is always on the lookout for more trendy new shoes to try out. Mimi knows that no gear’s quite as important as what you wear on your feet, which is why she puts so much time, effort, and methodical testing into her shoe recommendations.


Looking for more shoe recommendations? Check out my related posts below!

My Honest Tieks Shoes Review

Detailed Rothy’s Shoes Review 

12 Best Waterproof Walking Shoes

Allbirds Review: Allbirds Wool Runners vs Allbirds Tree Runners 

Allbirds Tree Runners Review

Birdies Shoes Review

16 Best Allbirds Alternatives

17 Best Tieks Alternatives

Tieks vs Rothy’s Shoes

Birdies vs Rothy’s Shoes

9 Best Wool Shoes

Allbirds Tree Breezers Review

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Hi, I'm Mimi! I'm an outdoorsy Californian who has spent over 28 years immersed in the incredible natural beauty that California has to offer. My goal is to inspire others to get out and find their next adventure in California. Whether it’s escaping to an alpine lake in the Sierras, finding peace among the giant redwoods, or road tripping down the PCH, there’s always more to explore in this beautiful state.

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4 thoughts on “Thursday Boots Review (for 2024): Are They Any Good?”

  1. I reached out to Thursday and they said the women’s captain is made with steel shank and is identical to the men’s version. Do you know if this is true and has been changed since your review?

    Reply
    • I just checked their website again, and it doesn’t say anything about the women’s Captain having steel shanks. It’s odd that they wouldn’t mention that feature on the product page, but maybe they just haven’t updated it yet?

      Reply

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