There's something irresistibly self-indulgent, yet somehow practical, about rugged cowboy footwear that's made especially for an individual's feet. Maybe because our feet are all so different. Maybe because somehow we all feel that it's our obligation as Americans to be ready to ride a horse at any time (or at least to look ready).
Whatever the reason, the appeal of custom cowboy boots is widespread. When we visited Tres Outlaws and Rocketbuster Boots, these shops were as likely to be crafting a pair for a Wall Street trader as they were for a Texas rancher. And no wonder — there are few articles of clothing more beautiful, creative, rugged, and uniquely American than the cowboy boot. And if your cowboy boots are custom-fit, then there's almost nothing more comfortable.
If you like the thought of having a custom handmade pair of cowboy boots, you'd better act fast because they might not be available for long. The artisan shops that make custom boots are facing tough times and many of them have had to close their doors for good. Even though shops like Tres Outlaws and Rocketbuster have a healthy demand for their fabulous creations, the problem lies in finding the craftsmen with the skill to actually make the boots.
Because footwear in general has become mostly a factory business (and most manufacturing is done overseas), bootmaking is not seen by young people as a skill that will last them a lifetime. As a result, few people are willing to go through a traditional apprenticeship when they can get more immediately lucrative jobs elsewhere.
The shops we visited employed mostly artisans over 50. One man at Rocketbuster has, thankfully, roped his children into the business, but this is not the norm. Tres Outlaws, for example, has one of the only masters in the business, and he's almost 80 years old.
But there's one thing we've noticed as we've traveled America. The old ways of manufacturing seem to be coming back. There is a small but strong movement to revive traditional skills and crafts. We hope that custom cowboy boots will follow this trend, but just to be on the safe side, order yours soon.
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