Thursday Boot Company Captain Men's Lace-up Boot

I had been searching for a pair of quality black boots for months and finally decided on the Thursday Captain in Matte Black. It is incredibly difficult to find this style of high-quality boot available in wide selections that can accommodate someone who wears a 3E (EEE) width. This availability is what initially sold me, though I was still hesitant to buy them online without trying them on, especially considering the price and potential break-in period. Initial Impression & Fit: The shipping was fast. Out of the box, the boots were definitely snug across the ball of my foot, but they felt instantly high-quality. I spent several weeks walking around the house to start the break-in process. The Defect & Customer Service: During the break-in, I developed an uncomfortable feeling in the bottom of my left foot while walking. It felt like constantly stepping on a rock, as the lugs on the sole were pushing through the footbed. I contacted Thursday Boots and explained the issue. The representative was excellent—they requested photos to share with the production staff to diagnose the cause. To my surprise and great satisfaction, they sent me a replacement pair of boots free of charge. Final Assessment: The replacement pair was flawless. It took a few weeks of consistent wear to fully break them in, but once they molded to my feet, they felt fantastic. Look: They look great and sharp. Comfort: They are comfortable for walking and feel durable. Fit for Wide Feet: The fact that they offer a wide option for a 3E (EEE) foot is a game-changer. The initial snugness gives way to a truly comfortable fit after the break-in. I am extremely pleased with both the quality of the replacement boots and the exceptional customer service from Thursday. The positive experience was so significant that I have since purchased another pair of boots from this company. It makes me confident in purchasing from them again.

This was my second attempt at a pair of Thursdays. My first was the Dukes on the old RT3 last. These Captains came on the new Kingmaker, which is rounder. I don’t wear the Dukes because of too much pressure on the tops of the toe box, a problem which unfortunately seems to replicate itself here, despite having ordered a different boot, in a different size, made on a different last. But, I can’t fault the obviously high quality and build of this product. So I will speak to that first. I loved the workmanship on the Captains. I ordered these in Arizona Adobe. The leather was beautiful, thick, and durable. I would agree with other recent reviewers that it was definitely more of a chocolate brown than the burnt orange that is pictured. Some folks have theorized that a certain batch of Arizona Adobe leather came in darker that others this time, and that this batch just needs to work its way through the product line. If you’re looking for something closer to the burnt orange pictured, try another color or wait until other folks (or the company itself) can attest to a batch that more closely matches the Arizona Adobe pictured. That all being said, I actually liked the chocolate brown these turned out to be, so your mileage may vary. Regarding construction, there’s no question they would hold up to years of hard wear, the studded sole is tough and the leather remarkably scuff resistant. Laces felt strong and durable. Welt was clean and there were no errant stitches that I could find anywhere on the boot. The rubber studded sole was beautiful and high quality. The quarters seemed a little flimsy, I was expecting something similar to cowboy boot quarters which are often firmer leather or reinforced with plastic, but these felt more like dress shoe quarters to me. Obviously in a boot like this, and any shoe really, your heel doesn’t bend or flex or move much compared to your instep and forefoot, so the need for super tough heel quarters may be unnecessary, I only mention it because it felt strange given the heavier duty feeing about the rest of the boot. Apart from that, craftsmanship was truly punching above its weight class on these, and they represent a great value on construction quality alone. The problem, and it’s why I returned them, is the shape and design of the last does not work for my feet for some reason. I’m a 10.5E on a Brannock device but I fit a 10D in most shoes and cowboy boots with a few exceptions depending on the boot maker. 10.5D in Vans. I followed Thursday’s recommendation of sizing a half size down and ordered a 10D. The resulting fit was appropriate for most of my foot. They fit well everywhere, perhaps even a little wide in the midfoot. Heel felt comfortably snug despite my reservations about the quarters. The issue is the toe box. I can feel the toe box with the tops of my toes and it exerts a mild to medium but constant pressure on them. I’ve had trouble with ingrown nails in the past and after a few days, my toes just hurt and I start to feel that if I keep wearing them, my ingrown nail issues will return. Maybe I have abnormally large Big Toes on both feet, but this issue is usually not a problem with other shoes in similar sizes, including multiple pairs of Dan Post and Capitan cowboy boots with R toes and cutter toes respectively. Never had a problem. Going a half size larger with these, (as I did with my other Thursdays Dukes) makes my foot swim in the boots, they are much too large. Half size down or wide size wouldn’t fix a toe box that isn’t tall enough. The only thing I can chalk it down to is that the shape of the last just doesn’t work for my feet. Every bootmaker and shoe maker has different lasts around which they build their shoes to make a consistent product across multiple size and width configurations. I’m sure last development is very difficult, and based on the huge number of five star reviews on these things, Thursday has obviously created a great product that works well for a lot of people. I wish they had worked for me. I suspect I might have more luck with the heavier duty models that come with lug soles and puff toes, but I find lug soles unfashionable for my sense of style. It may just be that I’m out of luck on Thursdays. I really wanted to like these and to have them work out, but for that reason I had to return them.

I wear a size 11 in almost every piece of footwear I own. I originally didn’t head the advice of sizing down a half size on these. Tried 11 and they were definitely too big. 10.5 fits perfectly. I find myself needing the wide (EE) size for Thursday sneakers but these boots in the normal width feel fine for my feet. Not too cramped and not too roomy (as far as width is concerned). Just right. There is a little extra length of room at toe because of the slight point but not enough where I think I’m going to trip. I never order wide sizes other for Thursday sneakers. Very well made. Insane value boot. No problems with traction so far. Break in period is almost non existent. Very comfortable to wear for long walks. Even did some short hikes with them. Very high quality laces with the speed hooks making putting them on and taking them off very quick and easy. Would definitely recommend. I ordered a different pair in another color too. These are Arizona Adobe and are a bit darker than they might arrive as because of the Cobblers Choice leather conditioner I applied to it earlier this week. Hope this helps someone out there.

Rugged is the right word to describe these. They held up incredibly well through this past Canadian winter with regular use. I’m not a boot connoisseur by any means, but I like the way these look, the price point is good and they’ve held up well.

Followed the Thursday website sizing advice based on my sneakers sizes (EU41, E width). Mild panic as the first time I tried them on they felt too tight. I measured the length of the boot (7.5) versus my other shoes and the length seemed fine, although they were definitely narrower in the mid foot. If I was EE width I would have had to order from Thursday direct a EE width pair. I'd heard reviewers talk about 'almost no break-in', although I suspect they may have ignored the half-a-size down advice from Thursday, or perhaps had narrower feet. Other reviewers spoke about wearing them every day for 2 weeks to break in, in some cases acknowledging they prefer a snug fit with their boots. I took some time to break them in - had some hot spots and blisters on my heels, but they've finally broken in to a point where they are comfortable now - I feel that my foot can fully relax in them, and the mid foot did eventually break in nicely. I would have loved some indication of what to expect with break in for wide feet (a note in the box?), as this would have made me feel I was taking less of a gamble with seeing how it all went with break in after the initial try on. They look fantastic, and have a great new leather smell out of the box, that definitely sticks around for a while! Will definitely give Thursday a look-in for my next pair of boots - recommended.

Excellent quality product and really comfortable boots.

As much as I like the styling of these boots - less physically chunky than other designs, with a pleasant matte finish - I am a bit concerned overall. These are clearly more of a fashion boot than a hard-wearing workboot (and I do think they would be kicked to death soon enough) but I did expect them to hold up to daily wear. However, after little more than a month I am noticing a significant crack above one of the heels. I also have noticed the insoles suffered after some recent heavy rain, which may be my mistake for wearing them outdoors in a sudden storm. Besides those particular issues, the leather itself seems to hold up well enough so far and they have also been generally quite comfortable and well-fitting after a brief time wearing them in. They seem reasonable overall but I am concerned about longevity. Another issue I have with them, which I definitely could see being a problem, is the grip on the soles, which feels rather slippery at times especially mid-step or on uneven/wet surfaces. I think this is something you can understand just from looking at the design of the underside as I have shown here, where there are a few rows of these stud-like bumps. It feels like you only really get grip if you deliberately put all your weight into the centre of that section. If you don't plant your feet firmly in that point, and especially if you lean to the side or put your weight towards your toes (as if to reach a shelf) it is easier to slide. I imagine this happens because fewer of these bumps engage the floor and the rest of the sole is pretty much smooth. It does not seem to work quite as well as I would like. This is overall a shame as they are not cheap boots, the construction otherwise seems reasonable enough for comfortable wear, and if it was my only complaint I could probably get used to the grip even if it continues to be irritating (I have definitely worn worse boots for longer in my time). They would easily deserve four stars overall if I didn't have this issue. I don't understand how the heel can already be cracked like this, and I don't know if this is "normal" wear and tear that is going to continue deteriorating or if this is a defect that was not so apparent on reciept. Either way, it is concerning given the cost.

Great fit, super comfortable and they look badass. Highly recommend!