Thursday Boots Captain Review: The Best Entry Level Boot?

This is a detailed, hands-on review of the Thursday Boots Captain, an entry-level dress-work boot for men.

I came across Thursday Boot Co. (a.k.a., Thursday Boots) after going through a couple of men’s fashion vlogs on YouTube.

A number of things caught my attention. I was never into boots, and my familiarity with brands only extended vaguely into Doc Martens and Timbs. One of the main reasons for this was that the clunky footwear aesthetic didn’t really appeal to me.

Come to think of it, I never really paid attention much to my footwear. Aesthetics were secondary to fit and comfort; I was usually content to rotate through my pairs of Chuck Taylors and leave it at that.

One other thing all of these vloggers kept mentioning was how Thursday Boot Co.’s direct-to-consumer model allowed them to offer good quality products at a great price point.

I was intrigued. I took a look at their offerings on their website and fell in love with the Captain model. It was sleek, but at the same time, the toecap gave it the right amount of ruggedness if that makes sense. What color was the best though?

Looking for the Perfect Pair

The front-runners were the brown, brandy, and Arizona adobe models. If I was going to purchase something, I would choose the brown ones mainly because I wanted something versatile, something that could work with both dark-wash denim and chinos.

Even though I loved the Captains at first sight, I wanted to make sure I was getting the best deal.

I scoured the net and found out there were different boot tiers in terms of price, but not necessarily quality. Since I was just a beginner boot buyer, I considered choices from tiers 1 ( $200-300) and 2 ($300-400).

A lot of people mentioned that the Iron Rangers were a good entry-level Goodyear welt boot. I got a lot of variable answers and feedback regarding sizing and learned that the break-in period was pretty challenging.

My main concerns were not being able to try them on, getting the wrong size, and shipping a pair of +$300 boots would be too much of a hassle to return. Also, I wasn’t sold on the overly bulbous toecap.

I’m a size 11 in dress shoes and chucks, and a 12 in some rubber shoes. The official Thursday website advises picking the same size as your other boots/dress shoes or sizing a step down from your sneakers.

I decided to take the plunge, ordered a pair of size 11 Captains, and had it shipped via Johnnyair (which was recommended by a relative).

First Impressions

The boots arrived in a few weeks. I noted that the shoebox was in near pristine condition. The boots, much to my excitement, looked as advertised on the website. Examining the leather uppers, I didn’t see any signs of loose grain or creases.

I loved how the brown color had a slight tinge of burgundy, giving the boot a deeper and richer look. I didn’t find any loose threads in the Goodyear welt stitching, and it was uniform throughout the length of the boot.

I wear medium-thick socks and putting on the boots, I was glad I picked a size 11, as they felt pretty much true to size. The toebox had just the right amount of room and didn’t feel too tight.

There was a tiny bit of heel slip at first, but this was quickly remedied when I adjusted the shoelaces.

Walking around, the arch support felt good. I’m not an outdoorsy type so I can’t really speak as to how they’ll perform on a hiking trail, but the Dainite-like outsoles provide pretty good grip in suburban environments.

Captain vs. President

The Thursday Boot Co. Captain and President are virtually the same boot. The “big” difference between these two models is the design of the toe box.

If you’re torn between these two boots, don’t overthink it. You can’t go wrong with either one. It really just depends on whether or not you prefer the extra design detail on the toe or not.

For a more minimal look, go with the President. For a bit of extra visual interest, go with the Captain.

My Recommendation

Over the succeeding months, I’ve used the boots a couple of times per week. They’ve really conformed well to the shape of my feet. The top finish (Thursday chrome, similar to chromexcel) is notorious for scratching, but this is easily dealt with by cleaning it with a horsehair brush.

Overall, I’m happy with my purchase and think the Thursday Boot Co. Captain can be a really good gateway boot into the world of Goodyear welted boots.

If a fellow newbie boot-buyer asked if I had a specific entry-level boot to recommend, I would have no hesitation recommending the Captain, you’re certainly getting your money’s worth.

I’ll definitely buy another pair of boots from Thursday Boots in the future.