the Boots Authority - Your Personal Guide To Boots

Types of Boot Leathers

There was a time when the word "leather" meant cowhide, just cowhide. It had to be a certain cut and thickness too, or by law you couldn't call it leather. That all changed when they deregulated the industry and changed the rules. Now the term "leather" can be applied to any product made from an animal skin. That didn't really change the boot industry since boots had been made from all kinds of skins for years. It just meant that the term leather would require further explanation to avoid confusion from that day forward. So this page offers some explanations of the common characteristics of boot skins, or "leathers" to help alleviate the confusion.

Pick Your Cut/Tanning Methods

Go to your local butcher shop and you will find a huge assortment of different cuts of meat. Take any of those cuts of meat to a top chef and she will create a huge variety of tasty dishes. Now you get the picture of why there are so many variations of leather. Different cuts tanned different ways produce an enormous variety of colors, shades and textures. For each type of skin there are a wide variety of leathers, but some general characteristics are true of each. -Just like with meats where a t-bone always rocks and liver always sucks.

Cowhide/Calf Leather

Cowhide is leather made from cows just like in the old days. Cowhide is typically fairly soft with a moderate amount of grain. Finished surface leathers will have a smoother finish and higher gloss. Unfinished surface leathers like in oil-tanning show more grain and texture. Durability is good to excellent. Thickness will vary from thin to fairly thick.

Bullhide/Shoulder Cut

Bullhide or shoulder cut cowhides are tougher leathers than cowhide with heavy grain. Tanning methods usually show off the character of the leather. Durability is excellent. Thickness is thick.

Horse Leather/Horsehide/Ranch Hand

Horsehide is less common than when horses were the primary means of transportation in America, but it remains plentiful and desirable. Horsehide is fairly soft with light to moderate grain. Durability is very good to excellent. Thickness is moderate to thick.

American Bison

American bison leather is moderately soft with moderate grain. Leathers are usually tanned with a finished surface. Durability is good to excellent. Thickness is usually moderate.

American Elk/Deerskin/Antelope/Moose

Leathers from elk, deer, antelope and moose are typically very soft with moderate grain. These leathers may be rather porous and may darken when wet. The comfortable wear that has made them so popular in moccasins also makes them desirable for boots. Durability is moderate to good. Thickness is moderate.

Water Buffalo

Buffalo leather is usually fairly soft with moderate to heavy grain. Water buffalo leather has been popular in recent years as the animal is common in the countries producing most of the leather these days. Durability is good to very good. Thickness is moderate.

Kangaroo Leather

Now don't go all cartoon on me, we aren't talking about talking critters here - in their native country they overpopulate and become problematic just like the North American whitetail deer. An interesting fact about kangaroo leather: if you look at it under a microscope it has more interlocking fibers than any other type of leather. Kangaroo is a soft leather with moderate grain. Durability is excellent. Thickness is thin.

Goat Leather/Goatskin

Soft and smooth, goat is one of the more common leathers in boots. Goat and kangaroo are often used in the shaft of exotic skin boots. Durability is good. Thickness is thin to moderate.

African Elephant

Arrangements have been made in recent years for American boot makers to legally obtain the hides of elephants that die or have to be destroyed. This provides direct funding for the African game parks and provides the boot makers with some very unique leather. Elephant is tough but comfortable wearing. In appearance it has heavy grain and texture. Durability is excellent. Thickness is moderate to thick.

American Alligator

Farm raised American alligators produce the most prized of the crocodilian leathers. Alligator is usually a moderately soft leather that is comfortable to wear. Appearance will vary depending on whether the pieces are head cut, body cut, belly cut, or tail cut. The scales and patterns in each area of the animal are different. Skins from similar animals are paired for boots so the boots will match. Durability is good to excellent. Thickness is moderate to thick.

Nile Crocodile

Nile crocodiles are usually larger than the American alligators harvested for leather so the scales are typically bigger. The leather characteristics are otherwise pretty similar. Durability is excellent. Thickness is thick.

Caiman/Caimen Crocodile

There are numerous species of caiman found in several parts of the world. Since caiman are the most plentiful of the crocodilians their leathers are the least expensive. They are generally smaller than American alligators and Nile crocodiles so the scales are usually smaller. Leather characteristics and appearance is similar to other crocodilians. Durability is good to excellent. Thickness is moderate.

Ostrich Leather

Ostrich leather is very popular for boots due to it's wear characteristics and distinctive looks. It is soft and conforms well to the foot. Appearance will differ according to the cut. Full quill or pin ostrich is cuts of leather with a consistent pattern of quill bumps. Smooth ostrich leather may have some quill bumps but not with any frequency or pattern. Shoulder cut leather has heavy grain and resembles the heavy grain cowhides. Ostrich leg leather looks more like a reptile skin than a bird - it has large horizontal scales. Durability is good. Thickness is thin to moderate.

Snake/Lizard/Reptile Skins

Reptile skins are fairly soft and are usually applied over the top of other leathers or mesh to give structure and increased strength. The skins may be colored or tanned to bring out the natural patterns. Common snakes utilized include python, rattlesnakes, and karung sea snakes. Common lizards include ring lizard and iguana. Durability is moderate to good. Thickness is thin.

Stingray Leather

Stingray is comfortable wearing but not very soft. Sizing is important with stingray boots because the stingray leather will not give or break in. It has a very unique appearance, resembling a mat of glass beads. Durability is excellent. Thickness is moderate.