Tall, Smart, and Attractive: Nocona Boot Review

Back in 1925, Enid Justin, daughter of Justin Boot Company founder, Herman Joseph Justin, did not want to leave home. One of seven children, Enid had moved around plenty in her young life and was happy in her small hometown of Nocona, Texas, near the Red River and the Oklahoma border. Nocona was a common stop on northern cattle drives.

So when her brothers pulled up stakes and transferred the boot company to Fort Worth, the newly married woman decided to stay put and within a year had founded the Nocona Boot Company. She was her company’s first salesman, too, and hit the road in a Model T Ford with her kid sister in tow. Over time, her north Texas company would become one of the top five boot companies in the country – an astonishing feat for a woman of her generation.

You could say Nocona boots, still made in Texas, are like the company’s founder: impressive and hard-working. That’s what I discovered with my first pair of Nocona’s – a beautiful pair of Cozy Taupe Cow boots.

In an effort to put these attractive boots through the ringer, I’ve worn them every day and all day since receiving them two weeks ago. The boots have walked and ridden about 50 miles thus far.

My feet are slightly smaller than the size 9 ordered. As a result, these square, snip-toed boots with underslung heels needed virtually no breaking in.

Initially, I fretted that the lack of fancy insole or foamy insert might mean less support than other boots with those inner extras. But no worries necessary. Even after miles of walking, standing, and riding, the Noconas still felt sublime.

Nocona boots work hard in the stirrup and elsewhere

The 13-inch height has plenty of width if you’re inclined to tuck in your jeans or if you have wide calves. When riding through all gaits, uphill and down, as well as through thick brush, jeans stayed put and did not ride up (a variable I believe is often due to boot-jean interaction, not just jean fit). When I had to dismount because the terrain was too rugged and vertical, these Noconas were fit to the task.

The All-American Nocona story came full circle when Enid merged the company with her Justin Industries in 1981. The Nocona plant closed in 1999, but Nocona boots are still made in Texas. Check out the lineup of American made boots here for women and here for men.

Enid Justin, immensely dedicated to boot making and to her community, was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1978. She lived 96 years and died in 1990.

Hats Off and Boots On to you, Enid!