You should be ready for the unexpected this spring in all facets of your wardrobe. It sounds simple enough on the surface, but it often comes down to being prepared before you’ve got to really be prepared. This is where a pair of stylish men’s boots for spring can turn from “nice-to-have” into a downright essential.
Sure, fall and winter is no time to skimp on sturdy, hard-wearing footwear, but the varied demands of spring require a different level of precision. Need to take on blustery seasonal rain in style? There are lightweight duck boots and classic, rain-ready slip-on boots at your disposal.
Fancy lacing up some sturdy dress boots for a cool evening on the town (literally and figuratively)? Step into a sleek Horween leather pair. Prefer the classics, like timeless leather chukka boots? Consider that box checked off, too.
Turn your vision board into a reality — and be prepared for each and every seasonal style scenario — by shopping spring’s best boots. We’re willing to bet you’ll want more than just one pair.
New Republic Sonoma Suede Chelsea Boots
Those richly textured suede Chelsea boots you wore with fall leaves underfoot should be cleaned up and brought back out of storage following a long winter — and there’s also not a better time to buy a new pair, either. For under $100 on sale, New Republic produces a refined Chelsea boot in rich tan suede, set atop a suitably springy rubber crepe sole. $89.60
Clarks Desert Boots
You can’t exactly wear Clarks boots during a slushy winter, but the all-time classic desert boot belongs in your rotation the rest of the year. This is especially true during temperate spring days, when you can rock ’em in breezy fashion with olive chinos or rolled light wash denim (no-show socks sold separately). $150
Huckberry All-Weather Duckboots
The duck boot, with its souped-up rubberized rand and extreme traction, is a style more commonly found in the depths of winter. At least when made by Huckberry though, the duckboot becomes a new spring classic. These hard-wearing boots are 100 percent waterproof, blending a tractioned Vibram outsole with a cushioned EVA midsole. They’re at once sneakers and boots, the kind you can wear all season long. $188
Thursday Boots Major Boots
Thursday Boots has gone from buzzed-about online brand to a boot retailer with one of the most consistently solid, stylish yet affordable lineups of footwear, period (check out the company’s leather sneakers, too). The Major merges dressy side-zip detailing with a rugged lug outsole, then does it all up in distressed grey leather for an impossibly cool look. $199
Florsheim Foundry Plain Toe Chukka Boots
A chukka boot is an essential part of any man’s footwear rotation, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. They’ve got the versatility to pair up with indigo blue jeans, a henley and a spring trucker jacket — plus the style points to be worn alongside a spring cotton suit. Here, rich and beautifully crafted Horween leather uppers make the difference. $184.95
Blundstone Original 500 Series Boots
Our neighbors Down Under have been making Blundstone boots in some form for more than 150 years — an impressive legacy that gets even better when you consider the modern-day utility of these slip-resistant, easy-to-style boots. They’re another pair you can rock in both fall and spring, but they come in particularly handy when seasonal downpours strike. For day hikes, brewery beers and spring chores, the durable leather upper and super-comfortable outsole and midsole can’t be beat. $199.95
Season Three Ultralight Hiking Boots
We’ve sung the praises of Season Three’s outstanding hiking boots before, and we’d wager you’ll feel much the same way once you try these city-ready, trail-approved shoes. The specs are impressive, to say the least: They’re lightweight yet durable, fashioned from 100 percent waterproof nubuck leather. Best of all, the ’80s Euro hiker-inspired design is sleek, not clunky, and they’re lined with temperature-regulating merino wool. $199.95
Taylor Stitch Ranch Boots in Redwood Waxed Suede
As impressive as Taylor Stitch’s rugged outerwear and essential shirting can be, its footwear collection is another sight to behold entirely. The Ranch Boots boast a ridiculously tough yet comfortable Vibram lug sole, weatherproof suede material throughout and a profile that works with tailored chinos or badass black jeans. $348
Belstaff Trialmaster Zip Up Boots
Belstaff makes gear you can trust unequivocally, like handsome, rugged jackets fit for the open road and global adventures. Its boots, to no one’s surprise, signify much of the same: Iconic, carefully considered design, with a look that’s fit for anything — all the while striking the right balance between edgy and classic. For a cool-as-can-be look with moto jeans or even tropical wool trousers, consider this exceptional pair. $395
Wolverine Lux 1000 Mile Moc Toe Wedge Boots
If the idea of a “lux” boot coming from legendary Michigan bootmakers Wolverine seems counterintuitive, think again. The company’s famed 1000 Mile line, including this sporty wedge boot, is upgraded with gorgeous Horween leather designed to develop a patina of “warm undertones” from its “deep brown, sugary finish.” Our advice: Wear these boots as often as possible with everything from spring chore pants to eye-catching broken-in selvedge denim, because some things get better with age. $385
Common Projects Suede Chukka Boots
Want to level things up a touch from your time-tested Clarks desert boots? Common Projects, much-loved makers of game-changing, minimal leather sneakers, have applied the same design touches to a pair of dusty spring chukka boots. To wit: They’re finished off with the iconic CP serial number. $555
Allen Edmonds Freeport Weatherproof Suede Boots
You’re getting the best of both worlds with these lace-up boots: The elegant-yet-accessible profile of classic Allen Edmonds shoes, plus the use of spring-approved, weather-ready suede. Bonus points for the contrast moc toe stitching, which turns these into boots fit for both happy hour and a day on the 9-to-5 grind. $445
