Red Wing Unexpectedly Drops One of the Best Cowboy Boots of 2025

The cowboy boot for people who don’t think they can pull off cowboy boots.

Close-up of tan suede boots with visible stitching on a striped woven fabric background.Photo by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

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Western wear has gradually gained popularity in mainstream fashion over the past few years, but 2025 saw a notable surge in popularity. Maybe it’s because of shows like Yellowstone and Landman, or has something to do with country music or perhaps it’s all Post Malone’s fault.

Regardless, a clear indication of Western wear’s new prominence is that Red Wing Heritage got back into the cowboy boot game. As part of the brand’s three-boot 120th Anniversary Collection, the Minnesota shoemaker introduced the Pecos.

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Pair of tan suede ankle boots with brown soles on a patterned woven rug.
The Pecos boot is a “stitch-for-stitch” reproduction of a design from the 1950s.
Photo by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

This bar-bones cowboy boot is a “stitch-for-stitch” replica of a model released in 1958. According to the brand, it was designed for Texas oil field workers and ranch hands.

The pragmatic design lacks any decorative stitching, ornate colors or exotic leather. It uses Red Wing’s No. 17 last, shirking pointed cowboy boot toes for a more comfortable almond shape.

Close-up of a tan suede boot toe with detailed stitching on a patterned woven rug.Photo by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

It is crafted from the roughout Hawthorne Muleskinner Leather, which is similar to the coveted Hawthorne Abilene Leather used in the Moc Toe, but with a darker color derived from an oiled finish that helps keep the boot clean and water-resistant.

A leather midsole with a steel shank is Goodyear welted to a Red Wing’s high-traction Chemigum outsole, featuring a “roper” heel that is short and broad for strong stability.

Pair of tan suede boots with brown soles on a patterned woven rug.
The Pecos has a short, broad “roper” heel, designed for strong stability.
Photo by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The Pecos doesn’t just indicate a high-water mark for Western wear’s permeation into mainstream fashion. Red Wing’s gorgeous new boot is a reminder that, for much of its history, what we now consider Western apparel and vintage American workwear overlapped and were worn by the same generations of blue-collar workers.

Tan suede mid-calf boot with pull tab and low brown heel on a patterned woven rug.Photo by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

GP100 Winner

Red Wing Pecos Boot in Hawthorne Muleskinner