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When western boots go on sale

Boots follow a seasonal clearance pattern like every other footwear category. Here is when to look, and what counts as a real discount.

By Selena H. · Updated October 17, 2026

A sale rail of western boots in a store

Western boots follow the same seasonal clearance rhythm as other footwear: the deepest markdowns land at end of season - late winter for felt-weather boots and late summer for warm-weather styles - and again in the post-holiday January clearance, with the big retail events in late November and the mid-year online sale events in between. Current-season bestsellers from mainstream brands rarely discount at all, and genuinely handmade boots almost never do.

That is the short version. The longer version matters because the boot you want and the boot that is discounted are usually not the same boot, and knowing why saves you from buying the wrong size in the right color at a good price - which is the most expensive mistake in this category.

The pattern through the year

PeriodWhat typically movesWorth waiting for?
JanuaryPost-holiday clearance on fall and winter stockYes - the best seasonal discounting of the year on leather boots
Late winter into springEnd-of-season markdowns on heavier and darker stylesYes, if you can live with last season's colorways
SpringNew-season arrivals at full priceNo - this is when prices are highest
MidsummerOnline retail event pricing across categoriesSometimes - depends entirely on which models are included
Late summerEnd-of-season clearance on straw-weather and lighter stylesYes for summer styles, no for boots you want in fall
Late NovemberThe big annual retail event weekYes, and it is the one most likely to include current-season boots
DecemberGift pricing on accessories more than bootsAccessories yes, boots rarely
General retail patterns for the footwear category, not a prediction about any particular retailer or model.

What a real discount looks like

  1. Check the price history, not the sale sign. A was-price on a listing is a claim, not a fact. Compare across two or three retailers selling the same model before deciding anything is cheap.
  2. Look at the model, not the brand. A discontinued colorway of a current model is the sweet spot: same boot, same construction, last season's color.
  3. Be suspicious of a huge markdown on a flagship. If a brand's bestselling boot is half price, the usual explanations are a discontinued line, an odd size run, or a listing that is not what it appears to be.
  4. Factor in the return policy. A sale boot you cannot return is worth less than a full-price boot you can, because the fit is the risk.

Which boots never really discount

  • Current-season bestsellers from the big mainstream brands. They sell at list all year because they sell.
  • Bench-made and custom boots. These are built to order against a waiting list. There is no clearance mechanism.
  • Common sizes in the most popular models. Discounting usually starts in the sizes nobody bought - which may or may not include yours.
  • Anything released in the last few weeks. New stock is not clearance stock.

Never buy the wrong size because the price is right

This is the one rule that matters. A western boot has no laces, so the last is the fit, and a boot half a size off is a boot that slides at the heel forever or pinches across the ball forever. No discount repairs that. If a sale boot is not in your size and width, the correct move is to close the tab. Work out what your size actually is first - the sizing guide, the size chart and cowboy boot width letters take about ten minutes between them - and then shop sales with a specific size and width in mind.

Three boots that are good value at list price

If you would rather not wait for a sale, these are the three where the everyday price is the reason to buy them - an entry-tier pair, a comfort pair and the mainstream default.

These links go to Amazon and we earn a commission if you buy. How we pick.

Laredo Laredo Men's Leather Western Boot - illustrative photo of boot brown, not the product itselfIllustrative photo

Laredo Men's Leather Western Boot

For the lowest-risk way to find out if you like boots.

Check price on Amazon
Durango Rebel by Durango Pull-On - illustrative photo of boot square, not the product itselfIllustrative photo

Rebel by Durango Pull-On

For walking and standing all day.

Check price on Amazon
Ariat Ariat Heritage Roughstock - illustrative photo of boot square, not the product itselfIllustrative photo

Ariat Heritage Roughstock

For the safest first pair for most men.

Check price on Amazon

#ad - price checked on Amazon at the time you click. Last price check: October 13, 2026. How we are funded

Buying last season's colorway on purpose

This is the quietest way to save real money in this category. Bootmakers keep models in production for years and change the colorways and finishes around them. A last-season color of a current model is the identical boot - same last, same leather grade, same sole, same welt - at clearance pricing, and nobody looking at your feet can tell. Search the model name rather than browsing a sale page, and check the specification against the maker's own site to confirm it is the same build.

A sensible buying plan

  1. Decide the specification first - toe shape, shaft height, heel, sole material. Cowboy boot toe shapes and leather sole vs rubber sole cover the two that matter most.
  2. Measure and settle your size and width, so you can act quickly when something appears.
  3. Shortlist two or three specific models, not a category.
  4. Watch those models across a couple of retailers rather than browsing sale pages, which is how people end up with the wrong boot.
  5. Buy when your size appears, and check the return window before you order.

Common questions

When is the best time to buy western boots?

January post-holiday clearance and end-of-season markdowns give the deepest discounts on leather boots, and the big late-November retail week is the one most likely to include current-season models. Spring, when new stock lands, is the most expensive time to buy.

Do cowboy boots go on sale at the end of the season?

Yes, like other footwear. Heavier and darker styles clear in late winter and spring, lighter warm-weather styles clear in late summer. The catch is that clearance usually starts in the sizes that did not sell.

Are discounted cowboy boots lower quality?

Not usually - most clearance stock is last season's colorway of a current model, which is the same boot in a different color. What you should check is whether the model is the same build as the one on the maker's site, and whether the listing is from a seller you can return to.

Should I buy boots in the wrong size if they are heavily discounted?

No. Boots have no laces, so the last is the fit, and a boot half a size off never comes right. The discount does not survive the first long day in a boot that slips at the heel.

Do handmade cowboy boots ever go on sale?

Rarely. Bench-made and custom boots are built to order against a waiting list, so there is no overstock to clear. Occasional sample and odd-size sales exist, but they are not a reliable way to buy.

About the author

Selena H.

Selena H. is the owner and editor of Spur & Stitch. She started the site after discovering how much western-boot buying advice assumes you already know what a welt is. Every guide here is written for the person buying their first pair.

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