The Ultimate Golden Fox Boots Review for 2024

Considering buying a pair from the lesser-known brand Golden Fox? Don’t spend a dime until you read this Golden Fox boots review. You might be surprised.

I have a long history with boots, especially when I was a contractor/handyman. Typically, I wear through at least a pair a year since I was 14 years old. My first pair of good boots was a pair of heavily insulated Rockys. Then, Timberland boots were my go-to. When I got a little older, I went through an American-made-only phase and switched to Thorogood boots. You get the drift.

Somewhere along the way, I found Golden Fox Boots. I don’t even remember how I stumbled onto their site, but I was instantly intrigued. They were offering moc toe wedge boots, similar to my Thorogoods, at a fraction of the cost. I knew they weren’t American-made (some actually are), but the price was right, and I’d outgrown my overly patriotic phase.

That was the first pair of Golden Fox boots I bought, and it’s been more than a few years.  I bought another pair, and I think I have a pretty good grip on what the company has to offer. In fact, I featured both of the boots in this review in the 5 Things Every Many Should Own By 30 post published this January.

Table of Contents

Golden Fox Boots Review: Quick Take

I know you’re busy and you might not have enough time to read this whole review. Here’s the deal: I love Golden Fox Boots and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a budget workboot or a budget-friendly service boot. Here are the two I suggest:

For the record, I have to tell you that The Graying Area is an affiliate with Amazon, so if you buy a pair of boots through our link, we’ll make a little scratch.

Golden Fox Boots Review
Golden Fox Boots Review: 6-Inch Moc Toe. Credit to Golden Fox

Golden Fox Boots Review: The 6-Inch Moc Toe

The first pair of boots I bought from Golden Fox was the 6-inch Moc Toe Wedge Work Boots. I was looking for a work boot that would make long days working in my shop a bit more comfortable than the pair of Timberlands I had worn out. This pair from Golden Fox reminded me so much of my Thorogoods that I had to give them a shot. I ordered a pair from Amazon.

As soon as they arrived, I knew I made a solid choice.

Materials

Golden Fox uses quality materials. The Moc Toe has a full-grain leather upper that came well-conditioned, even slightly tumbled. They took no time at all to break in. They also feature a pigskin collar, which felt extremely comfortable across the back of my legs—a place where I found other boots failed for me. Best yet, Golden Fox uses Goodyear welt construction, so replacing the soles when I wore them out wouldn’t be an issue (or so I thought).

Speed Hooks

I also loved the speed hook lacing system. I stopped tying and untying my workboots years prior, and the ability to keep your laces tied and loop them on and off with ease was a requirement for me.

Styling

They looked great under the cuff of a pair of work jeans or pants, and they were incredibly comfortable right out of the box. I felt like they required zero break-in time, and I was walking miles in them right away. 

I was seriously impressed, and I swore that other than the heritage, there was no reason to buy another pair of boots from a company like Thorogood, Red Wing, or any other company producing traditional moc toe boots. I was a Golden Fox customer for life.

Grab the Golden Fox Moc Toe (available on Amazon)

Golden Fox Boots Review
Golden Fox Boots Review: Boondockers. Credit to Golden Fox.

Golden Fox Boots Review: The Boondocker

Given that this site is all about maturing and changing, it was only a matter of time before I was looking for a more casual-style boot. I saw some of my favorite YouTube fashion and style guys pushing certain brand boots, and I wanted something that looked like theirs. But, I was a Golden Fox guy.

So, I decided to see what Golden Fox had to offer. Almost right away, I found the 6-inch Boondocker boots, and I was shocked. I had no idea that my hard-working, hard-wearing work boot company would offer such a good-looking service boot. And, at more than 25% cheaper than the “affordable” competitors that the YouTube influencers were suggesting, I had to give them a shot. This time, I ordered a pair of chocolate brown Boondockers directly from Golden Fox.

Materials

The Boondocker shares a lot of similarities with Golden Fox’s Moc Toe. For one, they both use full-grain leather uppers. Both boots feature pigskin collars as well. And, they both use Goodyear welt construction.

Styling

The Boondocker is much more streamlined than the moc toe though. It features a smooth toe, a crepe sole, and the pigskin collar features almost no padding, just as a boot like this one should. As far as a casual boot goes, the Boondocker was checking all the boxes for me.

The first thing I noticed when I took the Boondocker out of the box is how well-oiled the uppers were. I didn’t realize when I ordered them, but Golden Fox uses Crazy Horse Leather for the uppers. I was shocked. These boots had such a beautiful pull-up effect (a discoloration that occurs at an abrasion or natural stress point). 

Comfort

I know I said that the Moc Toe was comfortable, but the Boondocker is by far the most comfortable boot I’ve ever worn. The way it snugs up against my particular arch, it’s like Golden Fox made these boots specifically for me. 

Grab a pair of Golden Fox Boondockers (available on Amazon)

Golden Fox Boots Review: Long-Term Test:

I bought the Moc Toe several years ago, and I’m going on two years with the Boondockers, so this is seriously a long term test. I wore the Moc Toe for several renovations and projects in that time, and the Boondockers have seen regular service in all but the hottest weather. 

Golden Fox Boots Review
Golden Fox Boots Review: I wore this pair of moc toes into the ground.

Moc Toe

I’ve worn through the soles of the Moc Toes at this point. Entirely. There isn’t much sole left, if any, as you’ll see in the pictures. And some of the stitching on the pull tab at the back of the color is starting to give up. But honestly, I still wear these boots several times a week, and they still get the job done. 

I’ve been looking for a local cobbler to straighten them out and put a new pair of soles on, but it hasn’t been easy. There used to be a shop right around the corner from my house, but the older gentleman who ran it passed away. There’s a seamstress shop in downtown Kingston, but I’m pretty sure they send their footwear away for resoling.

But, at the cheap cost that I paid for these, I might just go with another pair (UPDATE: I DID end up ordering anything pair a few months after this Golden Fox Boots Review post went live). The problem is it seems the company is starting to phase out the speed hook design, so there aren’t many options with them available. But, I’ll probably bite the bullet at some point. The value is certainly there.

Golden Fox Boots Review
Golden Fox Boots Review: My personal pair of Boondockers with their natural patina.

The Boondockers

The Boondockers seem to be getting better all the time. I brush them off every now and then, but I haven’t had to re-oil or wax them at all in the time I’ve owned them. Their patina is 100 percent their own.

While people like to complain about the durability of crepe soles, these look outstanding. They show very little wear at all. Granted, I’m not climbing ladders or kicking sheets of subfloor into place with these boots, but they’ve seen their fair share of miles. 

There is one thing that annoys me. Some of the stitching on the Goodyear welt appears to be fraying just slightly. I’m sure quickly passing a lighter over the welt will handle those frays, but it’s something worth mentioning. 

Golden Fox Boots Review
Golden Fox Boots Review: Awesome patina.

Final Thoughts

I don’t know why Golden Fox isn’t reaching out to the influencers pushing boots. I’m in no way affiliated with the company, and this is certainly not a sponsored post. But I feel that the value proposition is spot-on, and someone should be taking a look at this company and these boots.

With that said, I don’t love all Golden Fox boots. I was in the market for a pair of chukkas this past spring, and I went with a pair of Clark’s over the Golden Fox chukkas. I made that decision simply because I didn’t like the Golden Fox’s styling.

Also, let me be fair about the Moc Toe. I’m not suggesting that these boots are better than a pair of Thorogoods or Red Wings. But we’re talking about entirely different price points. Golden Fox boots cost a fraction of their prices. I think the value is there (I’m not the only one who thinks so), and I’ll be purchasing more pairs in the future.

FAQs

Q. Are Golden Fox boots comfortable?

The moc toe is a comfortable work boot, but the Boondocker service boot is one of the most comfortable boots I’ve ever worn. The crepe sole helps, but the soft, well-oiled leather feels great.

Q. Are Golden Fox boots waterproof?

Golden Fox makes most of its boots from leather, so very few are actually waterproof. However, they are water-resistant, which is all most people need. If you need more waterproofing, you can buy products to treat your boots (available on Amazon).

Q. Is Golden Fox a good brand?

As you might’ve guessed from this Golden Fox Boots Review, Golden Fox is a great boot brand, and I’m not sure why they aren’t more popular. For the money, you get quality materials and excellent design. These boots from another brand would probably cost $50 more.

Similar Posts

8 Comments

  1. Bought a pair of black steel toe moc toes for work (work as a chef, long hours on hard floors). After breaking them in on my two days off (honestly they were broken in within a couple hours), I immediately ordered the same boots in Redwood. I think with a few pairs of these in rotation, you can get a lot of use for a long time. Their plain toe with the wedge sole is pretty damn handsome too…

    1. I’m with you, man. They break in really fast and, for the price, you can add a second pair to get more wear time just like you did. They’re definitely a hidden gem but they seem to be getting more recognition. Thanks for the comment!

  2. Thanks for the write up! I’ve worn Thorogoods for a long while but have been considering Golden fox. Any suggestions on sizing? I wear a 10 US in a Thorogood moc toe.

    1. Hey Kyle! Thanks for the comment! So I obviously have both to compare and I will say that the biggest difference I feel between the two brands in the same size is the width. The Thorogoods are surprisingly tighter on the foot than the Golden Foxes. If you find your Thorogood fit comfortable, I would say either size down one half size or stick with your size and wear thicker socks. That’s my $.02.

      Thanks again!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *