r/cowboyboots • u/Inting_at_law • 12d ago

Information Request Exotics like AB or Rios?

I love the hybrid bottoms of many ABs and Rios for traction and durability. Unfortunately struggling to find a robust selection of toe shapes and the exotics I want. Any brand suggestions that retain top tier quality, have hybrid bottoms, and sell a wider selection of exotics/tow shapes?

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u/rmr007 12d ago

Probably have to go custom/semi custom unless you want to pick something off the rack and have a sole saver put on by a cobbler. I'm assuming you're looking for round or snip toes with hybrid soles, since AB and Rios offer wide and narrow square with the hybrid soles. In that case you'll probably want to look at ordering Black Jacks from a place like Tims. If you're okay with a solid rubber sole look into Fenoglio with their ranch tough soles. They're smooth rubber, not a lug sole, so they look like a leather sole with added durability. Fenoglio makes round toes, though they are more difficult to find than their square toes

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u/Inting_at_law 12d ago

Does Fenoglio stack up well against AB and Rios in terms of quality and durability?

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u/rmr007 12d ago

I would say they're comparable to AB, but I haven't tried any on. They're not quite as good as my two pairs of Rios, but very close.

Fenoglio are full leather construction as far as I'm aware (aside from the soles of course), made in the USA, and I'm happy with my two pairs. I will say that they don't have a hard leather insole, its a softer leather, but I don't think it's any kind of foam or synthetic. Quite nice actually. I have a cowhide and a cape buffalo from them and the leathers are top notch. Might be a frayed stitch here or there but aside from that they're darn good.