Choosing a pair of everyday work boots is a highly individual decision. And that somewhat complicates writing a review of Wolverine’s Rancher Pro boot. These new offers are pull-on Wellington-style work boots that spent the past couple of weeks on my feet during various chores around my rural property.
While I regularly find boots that I like, it’s not often that I fully adopt something different than what I normally wear. For instance, in terms of my lace-up work boots, I am currently on my fourth pair of the exact same boot over the past 18 years, and I have the fifth pair already purchased and in a box waiting for their turn. Similarly, for tall neoprene rubber boots, I’ve reached for the same ones since 2016, despite testing several new pairs in the years since (and even liking many of them).
But a Wellington work boot like the Rancher Pro boot is a bit different. I have three pairs of Wellington boots currently in my mud room, but I don’t have one that I choose time and again. The ones I have are good, but not great. So it was interesting to have the opportunity to try out Wolverine’s newest offering, which launched publicly on February 11.
The Rancher Pro boot is highlighted by its comfort factor, featuring the brand’s new HyperRest performance comfort footbed, which utilizes memory foam and is described by Wolverine as essentially “having an anti-fatigue mat built into your shoes.” In fact, the inclusion of the HyperRest component is the most notable thing that makes the Pro version of Wolverine’s top-selling Rancher lineup stand out compared with the regular Rancher.
And to their credit, these boots are extremely comfortable, even after several hours on my feet, whether walking the fence lines from pasture to pasture or standing in place splitting firewood.
“The base layer material absorbs impact and redistributes weight to improve stability and cushioned comfort, featuring a honeycomb design that allows for unrestricted motion, reducing the toll on your feet by the end of the day,” Wolverine said, referencing the breathable waterproof membrane with moisture-wicking mesh lining.
These boots are designed specifically for farmers and ranchers, and it shows in their durability too. They’re available in a nanocomposite toe (in three colors: cashew, rush, and titanium) as well as a soft toe (only the titanium color). I donned the soft-toe version, which isn’t at all flimsy and still offers good protection against being stepped on by a smaller livestock animal or dropping a tool or blade toward your feet. I used my feet to shuffle logs around, rest the blade of a shovel on after working with cement, and splashed around in the red clay-like mud around my property. The full-grain leather upper was strong and waterproof, which helped to elevate the boots’ comfort.
Another highlight was the grip of the Rancher Pro boot, which has a TPU outsole that is billed as being three times more abrasion-resistant than traditional rubber. The smoother sole has a good tread pattern that doesn’t allow mud to get caked in it long term, while also being slip and oil resistant and even holding its own on uneven ground. They felt stable. The couple of times I’ve seriously rolled my ankle during farm work was while I was wearing pairs of Wellington work boots, which probably contributes to why I haven’t fully embraced wearing this style more regularly. But these Wolverine boots had a very solid and grounded feel, with a heel that was reinforced and shaped well.
For a couple of other little perks, the pull-on holes are far superior to the often-seen leather straps on Wellington boots, the square toes are ideally suited to my feet, and the reinforced heel is something I appreciated having.
The composite-toe version of the Rancher Pro weighs in at 2.05 pounds per boot, with the soft-toe version being a little lighter. It stands exactly 13 inches tall. The one trouble spot is that I found the sizing to be a bit off — in Wolverine Worldwide’s broader shoe family, I’m very solidly a size 11, but the 11s in the Rancher Pro were noticeably too big with a lot of heel slippage, so I ended up sizing down to a 10.5. That was far more suitable. Even so, shoppers will have to be mindful of the width in these boots, because it was more snug than expected, but any concerns I had went away with a little bit of wear.
The Wolverine Rancher Pro boots are available in men’s sizes 7 to 14, with both standard and wide sizing available. The composite toe sells for $174.95, and the soft toe for $169.95. They are currently available on Wolverine’s website.
Conclusion
Foot fatigue is a very real concern during long hours outside and shifting between mobile and stationary tasks around the farm and ranch. The removable HyperRest footbed cushions, coupled with the thoughtful styling and all-around durability (especially in the heel), give the Rancher Pro boots a recognizable advantage over the already beloved Rancher lineup from Wolverine. In essence, I felt safe and secure while wearing them.
Will they become as ingrained in my work boot rotation as the lace-ups and neoprene boots I mentioned in the beginning? Only time will tell, but they certainly make a strong case for inclusion.
Ryan Tipps is the founder and managing editor of AGDAILY. He has covered farming since 2011, and his writing has been honored by state- and national-level agricultural organizations.
