For over 60 years, Hondo has built western boots following a tradition of quality and local know-how.
It was back in 1965 that our company founder Filbert Guijarro Sr. first hit the road to call on stores in the western states of the US, carrying samples made in his family’s boot workshop across the river from El Paso, Texas, in Mexico. Filbert told about the various kinds of receptions he experienced at stores, most of which were encouraging ones. Hondo’s earliest customers gave Filbert plenty of tips about how to improve on his first samples. That means today’s Hondos are a result of store owners who worked together with us to reach the best possible outcome.
Even now, in an age when computerized assembly and synthetic materials very often substitute manual work and traditional materials to cut costs, our master boot makers still craft Hondo Boots the way they used to be made by the late 1960’s. Hondos are lasted by hand, using pliers, one boot at a time. Inside every pair you get 9-iron leather insoles, nailed stacked sole-leather heels, cowhide lining throughout, steel shanks, 7-iron sole-leather heel counters free of synthetic backing, and a traditional Goodyear welt construction. Moreover we sew our welt directly into the leather insoles of our boots. This process is as traditional as it gets, it results in the most repairable type of boot possible, and is a must for the discerning consumer who seeks the most legitimate cowboy boot experience.
The Hondo Boot line caters to the varied activities of seasoned boot wearers, with styles designed for dress, riding, or ranch wear. Some styles feature heels with spur rests, double layered insteps (that’s called a Saddle), soles weighted by midsoles, or rubber soles, for added performance. For greater appeal, our stitch patterns feature multiple rows of thread alternating in color and arranged like the bands of a rainbow, accentuating the hues of the boot’s vamp. At the end of the production line we carefully trim and treat each boot for an impeccable finish.
Today Hondo Boots are found at fine Western Wear Stores that take pride in their product offering. The Hondo Boot Company is still owned by the same family as when it started in 1965 and is still based in El Paso, the historic cowboy boot capital of the world. We live by our motto that “Hondo Boots are handcrafted with pride,” ensuring that that no matter what it takes we’ll continue to build a comfortable, durable, and repairable boot that we hope you too can be proud of.
