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Dan Post vs Anderson Bean – Introduction
Two of the most popular brands of cowboy boots are Dan Post and Anderson Bean. Both of them have a long history making boots in the Western footwear market and both are well known for bringing us boots that are both stylish and durable. In this write-up we will give you what you need to help you decide which of these brands is the right choice for your feet as you compare Dan Post vs Anderson Bean.
Dan Post boots are well known for both their craftsmanship and their comfort. They bring a lineup of both exotic boots and leather boots. Their boots are well designed with a focus on technology and materials to ensure that you have maximum comfort when you slip on one of their boots. They offer a wide range of boot styles – covering the range from rugged pull-on work boots to more stylish boots.
Anderson Bean is another solid brand. They intend to bring high quality cowboy boots to the consumer at a mid-range price. Anderson Bean has a wide variety of styles and covers numerous exotics and non-exotics in their lineup. Anderson Bean boots are designed to be both comfortable and quality, showing resistance to everyday wear and tear.
History of Dan Post and Anderson Bean
As we look at the history of these two brands let’s start with the origins. Dan Post has been around since the mid-1960’s and has established a well-earned solid reputation. They pride themselves on comfort and quality – and right at the top of their own page they show their focus on comfort as you can see here.
Moving over to Anderson Bean they are a younger company. They were founded in 1989 by the owners of Rios of Mercedes boots. Their goal since inception was to produce a moderately priced, but high quality, all-leather cowboy boot so they could make high-quality western footwear more accessible to all.
Some other similarities and differences between the two brands include:
- Price Range: Dan Post and Anderson Bean boots are both available at relatively affordable price points. Both brands have a wide range with high, medium, and low price boots, mostly depending on the type of leather and other features desired.
- Design Elements: Both of these brands are known for creating stylish boots. However, in Anderson Bean’s lineup you can find more varied colors and designs, while Dan Post is more focused on traditional western styles and designs.
- Founding Dates: Dan Post has been around since the mid-1960s, while Anderson Bean was founded in 1989.
Both Dan Post and Anderson Bean are good, solid, reputable brands in the western wear boot market and each has its own history and style.
Boot Construction and Materials
One area to compare Dan Post and Anderson Bean boots is in the construction and materials used. We will look at Leather Quality, Stitching and Inlays, and Exotic Skins.
Leather Quality and Comfort
Probably the main thing I love about Dan Post boots are their almost immediate and out of the box comfortable fit and buttery leather feel. Their boots seem to have a consistently good leather quality that requires minimal break in time. This is a design intention of their brand. Anderson Bean boots also use good leathers and materials, but are more standard like other cowboy boots and need a bit of break in time as they work with the natural stretch of each specific hide. In my experience Anderson Beans need a bit of break in time, but after a few wears they fit great.
Stitching and Inlays
Having good craftsmanship in both stitching and inlays is a necessity for high-quality cowboy boots. This is an area where I can say that both Dan Post and Anderson Bean do a great job. Looking across their lineup they have numerous styles to fit what you like. You can get stitching from the most basic to really well-designed shafts and toes that really will pop. I especially like some of Anderson Bean’s white stitch on a black leather which is quite eye catching.
Exotic Skins
Both Dan Post and Anderson Bean offer a variety of exotic skin boot choices. Dan Post has a really nice ostrich and python in their offerings. Anderson Bean typically will have more variety in the exotic skin choices if you are looking for something more. This fits with the theme of Dan Post leaning a bit more traditional and Anderson Bean having a bit more variety.
Fit and Comfort
Sizing
It is always tough to describe which size someone should choose for cowboy boots unless they have tried on several pair of different brands in store, in person. It is a true fact that different brands have some minor differences from your standard shoe size.
My feedback is to be aware of some of the things about both Dan Post and Anderson Bean boots that may impact sizing. Some people feel that Dan Post boots have a more pronounced arch, or that the comfort features change their size. Anderson Bean has a channel welt in the insole which may change how the boot feels to you. I haven’t seen this and wear a similar size in both of these brands. My advice is to go in person to a store near you and try on both brands and see which you like best. Once you have a general feel for the fits of a brand you can then shop online more confidently.
Break-in Period
For me, Anderson Beans start off a bit snug and then break in while my Dan Posts fit as expected almost immediately. I am a huge fan of both brands and wear them both. The break in period wasn’t significant or a detractor from either boot brand for me.
Definitely something to be aware of when purchasing a new pair of boots is to be prepared for a break-in period of some sort just in case. All boots have some minor differences based on material and manufacturing methods.
The key feedback is to be patient and give your boots a little time to mold to the shape of your feet. Here are a couple tips to help you in weathering the break-in process:
- Wear your boots around the house for short periods to help them mold to your feet.
- Apply a leather conditioner to soften the materials and ease the break-in process.
- Use thick socks to provide additional cushioning and support during the break-in period.
Summing it Up – Dan Post vs Anderson Bean – Who is the Winner?
In comparing Dan Post and Anderson Bean, you should weigh up and compare the factors that matter most to you as the buyer. After all, you will be the one wearing them!
Both of these brands have strengths and unique features. They are both good and will meet your needs. I know I am supposed to choose, but these brands are pretty evenly matched.
The key areas to think about when choosing between these two brands could be:
- Comfort: Dan Post tends to focus more on immediate comfort with a big effort on this area. Anderson Bean’s boots are comfortable too, but may have a bit longer break in period.
- Style: While both of these two brands offer a variety of styles you can find more variety in Anderson Bean’s lineup. Dan Post is known for a bit more traditional Western style and don’t have as many exotic leather choices as Anderson Bean.
When you compare these two brands on most everything else they are close to each other as both have good history and reputations as well as having a wide variety of price points compared to each other. Go out to your local western store and try a few pair on and see which ones you like the best.
You can watch a Youtube video that is based on a summary of this article by going here: https://youtu.be/G2ZqDeIfiqM