Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The best men’s chukka boots — you need these versatile styles

Pick up the right boots for your closet with one of these best chukkas

Men need a lot of different shoes if they want to have a complete shoe collection. As a matter of fact, the right shoes for every occasion can mean you need to invest in a wide variety of kicks to ensure you always have the right footwear for the right moment. Whether it is function or fashion, the shoes are essential. Of course, because men don't usually like spending the time picking out different shoes for every moment, there are some that bridge gaps. That is where men's chukka boots come into play.

These shoes can go from Indiana Jones to James Bond: They can take you from the desert to the nighttime drinks and the mountain to the backyard barbecue. No matter what kind of man you are, you need a pair of these versatile boots. Here are the best men's chukka boots for you to choose from in 2023.

Thursday Boots Scout Chukka Boots
Thursday Boots Scout Chukka
Jump to details
Taft Chukka
Taft Chukka
Jump to details
Clarks Men's Desert Chukka Boot
Clarks Desert Boot
Jump to details
Ryder 3 Lw
Church's Ryder 3
Jump to details
Rhodes Mason Chukka Boot
Rhodes Mason Chukka from Huckberry
Jump to details
Quoddy Kennebec Chukka
Quoddy Kennebec Chukka
Jump to details
Allen Edmonds Chandler
Allen Edmonds Chandler
Jump to details
Johnston & Murphy Copeland Chukka
Johnston & Murphy Copeland Chukka
Jump to details
Thursday Boots Scout Chukka
Courtesy Thursday Boots

Thursday Boots Scout Chukka

Thursday Boots is one of the fastest-growing leather retailers in the business. It promises high quality, honest prices, and of course, durability and style. The Scout is a perfect marriage between British style and American aesthetics with a studded outsole that works equally as well in the deep forests of the Pacific Northwest, as it does with your business casual chinos in the office.

Thursday Boots Scout Chukka Boots
Thursday Boots Scout Chukka

Taft Chukka

Taft is a shoe brand known for some of the most unique and eye-catching designs on the market. It is certainly the place to go when you need something new and different to elevate your shoe collection.

It also knows how to keep it simple, as its chukka comes in four basic colors that dress up a pair of jeans and a T-shirt or dress down a casual sports coat. You haven't felt comfort until you experience the stacked crepe rubber soles. If you could walk on a cloud, this is what it would feel like.

Taft Chukka
Taft Chukka
Clarks Desert Boot Beeswax
Courtesy of Clarks

Clarks Desert Boot

Did you really think there was a chance that we would have a list of the best men's chukka boots and not include the original? Here we are, 70 years later, and the Clarks Desert Boot is still on the short list of some of the most iconic shoes of all time in the men's world. It is the original pioneer, the one that started it all; there really is no reason you shouldn't already have a pair.

Clarks Men's Desert Chukka Boot
Clarks Desert Boot
Church's Ryder 3
Courtesy of Church's

Church's Ryder 3

What's the old adage? If you want flair, go Italian. If you want quality, go English. James Bond knows this (even though he may be slightly biased), so he chose to rock these chukka boots himself in Quantum of Solace. Although they still call these suede chukkas the original name of desert boots, they will give your collection an air of sophistication that others can't hold a candle to, just like 007.

Ryder 3 Lw
Church's Ryder 3
Rhodes Mason Chukka
Courtesy of Buck Mason

Rhodes Mason Chukka from Huckberry

Nothing says American like Huckberry, one of the few American-made companies that has kept nearly all its labor stateside. And of course, with that kind of commitment to Americana, you'll have a fair amount of products with the rugged American feel, much like these suede chukkas from Rhodes.

These are designed to withstand the harshest of climates and environments, which America has its fair share of, so before you hit your road trips to the deserts of the Southwest or the mountains of Appalachia, grab your pair of these to keep you walking.

Rhodes Mason Chukka Boot
Rhodes Mason Chukka from Huckberry
Quoddy Kennebec Chukka
Courtesy of Quoddy

Quoddy Kennebec Chukka

Two things make the Kennebec Chukka the perfect fit for this list. The first is the moc toes, often preferred for people who are on their feet all day because of the comfort they create in the toe beds. These chukkas are designed after the moccasins (hence the "moc") worn by Native Americans, so they are perfect for terrains.

The second is these shoes are nearly fully customizable. You can create your favorite boots from the leather to the soles, hardware, and laces in between. Keep in mind; they can fit a bit snugly, like most boots, until you break them in.

Quoddy Kennebec Chukka
Quoddy Kennebec Chukka
Allen Edmonds Chandler
Courtesy of Allen Edmonds

Allen Edmonds Chandler

It's hard to make a list of the best of the best shoes in any style without adding in one of the kings of American-made footwear, Allen Edmonds. These Chandler Chukkas are a staple in its catalog and will be a staple in your collection as well. They will be perfect for whatever you make them. Rugged for the Midwest environment in which they are crafted or kept nice to wear with your dress denim and chinos at the office.

Allen Edmonds Chandler
Allen Edmonds Chandler
Johnson & Murphy Copeland
Courtesy of Johnston & Murphy

Johnston & Murphy Copeland Chukka

There are a handful of shoe brands that cross the threshold between high quality and an affordable price that make them accessible to all groups. While these may have a price tag that seems too good to be true, they will absolutely last you as long as any other brands charging twice the price.

The Copeland Chukka's sheepskin lining and memory foam soles let you forget you're wearing boots and feel more like you're in your fuzzy slippers on your plush carpet at home.

Johnston & Murphy Copeland Chukka
Johnston & Murphy Copeland Chukka

There you have it, the best of the best of the chukkas, or if you are old fashioned, the desert boots. From the British soldiers in the deserts of Africa to the trenches of WWII, these boots have a rich history and deserve a spot in your collection.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark D. McKee
Mark is a full-time freelance writer and men's coach. He spent time as a style consultant and bespoke suit salesman before…
The 5 best men’s dress shoes to step into this spring
Step up your spring dress shoe style with these top choices
Crockett and Jones highbury shoe in black.

The age-old adage goes that the first thing a woman notices about you is your pair of shoes. You can tell a lot about a person based on their selection, especially when it comes to selecting a pair with a more formal outfit or tailored suit.

A pair of the best spring dress shoes ought to do the trick — and quite nicely at that. Dress shoes really are a must-have for today’s modern man, and with plenty of crucial dressing situations likely on the horizon — be it dressing for a summer wedding or figuring out how to dress for the office in the heat — you’re going to need a great pair of dress shoes.

Read more
The best men’s dress socks for both comfort and style
Treat your feet to the best dress socks the industry has to offer
A man tying the shoelaces of his leather dress shoes.

Shoes are some of the most essential items you will wear every day. They keep you connected to the ground, and they keep you moving forward. But it doesn't matter how comfortable the shoes are; almost none of that matters if you have the wrong sock. The best way to ensure you are always on your feet and moving is to ensure you always have the best dress sock.

These range from basic function to being playful, but every sock brings a unique experience for you...and your feet.

Read more
The 8 best ties for men to look put-together in 2023
Elevate your tie wardrobe with these men's neckties
Man wearing J.Crew tie

Like many menswear items that have long been considered wardrobe staples, the tie hasn’t escaped deliberations about its relevance in fashion. In fact, as is the case right now, many employees worldwide are reemerging from their work-from-home environments and questioning the need for specific office attire. But the debate surrounding ties isn’t anything new. Like suits, the humble necktie has, over time, been branded dead as often as it has been revived on runways by fashion gatekeepers.

Despite everything it’s had thrown its way, the tie continues to be ubiquitous among men from all walks of life. The truth is — and you might not like this — at some point or another, whether it’s asked of you at work or indicated on the dress code, you’ll probably be required to tie on a tie.

Read more