Price: $679
Why Buy?
The Saddleback Huntsman offers incredible build quality with great detailing without sacrificing durability
Why Avoid?
The Saddleback Huntsman isn’t a direct replacement for a work boot or a dress boot.
Specs:
| Model | Huntsman |
| Height | 6.1 in |
| Materials | Leather / Rubber |
| Size | 12.5 |
| Weight | 1035 g / 2 lbs 4.5 oz |
| Construction | Goodyear Welt |
| Country of Origin | Italy |
History
Throughout everything 100wears reviewed in 2025, the Saddleback Leather Officer’s Boot was in the top echelon. While I went in a bit skeptical – the brand made some big promises – they absolutely knocked it out of the park. In fact, there were really only two items I noted that I would change if I designed it myself. First, I’d remove the toe cap and, second, I’d add a rubber sole.
Well, today we are looking at Saddleback’s latest boot – the Huntsman. Designed to be a more rugged take on a Saddleback boot, the Huntsman is different enough to justify being its own line.
I won’t bury the lead here, there is no toe cap and there is a rubber sole. We’re off to a great start. That being said, follow ups are never easy. For every Empire Strikes Back there are a dozen Speed 2: Cruise Controls.
Does the Huntsman live up to the reputation of the Officer boot? Or is this one not worth your time. Let’s dive in and find out.
Disclaimer: This pair of Saddleback Huntsman Boots were provided for the purpose of a review, however this is not a sponsored post. Saddleback was not able to review, approve, or rewrite anything in the article and everything below is my true opinion.
Looks
Upper
The Saddleback Huntsman’s upper, at least at first glance, is all business. A plain toe, open lace design matched with a heel cap. This is a boot design that’s been around forever. However, take a closer look and you’ll see that the hidden details that help fulfill the role this boot was built for.
The upper leather is certainly a star. The lighter natural leather on this pair is genuinely a natural color. This color is designed to darken with age and wear, which does mean you’ll find more color variation out of the box. If you prefer something that will be a bit more even, Saddleback also offers a Dark Coffee Brown option.
Like the Officer’s boot, the construction is top notch. Stitching all over is essentially perfect. This rougher boot does eschew the rolled edges of last year’s model, but features a number of really cool details as you poke around.
The first is the addition of separate lining panels behind the laces. This addition protects the tongue from the back edge of the speed hooks. The second is on the pull tab. Saddleback skived the first ¼ inch or so at an angle so that its easy to slide your finger in, but kept the middle a more substantial thickness.
These sorts of details are what sets these boots apart and makes them a real joy to own. They are not mentioned or even pictured in any of their marketing copy. Instead, Saddleback under promised and over delivered. Quite the feat for a brand known for making bold claims.
Elsewhere in the interior, you’ll find it entirely leather lined with Blue, Saddleback owner Dave’s lab, under the heel.
Mid- and Outsole
The bottom half of the boot is where the Saddleback Huntsman establishes itself in the lineup. A natural-colored single leather midsole gives way to a lugged half sole up front with a fairly high, lugged heel in the back. Worth noting, that rear heel is held on by 10 brass screws.
The forefoot rubber is actually a double layer, with one layer sewn on and other added on top. The end result is a fairly visually heavy look from the side, even more so than a traditional service boot. Think a double layered midsole, except on this pair one of the layers is in rubber.
In an effort to keep it from being overly aggressive, the brand left the lugs on the edges flat while giving some texture to the lugs in the center of the boot. Will you be able to tell the difference on foot? Probably not, but again – I’d rather have a pair of boots that too much thought went into than too little.
Good news for all you boot construction nerds out there, even with the half-sole design, Saddleback kept the fiddleback. For those of you who are not quite as nerdy as I am, fiddleback soles require the shoemaker to build up leather in the center of the boot to give it a visual interest when held in hand.
Summary
The Saddleback Huntsman was designed to offer a more rugged alternative to the Officer boot, and I have to say I think they nailed it. They managed to create a much more casually designed boot, while preserving the best part of the Officer – hunting for all the details that make these pairs special.
To style these, don’t let the bulkier outsole fool you. These are still ultimately pretty svelte in their pattern. While the higher heel means you probably don’t want to pull these out with a suit, you won’t look like you’re cosplaying a lumberjack either.
These will work well with casual outfits – jeans, chinos, etc.
Fit & Comfort
Fit
The Saddleback Huntsman boot is built on its own custom last. While still a so-called “Munson last” – an anatomically shaped last dating back to just before WW1 – the Huntsman isn’t identical to the Officer.
The Huntsman has quite a bit of volume in the toe box height. For most guys this won’t make a big difference, but if you have higher volume feet, you might find this pair fits where dressier lasts do not. At the same time, the toe box on this pair is ever so slightly than other Munson lasts (including Saddleback’s own Officer boot).
When it comes to sizing, I’d still recommend taking Saddleback’s advice. That is to say, these are sized much more like dress shoes than boots or sneakers. I got mine in a 12.5, and they fit me perfectly. For comparison, this is the same size I take in brands like Allen Edmonds, a half size down from what I get in Nikes, and a full size larger than brands like Viberg or White’s.
Comfort
The comfort of the Saddleback Huntsman is a positive. Whoever designed them took a lot of inspiration from the sneaker world.
The biggest feature mentioned in the marketing for this boot is the dual density rubber. This has become pretty common in the running shoe world, but this is the first time I’m aware of that someone has done this to a boot. The way Saddleback achieved this is by using a softer rubber at 60 Shore A for the layer in between the midsole and the outsole, while keeping the outer layer a harder 70 Shore A.
Is this double layered foam noticeable? Honestly, probably not. There isn’t a huge difference between 60 and 70. However, that doesn’t change that an average of 65 Shore A underfoot offers good compression.
Of course, you can’t forget the last. If you’ve never had a more anatomical last, you’re in for a treat. Being able to have your foot move naturally really makes a difference, though if you’ve only worn super narrow shoes, there might be a bit of discomfort as your foot adjusts.
I’d put these in the wear all day category, but maybe not sight seeing category.
Materials & Construction
Materials
Saddleback builds its brand on selecting high end materials, and the Huntsman doesn’t break from that.
For the upper, Saddleback is only offering vegetable tanned leather uppers. The leather is a thinner cut than you might find on something like a work boot, but is extremely dense. This is a key reason they are able to keep the design so slim without losing structural rigidity. The end result is an upper that feels more like a high end luxury product than something you’d toss away.
Inside, the boots are lined with Kip leather, with thin cuts of tougher leather along the throat and behind the laces. A thinner, softer chrome tanned tongue is half gusted. Between those layers, Saddleback uses leather heel counters and toe puffs – beefed up substantially in the Huntsman.
The eyelets and speed hooks – despite their nickel appearance – are actually made of solid chunks of brass. The ones that came on my pair are milled nicer than the video explaining how they are made.
Under foot, a leather insole with cork filling will do a good job taking the shape of your foot with some wear. Under that, the boot features a somewhat complicated outsole construction. There is a midsole made of leather with a rubber midsole sewn on through the welt. Then, a rubber outsole is glued to the rubber midsole.
The idea is to find a middle ground that gives the best of both worlds between a sewn-on rubber panel and a Topy. The sewn-on rubber panel is durable, but requires a full resole to replace. A Topy is easy to replace, but can peel off if not perfectly mated to the leather outsole. By gluing rubber-to-rubber, you can create a much stronger bond, while still not requiring a full resole when the shoe is worn out.
Construction
The Saddleback Huntsman is made using a 270-degree goodyear welt construction. This style of construction is made by taking a leather strip, also known as a welt, and attaching it to the upper of the boot. While typically this piece of leather would then be sewn through the mid and outsole of the boot, here it’s sewn only through the two midsole layers, with the final piece being cemented onto the rubber midsole.
This allows replacement by removing the outsole layer by simply peeling it off, and then gluing another in its place. This should allow for a significant number of resoles (and at a much cheaper price) – though it appears Saddleback hasn’t made their outsole available for sale separately quite yet.
Pricing
The Saddleback Huntsman comes in at a price point of $679. That is certainly not a “cheap” pair of boots, but it offers a surprisingly good value in comparison. Just a few quick comparisons:
Alden Indy: $730
Carmina Dress Boots: $765
Crockett and Jones Coniston: $850
While there might be some personal preferences between Saddleback and these boots when it comes to things like leather type or last shape, from a purely build quality, material quality, construction detailing, and country of origin, the Huntsman can easily go toe to toe with any of them.
There is one caveat here. One of the key selling points of the Huntsman, being able to affordably replace those nice squishy outsoles, can’t actually be done yet since Saddleback hasn’t yet made them available. This benefit is purely theoretical for the moment.
Wrap Up
The Saddleback Huntsman is another great boot from the brand.
Before I tell you what this boot is, let’s go over what it is not. To directly answer the question at the top – the Huntsman is not simply the officer boot without a toe cap and with a rubber sole. Changes to the last, heel height, and more mean these serve a different purpose. It’s also not a replacement for a full fat logging boot. If you’re seeking the refinement of the Officer or need something for genuine foot protection, there are better options out there.
Instead, the Saddleback Huntsman is a boot that takes a bit from both. A higher level of refinement and improved construction compared to other lugged boots with a dash of more traditional boot styling than boots built to a similar standard. And, for most people, something a bit easier to style.
The Huntsman is an extremely well designed and thought-out boot for someone who wants the look and durability of a rugged boot, but doesn’t want to sacrifice the high-end finishing and details that come with buying a tool built for a highly specific job.
