Frequently Asked Questions

1. Place your fingers through both of the pull straps at the top of the boot. Always pull with the pull tabs because pulling with the top of the shaft will not get you down past the counter.
2. Begin putting boots on by slipping your foot into the boot while seated, and when you feel as if your foot will not go any farther down, stand up and giving the pull straps a firm pull upward while driving your foot forward and down into the boot. By standing up you are adjusting the pressure on the back of the heel, thusly releasing the “heel overhang”. You are also using your body weight to help get you into the boots.
3. Pull firmly until your foot “pops” into place. (This pop may actually be audible.) Once you have achieved placement within the boot you will notice two things: 1)A snug instep 2) heel slippage (your heel will pick up away from the insole).

A well made pair of cowboy boots should be comfortable from the beginning. Boots should never fit loosely or too tightly. The fit should be snug, so, once you break them in, they will conform to your feet. HEEL SLIPPAGE IS NORMAL. A new cowboy boot should be snug at the instep and have some slippage in the heel. Your toes should be lying flat and comfortable. Heel slippage will lessen as the soles of the boots become more flexible throughout the break-in phase. Within a couple days of wearing your new boots you will notice the soles beginning to settle.
Instep: Unlike traditional lace-up shoes, a boot has only the instep to secure it to the foot. Proper fit in the instep is of utmost importance.
Ball: When you walk in your boot, the ball of your foot should be placed above the widest part of the outsole. If the boot is too short for the foot, the ball of the foot will sit too far forward and place the toes way up into the toe box.
Heel-Slip: A new boot must slip slightly in the heel. When the boot is new, the thick leather that supports the heel construction is still very stiff, as is the sole. As you wear the boot, the sole is constantly flexing/ breaking in and conforming to you. At this point, you will notice that the boot’s initial heel lift has somewhat dissipated. Now your heel will be more aligned with the movement of the sole.

There are four steps to properly care for your leather cowboy boots:

1. Clean:
   Dirt and particulate are leather’s worst enemies. Frequently wiping down with a damp cloth removes excess dirt or mud and prevents the microscopic particles within dirt and grime from weakening and damaging your leather, from the inside out. We recommend Bickmore’s Bick 4 or Bick 5.
2. Condition:
   Care for your leather cowboy boots and other leather items as you would care for your skin, by conditioning it. Your leather boots require conditioning to keep them supple and strong. Be sure to do a color-fastness check on the internal portion of your boot’s pull tab. Certain conditioning and weather-proofing agents will darken your leather. Items such as lanolin, beeswax, mink and Neatsfoot oil will darken your boots. There are products that can be used to condition and weatherproof your leather and suede, without darkening them.
   Condition your cowboy boots only once they are dry and clean. We recommend that you wear your boots so they are around your body’s temperature, this way the boot’s leather pores are open and receptive to retaining the conditioning agent. Too much oil, wax and polish can clog the pores, which causes the leather to dry out. Oil and wax are dirt magnets.
   For all of your smooth and exotic skins (EG: alligator varieties, snake varieties, elephant, ostrich, lizard varieties and stingray) We recommend Bickmore’s Bick 4 or Bick 5. As it is a non-darkening conditioner that cleans, protects, and polishes. On snakeskin boots, be sure to condition with the grain of the scales.
   For sueded finishes we recommend that you brush them with a nylon bristle brush to remove excess dirt or dust and to renap (or lift) the suede. For conditioning and weatherproofing we recommend Angelus Brand Genuine Mink Oil Spray, AS IT DOES NOT DARKEN, nor does it matte down your suede.
   **Do not use a heat source to speed up the drying process of your wet boots as it will further dehydrate your leather and make it brittle, decreasing the lifespan of your footwear. If your boots have removable insoles pull them out to expedite the drying time.
   ** Do not store in cold or damp places; mildew can damage cowboy boots.
3. Polish:
   Polish your boots with a cream polish to cover scratches and scuffs. You can achieve a high-gloss shine only on boots that already have a sealed finish. We recommend Bickmore’s Creme Polish. To keep your leather soles looking new, use liquid edge dressing. We recommend Fiebing’s Leather Sole & Heel Edge Dressing. On those old beat-up black boots Urad Black Color Total Leather Care works wonders.
4. Protect:
   Protect leather cowboy boots with a non-silicone water and stain protector. We recommend Bickmore’s Gard-More and Angelus Brand Genuine Mink Oil spray, as these will not darken your items. **Please note: Mink paste and oil, Neatsfoot oil, beeswax and lanolin will darken your items. Test these items in an inconspicuous area like the internal portion of your pull tab.

Usage of cedar shoe/boot trees :

1. The original shape of the boot will be maintained by the tension of the tree.
2. Cedar is moisture wicking.
3. Cedar deodorizes boots naturally.

We understand that boots are an investment and in many cases a needed tool. Issues do tend to arise from time to time and we apologize for this. Our manufacturers guarantee their products to be free of defects in materials and workmanship. If you believe you are having a warranty issue with your boots please bring them in for inspection. We will remedy this situation the best way we see fit. **Please note, general wear and tear is not a warrantied issue.

Boots should have new soles put on when the old soles develop significant wear (EG: holes in the bottom, or when welt stitching comes loose, often times allowing the sole to separate). Cowboy boot soles are made of durable leather, the longevity of your sole is dependent upon your wearing environment and the amount of time it has been worn. They do not last forever. Your heels will have rubber wear guards that need more frequent replacement. When the rubber wear piece is paper thin and close to the leather heel stack or heel unit, it’s time to replace them.

We do not offer major boot repair or resoling. We do offer width, instep, upper and lower shaft stretching. For repair needs, we personally use and happily refer customers to:
Traini’s Shoe Repair
126 South Hanover Street
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717)-243-4082

Sustaining a strong and growing community is important to us at Back to Basic’s Western Wear. We reside here, we work here and our loyal customer base is from here. This is why we continue to sponsor and support events and organizations throughout our community. We invite you to submit a request on behalf of your community organization or event for consideration.

Purchasing confidence. We are all about customer service and cultivating long-term relationships with our clientele. We can better serve you by engaging you directly and in-person, because we need to assess you and ask you questions in order to guide you into a decision that is right for you and your needs. We carry intricately designed, hand-crafted products that we feel you need to feel and see in person in order to truly appreciate them. You will find that seeing, holding and trying on a product will beat the best descriptions given online. We see our personal sales focus as a way for us to preserve the quality of our brand and the reputation of our products.

Shop Local:
Studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally-owned business, rather than a nationally-owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers, and farms — continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.