Design 
Quality of Materials 
Craftsmanship 
Fit & Sizing 
Value for Money As much as I love beefy, rugged boots, they’re not always appropriate.
I’ve been a long-time fan of Thursday boots (the Captain was my first good boot ever five years ago—it’s what started the obsession).
Since then, I’ve had a chance to review dozens and dozens of boots (I think I’m at 65 now), and I’ve had a hard time finding a chukka I like.
That is, until I saw the Thursday Boots Scout.
I picked up the Scout in Mocha Suede a few months ago, and I’m excited to share with you what I’ve learned.
In this review, I’ll be discussing the leather quality, sole quality, how they fit, the size you need, and some competitors I think are worth a look.
Thursday Boots Scout Overview
The Thursday Scout is one of the brand’s early models, so it’s been around for a while. It’s a chukka-style boot, meaning it has a very simple construction (the upper is just three pieces of leather), and is a casual boot.
The Scout is built on a slimmer last, which makes it more dressy than Clarks Desert Boot and other popular chukkas.
In the grand scheme of chukkas, the Thursday Scout is more similar to high-end dress chukkas. I say that because it has a sturdy full leather stacked heel, a rubber-studded outsole, and a leather midsole. Other chukkas in the same price range, like the Clarks Desert Boot or J.Crew Mcallister aren’t nearly as durable, and their shape is much more bulbous.
The Thursday Scout is one of the best bang-for-buck chukkas on the market. With Thursday's proprietary leather and a stitchdown construction, this boot is hard to beat for value.
Things to Consider Before Buying
The Thursday Scout isn’t very rugged. It’s best suited for office commutes and weekend casual wear.
If you’re looking for something a little more sturdy that you can wear camping or on long walks, check out Thursday’s most popular boot, the Captain.
Chukkas don’t offer a ton of support around the ankle in general because they usually only have two or three eyelets, and the simple construction leads to a more relaxed fit. So if durability and support are your primary concerns, Thursday has a lot of other options that will suit you better.
Speaking of suits, the Scout is one of Thursday’s dressier options. Chukka boots are casual by nature, but the slim silhouette of the Scout makes it an excellent choice for business casual, and semi-formal wear.
You can pair your Scouts with a suit if you’re going to a fairly casual wedding—but note that any chukka isn’t suitable for formal-wear.
I think the Scout looks best paired with crisp blue jeans and a casual oxford shirt.
My Hands-On Review
First Impression
The style of the Scout is what attracted me to the boot in the first place. After looking through all the leather options, I went with the Mocha WeatherSafe suede. I’ll talk more about the quality of the leather below, but I really like the burnishing at the toe and heel.
The Scout is a fairly slim boot—much slimmer than other chukkas I’ve tried in the past. I enjoy the silhouette a lot—it’s a dressy looking casual boot and I think it pairs well with slim-fit jeans and chinos, but still looks substantial.
The Scout is a six-inch boot, which is taller than many other chukkas, and there’s a nice contour in the heel and around the arch. Compared to the popular Clarks Desert Boot, the Scout is much less chunky and has a much more modern style.
Despite the slimmer modern look, it still has the hallmarks of a sturdy boot, like a leather stacked heel and a solid 5mm rubber studded sole.
The Thursday Scout has a stitchdown construction (they call it “stitchout” on their site). Stitchdown is good for weather resistance, especially when combined with the WeatherSafe suede.
For rugged boots, I like a Goodyear welt, because that means it can be resoled no matter what beating the boot has taken, but for a dressy casual boot, I can’t imagine you’d ever damage your Scouts to the point where they couldn’t be resoled. Also, I can’t imagine getting a full re-sole on a $150 pair of boots anyway.
The wedge-sole Rugged & Resilient versions of the Scout feature a Goodyear welt. I think, practically speaking for the Scout, the stitchdown construction and Goodyear welt have equal durability.
Leather Quality and Care
I picked my Thursday Scouts in Mocha WeatherSafe suede. I really like the burnishing at the toe and heel.
Most brands will spray a waterproofing agent on top of their leather, but that can quickly wear off when exposed to real-world conditions.
However, Thursday’s WeatherSafe suede is actually tanned with hydrophobic compounds so it repels water regardless of how much it’s been worn in.
The upper leather is 1.6mm thick. Compared to other Thursday Boots, this is a little thin (the Captain has a 2mm leather upper). When combined with the 0.7mm glove leather lining, you get a total of 2.3mm. While that may be thinner than other Thursday boots, it’s still thicker than other competitors at this price.
I like chukka boots with thinner leather—I think it’s a spring and summer style boot, so for me, the thinner leather is actually more comfortable. Plus, because I’m not wearing the Scouts in any rugged situation, I don’t need 3mm of leather anyway (I use my Thursday Diplomats for that).
The quality of the leather is solid—it’s nothing super special, but it creases gently and continues to look nice for a long time.
Caring for the WeatherSafe suede is easy, too. You just need a suede brush to keep the knap up, and because there are so many oils and waxes infused in the leather from the tanning process, the suede is fairly stain resistant.
The Thursday Scout is one of the best bang-for-buck chukkas on the market. With Thursday's proprietary leather and a Goodyear welt, this boot is hard to beat for value. If you're looking for a stylish, slim, casual chukka, the Cognac Suede version is often our go-to recommendation.
Sole
The sole is where the Thursday Scout really stands out from others chukkas at this price point. Thursday uses a Poron insole, which adds a lot of cushion and comfort, and the midsole is made from leather.
A leather midsole ensures that nothing in the middle of the boot is going to break down in six months, so it makes for a durable build. And when you combine that with the Poron insole, there’s hardly any break in period.
The outsole is Thursday’s classic rubber studded sole. I own several Thursday boots with this same outsole, and I’m a huge fan of it. I bought a pair of Thursday Captains five years ago with this kind of sole and it held up for four years (I need to resole it now because the heel has worn down so much).
I also love that the heel is just leather and rubber. With three layers of leather, the heel will offer support and won’t start slouching.
The rubber sole gives solid traction on wet concrete, and it has a nice balance between shock absorption and durability.
I also like that the toplift (the rubber heel cap) is 9mm thick. If you wear your Scouts every day and you walk a lot, a 9mm rubber heel cap will last you about 18 months. When it’s worn down, just take your boots to a cobbler and they’ll fix you up with a new toplift for about $30.
Fit and Sizing
Thursday Boots use a standard boot sizing, which means you’ll want to get your Scouts a half-size smaller than what you would normally in sneakers.
I’m a size 10.5 in sneakers, so I picked up a size 10 for my Thursday Scouts. I’m also a size 10 in my Wolverines, Red Wings, and Timberlands.
The fit is quite comfortable, especially with the Poron insole. I didn’t have any problem areas during the break in. Because the Scout is a chukka, and only has two eyelets, there isn’t a ton of ankle support.
My foot doesn’t move around in the boot nearly as much compared to the Clarks Desert Boot, but there’s more heel slip compared to other Thursday boots.
Break-in Period
The break in period was very minimal on the Scout. All Thursday’s leathers are quite supple, and because the Scout leather is relatively thin, it’s even easier to break in than other Thursday boots.
There was a bit of discomfort from the heel counter at first—Thursday uses a heat-molded synthetic counter to keep the heel shape and offer support. It’s a thin piece, though, so after my first wear, it was fully shaped to my foot and didn’t bother me again.
The Thursday Scout is one of the best bang-for-buck chukkas on the market. With Thursday's proprietary leather and a stitchdown construction, this boot is hard to beat for value.
What do Other Reviewers Say?
After reading through the reviews on Thursday’s site, one thing really stuck out to me: so many reviewers said this was their second or third pair of Thursdays, or it was their first and now they were looking at a second.
Some people find Thursday Boot Company and haven’t shopped with another brand since. That’s not me (I run a boot site, after all), but I understand where they’re coming from. Thursday boots are well-built and offer excellent value for price, and for many people with busy days, there’s no need to look elsewhere.
Thursday Scout Alternatives
Velasca Ciapparrat
The Velasca Ciapparrat is an interesting alternative to the Thursday Scout for two reasons: it’s unlined, and it features a leather sole.
This makes it a better choice if you’re looking for a summer boot that still has class. The leather sole is more formal, but the unlined suede is firmly casual. The Ciapparrat would pair well with chinos or linen trousers.
They’re pricier than the Scout, but I honestly don’t think there are worthy alternatives to the Scout at their price.
This is the dressy type of chukka you reach for when hitting the wine bar on a summer evening. It's unlined for more comfort and flexibility and has a leather sole for bonus class. Plus it's got laid back Italian vibes, and we could all use a little more of that.
Aurelien Chukka
The Aurelien Chukka is more like a desert boot, mainly because it has a crepe rubber sole. But I like it as an alternative to the Scout because it’s far more casual, and the suede options are bright and colorful. The Aurelien Chukka is more suited to summer (like the Velasca), and it’s basically almost a slipper.
I think the Scout is much more versatile, but if you’re shopping for a summer-specific chukka, then the Aurelien Chukka is worth a closer look.
Designed for comfort and leisure, these chukkas from Aurélien embody the Mediterranean lifestyle. Prosecco, anyone?
My Thoughts Overall
What I Like
The shape is slim and classy—which is unique at this price point—which makes the Scout a versatile option you can wear in casual and dressy occasions.
There are over 10 leather options to choose from (mostly suede), so it’s easy to find a color you like.
The stitchdown construction is quite weather resistant, especially when combined with the WeatherSafe suede.
The full leather stacked heel is rare for a boot under $200.
What I Don’t Like
I’d like to see more full grain leather options, like a burgundy and a lighter color—the Scout is the only sub-$200 dress chukka I’ve seen, so having more formal leather options would be nice.
Who is the Thursday Scout for?
The Thursday Scout is an excellent boot if you’re looking to boost your business casual wardrobe, or just put a classy spin on your casual Saturday look.
The Verdict
I’m really impressed with the Thursday Scout.
It has a few issues, like thinner leather and a lack of full grain leather options, but ultimately, it’s my favorite chukka.
I love the style of the Scout—it’s dressier than most chukkas and reminds me more of a pair of $500 Aldens. Considering the Scout is under $150, that’s a huge bargain.
Other chukkas, like the Clarks Desert Boot, are a little bulbous for my taste and veer too much toward casual. The Scout is still a casual boot, but it’s more modern in its styling. I can wear the Scout with jeans, chinos, and suit trousers just fine.
Any durability issues presented by the thinner leather aren’t actually that big of a deal, considering that this boot is for casual—not rugged—wear, so the thinner leather won’t ever be an issue.
The Thursday Scout offers tremendous value for money and is my top recommendation for a casual chukka boot.
The Thursday Scout is one of the best bang-for-buck chukkas on the market. With Thursday's proprietary leather and a stitchdown construction, this boot is hard to beat for value.
FAQs
Can you wear Thursday boots with a suit?
Yes, you can wear the Thursday Scout with a suit, though it’s not a great choice for formal or black tie events. But if you’re wearing a suit to the office or a casual wedding, then the Thursday Scout will match well with your outfit, assuming the leather complements the color of your suit.
Do Thursday Boots have arch support?
Yes, the Thursday Scout features a steel shank and has a sturdy leather midsole, so there’s plenty of arch support in this boot.
