Different Shoes You See in Montana (And What They Mean)

Yesterday I read this article "Here are the Many Types of Coats You'll Need to Live in Montana," and wanted to write a similar article except for shoes— the problem is the word need in that headline. While coats are nonnegotiable in the Treasure State, Montanans can make do when it comes to footwear despite the weather. Here are the different kinds of shoes you see in Montana:

Flip Flops

Not the most common shoe in Montana, but it's worth mentioning those who not only wear shorts all winter but also sport a pair of these to match. Once I even met a shoeless Montana in January who claimed to never wear them, I actually believe him.

 Steel-Toe Cowboy Boots

Meeting OSHA and ASTM standards, these boots are ready for the ranch, farm or any place where hard work is done. These boots capture the spirit of Montana, until 5pm anyway.

Designer Cowboy Boots

This definitely needed a separate category. I'm not saying people who wear these are cowboy posers, but I am saying that all cowboy posers own a pair of these. If you haven't seen any of these you might not have been to Bozeman lately.

 Vans

I've noticed a lot of Vans around and have on many occasions run into people wearing the same pair as me. Popular with Montana's snowboarders and other extreme-sports enthusiasts.

Dr. Martens

When it's snowing outside but you still need to maintain your punk cred, these boots are there for you.

Hiking Shoes

Though made for hills and mountains, you'll still see plenty of these downtown, because I guess you never know when you'll get the urge to walk up some dusty trail for the sake of a sweet view.