One of the most significant high-fashion collaborations of 2024 was the Timberland collaboration with Louis Vuitton. Designed with their Creative Director of menswear, the rapper and producer Pharrell, their prices ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, and — to me — they seemed pretty pointless.

For most readers who weren’t considering picking up a pair, the LV x Timbs range comes in various silhouettes, none of which are particularly persuasive.

The worst are the LV x Timberland Mid Boots: a heinous, tall Uggs-inspired pair of slip-on boots with a rubber toecap reading “Vuitton” and a buckle at the top inspired by handbags. The Harness Boots are borderline the same but with a different strap, cowboy-LARPing straps, and the toecap removed; and the Ranger boots are like a ruggedized version of the 8-inch Timberland Superboot, but uglier. Also, the name seems a tad coy, given that no pair will ever leave paved footpaths, wooden floors, and plush carpets, let alone be worn by actual Rangers.

The best boots of the collection are the LV x Timberland Ankle Boots; a slightly chunkier, lower silhouette than the 6″ Boot, made with contrasting golden details on the logo and eyelets.

They are genuinely stylish, but so are the classic Timberland 6″ boots — which these look mistakably close to — and the only LV graphics are on the collar and underneath the tongue. So why pay the premium?

It made little sense at the release in October, and two months later, they made none as Timberland released their new Espresso collection. Named after the color, and with no connection to Sabrina Carpenter, these boots look even better than the Vuitton pairs — and the Espresso 6″-Boot only costs $200.

There’s no story behind these, but there doesn’t need to be. It’s a collection of six silhouettes — or four if you don’t count platform versions — made in a premium, dark brown, full-grain pebble-texture leather, with dark gum soles, thicker, padded leather collars, golden accents and metal hardware, and the classic waterproofing seam-sealed construction.

The 6″ Boot was the pair I bought and have been complimented all holiday season for; but if you want to go for the more unique, striking, classic boot, their 8″ Superboot has never looked better than in this collection and is even better for winter. They look beautiful and — unlike the Louis Vuitton pairs — they don’t cost so much that you’d be scared to wear them outdoors.