Men's Ugg Boots: A Buying and Gifting Guide

Everything you need to pick the right pair — sizing, styles, soles and price — plus how to buy for someone else when you don't know his size.

Are men's Ugg boots different from women's?

This trips people up constantly. A man looking at a pair of Classic Short boots isn't looking at a "women's boot he could get away with" — it's the same boot, ordered two sizes down from the ladies number. The sheepskin, the sole, the stitching are identical.

Where it does matter:

• Fit across the top of the foot. Men more often have a higher instep. Styles built with extra room — Deluxe, Ankle and the Terrain range — are noticeably more comfortable if that's you.
• Colour. The men's range sits in chestnut, chocolate, black, grey and antelope brown. Safe territory.
• Leather options. Gibson and Shark are cut for men specifically, in leather rather than suede.

Men's Ugg sizing, explained

Sheepskin boots run true to size for most men. The one thing to factor in is that the wool lining compresses roughly half a size over the first few weeks of wear — a pair that feels snug out of the box usually settles into a comfortable fit rather than staying tight.

Between sizes? There isn't one rule that covers it, and anyone who tells you otherwise is oversimplifying. It depends on the width of your foot and the style you're buying.

• Wide foot or a high instep → size up, or better still pick a style built with extra room across the top: Deluxe, Ankle, or the Terrain range.
• Narrow or average foot → either works. Sizing down gives you a snug fit that beds in; sizing up gives you room for a thick sock.
• Genuinely not sure → size up. A slightly roomy boot is still wearable — with a thicker sock or a sheepskin insole — whereas a boot that's too tight never becomes comfortable, and sheepskin doesn't stretch enough to rescue it.

Two styles come with their own guidance, and it runs the other way: the Terrain boots are cut slightly wider with extra room over the instep, so take the smaller size if you're between. Tasman slippers are true to size, but size down if you want them snug.

The boot styles that matter

Ignore the catalogue for a second. For men there are really four decisions: how high, how rugged, zip or no zip, and suede or leather.

By height

The men's range runs from ankle height up to just below the knee. Left to right, lowest to tallest:

Classic Ultra Mini

From $139

Lowest cut. On and off without sitting down.

Classic Mini

From $139

Just above the ankle. Everyday, low profile.

Classic Ultra Short

From $149

19cm. Covers the ankle without the bulk.

Classic Short

From $159

25cm mid-calf. The default choice.

Classic Tall

From $185

35.5cm. Serious cold-morning warmth.

Most men land on the Classic Short. At 25cm it's tall enough to keep the cold off the ankle and short enough to pull on without thinking about it — if you're buying one pair and don't want to overthink it, that's the one.

Go lower if he'll mostly wear them around the house and wants them off in one movement. Go to the Classic Tall if he genuinely feels the cold, or lives somewhere the mornings bite.

When the ground gets rougher

Terrain Short — $199. Rubber outsole with real grip, reinforced heel, wider fit. Built for the dog walk and the camping trip.

Terrain Tall — $219. Same outsole, 32cm of coverage. The pair for cold mornings and muddy paths.

The difference between a Terrain and a Classic isn't the sheepskin — it's what's underneath. Both are made to be worn outside. Classic styles run a lightweight EVA sole that's flexible, grippy and perfectly at home on the footpath, the school run, the shops or a walk around the block. There's no reason to treat a Classic as a house boot.

Terrain runs a heavier rubber outsole with deeper tread and a reinforced heel. That's what you want when conditions get genuinely rough — wet ground, mud, gravel, uneven tracks, a weekend of camping. It's not that a Classic can't go outside; it's that a Terrain won't blink at the sort of day that would leave a Classic looking sorry for itself.

So: Classic for everyday wear, indoors and out. Terrain if bad weather and rough ground are a regular part of his week.

Zip styles, if bending down is the problem

Ultra Short Zip

From $155

Mid Zip

From $169

Tall Zip

From $209

A full-length side zip makes a real difference for anyone with reduced mobility, a stiff back, or simply no patience in the morning. All three zip styles also carry a countered anti-slouch heel, which stops the boot collapsing at the ankle after a season of wear — a common complaint with taller sheepskin boots.

Leather, when suede isn't the look

Shark — $219. Nubuck leather, lace-up, padded collar. Designed in Melbourne.

Gibson — $219. Leather upper, Velcro strap plus side zip, rubber outsole.

These are the two boots in the range built for men and nobody else. Sheepskin lining, leather outside — so you get the warmth without the boot reading as a slipper. If he'd never wear a suede Ugg out of the house but complains about cold feet all winter, this is the answer.

Slippers, scuffs, moccasins and loafers

Here's the thing most buying guides skip: more men wear sheepskin slippers than sheepskin boots. It's a lower commitment, a lower price, and it fits the way most blokes actually use them — inside, morning and evening, seven days a week.

Ultimate Scuffs

From $75

Backless, cushioned sole. Built for indoors.

Sheepskin Moccasins

From $69

Enclosed, grippy sole. Handles the driveway.

Ridge Scuffs

From $69

Men's cut, Australian sheepskin, wool collar.

Original Scuffs

From $79

The bestseller. Chestnut, antelope brown, black.

Tasman

From $109

The one everyone recognises. Unisex, true to size.

Sheepskin Loafers

From $125

Made in Australia. Wearable sock-free.

Scuff or enclosed? A scuff is backless — fastest on and off, but your heel is exposed and it won't stay on if you're walking properly. An enclosed moccasin, clog or slipper holds the foot, so it handles stairs, the driveway and the letterbox run. If in doubt, go enclosed. We've broken this down further in our guide to the difference between scuffs and slippers.

Indoor, outdoor, or both?

The sole tells you everything. Check it before you buy.

For most men a Classic with an EVA sole handles the overwhelming majority of the year, inside and out. The rubber outsole is worth paying for when rough ground or wet weather is a regular fixture rather than an occasional one.

Can they handle wet weather?

Sheepskin is water-resistant, not waterproof. It'll shrug off light rain and splashes. It will not survive a puddle.

This is one place Australian manufacture earns its keep: every Australian made style in the range is finished with Aqua Repel treatment, which helps with splashes and light spills. That covers the Classic boots, Deluxe, Ankle, the Terrain range and all the zip styles — the full list is in Australian made vs imported below. It buys you time; it doesn't make the boot waterproof.

If he'll wear them outside regularly, treat them from new with a water and oil repellent protector and re-apply through the season. Our full guide on how to waterproof your Uggs walks through it step by step.

What men's Uggs cost

Where the money goes is mostly sole and origin. A $69 moccasin and a $199 Terrain both have real sheepskin against your foot — the Terrain has a rubber outsole, a reinforced heel and Australian manufacture behind it.

Australian made vs imported

Both sit in the range, and both are worth buying — but they're not the same thing, and the label matters if it matters to him.

Australian made means the boot is handcrafted here from double-faced sheepskin — and every Australian made style also carries the Aqua Repel finish. In the men's range that covers the Classic Ultra Mini, Classic Mini, Classic Ultra Short, Classic Short and Classic Tall, plus Deluxe, Ankle, Terrain Short and Tall and all three zip styles. On the slipper side: Men's Sheepskin Scuffs, Ankle Sheepskin Slippers, Sheepskin Slippers, Sheepskin Loafers and Jasper.

Imported styles are made to the same material specification and quality-checked before they go on the site — they simply cost less because they're not made locally.

If Australian manufacture is the point, shop the Australian made range directly. And if you're wondering why some brands say "Ugg Australia" but aren't made here at all, that's a longer story — we've covered it in Ugg Australia vs Ugg boots made in Australia.

Buying Uggs as a gift

The problem with gifting footwear is obvious: he's not there to try them on. Here's how to get it right anyway.

1. Scuffs are the safest thing to guess at

A scuff is open at the back, so there's no heel to fit — a near-miss on size still wears fine. Some styles are sized S / M / L / XL rather than by number, which is more forgiving again. A boot has to fit the whole foot, which makes it the riskier guess. If you're at all unsure of his size, buy a scuff.

2. If you don't know his size at all

Two options, both better than guessing. Check the size in a pair of shoes already in his cupboard — most men wear one consistent number. Or buy a gift card from $25 and let him pick the pair and the size himself. Every order also comes with 30-day returns, so a wrong size is fixable rather than fatal.

3. Stick to chestnut, chocolate or black

Grey and antelope brown are safe too. Anything beyond that and you're gambling on taste as well as size.

4. Under $80 that doesn't feel like it

Ridge Scuffs

$69

Moccasins

$69

Classic Slip-On

$75

Also under $80: the Ultimate Moccasins with Heel Support ($69), Ultimate Scuffs ($75) and Original Scuffs ($79). Browse the lot in gifts under $80.

5. Father's Day falls on Sunday 6 September

Order with enough runway for delivery — free Australia-wide on orders over $150. If you've left it late, the gift card is instant. Start with Father's Day gifts for Dad or see what's actually selling.

Keeping them going

Sheepskin lasts years if you treat it properly and dies quickly if you don't. Three rules: never put them in a dryer, never dry them in front of a heater, and treat them with a protector before the first wear rather than after the first stain.

For everything else — how to wash them, what to do about odour, how to bring flattened wool back — see how to wash Ugg boots and how to clean Ugg slippers.

Common questions

Do men's Ugg boots run big or small?

They run true to size for most men, and the wool lining compresses about half a size over the first few weeks of wear. If you're between sizes there's no universal rule — size up if you have a wide foot or a high instep, or if you're simply not sure, since a roomy boot can be worn with a thicker sock but a tight one can't be fixed. Terrain styles are the exception: they're cut wider, so size down in those.

Can men wear women's Ugg boots?

Yes — most styles are unisex and built on the same last. Order two sizes below the AU Ladies number. The practical differences are colour range and instep room, not construction.

What size Ugg should I buy for a man?

Use his normal shoe size. If you don't know it, check a pair in his cupboard, or buy an open-backed scuff rather than a boot — with no heel to fit, a near-miss still wears fine, and some scuffs are sized S / M / L / XL rather than by number. A gift card from $25 removes the risk entirely, and all orders have 30-day returns.

Are Ugg boots warm enough to wear outside?

Warmth isn't the issue — the sole is. Classic styles with EVA soles are perfectly suited to everyday outdoor wear. For rough ground or persistent wet weather, choose a rubber outsole: the Terrain Short, Terrain Tall, Gibson or Shark.

Can you wear Ugg boots without socks?

Yes, and most people do. Double-faced sheepskin wicks moisture and regulates temperature against bare skin — it's what the material is designed for. Wearing socks actually reduces the effect.

Are men's Ugg boots waterproof?

No. Sheepskin is water-resistant and will handle light rain, and every Australian made style carries an Aqua Repel finish that handles splashes better again — but no sheepskin boot is waterproof. Treat them with a protector spray if they'll be worn outside.

Ready to look? Browse men's Ugg boots or men's Ugg slippers — or if you're buying for someone else, start with Father's Day gifts for Dad.