The internet says Ariats are made in China, Mexico, Italy and Nam. I personally will never own another pair for work. Two reasons: made abroad and will absolutely not hold up to hard use (personal experience). There are plenty of American made options to choose from. In my experience Ariat focuses on quantity over quality. To be frank, they’re garbage.
The only real work boots that exist in my mind are the Red Wing 2231 and 2233.
I don’t wear cowboy boots much anymore and definitely wouldn’t want to fly or hunt in a pair (unless it was on flat terrain and probably not even then). Unless you’re horseback you don’t need anything other than a walking heel for practical and comfort reasons.
When I do wear “cowboy” boots I wear Anderson Beans, they’re elephant and on their second sole, which will probably last my lifetime. If I buy another pair one day I would probably buy Luccheses or Rios. Unless I went the custom route. For work I wear Red Wing 2233s.
Great sock choice by the way. I’ve worn smartwools for a while now but am switching to darn tough because of their quality, warranty and the fact that they’re made in the US. Good socks are equally as important as good boots