Monday, March 2, 2015

The Great Boot Debate

Last year my 8yr old Ariat Heritage boots finally bit the dust. I thought I had scored a deal on some Tredstep's, but they ended up not fitting.  I did turn around and resell them for more than I paid for them, so that's a win.  I was somewhat boot desperate and everything with the calf size that I needed was either on a huge back order, or flat not available.  I ended up getting the Dover Middleburg Square Toe Field Boot.
Pic courtesy of Dover
While being around the same price as the Ariat Heritages, the Middleburg boots are no where near as nice.  The leather isn't great, the zippers tend to want to fall down, and after a year of use (I only ride in my tall boots maybe 1-2 times a week and use them at shows) the insole in one of them is coming off. They surprisingly broke in pretty well, and after they dropped they're a nice height for my leg but that's the only good things I can say for them. I've also lost some weight and they are too big in the calf now.  Last week I was able to get them on over a pair of boot cut jeans, without tall socks.
So. Much. Want.

I'm starting the search for new boots again.  I would love to get customs but I can't afford that. My top pick for off the rack tall boots is the Ariat Volant S boots.  I would need an XW calf from Ariat, and from what I can see Ariat doesn't make this boot with that calf.  There is one online site that I found that says they have them, and I have an email into them confirming it, but I'm not holding my breath.

My guilty secret
I also really like the Ariat V Sport boots. I know they are impractical to get as show boots, since I couldn't/wouldn't use them in the hunter and eq rings.  But I like them, and they come in a XW calf.

Boring boots
I'm most likely going to get the Tredstep Donatello Plus boots.  I like the look of them slightly more than the Ariat Heritages and I like that I can get the XW calf with a shorter height.  But after the Ariat's they just seem boring. 

4 comments:

  1. I love my Tredstep boots, hope these ones fit and you fall in love with them too.
    Big up the Irish produce...we love horses ♡♡♡

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  2. Eh yea I can see how the tredsteps Are boring in comparison... But my pair seems to be pretty good quality so that's gotta count for something right? Happy hunting either way!

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  3. Interesting on the Middleburgs. I tried some on a while back and thought the leather was nice and soft for the price. I had the round toe though, and from what I understand they are quite a bit different strangely enough. They were too short for me though so back they went. After much struggle, I now have custom La Mundials, but I wouldn't recommend that company to my worst enemy. :) I also have a pair of the lowest level Ariats that will probably break in too short but I used while waiting on my customs and while boring they worked.

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  4. I got the Middleburgs for Christmas as my new show boots, tried them on once, and sent them right back. I hated everything about them. Bummer about the Volants not offering an XW calf. I think they're so pretty.

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