Ariat Bromont H20 Tall Boot - Break in period

[LadyB]

I am on ride number 5 with my new Ariat Bromont winter boots, love them, but the material has moved on the inside of my left boot, along my heel which is not folder and super hard. It makes me lame when I’m finished riding and trying to walk back to the barn. Not sure if I just have a lemon, but this sure sucks. I’ve contacted Ariat, so waiting on a response. Wondering if soaking that section with water will soften it and flatten it to make it tolerable.

As for the break in, I still can’t get them zipped up completely. I’m at the top of my calf, about an inch below my knee. Were you able to get your zippers up the whole way right away? My legs go numb if I attempt to ride with them done up. I do try to do a little more each day. Seems to be working.

Will they stretch? Is this normal? Everyone raved about these boots, but now I’m wondering if they were the right choice. They look lovely, but with this little annoying heel part, I’m starting to think they aren’t the greatest. Hopefully some ideas will be mentioned.

[soloudinhere]

I have these - I’m not sure that I would count on them stretching. The lining is pretty substantial. Mine fit about the same as they did when I bought them, and mine zipped all the way from the beginning. What socks I wear does seem to matter, obviously, as well as how many layers.

As for the heel thing, I find that piece of leather annoying but mine is not chewing my feet up, it just makes it really hard to get the zipper up over that portion.

[myhorsefaith]

I am on my second pair - this time I went with the dress boots, and I feel as though the construction is a bit different/lacking as compared to my first pair, which were the field boot version purchased 4-5 years ago. Those suckers were perfect.

I feel as if they are almost too tall, especially my right boot - I too had trouble with the zippers, but mostly on the right leg. Now when I put them on I use a zip tie fed through the zipper which gives me a bit more leverage to zip them to the top. I haven’t fastened the zip tie on, but i have been thinking of putting a little leather piece on the zipper, or parachord material - like the ones you see on jacket zippers. Leather is probably safest.

I did feel as though the arches were a little too big for me, but that has gone away with time. In the left boot, however, the stupid insert moves around- drives me nuts. so it’ll stick to my foot and move around in there, vs being stable. Such an annoying feeling.

They are still my favorite winter riding boot- apart from these smaller issues they aren’t hurting me and they do keep my feet warm and dry.

[horsepoor]

Mine were easy to break in, but that was several years ago so the quality and fit may have changed. They were not that difficult to zip up and I did not feel they stretched much, but that might be due to not needing to stretch (since they weren’t overly tight to begin with). Mine were really comfortable and I only switched to a Mtn Horse winter boot because the Ariats were just a tiny bit short on me and I preferred the height of the Mtn Horse.

[LadyB]

I chose regular calf I’m quite shocked that they don’t zip up easily once passed a certain point. I don’t have big calves, that’s for sure! The zipper does go up a bit more each time.

Notice the left side of the heel is smooth, while the right side has a hard fold. It actually hurts, who knew that would hurt.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/taylor_blitz/boot_zpskz5d1xrt.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433/taylor_blitz/boot1_zpskyzfuyrm.jpg

[Tee]

I just got mine last week and have worn them four times. They definitely do need broken in, but I’ve had no issues with the zippers or the heel tab (at least so far).

Of course, now that I have them, it’s gone from below freezing to the 50s.