I was told by a local horsemen’s store, that the Devon Nitro boots are wide enough to be comfortable. I prefer a wider width paddock boot, but my OLD ariat winter boots have been comfortable for many years. Have you purchased the Devon nitro and do you like them? Are they tight at all?
I sold them for a bit. They aren’t wider than other Ariat paddocks. They do have a better footbed and they will stretch a bit over time but the last is the same width as the Heritage’s. Depending on your foot shape, the Ariat Breeze fits the widest of all their paddocks, probably only because the leather they use is somewhat softer than the other models. The Round Toe is good for people with very square toes but imho it’s not significantly wider than any of their other boots. In all cases, you will get more width from getting the Lace version instead of the Zip version. The Zip version has a seam across the forefoot that restrict most wide feet and doesn’t allow for much stretching or give over the instep.
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Thanks. My problem is- i want a BROWN, zip paddock boot, and it needs to be wide enough to be comfortable. The other person that i spoke to told me the Nitro is comfortable enough for all-day wear. i just wondered from people who actually wear them, what their thoughts are. Ariat will make a C width for the Heritage, but they are all out on their website, so the heritage cannot be an option as of today.
Wide feet and zip paddock boots in Ariat are not going to work. They are significantly narrower fitting than the lace versions due to that seam in the front. I will agree, that if the Nitros fit, they are super comfortable for all-day wear. The footbed and sole are very supportive. The leather in the boot is excellent and also supportive. More support= more comfort, but only if the general shape of the boot fits you. If not, you will hurt.
I’m very familiar with the Ariat product line and am an expert boot fitter (ski, hike, custom riding boots and off the rack riding boots) and the Heritage will fit a similar foot to the Nitro and will be comfortable but not quite as comfortable as the Nitros. The footbed isn’t as supportive or cushioned and the leather is a little cheaper. They will stretch more.
Give the Breezes a try if you can. I would never recommend a zip boot for a wide foot but at least they come in brown and feel wider than the Heritage or the Nitros.
I don’t know if you tried to order the Heritages in a C width on Ariat.com, but it looks like several sizes are currently available?
https://www.ariat.com/HRTG_IV_ZIP_W_…OO_color=BLACK
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i don’ know for sure if i have wide feet, or if the Dublin Brand i currently own is too narrow for normal feet. I just need to be comfortable.I did look at their site and i can not get anything brown with a zip in wide. They are out of Stock.
I love my Deniro’s. They’re custom but also come off the rack.
Ariat boots are made in China.
Mountain Horse usually runs wider. I don’t know if they have a brown zipper model though.
Are your feet large enough to wear a men’s boot? That will definitely be wider.
FYI - Mountain Horse does have a brown zip paddock boot. In my experience, they tend to run wider than Ariat in general.
https://www.farmhousetack.com/mountain-horse-ladies-aurora-zip-paddock-boot/
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Oops, sorry. Forgot the brown part.
I’m not a Dublin expert but the few times I’ve tried to fit people in them, I’ve found they fit a little funny. Whereas Ariat does tend to fit a wide variety of feet, Dublin seems to have one particular foot style that works and that’s it.
Have you actually put any Ariats on your feet? The Breezes do seem to have a few sizes in stock in their Chocolate color. Again, wide feet almost never can wear Ariat zip paddocks, but if there’s one Ariat model that’s going to work, it’s that one. The lace will give the wearer more room in the instep as well as more width (or conversely, if you have narrow feet, it will be able to be snugged around the feet better than the zip), and the lace version is more durable than the zip version. That being said, nothing can beat the convenience of a zipper.
Good luck. (I agree on the extra width on Mountain Horse but I haven’t sold a pair in recent years as my store didn’t stock them.) I did wear their tall boots myself and I have extremely wide and square feet with a high instep.
One last thought - does it have to be a front zip? Ariat has a few models that have front laces and a back zip. You can adjust the laces and use the zip for in/out. I haven’t personally tried them.
Yes, as i stated in the OP, i have a pair of older Winter Ariats that fit ok, but i don’t end up wearing them for hours, bc winter sucks. So i don’t think they are too tight, Also, they are lace up, and i want zip.
I wrote almost this same exact post a couple months ago. Except I had already bought a pair of brown pull-on blundstones that I wasn’t thrilled with.
I ended up looking for a pair of Mountain Horse Aurora Brown front lace back zip paddocks. They do not exist. I have adjusted more to the Blundstones though so I think those might work out. Still keeping my eyes peeled for more options on the good quality affordable paddocks in my size though. I suppose I should just give up the ghost on my brown half chaps and keep my eyes peeled for a deal on black half chaps in my size. Sigh. When did the black chaps/paddocks thing become such a trend?
I hesitate on the Dublins because I feel they are more of a “starter” brand and won’t last a day and a half. Same with the cheaper models on the Ariats. I destroyed a pair of Performer Pros with my wide foot. On the other hand, I have a pair of Cordovan Cobalts that I bought at equine affair in 2006 or so that are the best paddocks I’ve ever had. Still in decent shape but the soles are wearing away and the sides are finally giving way. I think they are what started my dedication to brown.
My next stop on the search for good quality wide, brown paddocks was Ariat Terrains but I hesitate on those because I feel like they will feel like sneakers. Which is nice, except when I put on my tall boots and say WTF.
So I’m looking forward to hearing your results!
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Have you ever looked at Equitector riding boots? They currently have a dark brown zipped boot listed, waterproof zip available too. I have a pair of their paddock boots, laced, and the footbed is comfortable for my wide foot. There is lots of room in the toe area as well.
i have not heard of them, but i will look into them. Thanks.
I hate the sneaker-boot things. I would rather wear sneakers than those half-breed things. i am headed to a horsemen’s store tomorrow to try on some of their stock and see if there is anything i can/will wear. Yean, i prefer brown, and zip. I am even considering looking into types of work boots, but they can be pricey, also. my Dublins have held up, but my feet are paying the price. They are just a bit too narrow.
I have the Nitro. Prior to the Nitro the more or less same boot was called Devon Pro. And prior to that it was called something else. So have worn essentially the same boot for a bunch of years.
A few years back my bunion on one foot made it necessary to have a wider boot. Since I adore this boot, I solved the issue by going from a ladies boot to a men’s boot. Men’s medium is quite a bit wider than a ladies medium. Totally solved the problem.
I was told to size down 1 1/2 sizes when going to men’s. I wear a 9 1/2 in ladies and 8 in men’s.
Since I now had a wider boot, I had to size up my stirrups. But now I have happy feet again. Wanted new stirrups anyway. Good excuse to buy them.
The boots really and truly are totally waterproof. They are wonderful. I have figured out over the years that if you get them wet every day which I do, after a while they draw up some. Which squished my toes even more. So for the last few pairs, nearly every day after abusing them all day, I have gone home and put saddle soap or Leather New on them. Now they don’t draw up after a few months of being wet daily.
I have tried the Heritage. It was not to my liking and I ended up giving a new-ish pair away. Doesn’t mean you wouldn’t like the Heritage. But you might want to give a Nitro in men’s a whirl. LOVE mine.
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I’ve been wearing Ariat paddock boots for quite some time - and have had pretty good luck with them though I ride several times a week but am only at the barn for a couple of hours usually - and I dont’ go out in muddy wet slop with them. When my last pair died, I tried on several different brands and honestly I kept going back to the Ariat Devon Nitro - much more comfortable all around, and I think mine might be waterproof (which was handy when I went to Badminton and Burghley last year).
I didn’t try on any Mountain Horse as none of stores I went to had them but I’ve found Mountain Horse to be pretty comfortable as well.
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I have found Mountain Horse to be more comfortable than Ariat. I used to wear nothing but Ariat Terrains (in a C width) but somewhere along the way they seemed to get more narrow and my feet more uncomfortable. I even went up a 1/2 size and they still hurt my feet. Since then I’ve switched to MH and Ovation, still a 1/2 size up but happier feet. I would love to try men’s sizes but it’s hard to find them small enough.
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