Ariat Heritage Contour Field Boots - do they stretch?

[HappyHorselover]

Hey all! I searched and didn’t find anything that matched my question, so here it is:

Do these stretch much at all? I tried a set on in store and now that I have them home - they make my calf throb with how tight they are in the calf. I don’t recall the store set I tried on being this TIGHT! Wearing the same breeches/socks I had on in store. She did have to use a string to zip me in, but I walked all around the store and had them on a decent amount of time - no throbbing calves. Put the set I ordered on and the throbbing was almost immediate. They look fabulous and the ankle feels great. So do I stick it out and they will stretch, or exchange for the next calf size up?

[Snowflake]

Bathtub Method

[HappyHorselover]

Afraid to try that in case it won’t work so I can exchange. They have the stretch panel in the back too. Just wondering if the ones in the store fit better b/c they had been tried on and stretched out by those people

[french_fry]

This happened with my Ariat Crowne Pros. The slims were a beast to get on if I was hot/sweaty and my legs were a bit swollen. I used stretch spray and the bathtub method but the left one was always just a hair too tight for perfect comfort.

With my next pair I went up a half size in the foot and the slims were the perfect width from the get go; snug but not cutting off my circulation or making my calves throb. …And then they broke in all the way and got baggy when they dropped! :eek:

I would keep the tight pair. Bathtub method first. Then try lying flat on your back with your legs straight up in the air to put them on. At first I would saturate the inside of the top of the calf in stretch spray and zip them up 3/4 of the way, periodically zipping them the rest of the way for short intervals throughout my ride. After a couple of weeks they were perfectly acceptable, although they were still a little sticky to zip up if I was hot.

I’m not sure I will buy Ariats again since for me the width options seem to be uncomfortably tight or unattractively loose.

[ybiaw]

[QUOTE=HappyHorselover;7714951]
Afraid to try that in case it won’t work so I can exchange. They have the stretch panel in the back too. Just wondering if the ones in the store fit better b/c they had been tried on and stretched out by those people :)[/QUOTE]

Yes, they stretch. I have them. It sucks breaking them in, but they’ll stretch and be just fine. Better to do that and stretch them properly than buy bigger and have them end up too loose. Mine started out almost impossible to zip, and when I did get them zipped I was in intense pain. So I wore them over bare legs the first day, over leggings the 2nd day, then over breeches the 3rd. They were still uncomfortably tight over the breeches, but better every day. Now they’re broken in perfectly.

[EquestrianBelle]

I have these Ariat boots, and yes I think they do stretch to some extent. When I got mine they were a bit bigger but as I rode in them they sort of moulded to my leg and began fitting better and better the more I used them. Try walking around in the house with them and oil them as much as possible to help the leather stretch.

[DARQHORSE]

I have the Challenge Contours, mine were hellish for the first bit, I wore them in the house for about 2 weeks just skin, followed by boot socks only, then breeches (no socks) then breeches with socks then rode in them. Now, 6 weeks later, they fit super (aside from being a bit too short, but that’s ok), and are very comfy. Stick it out, they will be lovely in a little while. If you go up a size they will be baggy.

[FirstChance]

I found that different pairs of Ariat’s fit differently, even in the same size. I had a pair that the leather started to split. Ariat sent me another pair, same size, calf, everything. Mind you I had only worn the original pair half a dozen times, they were not stretched out and fit well from the start. The new pair slipped on fine, but after I rode I could not get them off. I spent an hour on the phone with Ariat doing everything they told me to do. We ended up cutting them off. I now try them on in the store and only buy the ones that are in my hand that fit me. At least now that they have zippers I won’t get stuck in them again. That was such a bummer with $500 boots though

[hunterrider23]

Almost all zipped boots will stretch a little. Keep wearing them, then try bathtubing and if you don’t get the stretch you want, you can always take them to a cobbler or most tack stores and they’ll stick them on a boot stretcher for you.

[lrp1106]

I have these boots. Mine didn’t quite zip all the way. They fit perfectly after wearing them around, riding in them, and putting a good two years on them. They’re also holding up amazingly!

So keep the tight ones.

[Jersey_Fresh]

I just got these. I could barely zip up my left boot the first day, I zipped it half way and walked around like that for a while then edged it up. First two rides were no bueno but now they have broken in quite quickly. They aren’t perfect yet but after three rids Im happy so far. The leather is soft so I wouldn’t get the bigger size I would just suffer through this for a bit.

[HappyHorselover]

Thank you everyone for the replies! They are already better form wearing them around the house, so it’s promising!

[ybiaw]

[QUOTE=HappyHorselover;7718171]
Thank you everyone for the replies! They are already better form wearing them around the house, so it’s promising![/QUOTE]

Yeah I found that mine stretched rather quickly. I think a lot of it was the elastic panel - the brand new elastic is really tight but loosens up quickly after a couple zips.

I love mine. I ordered the talls because my regular height Crown Pro pull-ons had dropped TOO much, and now that this pair has broken in and dropped they’re absolutely perfect. <3<3