Now that the Dublin River Boots come in wider calf options, I’m planning to order a pair. They’ll be mostly around-town boots, with occasional barn wear.
Has anyone seen the 3 brown color options in person? Any guidance? I’m having a hard time with the online pictures. Some make Chocolate look very dark, and others very bright milk chocolate color. Some websites make Dark Brown look lighter than Tan - but they always look pretty similar online.
Also, has anyone bought the lighter colors in the past? Do they stain when you step in puddles? I want these to stay presentable for non-horse activities, so I’ll order the chocolate ones if the light colors don’t hold up well.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I’ve had 2 pairs of the Tan version. The first was slightly darker, the second was orange. I was not happy when I opened the box. However, I used a waterproofing seal on the foot part and the thin strips on calves and they look much nicer now. I find them too bulky around my calf and a bit too short so I haven’t ridden much in my second pair and they look very good after 2 years. I use them as around town winter boots and have done chores in them many times. They have stepped in many puddles and a lot of mud. I waterproof them a couple times a year and they’ve held up really well.
I like the contrasting leather on the calves so I would order the dark brown for myself.
I have the Dublin Husk boots (looks like they’re discontinued now?), but had the same issue with the “chocolate” color in pictures online. In real life the the foot part and the leather stripes on the calf are definitely lighter than the brown part of the boot, which is more of a medium brown than really dark brown.
The colors might be different, but I have a feeling they’d keep the color-names the same between models.
I’ve had probably five pairs. They don’t stain in puddles but I think the darker colors are more flexible in terms of hiding dirt + matching non-horsey clothing. If you are worried about aftercare, I like Bick’s 5-1 formula for them, followed by a light daub of lederbalsam of your choice. I’ve seen the ones you mention in person and I’d say they are closer to milk chocolate than tan.
FYI: I’ve learned to order a size up and they last longer (if you are using them for barn work. Ignore me if these are just around-town boots) - what always ends up undoing my pairs is that the lining starts to separate from the actual boot, and when I pull my feet out, I would end up pulling the lining with me. Sizing up made my last pair last me 4+ years, of daily use through winter slog, summer, etc with very little aftercare. I just retired them to be around town boots, because they developed a small crack near the toe.
Mine lasted 3 years as a 3 season boot doing double duty as barn/riding boot and around town boot with a quick clean up. They lasted another 2 years as a 3 season boot for just barn/riding as they had really started to show their wear. Some of the stiching started to come apart around the ankle and I had breaks/ cracks in the leather around the edge of the boot that was nearest the ball of my foot.
I really didn’t take very good care of them. I haven’t ordered another pair just yet, but it’s on my list.
I just bought a pair of Wide calf and frankly they aren’t that wide. I was hoping they would be roomy on top so i could wear them with cute boot toppers but if i put them on with jeans or winter breeches, there’s very little extra room. My calf is 16.5" wide so YMMV. Also FWIW I ordered a size 10 and feel like they fit like a 9. If you are looking for extra room for a winter sock etc I would absolutely size up.
Great info! Thanks. I will size up to the XW even though the chart says I shouldn’t need it. Unfortunately, I was hoping to use up a smartpak gift certificate - but they only have the XW in black and tan - no dark brown or chocolate. https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/dublin-wide-calf-river-boot-iii--17950 I wish I could find them somewhere to try on for foot size, but it doesn’t seem like either of my local tack shops, or the Dover store, are carrying them.
My local Dover was super helpful. They’re pulling a 9W from the warehouse for me to try, and will special order the XW if they’re too small. They had every color available, so I went Dark Brown.
Every pair I’ve had has had the lining separate from the bootwall-- to the point that the heel no longer fits appropriately. It’s a shame, because I love the idea of a not-quite-Dubarry look on a very-much-not-Dubarry price.
