Favorite stirrups for jumping/XC?

[Sticky_Situation]

Well, I guess it’s about time to retire my ancient Dominus stirrup irons (the original Sprenger knockoffs … They don’t make them anymore ). The rubber on the sides is pretty thoroughly dry rotted and cracked. I liked those stirrups and have used them on my jumping saddle for many years. So the question is, what kind should I get now? There seem to be a lot more options than when I last shopped for them ~15 years ago!

I’d prefer to keep it under about $200 … But these stirrups which seem to be the closest thing currently available to my old Dominus ones, don’t seem to have the best reviews for quality and durability. Any personal experiences here?

Alternatively, is there another stirrup you guys prefer for jumping? I’m willing to consider other options, although I think I’d prefer to have something without too drastically different of a feel from the ones I’m used to.

[yellowbritches]

Before I broke my leg, and especially when I rode and galloped and often competed multiple horses, I fell in love with the composite stirrups with the wide tread (like the Royal Riders, though I have knock offs). I was skeptical at first, because I’m not one to fall for trends very willingly, but I galloped in my boss’ saddle one day, and he had them, and realized my toes didn’t go tingly in them. I got a pair after that and was really happy with them.

Funnily, once I started riding again, I found them very uncomfortable, so now I just use good old fillis irons. Again, not one for the trends. If they’re good enough for GM, they’re good enough for me.

[Synthesis]

I have the MDC flex stirrups with the S curve top. I find the version with the eye hits the front of my shin, especially if riding with the foot a little bit home in the stirrup. Good, but not unstable flex, as I was finding my ancient Sprenger knock offs to be excessively flexible.

I was using Fillis irons but I ended up with tendonitis in both knees.

[Encourage]

Second the MDCs- but I like the ones that ‘click’, unjointed with a wide foot bed. I do however have quite a lot of pain from an untreated/misdiagnosed broken foot which has left a grocery list of issues with my ligaments and tendons in said foot/ankle. These are the only ones I can ride in with only mild discomfort instead of agony.

[pegasusmom]

Well, I bit the bullet and coughed up the big bucks for a pair of Free Jump stirrups for my son who has a prosthetic leg and has trouble sometimes keeping his foot on the stirrup. He loves them, but his father (eventing at training) loves them more. They share. Love the design, the safety features and how they are weighted and angled.

[GutsNGlory]

I have Achilles tendonitis so I like a wide foot bed for jumping when my stirrups are shorter for some relief (plain fillis irons for dressage though). I have had the Compositi (knock off Royal Riders) stirrups for a few years… but recently fell in love with the Jin Kinko stirrups when I was trying saddles. Lucky me, they were on TOTD about a week later for about 60% off. I haven’t used mine on the regular yet (waiting for new saddle), but did borrow my fitter’s saddle during an event recently for stadium jumping and loved hers still.

[Lusoluv]

I have the SafeStyle carbon stirrups. Very similar to the FreeJump in that they are a lightweight material, with one very soft branch that is not closed at the top. You cannot get your foot caught as rubber side will give way easily. If you’ve ever been attacked by another horse while riding yours (and subsequently suffered a broken lower leg) you can never be safe enough! Jumping or otherwise…The SafeStyle are $100 shipped from the Netherlands. No cool colors like the FreeJumps, but about 1/3 the price!

[Happyhorse77]

I went through every dang stirrup imaginable and could never find that perfect fit UNTIL I spotted a pair of Lorenzinis on EBay for $50(seller accepted returns too, in case they didn’t work)!!! Lo-and behold they are exactly what I’d been searching for! The perfect weight, size EVERTHING. I have freakishly flexible/long Achilles & hamstrings and I can drop it like its hot in these without ball of foot pain. I will never jump in anything else!

[173north]

I love my Tech Stirrups - the brand isn’t well known yet but they are lightweight with a wide footbed inclined a few degrees - a lot like the Jin stirrups but a touch less expensive. Fillis and jointed irons give me awful knee and ankle pain but I haven’t had a moment of it since I swapped to these. I also had an awful problem with losing my left stirrup that disappeared when I switched. They’re light but cleverly weighted so that when I do occasionally lose one, I find it quite easy to get back.

They have slightly different designs for each discipline - I have the Hunter stirrup because I wanted a conservative look. Their XC stirrup has an ultra-aggressive tread and drainage holes for going through water.

[leheath]

I also use the Safestyle Stirrup (http://www.safestyle.nl/index.php?lang=en) in original, not carbon, style (with the one side open so you can’t get dragged) and love them. They are super comfortable (no more knee pain after a long ride) and make it super easy to put my foot in the perfect GM-approved place in the stirrup. Price is super reasonable and mine have held up for 6 years with no signs of wear.

[mg]

I’m obsessed with my Royal Riders (unjointed) with the cheese grater pads. I rode in plain fillis for many, many years and scoffed at the wide footbed/composite stirrup trend, until I tried a horse and rode in a saddle with Royal Riders. I fell in love. I have extremely flexible ankles and suffered from a lot of knee pain and foot numbness in regular stirrups. I have none of that in my Royal Riders. I like the cheese grater pads because my boots don’t slip out when they’re covered in mud or wet sand. It makes for a much more secure foot when running XC in yucky conditions

[Foxglove6]

I don’t have a brand recommendation but I would recommend to get actual metal stirrups rather than composite or plastic. I was jump judging at a HT this weekend and a competitor at Novice level had her stirrup BREAK and fall off the leather. She managed to stay on and complete XC but when her horse tripped a few feet away from the finish line, she tumbled off. I saw the stirrup later when someone found it on course. The slot for the stirrup leather had a big crack at the top and it had enough flex to allow it to just come off the leather. Very scary.