Hi everyone. I know the Donatellos have been talked about at length but I think the last thread I could find was 2011. I need a (show) field boot for under $350. I’d rather they be softer and easy to break in as I really just want to use them only for shows and occasional lessons. I live more in my paddock boots and half chaps. For someone with slim (13 1/2 inch calves) and narrow heels would you suggest the Tredstep Donatellos? I am really leaning towards these in tall - though I have to measure my calf height. For some reason the detail on the ankle looks so nice to me. What about the Mountain Horse Richmond? Any others to consider? Thanks in advance!
If you’ll tell me what your foot size is, I can give you the corresponding calf/height measurements for the Donatellos. Nice boots. 
[QUOTE=Melissa.Hare.Jones;7174948]
If you’ll tell me what your foot size is, I can give you the corresponding calf/height measurements for the Donatellos. Nice boots. :)[/QUOTE]
Thanks! I am an 8.5 but think it might be smarter to go with a 9…
You might have a height issue with the Donatellos. I’m in the same position, a touch taller (5’8") and found the Donatellos were definitely too short, especially if you plan on showing in them. I had a similar issue with price, but couldn’t find anything in the under $350 that fit my big feet/long legs/skinny calves dilemma. I ended up going with the Da Vincis in Slim/Tall, which are still a little wide in the calf but look good, and were the perfect height for me. But they’re almost $500…so…
If you look at brands, the other thing I would caution you on (having been through this before) is that if you have a big shoe size (I’m size 10), a lot of the ankles are quite big. The Tredsteps were the best affordable boots I found with tapered ankles that fit well. Some of the mid-range Ariats fit my leg, but had baggy ankles that I wasn’t a fan of.
With that said, maybe the inch difference in our height will make the difference for you, and if the Donatellos are tall enough (just look at the measurements very carefully), they are lovely and soft and I’m sure just as easy as the Da Vincis to break in - which were broken in after a couple rides.
Good luck!
Alexshrugged, thank you! Did you try the Tall in the Donatellos and they were still too short? I know that it’s a newer offering…
I know I do have a long femur, so possibly that means I have a shorter lower leg :winkgrin:
Now that you ask, I’m not sure. I assumed I had, since I tried the Tall in everything, but if it’s a new offering, then maybe not. I bought them a little over a year ago, if that’s helpful…
A word of warning on the Tredstep boots - they fit a very specific calf shape/placement. I desperately wanted these boots to fit me, but they just don’t. The widest part of the calf on these is relatively high and “bunchy” and did not at all correspond to the widest part of my calf. Just something to keep in mind.
I tried the Donatellos and HATED them. Too short, leather never broke in, my achille’s tendons rubbed raw even after months of breaking in. I ended up replacing them with these and short of buying custom (or Monaco’s) the best money can buy! http://www.doversaddlery.com/middleburg-zip-field-boot/p/X1-38461/
Tua, how tall are you? Were you looking for slim boots too?
These look pretty and get good reviews.
[QUOTE=tua37516;7175093]
I tried the Donatellos and HATED them. Too short, leather never broke in, my achille’s tendons rubbed raw even after months of breaking in. I ended up replacing them with these and short of buying custom (or Monaco’s) the best money can buy! http://www.doversaddlery.com/middleburg-zip-field-boot/p/X1-38461/[/QUOTE]
Those with middleburgs- what size are you in ariat? I wear size 6 in ariat and but 7 in all other dress shoes, and middleburg smallest is 7.
I just got the Treadstep Raphael, mainly because I wanted to try the “dress boot” look without laces. Love them! I am about your build and got the slim/tall, which fit even though Ariat slims are too slim. They are definitely not too short. Here they are in action, less than a week after I got them (broke in easily):
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201381307209072&set=vb.1665880789&type=2&theater
You might also look at the Treadstone Italian Calf boots. The leather is beautiful, they’re slim in the ankle and are taller than many other boots.
Another vote for the Middleburgs. I have “special occasion” Vogels because I have small calves, big feet, and a 22 inch height. They’re over 15 years old, and still going strong.
But, as I don’t care for half chaps, I wanted every day boots for the summer. However, they had to fit nicely, be cheap, and at least have some semblance of thicker leather than the Monacos (which just look paper thin to me). I have to say, I love the Middleburgs. They are an inch taller than pretty much every other off the rack boot, and have a great tapered ankle, which I didn’t see in the Ariats or Mountain Horse.
If you have super slim calves – like 13 inch or so, they may be too big in the calves. For 14 inches, try the slim. I found the foot to be pretty standard.
[QUOTE=Whistler;7174960]
Thanks! I am an 8.5 but think it might be smarter to go with a 9…[/QUOTE]
You might also try the Treadstone Tuscany/Gran Torino (size chart) - they do come in the Slim Tall (though I noticed that some of the US shops leave this option off their size charts 
); like the Donatello they have the stretch gusset running the length of the back zip.
I like the leather of the Tredsteps better than the Treadstone but you may find that one brand fits better than the other.
Depending on size, you may find that the Tredsteps (size chart) do fit slimmer - did not notice anything odd about the calf shape in the boot shipment locally …
Footbed did seem on the generous size compared to Ariat, so you may want to go 8.5 rather than 9.
[QUOTE=alto;7175456]
Depending on size, you may find that the Tredsteps (size chart) do fit slimmer - did not notice anything odd about the calf shape in the boot shipment locally …[/QUOTE]
It’s not that it’s “odd”, per se… it just is contoured in such a way that it will not fit everybody. They definitely don’t fit me, as they are too narrow for me near the middle of the lower leg; by the time I get them big enough there, they gap terribly at the top. There is no way on God’s green earth they will ever fit me. Ariats, however, fit me perfectly - ie, the same calf measurement in each brand fits me very differently (just like TS, Ariat, and Equine Couture breeches all have very different fits in the same size).
Short story, as with everything else, you really just have to try them on. :yes:
I don’t know that they’d work for you - I’m 5’1", and had regular height/wide calf in my previous boots. I bought regular height/regular calf in the Donatellos, and they fit me great.
Well I bit the bullet and ordered the Donatellos in tall/slim. Dover had them in stock; would’ve ordered them from Smartpak but they would have taken much longer. I will report back with my findings. Thanks guys for all the advice! An early birthday present from my DH
I’d go DeNiro. I had at least 10 different boots shipped to my house on my most recent boot search, and the DeNiros won hands down for price point. They’re available in Xslim and you can have Smart Pak ship you multiple sizes to see which one fits you best (but you have to be patient).
FWIW, Tredstep quality was not near what the DeNiro offers for what I consider a marginal price increase.
They fit! After a few hiccups…
Just wanted to give my review and advice to anyone looking at these boots. The size 9 slim talls arrived a few weeks ago and they were almost…almost right. But I just felt the foot bed was too large (I wear a 8.5 in street shoes so I thought going up a half size would be a good idea). They were just a bit ‘floppy’. I hemmed and hawed but decided to send them back in an exchange for the 8.5’s. A few days later they arrived but Dover messed up and sent a 9 regular calf, not slim, not tall. I was so disappointed that I called them that evening and they immediately shipped out the correct size which I received on Monday. Cool of them to expedite it and send a prepaid return label.
The foot bed is perfect, the boots were a bit difficult to zip up (good, they’ll stretch) and the tall comes up to my knee cap. The height hurts a bit now as it should, but I know they’ll drop. The heel lifts definitely help. I am super pleased with how the ankle area fits my skinny lower legs; they really hug and contour that area. I’ve always had to deal with off the rack boots that are just baggy looking around the ankles, so these look custom made. I’ve worn them around the house a few times and tonight I’ll ride in them. Overall I am really impressed by the quality and fit, and glad I took a chance in getting my actual shoe size.
Don’t know if you have already ridden in them but the da Vinci boot is $100 off
