New Ariat Crowne Pro Field Boots

[TarheelJD]

So, I bought a new pair of Ariat Crowne Pro field boots the other day. The sales people at the tack store were really helpful, and they seemed positive that the regular calf was the size I should get (rather than the full calf), despite the fact that they are skin tight. I am now trying to break them in, and the right boot is literally cutting off the circulation in my right calf. I know they are supposed to be tight at first, but is it really a correct fit if it is cutting off the blood flow to me leg?

Thanks for any thoughts you have on this subject!

[maneevent]

I had my doubts about mine at first as well, as i was having a similar problem. Maybe not quite as bed, but pretty tight! My complaint is that within a month one of my snaps broke and the other is getting difficult to un-snap (like the other one did before it broke). Also, the inside of the calves of my boots lok horrible. They’re wearing really fast…the black is gone and they look almost brown and green? I clean them off and after every ride, condition and polish regularly, and change into wellies before bathing off my horse so that they stay as dry as possible. IDK. I’m very unsatisfied.

[klmck63]

My field boots fit perfectly now (and I can wear them all day at a show with no discomfort) but when I was breaking them in I actually got bruises all around my ankles. (I know, that’s probably not healthy).

Sooooo… I would say you’re fine. But it also didn’t bother me that I got bruises from my boots, so maybe you shouldn’t take my word for it.

[Renn_aissance]

I am not employed by any tack shop, but what I can tell you is that I desperately tried to get a pair of Ariat Crownes to fit that just wouldn’t. The right boot (on my wider calf) was great, but the left boot cut off my circulation. I had them professionally stretched three times and I would swear in court that they shrunk. They continued to cut off my circulation. I finally sold them on.

It’s a pity because I’d had a pair of the old Crownes and quite liked them. Since they have started to be manufactured in China the quality has gone down.

[fordtraktor]

There is some stuff in a spray can called “Boot Stretch”. They have another product called “Boot Slip-On”. These two products will be immensely helpful to you, for reasons that will be obvious from their names. Spray the boot stretch in the boots, put them on, then wear. They will stretch just a tiny, tiny bit – enough to make them mold your legs. Love the product.

I would keep the tight ones and work with them. I have a newish pair of Ariats where the calf is just a little too big/not tight, and I don’t care for it as it feels less stable and I can’t feel the horse as well. I prefer my old ones that are very snug.

[BAC]

@maneevent;4966563

. . . My complaint is that within a month one of my snaps broke and the other is getting difficult to un-snap (like the other one did before it broke).

I use WD40 on the snaps on my half chaps when they are getting “sticky” and difficult to unsnap, it works great.

[chawley]

In my opinion having broke in a lot of boots, they are probably just right. The softer leather used on the more expensive boots can stretch quite a bit, especially if they aren’t full lined. I have a pair of Ariat pull ons (the older ones) that were ridiculously tight when I first got them. After a month of riding in them everyday, they were perfect. Same with my customs, they were very tight, but after breaking in, they stretched atleast a 1/4 or 1/3 inch.

Considering buying some boot stretch spray (or use alcohol) and wear them as much as possible. Also, dunking them in water and wearing them dry will help them conform to your leg better too.

Good luck!

[shoponee70]

I had a similar problem, but when i went up a size the calf was HUGE! and totally a bad fit. so i say go with the snug ones… I would put mine on first thing in the morning and wear them ALL day. After a few days they fit like a glove and I love them! If you are expecting a ‘visitor’ you might want to wait to break them in so its not so unbearable.

Ariats a great company, I sent a pair of paddock boots back through my local tack shop - farm house … i didnt even buy them there … but they sent them in for me - id worn them for six months and the stitching across the toe cap came undone and they gave me a brand new pair. – and when i say i wore them for 6 months, i dont mean once a week, daily all weather… and im not known for cleaning and conditioning them regularly.

so i woulndt worry about popping the zipper or the snaps breaking, they’ll back it up and fix or replace them if something happens. I think they warranty there stuff for like a year or something… no problems w/ the newer and now very abused boots they sent me. =) – and they were the heritage 100 boots… not something expensive like the cobalts or the devons or something.

[TarheelJD]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I continued to wear the boots last night for a good while after my post, and the “tingling” did go away after about 5 more minutes.

I am in the same boat as shoponee70 - if I go up to the full size calf, they will be too big. From what everyone says, this is just the process, and one must suffer through it to have proper fitting boots at the end of the day. I knew they would have to be pretty tight at the beginning, but I didn’t appreciate just how tight until last night!

I am going to try and find some of the “Boot Stretch” spray to speed the process along. I am dubious about the bathtub method – soaking the boots in water sounds like it would be bad for the leather - but then again, many posters on here have done it and been happy with the results.

Also re: shoponee70’s post – my previous field boots were Ariat Heritage, and when I had a stitching problem at the toe, they replaced them. That is why I did not mind spending what I did on the Crowne Pros – I feel comfortable that Ariat will stand by their products.

[LulaBell]

It’s scary, but the bathtub method works. Speaking from an amateur boot-breaker-iner, it works!

I’ve done it with a pair of custom Dehner’s, as well as zip up Ariat Crowne Pros (from like 3-4 years ago).

Give them a good soak, wear them until they dry, and condition, condition, condition! Love the Vogel stuff.

[jawa]

My son left is brand new ball glove outside overnight. Wouldn’t you know it got rained on. That is the BEST glove we’ve ever owned. Broke in wonderfully and after 10 years of hard use (played ball through middle, high school and then passed on to younger brother) it is still in great shape.

Many people say that letting the leather get wet all the way through is bad for it, but from my experience it was the ticket for breaking in new leather.

[TarheelJD]

After all of the thoughtful replies, and reading some old threads, I have been convinced. I will be engaging in “the bathtub method” on Saturday (so I’ll have all day to wear them and let them dry on me).

If anyone has any specific tips re: the bathtub method (e.g., how long you soaked them in the warm water, how long it took them to dry, etc.), I am open to any advice I can get!

I’ll report back Sunday to let everyone know how it goes.

[hijumpin1]

I got new Ariat Monaco boots this spring. I had to wear compression hose with them at first, and only zip them up part way up when I rode. The first few times I wore them, I almost passed out from pain they were so tight (no joke)! They’ve since stretched out nicely, I can wear the normal sox trot socks with them. I can get them zipped all the way up, too. They look and feel great now. I really dislike boots that are “big” in the leg!

Just don’t get impatient with them and force them to zip up, or they will break. Don’t try to show in them until they break in;).

[LulaBell]

[QUOTE=TarheelJD;4967907]
After all of the thoughtful replies, and reading some old threads, I have been convinced. I will be engaging in “the bathtub method” on Saturday (so I’ll have all day to wear them and let them dry on me).

If anyone has any specific tips re: the bathtub method (e.g., how long you soaked them in the warm water, how long it took them to dry, etc.), I am open to any advice I can get!

I’ll report back Sunday to let everyone know how it goes.[/QUOTE]

With the Ariat Crownes, I unzipped them and submerged them in lukewarm bathtub water…I let them get good and wet, made sure the insides (at this point I was terrified the first time!) were getting saturated, then pulled them out. Put them on with TS and boot socks and traipsed around the house, up and down the stairs, etc, all afternoon. The main reason I did it with these was because the regulars were too short and the talls were too tall…I ended up with the talls and needed them to break down at the ankle as quick as possible.

After they dried, I slathered them with Vogel boot conditioner, inside and out. One thing that’s really good about this product is that you can put in anywhere on the boot, no worries about it messing up the inside of the calf. After coating them in the Vogel I rubbed in it, all over. Repeated that (just the conditioning, not the dunking, too) the next morning. NO blisters. I had more blisters breaking in custom Dehner’s the first time wore them without dunking them.

As I can hardly communicate without some kind of spanglish, I must add “buena suerte”!

[mypaintwattie]

I got my Crowne Pros (without zippers) on ebay. They were a great deal and practically brand new. They are a slim calf, and my left calf was slightly too large, so it was the same thing- if I could even get them on there was no blood flow to my toes! I did the bathtub method twice, and now they fit like they are custom! They will take a few hours to dry, so don’t make the mistake I did when I first tried it and do it at night:lol:. With this pair I just used the hose at the barn on a warm sunny day and soaked them, then rode and did some chores- they were dry in about 2 hours.

[Mukluk]

I also got a pair of crowne pros (no zippers) on e bay. They HURT when I first wore them with breeches (as in leg throbbing must remove immediately or I will die). What worked for me (and perhaps easier than the bath tub method) was to spray the insides liberally with a mixture of 1/2 rubbing alcohol, 1/2 water. It really made them stretch as I was able to wear them for an hour plus trail ride after that. They now fit perfectly. Best of luck to you!

[PNWjumper]

You can do the “cheater” bathtub version too. If I’m down hosing horses off, I’ll just fill my boots with water. The key is getting the boots soaked, it doesn’t matter if it’s cold or warm water. I’ve broken in many pairs of paddock and tall boots this way and it makes the break-in time nothing!

In regards to the tightness of the boots…I don’t think the boots fit unless they make my legs tingle. Anything looser ends up too loose once they break in.

[Ponyplusaninch]

[QUOTE=PNWjumper;4969335]
You can do the “cheater” bathtub version too. If I’m down hosing horses off, I’ll just fill my boots with water. The key is getting the boots soaked, it doesn’t matter if it’s cold or warm water. I’ve broken in many pairs of paddock and tall boots this way and it makes the break-in time nothing!

In regards to the tightness of the boots…I don’t think the boots fit unless they make my legs tingle. Anything looser ends up too loose once they break in.[/QUOTE]

This is what I did, and it led to the most perfect favorite pair of shoes I could ask for.

When I first got the boots, my first reaction was treat 'em like the old pair of Ariat Crownes I got (that were made in Italy) a little more than seven years ago–put 'em on, suck up the pain and the blisters, and just do everything in them. It did not phase me that I had class in seven minutes, so after an enormous effort to get the boots outta the box and on my feet, I proceeded to hustle to Francais. I made it into the science building before I realized my entire lower right leg was numb and couldn’t move it. It took my old psych prof and another prof I didn’t know to pull off the damn thing. The psych prof was ready to go grab a knife and cut the boot off but I screamed “NO” and simply sweated through the pain of getting both boots off. I think both thought I was (more of) a loony at that point.

After that incident, I used a ton of lexol conditioner, boot stretching spray, and the slick spray stuff.

The boots became a little more tolerable. I tried riding in them once and that was a bad idea (pain, pain, and more pain), so I then wore them around campus and got creative with my sense of fashion. The ankle part of the boot started to break in beautifully, but the calf was still incredibly tight, particularly the right one.

Finally, I caved at the beginning of summer and filled up the boots with the hose. Ta-da! It was like magic. Molded to my calf like a glove. Both of 'em. And I can get them on and off by myself.

Moral of the story is basically, stick with it–they will break eventually, and don’t ever put on new boots when you have less than ten minutes to get to class. My prof was not amused with my excuse.

[TarheelJD]

I know this is a stupid question, but I want to make sure I do this the right way. When you say “filled up the boots with the hose,” or “fill the boots with water,” I assume you mean that while you are weaing them, you stick the hose in between your leg and the boot and let the water run inside until the whole boot is wet?

Thanks again!

[PNWjumper]

[QUOTE=TarheelJD;4970073]
I know this is a stupid question, but I want to make sure I do this the right way. When you say “filled up the boots with the hose,” or “fill the boots with water,” I assume you mean that while you are weaing them, you stick the hose in between your leg and the boot and let the water run inside until the whole boot is wet?

Thanks again![/QUOTE]

That’s what I do.

I’m usually too distracted to go to the trouble of taking the boot off, filling it with water, dumping it out and then putting it back on (though I have done that in my kitchen sink if it’s cold out and I want warm water to start the process).