I’ve been a staunch Ariat wearer for well over a decade but I’m a little frustrated about their quality! It’s time to replace my paddock boots and I’m thinking about trying something new. Has anyone tried Suedwind boots? I’ve never heard of them but I’m seeing a few places sell them. Thoughts or any other suggestions? I’m on my feet all day so I need something with a nice cushiony footbed (like Ariats). I don’t mind spending $200 IF they last. If they’re only going to make it a year I’d rather buy cheaper (unless those only last 6 months!)
No experience but just looked at their website, they are attractive and I like the side zip feature. With my high instep I always had to buy lace-ups, or Ariats whose front zips were the only paddocks that worked for me. Give them a try and let us know what you think. :yes:
I don’t own paddock boots, but just got 2 pairs of Sir John Field Boot for myself and my husband and they’re pretty nice looking. They’re true to size as far as calf measurements go but I’d suggest to size up on the foot, especially if you want to wear them with a thicker sock. My husband has a wider heel so he has some minor issues pulling them on and feel a bit tight around the toes (hence suggest sizing up), perhaps they’re just not intended for men or just people with wider foot.
I was actually choosing between them, Ariats and Mountainhorse. I own 2 pairs of Ariat mud boots and paddock boots and both have been only so so, hence I wasn’t that into getting a third pair when looking for new boots… I know there are some people who love them here, but when I saw Mountainhorse Sovereign at the store, I was scared off by what looked like poor quality (stitching was with some loose ends, thin sole, very thin leather) especially at that price point… Now, I don’t know if the Suedwind boots will hold up long, but my guess is they’d do better. Here are my impressions so far:
The pros:
-I’m very happy with my impression on the quality of these boots - very sturdy zippers, soft leather and stitching looks solid.
-Nice details- stretchy fabric around the zipper, and at the bottom there’s a leather detail that allows you to pull on the boots like you would a paddock boot - the same leather work protects your heel from the zipper and I bet you also helps the zipper last longer.
-Spur holders, like you’d expect, but still nice given the price point.
-Very comfy to walk in at least for me. I have a pretty high arch on the foot, and extremely defined heel bones. I’d say I prefer walking in them over my Ariat paddock boots, but that might be foot specific. Overall I’d say these are by far the most comfortable to walk in field boots I’ve owned (vs. Cavallo and Petrie), but I’d say when it comes to walking they still restrict the ankle more than typical paddock boots + half chaps situation (which fixes the leg nicely on horse and is also why I actually prefer riding in boots vs. chaps).
The cons:
-Again, probably not meant for wide feet.
-I’m not too stoked about the fabric lining of the foot part (calves down to ankle are leather lined) and would’ve preferred leather, though I gotta say the foot feels comfy and I think the lining is actually antimicrobial.
-It seems that the leather of my pair is slightly softer than hubby’s so I guess they’re not perfectly consistent in the make. My pair as a result tends to crease a little more (more like the Sovereigns), so if you like that almost a tall boot look (think Tredstep Medici), I suggest you don’t risk it.
I could also send you some pics if you’re interested.
I was just looking at the Suedwind Sir John, and wanted to follow up on how yours have held up. Thanks!
They’ve held up… average.
The good things are that the zipper, sole and leather overall are still doing great after 1.5 years of not really doing that great of a job of caring for them. They’re also very comfortable.
The bad news is that there’s a very fine leather detail or something leather-like covering the elastic near the zipper and the material on that elastic/fabric has just sort of separated away from the stitches. It doesn’t really affect the functionality of the boot, but it doesn’t look very nice close-up. The leather is very comfy but also quite saggy so ideally I’d suggest sizing down kind of like for parlantis, BUT because of this stitching issue you can’t really do that.
My boots are not super tight around my calf but if I squat etc. it pulls on the seams. Apart from the sagging look that comes with soft leather field boots and the stupid elastic design I have to say these boots are extremely comfortable. It’s probably the nicest footbed that I’ve had in riding boots and other than the stupid seams by the zipper the boot seems to be of pretty good quality. I don’t plan on retiring them anytime soon, but I would definitely not show in them because of the cosmetics. 3.5/5.
Great, thanks so much! It sounds like if they fit they should suit my needs as a schooling boot for riding just one horse!
