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Talk to me about Country Boots

I’m in the market for a pair of Country Boots. Since I will be ordering online, could use some help with finding what I need.
Maybe you can help me ?

I have had both the Dublin Pinnacle , and River boots.
They were honestly too short, they let snow in the tops and the top catches on bottom of saddle flaps thanks to the awkward mid-Lower leg height.
Their tread is deadly on ice.

My last pair was a pair of Middleburgs. Now these sat nice and tall, could do the drawstring up and have them sit just under the back of my knee. Leather was beautifully soft. They fit great over my chubby calves. But they didn’t stay waterproof long, that’s my only gripe.
I would buy these again honestly…. But you simply are unable to get them in Canada.

So here’s my list of needs:

  • they need to be TALLER than the Dublin boots, I find them awkwardly short.

  • they need to be durable . They will be ridden in , hiked in, gone to town in , basically everything but slept in.

  • the outsole/tread needs to be GOOD. This boot will be worn in real Canadian winter conditions. There will be ICE. There will be -20C. There will be slippery mud. I need traction!!!

  • they need to fit my WIDE calves.
    I can just fit into the regular Dublins, the middleburgs fit great . In an Ariat Tall boot I’m a “wide” calf.

  • Available to order in Canada

Anyone have some suggestions?

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Have you considered Dubarrys? Crazy expensive, yes…but worth it, I think. I have had a pair of Galways for almost 10 years now…beat the heck out of them, take minimal care of them and they are only just now starting to show their age. I used them as mud boots, as winter boots, as “fashion” boots…I do not ride in them (I have once or twice), though.

I have long shins (19 inches) so they do not sit at the back of my knee, but if you are not freakishly gangly like me, I imagine they will be tall enough and they come in “extra fit” which is wide.

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I have a pair of Ariat country boots with Gore Tex. I think I’ve had them around 6-7 years and they’re still holding up well and waterproof, and I wear them spring, fall, and winter (too warm for summer). I clean them a couple times a year with saddle soap and that’s about it.

I find the tread good - I’m in Ontario so we get mud, rain, snow, ice, etc and I’ve slogged through it all.

I have chicken calves, so I can’t speak to exactly how wide the boots are, but they are WAY too wide for me. There may also be a wide calf option from Ariat.

I do not ride in mine so not sure if they would catch on the saddle flap. I take a tall in tall boots and these don’t come up to my knee, but they’re not halfway down my calf either, so they’re pretty tall.

You can order directly from the Ariat website for shipping to Canada now. I haven’t found the Ariat country boots with Gore Tex in Ontario or online from a Canadian site yet. The exact model I have looks to have been replaced but this is the closest, and the price looks about the same as mine: https://www.ariat.com/P17141_W_FOO.html?dwvar_P17141__W__FOO_color=EBONY

I’ve been very happy with mine and also get asked about them regularly. If you think the Ariat might be suitable and want more measurements, let me know.

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I have the Shires ones. They come in xw calf and are really comfortable, although I don’t wear them in super muddy wet weather.