Tall Boots / Helmet Recommendations ( Charles Owen / Arro)

[tjmlcharlantini]

Hi,

I’m in the market for new tall boots. I have a pair brown ariats that ive had for 8 years or so. They are still in relatively good condition. The problem is that I have a wide calf and zipping them up can be a struggle. If I button my right boot behind my knee, I also get horrible chafing marks and button sized wounds. Ive been interested in the brown Mountain Horse Sovereign tall boots for awhile (I love the color contrast), but the reviews on their site say sizing is an issue and I’ve also read that they fall apart easily

I also need to replace my AYR8. I saw that their newer helmets include MIPS technology. Does anyone have their newer helmets? What are your thoughts? I also was looking at
Arro helmets and noticed that they have Snell certification. Does anyone have one of these? I think they are the only company to produce equestrian helmets with Snell and MIPS certification. https://www.arrohelmets.com/size-guide

[Scribbler]

I liked the AYR8 but found that the MIPS Charles Owen was not a good fit for me. I do have an oval head, and moderately large. When I last went helmet shopping I thought I might end up with a One K because I’d tried them on and really like the fit. But I got a Tipperary MIPS with a dial system and replaceable liner. It’s been very comfortable, wore it on 5 hour trail rides.

The best helmet is the one that fits you best.

The new MIPS technology is a complete redesign so you can’t assume that the brands that fit you well before will fit you in MIPS.

As far as wide calves, there are very few off the shelf boots that fit us sturdy people. When I went looking for new half chaps, I ended up with Tredstep being the only brand that went wide and short. I’m not short but my femur is long and my calf is therefore a bit short. Rubbing behind the knee is often boot too tall IME.

I don’t know what’s going on with Ariat. I’m in Canada and they used to be a staple at the big Greenhawk chain but they pretty much disappeared up here after COVID supply chain issues. They also came out with some cheap crap looking fabric boots. However they are one of the few off the shelf brands that combines full and short in the same boot (not all models). I havent been shopping for tall boots in years though.

Edited to add: I went to Artists main website and they have a decent selection now of models, but you need to click through to see if they do full, wide or short in your foot size.

[cbg]

I tried on the Arro helmet at Fair Hill and found it very comfortable. I was with friends who ranged from very small to very large headed (I’m a size 57 so pretty much in the middle). They don’t currently have a model that was big enough for my large headed friend. They were able to do padding/shims to fit my small headed friend.

The founder, Rhys, was the one helping us so we got a lot of good info about the helmet and their testing. And we obviously got an expert fitting!

I wanted the shiny black which they won’t have until January. But they’re going to have a store at WEC Ocala over the winter so I’m planning to buy one then.

[Madison]

I tried the new CO helmets with MIPS and none of them fit me well at all, so I just stuck with the AYR8, which fits me like a glove. It still scored pretty well in the safety ratings that came out, so I went with what fit best.

[tjmlcharlantini]

Do you know how that translates with the CO sizing? The shiny black one sounds nice! I love CO but I think it’s important to opt for additional safety certifications, if the helmet fits well.

[tjmlcharlantini]

I used to love mine. I had pretty extensive sinus surgery and into my skull base~12 hrs with a hospital stay. I noticed I seem to feel alot of pressure mid forehead and sometimes extending down into my nose area. My helmet is getting pretty old-older than 5 yrs. Im not exactly sure if a helmet brand change would fix the issue, but I figured its worth exploring. Id rather have the additional safety certifications, but I want to be comfortable as well.

[kaya842]

I’d love to get an Arro but can’t (yet) stomach the price tag.

I previously wore an AYR8 and agree with @Scribbler that the CO MIPS didn’t fit me well, even with different liners. I do have the CO Kylo (which is technically, I think, nestled under a different line/ brand that is owned by CO) which I think fits (haven’t worn it much). I bought the Kylo to replace my Tipperary Devon that fits but I have had a fall in.

I’m no real help with boots - I’ve yet to find anything that fits my big calves like the Ariat V Sports.

[tjmlcharlantini]

Yeah, i think im a complicated boot fit. I have giant muscular calfs.

[tjmlcharlantini]

Yeah, they arent cheap! I winder if they’ll eventually do a leather style. I feel like being the only one to have the Snell will keep them from lowering their prices soon.

[cbg]

I haven’t worn CO, but I’m a 7 1/8 or 7 1/4 in GPA and a L in Tipperary Windsor and Devon.

Arro has the outer shell (I don’t know if it’s just one size shell or a few) and then various liners and shims. They measured my head and then put a liner (and maybe shims?) in and gave it to me to try on and it was a great fit.

If you’re near a place that sells them I think it would be worth going to try on. Otherwise, I’m sure if you contact them they can help you out with sizing.

[KissMyBow]

I have hard legs to fit for tall boots as well. My ankles are slim but my calves are really muscular I guess? Ariats won’t zip for me, and the cheaper wide calf boots (Ovation, Tuffrider) are SO wide that they have huge gaps at the knee so those don’t work either. I recently got some Tredstep Donatellos that fit really nicely and saved me from having to shell out for custom.

[Cabaret_SK]

I’ve had my Mountain Horse Sovereigns for ~8 years (with a few years away from riding mixed in there), and they are holding up great. I found sizing to be pretty standard for MH (I.e. they run a little big - I’m usually a 6.5 but my Sovereigns are a 6). The only thing I’ve needed to do to them is replace the laces once. I have quite large calves for my size, and was pleasantly surprised with how the Sovereigns fit.

My understanding is that the Arro helmets are quite shallow (and conversely, CO helmets tend to be quite deep). If you fit in a CO, I suspect you might find the Arro too shallow, and it would feel like it’s popping off your head/not coming down far enough.

I can fit in an AYR8, and fit really well in a GR8. I tried a OneK, which was a good fit but not deep enough. Neither of the Tipperary MIPS models were quite right. The CO MyPS did not fit me well at all. I ended up with a CO Halo, which I love (I wasn’t able to try the Kylo in my size, so can’t speak to it).

[JenEM]

@Cabaret_SK

I can fit in an AYR8, and fit really well in a GR8. I tried a OneK, which was a good fit but not deep enough. Neither of the Tipperary MIPS models were quite right. The CO MyPS did not fit me well at all. I ended up with a CO Halo, which I love (I wasn’t able to try the Kylo in my size, so can’t speak to it).

I just went helmet shopping on black Friday and tried on a bunch of CO models to replace my OneK. Prior to a couple of OneK’s, I’d had a GR8 and loved the fit but not how hot it was. I tried on the Kylo, but the large, which did fit the shape of my head very well, was super deep and sat so low on my head it was over my eyebrows. Crossed off my list immediately.

Then tried both the Halo and the Luna–both fit the same, but the Luna just comes in black and only has the older style laced harness, versus all the combos and customizations available with the Halo. I loved the fit on both and they’re flattering, but really had to size up a LOT–ended up in the biggest size they make, despite having been in a 7 1/8 in the GR8. So do go somewhere you can try them on if you’re shopping to make sure what size will fit, because I would never ever have ordered one in the size that actually fit my head–big shoutout to Fair Hill Saddlery for helping me find what fit! I ended up with a matte Luna and am quite happy so far.

[KyrieNZ]

ARRO helmets are New Zealand designed, woop woop!

I love them, but just can’t justify the $1,000 price tag. Yeah I know, what price safety, but if it is out of my budget, it is out of my budget.