Tall boots with zippers rubbing back of ankles. Normal?

[acoustic]

Hello! I finally purchased myself a lovely pair of Ariat tall boots (volant sport I believe) and have ridden in them maybe 3-4 times. They are soft boots, and seem to have dropped a bit already, but oh my goodness, they are rubbing the top part of my heel where it meets my ankle. I’ve adjusted the insoles, added a heel riser, took it back out, and have worn thin and thick socks in effort to remedy this. Unfortunately nothing seems to be working. These boots have the full length back zipper and I’m wondering it this is contributing to my rubs in some way.

My question is, is this a normal area to hurt when breaking in boots? Even if the ankle area is already decently soft? I’ve considered doing the bathtub method, but am pretty certain that I will not be able to return the boots once I soak them in water. I’ve kept them very clean and will have no problem returning them in their current state but I didn’t want to give up on them yet if the general consensus is that they need to be broken in more.

Thank you!

[hntrprincess]

I have DeNiro’s and that is the part of my foot that hurts sometime, or sometimes it’s the front of my foot. I used saddle conditioner to stretch out the ankles just that little bit. It 100% fixed the pain I experienced in my right, but my left not so much but I have a bigger left foot.

I really find using some sort of saddle conditioner (I used Passier) and lightly spreading it out on the inside leather really helped to break in my boots fully. I would do this before each time I rode in them for several shows before they really broke in. It’s just a thin amount, and then I would wear them right after that way they constantly molded.

[StormyDay]

I find that Ariats usually start out a little stiff and always with a few bad rubs. The best method is just wearing them a lot. I would go buy some really fluffy socks and see if you can protect your feet until they break in.
If you are really struggling, I suggest buying a pair of dublin boots. I love ariats, but the dublins tend to not cause as much pain

[PNWjumper]

I got Ariat Volant S and V Sport boots around Christmas. Both of them ended up with indentations there for a bit that rubbed my Achille’s tendon right above my ankle. Normally I would just stick a hose in the boots and walk around for a day or two like that (and that’s always done the trick for me with zipper boots), but I had no interest in doing that in Dec/Jan.

I used to have those gel sleeve things for your ankles, and I searched high and low for them to no avail. Instead I ended up putting 5 or 6 pieces of Gorilla tape (though duct tape would work fine too) over that spot, creating a kind of shield. I peeled the tape off of each leg in one piece each day and reused it the whole time the boots/zippers were breaking in. It worked great and after a week or so of riding in the boots I didn’t need the tape any longer.

Now that the temps are warm enough here I would just go back to the hose-in-the-boot trick

[Faye]

I have the tredstep and sadly, i’ve had them for a year, worn them all the time, and it still digs in my achilles tendon, same spot…

[Kestrel]

You could try these: https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/equifit-gel-bands-8100

Or these:http://www.dreamproducts.com/gel-malleolar-ankle-sleeve.html?utm_source=ShoppingDotCom&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CSE&gdftrk=gdfV27929_a_7c2477_a_7c10763_a_7c84552

I like boots with the zipper on the inside of the leg. I never felt it, and it didn’t scratch the saddle.

[copper1]

I second the gel bands which both Smartpak and Dover carry. I got Treadsteps which I love but rubbed my ankle so badly that it actually did some damage to my achillies tendon! My bad for not taking them off after I had ridden! A pair of gel bands and all is good!

[vangus19]

Try the Equifit Gel bands, they work very well.

[sarcam02]

fourth vote for gel bands

[maggiemae]

I have a pair of the Ariat Heritage that I bought last September. I have not had any issues with rubbing at the ankle, but rather up behind the knee. These boots are just a touch too high and tight. I rode in them 2-3 times a week and would heat Lexol and put it around the top and the ankle areas to break them in. This has worked, but they are still rubbing behind the knee. I did stop wearing them when cold weather hit (can’t wear long underwear with them). Any suggestions on how to protect the back of the knee? I tried bandaides of all sizes/shapes and they just didn’t work.

[acoustic]

Thank you all for the suggestions and information! It looks like this is a common problem that should resolve after further break in and isn’t just the Ariat brand. Looks like I’ll keep them, do the bathtub trick, and if all else fails the gel sleeves it is (I mean, who doesn’t love the feeling squishy gel anyway?).

Maggiemae, I hope your issue resolves as well. Thankfully I have a long calf so behind the knee has never been an issue but I know my ankle rubs are killing me. Have you tried soaking the boots and letting them dry while still wearing them? I know that usually helps to soften the ankle and drop the boot, which is what you need. Hopefully someone has another suggestion for you.

[sarcam02]

[QUOTE=maggiemae;8062519]
I have a pair of the Ariat Heritage that I bought last September. I have not had any issues with rubbing at the ankle, but rather up behind the knee. These boots are just a touch too high and tight. I rode in them 2-3 times a week and would heat Lexol and put it around the top and the ankle areas to break them in. This has worked, but they are still rubbing behind the knee. I did stop wearing them when cold weather hit (can’t wear long underwear with them). Any suggestions on how to protect the back of the knee? I tried bandaides of all sizes/shapes and they just didn’t work.[/QUOTE]

google bathtub method

[Fig]

Another vote for the gel bands. Also the only socks that have really protected my heels from rubs are the noble outfitter peddies. They are the only riding socks I buy any more. They have a thick foot and ankle and a thin calf and fit over my ginormous calves. They hold up great to regular washing and drying.

[Kestrel]

maggiemae, there are a couple of things to try. One is to put conditioner on the boots, then bend the very top/back part over and hold it with a clothes pin until the next time I need them.

Another is to buy something called a bio-occlusive dressing. Get the ones that are at least 2"x3". They are kind of hard to put on, so you might want to have help putting them behind your knee. They aren’t super thick, but they act like another layer of skin. They will keep you from getting blisters or rubs, and if you already have them, they will feel much better. Leave the dressing on until it starts to come off, then put on a new one. Two dressings per leg should get you through a show. You can wear it in the shower.

I also slather the inside of new boots at the ankle with boot conditioner before I ride. It can help get a little more drop.

Every pair of new boots I get means that I’ll be bathing a couple of horses the first day, and staying at the barn until the boots are dry. I may squirt so water down into the boot and squish around for a bit. It’s not quite as “all-in” as getting in the bath tub, but it works. Repeat as needed.

[Inclined]

Another option (if you can accommodate it) is to wear a thicker sock that’s only tall enough to come up to the bottom of your calf and roll down the tops. I used medium weight SmartWool socks, and when rolled down, the tops provided just enough fluff to cushion the back of my heel from my Mountain Horse zippered field boots.

[Trixie]

I have yet to find a pair of tall boots, except for a very old pair of dehner’s that are a bit large on me, that don’t rub my ankles. Someone on here once told me to use a pair of wrist sweatbands - the terry kind for tennis players or whatever - and that helps a lot.

[TRIPLEBAR]

A cheap solution for now is some moleskin, found at your local pharmacy

[TRIPLEBAR]

A cheap solution for now is some moleskin, found at your local pharmacy