What paddock boots are good these days?

[Cabaret_SK]

I’m looking to replace a falling apart pair of 10 year old Mountain Horse paddock boots, and am looking to see what people are liking these days. I’ve heard some concerns about Ariat quality, but have also heard good things about their footbed. They need to be available in Canada, and would like to stay under $300.

Thanks!

[Night_Flight]

I got my first pair of Blundstones a few months ago after much disappointment with the longevity/quality of Ariats, and so far they’re lovely! It’s a wider boot to get used to, but they have several styles and fits, and the footbed feels good. The leather also feels very nice and supple compared to other paddock boots I’ve had.

[Renn_aissance]

I’ve been happy with Dublins. The footbed reminds me of Ariat but they take longer for the sole to come off the boot.

I abuse my boots and wear them until the sole falls off or they have holes in the instep. If you are not this person and have more money to invest on something you’ll take care of, my trainer wears Grand Prix and Ego7 and they seem to hold up well.

[Scribbler]

I killed a pair of Blundstones in the same length of time I killed several Ariat H20 barnyard twin gore. My boots tend to rip and crack across the sides and top. However the Blundstones gave me persistent chronic foot pain too.

Greenhawk used to be a reliable distributor of Ariat’s entire line but Ariat seems to be having supply issues right now and Greenhawk isn’t carrying much if anything.

[SolarFlare]

My last couple pairs have been the Tredstep Giotto. I’ve had the zip front and the lace up with the zip back (the current pair). I prefer the zip front, as it can be a little finicky to bend over and zip up the back zipper straight. I also managed to ruin the snap on one from pulling it open a little crooked many times. One thing I like about the Tredsteps is that I have chicken legs with skinny ankles, and these are not as wide in the ankle as some other brands (they’re not tight, so if you have not-so-skinny ankles they may still work).

Greenhawk carries them: https://greenhawk.com/wdItemDesc.asp?strilhID=Web&strmdNumber=DRB8033&stricSKU=DRB8033

There were other retailers in Ontario last time I purchased too.

Tredstep also has the Medici, which I think is either the replacement or it’s the next model up, but still well within your budget: https://www.willowequestrian.com/collections/boots/products/tredstep-medici-front-zip-paddock-boot-black-37

https://greenhawk.com/wdItemDesc.asp?strilhID=Web&strmdNumber=DRB8052&stricSKU=DRB8052BK40

[Mander]

I’ve always loved MH boots. I know Ariats are quite popular and I feel like everyone and their mother always recommends them to me, but they’ve never fit my foot very well and is why I ended up with MH in the first place.

I finally replaced my old MH tall boots (bought ~10 years ago) with a new pair. I was worried in the 10 years I’ve had them, the quality might have gone downhill, but I’m pretty pleased with them so far and they seem to be good quality. I’d expect similar quality in their paddock boots as well. At your price point, you could probably even buy a pair of normal ones for summer and one of their winter styles if you found them on sale.

[touchstone]

I really like the Ariat Devon Pros. They aren’t the prettiest, but have a super supportive footbed, are pretty waterproof, and they last for years. Some of the cheaper Ariats fall apart, but these seem to be worth the higher purchase price.

[IPEsq]

I was so sad when Kroops closed. But I bought a pair of Tuccis a couple years ago, and they have been great. Because they have leather soles, they are not the warmest in the winter. I got the 2 zipper model, and I have skinny ankles and the ankle fit is better than most brands for me.