What's up with Ariat tall boots?

[Scribbler]

I was window shopping Ariat online and it seems like they are running fewer models of boots. A few years back they had budget, moderate, and high end in both field and dress boots. Plus more innovative things like the Volante with the colored top. Now they have way fewer models and are out of sizes. I was trying to find a dress boot in my size and couldn’t find one.

Greenhawk is the Canadian version of Dover and they don’t even have an Ariat dress boot on their website now. Just the basic field boot.

Meanwhile I am being tormented by all the Volante and other boots on deep discount here and there that turn out to be size 6 tall slim, my exact opposite.

Anyhow is this Covid related supply problems or is Ariat getting out of the dress boot business?

[OfCourseItsAnAlter]

I think it’s COVID-related supply problems. I’ve been boot shopping online because 1) it’s 2-3 hours to the closest tack shop that carries English stuff and 2) with my duck feet, fat calves, and short legs nobody has anything that’s going to fit me in stock anyway.

My whining aside, I have found short supplies and most sizes out-of-stock with more than one manufacturer and almost all the online retailers.

[ThreeWishes]

That’s so disappointing seeing as Ariat off the shelf has been my go to for my 5’ tall self that work. I am still riding daily in a pair of heritage tall boots I bought 10 years ago but they are in rough shape. Worn through in places and I don’t dare snap the top closures because I need a hoof pick to pop them back open. I did buy a replacement pair just for the show ring 2 years ago but with Covid have barely used them.

[TheJenners]

I’ve actually been somewhat cranky about this,as I have giant 16.5 inch calves but am not fat (not really anyway) and don’t have corresponding giant feet - the V Sport boots come in that magical size but of course are sold out and look to restock maybe in March.

[Scribbler]

The V Sports are probably what I need, good to know they are just out of stock not discontinued!

[skipollo]

I think there are a lot of supply/manufacturing issues right now, not exclusive to just Ariat. I want to buy a pair of winter boots to wear around the barn when not riding, and the basic Dublin River boots are sold out EVERYWHERE, like every vendor, in the color and size I want, and they won’t be restocked until spring at the earliest. I also looked at the Ariat Langdale boots, same situation.

I haven’t specifically looked at Ariat tall boots but my guess is they’re experiencing the same thing. Until life goes back to normal (which will be freaking never at this rate), if I see something I really want to buy, I’m going to grab it while I can and not wait for a sale.

[js]

I’ve been trying to buy a new pair of boots for months now. I love Ariat but they have dropped several models of both dress and field boots and have few sizes to choose from in what is left. I agree that Covid is likely effecting production as it seems a problem with other brands. However, the sizing and quality of Ariat seems to have changed and not for the better. I had a pair of V Sport a few years back so decided to try another as it was one model they seems to have a few sizes left in. Had to go up a full size to get the boot to fit and it was still snug, especially in the width; but the top sizing was really off (as mentioned in several reviews on SP). The calf fit (right at the widest part) but above the ankle and at the the top of the boot where huge. The leather was so thin that the boot wrinkled and sagged just trying them on. I returned them as the fit was just bad overall, something I’ve never had issue before with Ariat. My old pairs fit as nice as custom boots.

[Scribbler]

Hmmm, sounds like multiple supply issues, both scarcity and poor quality. I know that if you are manufacturing overseas, it is important to have home office quality inspectors nosing around the factories fairly often because they will cut corners when left unsupervised. And I would think nobody has been flying between the USA and China’s industrial heartland this past year.

Ironically, I had just reached the point someone makes above, buy it when you see it, and then realized things had already disappeared!

Being in Canada, I can’t get delivery from most of the big US shops, and our national vendors are less generous on the free returns thing.

[islgrl]

I agree with supply chain issues. Just last night my husband was telling me he was trying to buy himself a pair of work boots and me a pair of fishing/deck boots and he can’t find either of them anywhere.

[173north]

Covid supply chain issues and manufacturing delays have caught up to them, plus their sales are high, so their factories are pushed to the max and way behind schedule. And, freight/sea shipping is a mess right now - it usually takes 3+ months to get something shipped by sea from Asia, and now… who knows! If you see an Ariat product in stock and suspect you’ll need it in the next few months, I’d just grab it now.

[Somantu]

I checked my local (GTA) tack shop last week: V Sports are on back order until April.

[TheJenners]

Ugh!! Do they have a direct line? Because Smartpak says March.

[Somantu]

I’m sure Smartpak will get them in March. We Canadians just have to wait a little longer for US shipments.

[xeroxchick]

A couple of years ago I got fed up with Dehner and the pain of breaking in new boots so got a pair of Ariat brown field boots. I liked them so much that I decided to get some dress boots but it seemed like all I could find was black field boots. I finally found a pair (on sale!) from a western website. I suppose they have stuff for English classes. Have you tried looking at western supply websites?

[Scribbler]

I have looked on western sites as well. . Stock is slim everwhere. Or they are blowing out $600 boots at $199 but only in size 6 Tall Slim (my exact opposite).

[js]

Have you looked at the Mountain Horse Serenade dress boots? They are lovely, well made go up to an XW calf size but they only have one height size, their height is too tall for me otherwise I would have bought them.

Also the Ovation Mirabelle dress boots are very nice and affordable, they also have wide/xwide calf sizes, they come in brown or black. Kind of limited availability too but a few are still out there.

[Scribbler]

I was hoping to try on Ariat short boots, as my last pair of regular height Ariats (deep discount) are just a tad too high.

We are basically limited to 4 good tack stores here. The big Greenhawk chain usually carries most of Ariat, plus their own cheapo house brand, but not now with supply problems. One of the other tack stores just does deNiro to measure. Of the other two, one does have a range of Ovation, Mountain Horse, and Tredstep (which has a size range in shafts) as well as Schockemohle. But they are just showing one or two sizes left on their websites. I think that a pre-paid special order would be nonrefundable from them. I really want to sit down and try them on first.

I’m after dress boots, since I realized a while back that contoured hunter dress boots are totally fine for dressage and just as comfy as field boots. I’m rather terrified of the stove pipe reinforced dressage boots that I’ve seen, probably just in consignment stores or at a distance at shows.

Though while we’re on the topic, are there any preferences between Ariat, Ovation, Mountain Horse and Tredstep? To me Ariat is a known quantity with good fit and comfort for me, and moderate longevity.

[Scribbler]

I went into Greenhawk and they had a huge range of Tredstep that wasn’t online. This is new.

[js]

I just tried a pair of Ariat Votrex boots (I’ve had a pair in the past). I felt they were not the quality they used to be. Very soft thin tops that sagged immediately, the sizing was way off (see the Smart Pak) reviews, I’m not the only one who felt this way. While they fit in the calf right at the point of the widest part, they were huge below that and at the knee, although the ankle fit snug. It was just a weird fit that looked horrible on. Maybe in smaller sizes they fit right but the larger calf size didn’t. The foot size was also narrow and I had gone up a half size to get a better fit in the foot. Boots came with cardboard instead of boot trees. I sent them back; All my previous pairs of Ariats fit like custom but these didn’t even come close and the quality wasn’t there.

I love Mountain Horse, I’m currently wearing a pair of dress boots but they are well used and I was wanting to get a replacement pair. Love MH but I’m not seeing any height choices online and the standard height in the new dress boots is way too tall for me. I ended up with a pair of Ovation, not my first choice but the fit is okay and the quality is good for the price.

I’ve only tried Tredstep’s once way back, they were too snug in the ankle but fit everywhere else and were very nice. I couldn’t find my sizes online (no tack shops for me) so didn’t try this time.

[Kirikou]

Same - took me 3 months to find a new pair of Size 8 Muck boots - everyone was out…