Boots/Footwear/Chaps

[graciemoo]

Does anyone else struggle with getting their legs into boots/chaps?

I am 16.5" calf and can sometimes not even get my legs into 'wide' boots. Does anyone else find the same? - any places that provide bigger/wider boots?

Feel totally poop when I am in the shops trying to get new gear...

graciemoo x

[chickyd444]

you would think that the manufacturers who make these boots would recognise that riders who 'ride' develop large calf muscles and make an allowance - i have the exact same trouble. got bought a pair a loveson wide calf long leather boots for xmas - "wide , my ass" could barely zip them up past me ankle, i think they are just tight with the materials !:mad:

have bought a pair of cheapish mark todds that fit nice and a pair of DSL's (shires) that also fit nice for everyday. ;)

[graciemoo]

DSL's??

graciemoo x

[HAYLEY GITTOES]

Yes I have same problem, my chaps only just go round me leg, am waiting for the zip to fly off !!!!

May be try www.fullerfilles.com

Hayley

[graciemoo]

Is that the correct URL? - comes up page cannot be displayed!? :-S

[tina1958]

Yes I get this, it is a real pain. I just bought some new chaps and had to get XL:eek: My calf only measures 15 1/2 inches which is hardly huge but I find it really difficult to get things to fit.

I think its these foriegn companies being tight of materials. If I'm an XL I can't imagine what kind of stick legs a small or medium must need to have.

[Skib]

Yes. ditto.
The istuation is awful both for half chaps and for long boots.
I am 16" round and sort of 16 length too.
The only half chaps I have found that fit me are Tuffa large size suede - not expensive. They are not tight on me so I think they would fit 16.5". OH is about the same height as I am and he wears the same.

I dont know what all the Tuffa long boots are like but it might be worth looking.

I tried lots of long boots on and none fitted - a humiliating experience. But when I actually bought my (expensive) Sarm Hyppique long boots the woman who fitted me told me my size was normal.
(I have edited this post to remove the name of the excellent retailer. )
The same company - Sarm Hyppique - do a variety of brands and prices, some under different brand names, so it might be worth trying them.
I dont think it fair to blame foreign makers for skimping. The problem for me with cheaper English boots is that they dont come in half sizes.

If you live near London, Mehitabel on NR recommended me to go to the Olympia horseshow and find some boots there. I think it was Broghini she recommended to me as being broader round the calf. I failed to try those because each time I went there was no one manning the Broghini stand. You can buy a shopping only ticket for £5. That is what I did.

[Gruntfuttock]

But when I actually bought my (expensive) Sarm Hyppique long boots the woman who fitted me told me my size was normal.

To be fair, if i was about to sell a £300+ pair of boots to someone, I'd assure them that their size was not exceptional either !! At that price, I'd tell them that the moon was made of green cheese if it would assure me of the sale...Sarm do sell a huge variety of width fittings. You might try Equitector as well, much less expensive and come in an equally vast range of heights and calf widths including Very Chunky Indeed :D

I have extremely wide calves as well (considerably wider than the OPs), and up until now have only been able to wear the half-chaps from Just Chaps' "reality" range, and the Fuller Fillies ones. Lots of riding and yard work, though, meant that last weekend I was able to buy a pair of Lovesons in size XL off-the-peg, which made me very happy. My giant Fuller Fillies ones have now been retired.

The Tuffa suede half-chaps, as per Skib's post are absolutely gorgeous, very lovely soft suede and very generous sizes. The standard size is far too long for me, but the short fitting is perfect.

[chickyd444]

[QUOTE=Skib;1616915]
I dont think it fair to blame foreign makers for skimping.
QUOTE]


I do - you pay the earth for a pair of boots , but as the manufacturer are trying to make a profit they skimp on leather ! youve only got to visit my local tack shops to see this !

[chickyd444]

To be fair, if i was about to sell a £300+ pair of boots to someone, I'd assure them that their size was not exceptional either !! At that price, I'd tell them that the moon was made of green cheese if it would assure me of the sale.

too true :cool:

[Skib]

I dont think this is fair. I gave the name of the retailer I used only to try and be helpful and I shall now remove it.

The retailer had no guarantee that I would buy boots, let alone buy expensive boots. I was told my size was normal because they had many different boots in my size in stock to show me. As the original poster pointed out, there must be many women with calves the same size as ours.

I had visited many shops over three years and failed to get long boots. Including well known saddlers, the names of which I will not give here. Very often the staff themselves didnt understand the sizing and models. I also phoned two manufacturers to try and find stockists who might have my size. In other words I had the same problem as the original poster.

At Olympia by contrast, the assistant led me round to choose the style I liked and then brought out at least three different pairs of boots to try on.
It was my choice to begin the trying on with this particular brand. I tried Sarm boots at two different price levels. Both fitted me.

If the attack is on me for buying expensive boots. Yes I did. But nothing like as expensive as if I had bought the top German or French dressage boots. I like good boots and I dont have the expense of owning a horse.

I wear my long boots for most of the riding I do. I realise that not everyone has as much money, so when stable staff or RIs admire them, I try to suggest cheaper alternatives.

But regardless of price, I also looked for traditional boots, of a sort that can be polished and re-heeled and re soled. The rule my daughter has, is to work out how much per hour each item of clothing costs. The Russell and Bromley long black fashion boots I had when I was first married lasted me over 20 years and I expect my riding boots to last 20 years too.

It is a sad day when support given on NR provokes a completely unwarranted attack on a knowledgeable shop assitant who did her job well. There are far too many attacks these days on NR on un-named people who cant defend themselves.

[chickyd444]

skib - i did not put in personal attack on you - and did not mean to upset you, and appologise if offence has been taken - i am mearly voicing my opinion on my experiences - i am not digging at you at all , i am mearly telling my side of the story :)

[posie]

i have larger calves than you - and i have gibbins half chaps in XL that i bought when i was 16 and they are still going! they are elasticated but with leather not material so still waterproof
yes - they are more spenny that others but are the only pair i have ever bought whilst friends seem to go through them quickly. (although have had zips replaced once to be fair) oh - and they have had extensive use - working with horses full time for 2yrs of the last 11yrs i have had them
http://www.discountsaddleryshop.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=328 you might get them cheaper elsewhere - this is just to show them!!!
as for wellies - aigle with gusset everytime for me - fit really well
and dubarry wexfords - the ones with the zip.
hope this helps!
xx

[speedqueen]

Yes I have same problem, my chaps only just go round me leg, am waiting for the zip to fly off !!!!

May be try www.fullerfilles.com

Hayley

I have just bought a pair of their leather half chaps... went for the widest and they are too big..:p Never had that problem before. Nice chaps though, I will be sending them back for the smaller size.

[mistysmum]

I have always bought Gibbons. Find them ok and seem to be available in lots of size/length combinations.
My calfs have got larger over the years - age/fitness and weight! Not had problem so far. Hadn't bought any new ones for a while and went yesterday for new pair - no problems.
;)MM

[Virago]

Yes I have same problem, my chaps only just go round me leg, am waiting for the zip to fly off !!!!

May be try www.fullerfilles.com

Hayley

The webby is at www.fuller-fillies.co.uk

[Gruntfuttock]

Oh, for goodness sake, Skib, i wasn't attacking you or jeering at the shop assistant. I was simply making a joke. The fact of the matter is, if one shops at the higher end of ANY market, then one gets better service and the likelihood of a shop assistant saying pleasant things. The high end boots fitted you and you were not made to feel uncomfortable, which you have said yourself was not the case with the normal boots at your local tackshop.

I buy my work suits in Austin Reed rather than Next becasue I like the service in Austin Reed, and i like the fact that they bring me a cup of coffee while I'm shopping. They don't do that in Next, for the simple reason that it isn’t in their interest to. With the volumes they sell, they don't really care whether i buy or don't buy the £100 suit. Austin Reed know that it is in their interest if i buy a £400 suit there, so they are nice to me, bring me coffee and say flattering things. I know perfectly well I don’t become thinner and more elegant when stepping into AR (if anything I become poorer) but I do feel valued and that makes me more inclined to spend money there.

[Shire Monster]

I've got 17.5" calves and have always longed for a pair of long riding boots to no avail, have always riden in half chaps, forget the make but they were stretched to the max round my calves, for my birthday in Feb I got a pair of the fuller fillies leather half chaps in x wide and they are fab! If anything they are a bit too big but am glad of that when I've got my long wooly socks on underneath, would recommend these to anybody

[Trewsers]

I have a phobia about getting stuck inside long boots that don't have a zip!!!! The only ones I can get into that don't have a zip are the Dublin River Tall boots - they're quite a baggy fit. I also have a pair of Equitector long riding boots - they're really comfy and I know they do a short and extra wide fitting. I have also found Toggi Calgary boots to be extremely comfy - as the elastic around the zip stretches quite a lot. Hope this helps!

[spitchwick]

Another vote for Fuller Fillies here, Suzanne, who owns it, is great, and very helpful if you have any questions.

[CrisO]

I tell myself I haven't got large calves but small feet!

I am looking for a pair of long leather riding boots but have the problem that I need wide and long. I am 5'7 1/2 and take a 5 1/2 in shoes with a narrow foot.
Looking at the size charts for boots if i had a size 7 foot then I would be fine.

I have a pair of Mountain horse Ice riders and they do fit me however I bought a size bigger than normal (6 1/2), as they are winter boots I would have thick socks.

[Beebop]

I'm another with chunky calves, long boots are impossible so I use short boots and gaiters for competition. Got mine from The English Gaiter Company, 17" calf and 16" high, great fit and are available even bigger. For yard boots I have short muck boots and neophrene half chaps, the chaps are kind of whacky, purple with pink stars and are large which is a bit on the big side! Think they came from Just Chaps, they do sensible ones as well!:D

[annareeves0]

I bought some Muckrukker (???spelling???) wellies/riding boots - I dont compete/show so looks were unimportant - i wanted to do my field work and then ride in the same boots. I paid £45 and they're great - the top half is neoprene (stuff wetsuits are made out of) so comfortably accomodate my chunky calves. The only thing I will say is I garuntee you wont get cold feet and if its a sunny day you may get puddles where you socks should be!

Id love some really nice leather boots but the prices are extortionate! I love boots anyway but £300 is taking the mickey!

Also bought some jodphurs for £15 and chaps at under a tenner at Tesco recently (yes Tesco!!!) It is worth keeping a look out if you shop in a larger store. They had several horsey bits incl hats etc. but everything was gone in a couple of days

[doris]

I've also had to have large half chaps, and I'm not a very big person, so it must depend on the individual make. Like anything, you tend to find the more expensive makes are a larger fit, and the cheaper ones perhaps skimp on materials more, although still being good and hard-wearing.

I like full suade chaps the best though as you don't get the fitting problems round the calf and a full suade leg helps you grip the saddle better.

[*Sez*]

I have little feet (size four) and quite large calves, so I find long boots a complete nightmare! I tend to buy children's jodhpur boots, and then wear XL half chaps over them (I got some Shires ones from eBay which are lovely and were fairly cheap). I don't think I will ever be in a position to pay for some long boots that actually fit properly unless I start competing a lot more.

[DebO]

Check out tredstep chaps they come in various sizes that I've not noticed in other chaps.

DebO

[alyrosie]

I also always had trouble finding long boots with my chunky calves 17 1/2 inch til a friend introduced me to mountain hores rimrock riders. I tried them on thinkin they would never fit and i would be left feelin fat again but shock horror they were perfect!!!:D Now they are worn in they even do up easily over my jeans! Think they were £70 but have been the best but i have ever had. Prob no good for showing in but perfect for general riding / muckin about in. Good luck x

[tothepointe]

Anyone got any suggestions for a 18.5" calf. I have normal sized ankles though.

[oldpunk]

Had some new Regent Ranch riders for my birthday and they are nice and roomy. Am liking the fact they are trim round the ankle and roomy in the calf so are nice to walk in. Prices vary A LOT so do your homework online!