So I bought riding boots from Wish
Ya know, I expected to get this post out sooner because I expected these boots to be out of commission much sooner.
They're still going. Valiantly.
Seriously, these boots have genuinely surprised me. They're not perfect by any means, but they've been very reliable for the past several months. If you want my first impressions, they're at 1:50 in my September vlog from last year.
Let's start from the beginning. I purchased these boots from Wish sometime in August and they came within a month. Obviously, the picture on the advertisement wasn't going to match the physical product. If you are unaware, Wish.com is basically Amazon without the nationwide warehouse employee strike. The products are cheaper to buy and even cheaper to make. Often times, the picture used to sell an item is taken from a more popular brand (Meshki, girl, I am so sorry). The product that you receive is usually a poor man's dupe of the original. Sometimes the product is still good, but most of the time, the quality does not compare. Along with the boots, I bought some work clothing items, and while they all mostly matched the pictures, I eventually had to throw two of the five items away.
These boots? Not one of the two losses. If I had to pick between these boots and my first pair of $80 tall boots from Equistar, I would pick these boots in a heart beat. The sole is solid, it didn't have any loose threads, the laces were actually real shoe laces, and it didn't show up broken. I purchased the brown color, and it's definitely an orangey brown. Not horrible, but I would have preferred a true brown. The foot is shockingly water proof, which is nice since our wash rack is constantly flooded.
Now onto the cons . . . while these boots are still fully functional, they are definitely showing some wear. The hole on the back of the right boot showed up early on and has very slowly gotten bigger. The protective tabs at the top are too short to stay secure during any type of physical activity. Lucie also shoved me into the fence the second time I rode in these boots, which completely ripped off the grommet. These also are not the stiff, Dressage boot pictured and are softer than Parlantis. The sizing is slightly too small for me, but European sizing is always an issue for me. The lining of the boot is a neoprene like material, which is comfortable to the touch but does trap heat.
Overall? 6/10. There's a lot of small things that I don't like about these boots, BUT I don't hate them. Would I buy them again? Probably not. I really like the lace up front style of these boots. I've always had a difficult calf, and the laces mean that the leg of the boot will always be a custom fit. I'll keep riding in these bad boys until they finally give, but I genuinely don't think that'll be any time soon.
They're still going. Valiantly.
Seriously, these boots have genuinely surprised me. They're not perfect by any means, but they've been very reliable for the past several months. If you want my first impressions, they're at 1:50 in my September vlog from last year.
Let's start from the beginning. I purchased these boots from Wish sometime in August and they came within a month. Obviously, the picture on the advertisement wasn't going to match the physical product. If you are unaware, Wish.com is basically Amazon without the nationwide warehouse employee strike. The products are cheaper to buy and even cheaper to make. Often times, the picture used to sell an item is taken from a more popular brand (Meshki, girl, I am so sorry). The product that you receive is usually a poor man's dupe of the original. Sometimes the product is still good, but most of the time, the quality does not compare. Along with the boots, I bought some work clothing items, and while they all mostly matched the pictures, I eventually had to throw two of the five items away.
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| Hole on the right boot |
Overall? 6/10. There's a lot of small things that I don't like about these boots, BUT I don't hate them. Would I buy them again? Probably not. I really like the lace up front style of these boots. I've always had a difficult calf, and the laces mean that the leg of the boot will always be a custom fit. I'll keep riding in these bad boys until they finally give, but I genuinely don't think that'll be any time soon.
I do love the lace up style, although since you won't buy them again, I probably won't buy them. I love the idea of the laces though as I have such a difficult calf too... and they look so good on you!
ReplyDeleteIf you're looking for front lace up boots, Ariat has some and HKM has a really nice pair that I have been eyeing. For some reason, lace up boots tend to be geared towards winter riding (?????) but there are some nice, not cheaply made ones out there.
DeleteOh Wish - I forgot what the name of these types of sites are called but they are essentially covers for Chinese run textile factories (sweat shops some of them probably). Always feel like its a 50/50 you don't get the item and then a 50/50 if it even comes close to being the right size, color, or anywhere close to what you order. But damn sometimes its worth the gamble. lol
ReplyDeleteTbh I need a Netflix documentary explaining where most of these things come from. Sometimes the gamble is too hard not to take . . .
DeleteOn the spectrum from “cheap and cute” to “expensive and forever,” I know exactly where my heart lies lol, and I replace my boots about every two years with zero regrets haha. Esp European retailers tend to have a lot of less expensive but very trendy options. Divoza is a store I’ve used before, and I’ve owned brands like HKM, Mondani, and currently have QHP boots that I love. If you google any of those brands you’ll find other euro retailers too.
ReplyDeleteOh I LOVE HKM. Since these boots will eventually go, I'm considering getting their pair of lace up tall boots. They're super steam punk, and they match the vibe of my current favorite pair of half chaps.
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