Country boots that don't cost the earth and will last more than a year...

I live in my Ariats. I have had Grasmere, Windermere, and another one they don’t do any more. If they fail in the first year, sometimes even longer, Ariat will replace them for you.

I don’t like throwing stuff away, so I have been known to eke out an old, cracked pair of boots for years by wearing dog poo bags on my feet inside the boot as a liner once the boot starts leaking.
 
brightmount said:
I live in my Ariats. I have had Grasmere, Windermere, and another one they don’t do any more. If they fail in the first year, sometimes even longer, Ariat will replace them for you.

I don’t like throwing stuff away, so I have been known to eke out an old, cracked pair of boots for years by wearing dog poo bags on my feet inside the boot as a liner once the boot starts leaking.
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Ariat recently totally refused to replace a pair of Windermeres that were almost brand new that I had to cut off my foot because the lining came out attached to my foot and I couldn’t get the boot off, I videoed it and had photographs. I won’t ever buy them again. My old pair had the same issue but was manageable. Very disappointed by their total lack of customer care.
 
i absolutely love my Dubarry galway boots, bought as a gift from my family for my 40th birthday, almost 11 years ago :-) Admittedly I don't wear them day in and day out and do clean them up from time to time , but they are bearing up really well, still totally waterproof and clean up well. I desperately want to invest in a new pair as they do a slim leg version now, mine are a very wide on my calves (think big feet 7.5 and long skinny legs !!!) but, am scared to spend so much on a new pair as i have heard the manufacturing/build quality is no longer the same now they are made in Portugal ?? what does anyone else think ?
 
TPO said:
My ariat grassmeres get abused and neglected with constant use yet have always lasted at least 4 years. They cost around £260 making them £65 a year so, for me, very cost effective. I find them really comfortable and suitable to use all year.
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Mine were purchased in March 2012, they have gone on in late Oct and are peeled off in around April. The last 2 winters they have done 6 days a week full on, previously only 4 days a week.
Minor cracking now across the sides of the ball of each foot, replaced laces 3 years ago.
I think I might need to source replacements for next winter, but at 7 years old now, they have 'cost' me £32 a year, but given me warm dry feet throughout :)

Summer, and I'm in ariat jodh boots, or for RC stuff, in my (now) nearly 8 yr old Bromonts.

TFF, tight fisted, but trys to buy footwear to last...
 
Ariat are too narrow for my feet :( I have a pair that I’ve been trying to stretch as I love them and am sure they will be comfortable eventually.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
Ariat recently totally refused to replace a pair of Windermeres that were almost brand new that I had to cut off my foot because the lining came out attached to my foot and I couldn’t get the boot off, I videoed it and had photographs. I won’t ever buy them again. My old pair had the same issue but was manageable. Very disappointed by their total lack of customer care.
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I can honestly say that Ariat customer service is the best I've ever experienced with equestrian brands. I'm really surprised at the above response. I bought a pair of wellies in a sale but didn't wear them for another 6-8mths, when I started wearing them they split pretty quickly and Ariat replaced them with a new pair no questions asked; I'd only contacted them to ask if there was a way to seal them. Maybe try again with the photos and see if you get someone more helpful?
 
TPO said:
I can honestly say that Ariat customer service is the best I've ever experienced with equestrian brands. I'm really surprised at the above response. I bought a pair of wellies in a sale but didn't wear them for another 6-8mths, when I started wearing them they split pretty quickly and Ariat replaced them with a new pair no questions asked; I'd only contacted them to ask if there was a way to seal them. Maybe try again with the photos and see if you get someone more helpful?
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They were adamant said I had to take them back to who I bought them off - I bought them at Badminton and I can’t find the receipt although a
I have CC slip. I sent them the photos and I raised it again with manager absolutely no moving them.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
They were adamant said I had to take them back to who I bought them off - I bought them at Badminton and I can’t find the receipt although a
I have CC slip. I sent them the photos and I raised it again with manager absolutely no moving them.
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How odd, completely different to my experience. They sent me replacement Bromonts when mine cracked nr zip, 2 years into use. Never got told to return to retailer. Just sent photos including of inner label etc.
 
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Sussexbythesea said:
They were adamant said I had to take them back to who I bought them off - I bought them at Badminton and I can’t find the receipt although a
I have CC slip. I sent them the photos and I raised it again with manager absolutely no moving them.
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That's a shame. I bought mine via a tack shop sale on eBay and didn't have to provide them with any info like that. I just sent pics of the boots and the soles so they could see they weren't worn done along with an email explaining what had happened and was there a way to fix it. They offered a new pair straight away as long as I destroyed the cracked pair. There are lots of threads on the TwitterEventing FB page with similar positive Ariat stories. Hope yo manage to get something resolved
 
TBF ariat are correct re. taking them back to the retailer.

They have replaced two pairs of boots and refunded a pair of gloves for me going through the respective retailers (naylors and equestrian clearance). I think the boots from EC were about 6 months old so I think I contacted them directly over that.

meleeka I feel your wide feet pain, ariats are just about right for me grasmere/telluride, the extremes are a fraction too narrow. Dubarries are definitely too narrow!
 
Offending boot and response from Ariat.
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ester said:
TBF ariat are correct re. taking them back to the retailer.

They have replaced two pairs of boots and refunded a pair of gloves for me going through the respective retailers (naylors and equestrian clearance). I think the boots from EC were about 6 months old so I think I contacted them directly over that.

meleeka I feel your wide feet pain, ariats are just about right for me grasmere/telluride, the extremes are a fraction too narrow. Dubarries are definitely too narrow!
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They are clearly Ariat, they are clearly almost new, they are clearly a pile of shite and I can hardly take them back to Badminton.
 
I think it's maybe because you caused the damage by cutting yourself out. I know that was necessary action at the time but it means that there is no evidence of the original fault? I guess you could speak to trading standards or CBA perhaps for advice on faulty goods. Did you buy them with a card, rather than cash, at badminton? That would make it easy to trace the retailer and have proof of purchase
 
TPO said:
I think it's maybe because you caused the damage by cutting yourself out. I know that was necessary action at the time but it means that there is no evidence of the original fault? I guess you could speak to trading standards or CBA perhaps for advice on faulty goods. Did you buy them with a card, rather than cash, at badminton? That would make it easy to trace the retailer and have proof of purchase
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I also videoed it and have more photos. I’d still have it on my foot today if I hadn’t cut it off. Like I really wanted to cut up a perfectly good pair on new Ariats to be replaced by another? What would the point of that be? I’ve got friends who had the same issue but Ariat replaced them directly so I do feel rather singled out. It must be a reasonably common fault.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
I also videoed it and have more photos. I’d still have it on my foot today if I hadn’t cut it off. Like I really wanted to cut up a perfectly good pair on new Ariats to be replaced by another? What would the point of that be? I’ve got friends who had the same issue but Ariat replaced them directly so I do feel rather singled out. It must be a reasonably common fault.
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Whoa, wasn't accusing you of anything. Just suggested that might be the reason why they didn't respond in their usual manner. If you can trace the retailer via card/bank statements then at least it's someone to go back to and they might be more accommodating.

While you didn't want to cut your new boots I know there are people out there who purposely damage worn/done items and make claims. The joys of a Saturday job in a saddlery back in my teenage years!
 
While you can't take them back to badminton that doesn't stop you from contacting the retailer and/or sending them back to them. They aren't saying they won't replace them just asking you to deal with it the usual way re. who has the legal responsibility.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
I also videoed it and have more photos. I’d still have it on my foot today if I hadn’t cut it off. Like I really wanted to cut up a perfectly good pair on new Ariats to be replaced by another? What would the point of that be? I’ve got friends who had the same issue but Ariat replaced them directly so I do feel rather singled out. It must be a reasonably common fault.
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I think my difference is that my boots were over a year old, do outside retailer assistance - hence Ariat dealt with them.
 
TPO said:
Whoa, wasn't accusing you of anything. Just suggested that might be the reason why they didn't respond in their usual manner. If you can trace the retailer via card/bank statements then at least it's someone to go back to and they might be more accommodating.

While you didn't want to cut your new boots I know there are people out there who purposely damage worn/done items and make claims. The joys of a Saturday job in a saddlery back in my teenage years!
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Sorry my rant was more at Ariat not you. I know some people take the mick but I don’t see any advantage to cutting up a new pair to be replaced by a new pair even by a crook unless someone is a total fruit loop.
 
ihatework said:
How did you purchase? If by credit card should be easy enough to find and contact the retailer surely?
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Possibly but all I’ve got is a cc receipt with no description of what was bought. Annoying because normally I’m pretty fastidious over these things and keep receipts for years for expensive purchases. Maybe I should try again, to be honest I lost the will at the time to chase it further.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
Possibly but all I’ve got is a cc receipt with no description of what was bought. Annoying because normally I’m pretty fastidious over these things and keep receipts for years for expensive purchases. Maybe I should try again, to be honest I lost the will at the time to chase it further.
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All you need to do is give the retailer the transaction number.

I think you are being unfair on Ariat, they haven’t said they won’t replace, just that you need to follow procedure. If you can’t be arsed, that’s your look out.
 
scats said:
I found Ariat customer care fantastic. A pair of wellies split, I couldn’t even remember what the name of the trade stand was I got them from (YHL), yet they replaced the wellies no quibble.
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I wonder if they’ve changed their policy? Either that or I’m incredibly unlucky. When did you do that? Were they over a year old?
 
ihatework said:
All you need to do is give the retailer the transaction number.

I think you are being unfair on Ariat, they haven’t said they won’t replace, just that you need to follow procedure. If you can’t be arsed, that’s your look out.
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But everyone else it’s been done “no quibble” ? Plus it wasn’t that I couldn’t be arsed I had other things on my mind at the time.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
I wonder if they’ve changed their policy? Either that or I’m incredibly unlucky. When did you do that? Were they over a year old?
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I got them in the November and they had split by the following summer, so within the year. I photographed the wellies and did say I would go through my bank statements to find proof of purchase, but they said it wasnt necessary and what type of boots did I have and what colour did I want. I raved about them for months afterwards as I’ve never had such fantastic service before.
 
ihatework said:
All you need to do is give the retailer the transaction number.

I think you are being unfair on Ariat, they haven’t said they won’t replace, just that you need to follow procedure. If you can’t be arsed, that’s your look out.
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Sussexbythesea said:
But everyone else it’s been done “no quibble” ?
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ihatework said:
And?
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And it would be nice to be treated like apparently everyone else is. What’s your problem? I’ve stated just facts with proof but I’m being unfair on Ariat?
 
Sussexbythesea said:
And it would be nice to be treated like apparently everyone else is. What’s your problem? I’ve stated just facts with proof but I’m being unfair on Ariat?
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No skin off my nose!
You can whine about the awful and unfair way Ariat have asked you to follow procedure (first world problems?), or you could just follow procedure and get a nice set of replacement boots.
I know what I would do.
 
ihatework said:
No skin off my nose!
You can whine about the awful and unfair way Ariat have asked you to follow procedure (first world problems?), or you could just follow procedure and get a nice set of replacement boots.
I know what I would do.
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Get over yourself every problem on this entire Forum is a first world problem.
 
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