Dubarry Galway vs Ariat Grasmere

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feesh

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I'm trying to decide between Galways and Grasmeres as something to wear in the spring/fall, as there is a pair of each available used in my size locally ($200 vs $130). There are very few options for country boot style available here, so I'm limited to what I can buy secondhand (my options for buying new are full-price Dubarrys, a local store brand that I find too hot & uncomfortable, or driving 2-4h to try Dublin River boots).

They'll be for all-around use: a bit of hacking, protection from ticks and burrs and wet when walking through field/forest, lots of walking, light chores around the farm. They need to be comfortable enough to wear all day, but I don't need a ton of support for that (currently spend all day in either clapped-out Ariat Probabys, or Blundstones). I've tried the Dubarrys on in store and they seem ok, and I generally have found Ariats pretty comfortable.

I expect either boot to get pretty grotty, which is fine so long as they don't split or disintegrate. I've got neoprene winter boots for when it's -20 or shin-deep mud, so they won't have to deal with anything particularly extreme.

I'm currently leading towards to Dubarrys as they seem to be uninsulated, and I'm worried the Ariats will be too warm for what I want. But on the other hand I really like the adjustability of the lacing on the Ariats.

Am I missing anything obvious that would tip this one way or the other?
 
Dubarry have just released an actual long riding boot which may be what you're after?

I have ridden in my dubs once or twice, but absolutely wouldn't recommend it!
 
I think they fit differently I love my grasmeres (and mulitple other ariats!), my first pair lasted about 10 years, current pair on 2 years so far. When you say about insulation I've never had cold feet in them but I do need a fairly thick sock in mine (more than I do in my terrains/tellurides/extremes) and I won't be wearing them between now and september. The new sole is an improvement on the old sole for walking in, as they are used which do they have? The old sole can get slippy - I have the new sole on the boots I use for backstepping and it's def better for grip.
 
Definitely wouldn’t ride in Dubarrys. I had Grasmeres a long time ago and while they were as comfy and rideable as most Ariats I found them short in the leg (depends on your calf length!). I also had Conistons, and the zip on those wasn’t up to the job. I haven’t yet found a good crossover country boot that can also be used for riding.
 
Interesting! The Dubarry soles don't look much different than the soles on my designed-for-riding winter riding boots, and I definitely see people around here riding wearing country boot type boots - but then again, people also ride in their Muck boots in the winter, and not the riding-specific models! THAT freaks me out.

They'd be mostly for when I want to do a half-hour hack to get some extra miles in and can't be bothered to change boots, not for serious schooling or longer hacks, so I don't really care if they're close contact or clunky for riding in - but if the consensus is that they're that unsafe, then the Ariats seem like the way to go! Cheaper, too!

(And there's also a pair of Ariat Brossards in my size for only $10 - but they're a 2h drive away, and I'm not convinced the calf will fit. I sadly can't find a size chart for them.)
 
The cultural difference is interesting. Country boots aren't popular here except among horsey people, so pretty much all the models available are specifically marketed as riding-friendly. Even the Dubarrys are in the riding boot section of the tack store that carries them - and they have a whole separate "casual boot" section that has plenty of Ariats etc.
 
I wouldn’t bother with Dublin’s. Mine took about a year to break in and the sole was starting to wear by then.
My Ariats were comfy the first day I put them on. I find the insulation does help a bit in colder weather but haven’t found them too hot in summer. But I have pretty cold feet most of the time.
 
I wore Dubarry Galways for years when riding out / working as a hunt groom.

Never had an issue.

The only issue I’ve had of late is that whilst the first two pairs I bought in ~ 2010 / 2014 lasted for years with heavy use, the third pair I bought a few years ago - the sole split after less than a year of not so heavy use. May have been a one off…
 
I have both and wear the dubarrys much more, but not for riding. I rode in them once and found their length meant that they caught on the saddle. The ariats are comfy and fine to ride in, but you can’t slip them on and off; because of the lining, I find I need a shoe horn. And they only work over jodhpurs, not jeans etc.
 
I never use a shoe horn, mine def slip on and off no bother. I’ve worn them with trousers but no they wouldn’t be great with jeans I don’t think but I don’t like jeans anyway 😅
 
Peglo said:
I wouldn’t bother with Dublin’s. Mine took about a year to break in and the sole was starting to wear by then.
My Ariats were comfy the first day I put them on. I find the insulation does help a bit in colder weather but haven’t found them too hot in summer. But I have pretty cold feet most of the time.
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I'm sort of glad to hear bad reviews of the Dublins. It's a long drive!
 
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