Smart barefoot/wide toes box riding boots.

Cloball

Cloball

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A musing really. I currently ride in Tuffa endurance boots that are reasonably roomy and wide and I can put my insoles in if I remove the existing insoles but I'm looking for something a bit smarter. The closest in getting so far is the Tuffa wide Jodhpur boots. Riding boots are just so narrow and not at all foot shaped. Does anyone have any better ideas?
Off the wall idea... https://vaistoa.com/products/uoma-barefoot-trekking-boots?variant=49890311012677
Any reason these wouldn't work 🫣
 
I have a very similar pair from Vivobarefoot for Winter and a pair of Saguaro trainers for Summer. Very comfortable for arthritic and fasciitis prone feet. The only drawback is the lack of heel, I use caged stirrups with them, not sure how elegant the whole thing is though and I cannot find any half chaps to fit over them (which has really forced me to work on a more stable lower leg).

PS. Until a year ago I was getting away with wearing a pear of Toggi long riding boots which have a very roomy toe box but I can only walk in zero drop footwear now or I feel crippled.
 
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Altra, BeLenka, are the wider anatomical shapes I wear, Vivo and Saguaros are too narrow for me sadly.

A riding boot with a heel is obviously impossible in terms of true barefoot but I am hoping that Ghost is able to develop something close to barefoot or at least zero drop and anatomical, as a short riding boot or shoe. I keep hassling them!

For leather/smarter I would look at barefoot dealer type boots, several companies have them including I think BeLenka, Lems etc. anyasreviews.com has lists and reviews of them and, in the shoe finder section can help you assess shape and measurements to select brands that might work for you.
 
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🙏 thank you for your endless service @sbloom I was looking at Ghost as I think they use vibram soles and there are definitely anatomical vibrams. I live in Altra and Vivo but I think the vivoesc super thin flexible soles wouldn't really work for riding imo a stiffer thicker sole would be necessary. I do have cages but they're not my favourites, I also do want something that looks more traditional but isn't foot crushingly narrow 🤷
 
https://anyasreviews.com/?s=chelsea+boot I couldn't remember the term she uses hence hadn't posted the link before! The current Ghost range is fairly standard foot shape, I've not seen a pair but being Italian I'd be surprised if they're more than averagely wide, as I'm 95% zero drop and anatomical I won't be ordering any for me but if anyone orders some I can report back on the width. Ultimately unless the big toe area is straight then they're not anatomical and not wide enough for anyone, if we're going to stick to real functionality.

www.belenka.com

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https://www.lemsshoes.com/collections/womens-chelsea-boot-tuff (I'm tempted by these, the Primal 2 is an okay fit so would depend on whether I can improve on that)
 
I've started spending much more time in barefoot type shoes and really struggle then putting my riding boots on afterwards. I've got a lovely new pair of (men's) mountain horse stable jodhpur boots and have loads of toe wiggling room. I wore them today out in hand showing, but I'm damned if I can find a pair or stirrups wide enough to actually ride in them!
 
My barefoot's were comfy, but took an absolute battering. Worn through at the back within 6 months and fit only for the bin. Also, my husband complained that they smelled badly after only a few wears and I don't usually suffer with stinky feet.
I've now got LANX which cost a lot, but they are the comfiest boots I've ever owned right from the start. I wear them for everything - with a dress, jeans, poo picking, all day long at festivals. No complaints on smell either. Just a thought.
 
My husband has been looking at lanx lately 🤔
I must admit I fell out with mountain horse years ago when my boots didn't even survive the summer and they refused to discuss it.
 
They're definitely wider but they don't allow the straight big toe alignment, and a degree of toe splay. I LOVE the look of Lanx but it'll be rare I don't wear zero drop/anatomical and I have plenty of lovely boots and brogues for when I do.

@Loosehorse! do you mean the brand Bareback?

@Cloball they are too far away for anatomic for me, and would have a pretty rigid sole I would imagine.
 
Toggi Calgary a size up work for me (long boots). I only use them for riding though and go back to bf shoes after. I have a pair of vivo mens hiking boots that will be my winter boots as they have slightly more protection should a horse decide to jump on my feet 🙈

Edited to say I only wear bf shoes now apart from these and have wide duck shaped feet.
 
sbloom said:
They're definitely wider but they don't allow the straight big toe alignment, and a degree of toe splay. I LOVE the look of Lanx but it'll be rare I don't wear zero drop/anatomical and I have plenty of lovely boots and brogues for when I do.

@Loosehorse! do you mean the brand Bareback?

@Cloball they are too far away for anatomic for me, and would have a pretty rigid sole I would imagine.
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Yes I do. Sorry!
 
Loosehorse! said:
My barefoot's were comfy, but took an absolute battering. Worn through at the back within 6 months and fit only for the bin. Also, my husband complained that they smelled badly after only a few wears and I don't usually suffer with stinky feet.
I've now got LANX which cost a lot, but they are the comfiest boots I've ever owned right from the start. I wear them for everything - with a dress, jeans, poo picking, all day long at festivals. No complaints on smell either. Just a thought.
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Bareback, not barefoot (though would be a better name!!)
 
So I've gone down a rabbit hole. There are barefoot Chelsea/Jodhpur boots that are smart and leather but then we have the issue of no heel so would need cages and would therefore not be suitable for the very occasional show and dressage comp I might go to and be beside the whole point of buying smart boots. So the next option will have to be a compromise somewhere. I have therefore narrowed it down to these that have heels and wide ish toe boxes.
Here are the soles of the Tuffa wide boots ...Screenshot_20250831-202851-968.pngand these are the soles of the Jim Green stock boots Screenshot_20250831-194900-382.pngI think the Jim Green are winning although more expensive. I can also customise them 🤔
 
Just a word of caution- it's very difficult to find stirrups wider than 5.5", often brands only go up to 5". If you have large-ish (size 6/7+) feet it might be worth measuring the width of the boot before buying. (I had a non-anatomical but slightly chunky pair of boots and had trouble finding a 5.5" pair of stirrups in stock anywhere)
 
I have very wide feet and have to buy XL stirrup irons. I use Sprenger Bow Balance, they do a 'man's' version.

I use Mountain horse jodhpur boots. Not exactly smart but passable. They are unisex, which is I think why they are so wide. I also size up.

Those Jim Greens look nice.
 
5" is wide enough for most riding boots, I stock 13cm irons and have yet to have anyone need them. And yes @Cloball I think they do look better than the Tuffa, though of course construction and how much the sole sticks out (the Jim Green certainly sticks out significantly beyond the foot bed). We can use sole shots with lots of barefoot shoes as know the construction means the sole width is so often a good indicator of footbed width.
 
sbloom said:
5" is wide enough for most riding boots, I stock 13cm irons and have yet to have anyone need them. And yes @Cloball I think they do look better than the Tuffa, though of course construction and how much the sole sticks out (the Jim Green certainly sticks out significantly beyond the foot bed). We can use sole shots with lots of barefoot shoes as know the construction means the sole width is so often a good indicator of footbed width.
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Most people must have smaller feet than me then! I didn't think mine were that huge 😂
I now have 5" irons with normal/toe squishing boots, but I definitely needed the 5.5" ones for the wider (mountain horse? Can't remember for sure) boots, found that out the hard way (luckily while dismounting, not falling off!).
 
I think I'm going to email Jim Greens re the width as my irons are 120mm (new and expensive) and I seem to be a size bigger according to their charts. I could custom order but I want to get it right obviously.

If it's workable I could suggest to them there a gap in the market they could exploit 😅

How do blokes cope with such tiny stirrups and boots 🤷
 
Cloball said:
I think I'm going to email Jim Greens re the width as my irons are 120mm (new and expensive) and I seem to be a size bigger according to their charts. I could custom order but I want to get it right obviously.

If it's workable I could suggest to them there a gap in the market they could exploit 😅

How do blokes cope with such tiny stirrups and boots 🤷
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They probably all ride in unhelpful narrow boots in order to help them fit in regular stirrups!
 
I have very wide feet and find Harry Hall a pretty good fit for me. Their Burlington riding boots are the only 'smart' boots I can fit into comfortably and don't have to take off the second I stop riding. They are a tiny bit narrow in the heel but good around my toes and I normally have the opposite problem.
 
I can't do long boots unfortunately due to hyper mobile super skinny ankles 😂 I'm the worst.

I'm actually quite excited, they have other boots in a zero drop as well I might be able to finally get out of my docs in winter!

Thank you for all the suggestions guys much to look at.
 
sbloom said:
5" is wide enough for most riding boots, I stock 13cm irons and have yet to have anyone need them. And yes @Cloball I think they do look better than the Tuffa, though of course construction and how much the sole sticks out (the Jim Green certainly sticks out significantly beyond the foot bed). We can use sole shots with lots of barefoot shoes as know the construction means the sole width is so often a good indicator of footbed width.
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I have just done a test with my MH size 9 boots and my 13cm sprenger bow balance stirrups. I had them on my jumping saddle which I'm not using at the moment. Oh dear! I tried to upload the picture but I had to squeeze them in to get into riding position. I wore these to a lesson last year and had to get off and throw my long boots on, as they wouldn't even go into a regular sized stirrup.
 
Foxford said:
I have just done a test with my MH size 9 boots and my 13cm sprenger bow balance stirrups. I had them on my jumping saddle which I'm not using at the moment. Oh dear! I tried to upload the picture but I had to squeeze them in to get into riding position. I wore these to a lesson last year and had to get off and throw my long boots on, as they wouldn't even go into a regular sized stirrup.
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The Bow Balance do have the rubber sleeves on the side I think? Would be interesting if the 13cm is available space or if it's the width of the metal, so the footbed is slightly narrower. Does give me hope that I might eventually sell my 13cm stirrups though 😄
 
Just for future reference is it the safe style 130mm you have in stock 😅 my ellipses in convinced have more than 120mm space because they bow out so much.

Jim Greens got back to me very promptly so we are working on a solution. Watch this space.
 
Cloball said:
Just for future reference is it the safe style 130mm you have in stock 😅 my ellipses in convinced have more than 120mm space because they bow out so much.

Jim Greens got back to me very promptly so we are working on a solution. Watch this space.
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@Cloball how did you get on with your boot search in the end? Did Jim Greens come up with something for you in the end?

In the same position and have bought and sent back several pairs of boots now.
 
I have stupidly wide feet and pavers Easyfit range actually fit my feet so well I don't need to size up for the first time in my life.
I lived in these through the summer but sadly they don't handle being wet very well.
They aren't actual joddy boots but do the job just fine.

EasyFit Block-Heel Ankle Boots - CARELLA / 326 122 - Black Patent

EasyFit Block-Heel Ankle Boots - CARELLA / 326 122 - Black Patent: Elevate your everyday style with these EasyFit block-heel ankle boots, designed for both comfort and practicality. With an extra-wide fitting, they feature an elasticated panel and a convenient zip-up fastening for easy entry...
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