Tredstep Raphael Tall Boot
4.6
5
14
14
Great crossover boots
I was worried that the height would be a little bit short even on the talls but it's right where it should be now. As long as the boots don't drop much, they fit great. I too had the dilemma of whether to go with the 14" calf or 15" calf size. Ended up sticking with the 15" even though there's extra room toward the top of the boot. Again, as long as the boots don't drop or stretch out considerably, they're streamlined enough that I'd rather have the extra room than risk going too small. In the tredstep half chaps, I wear a 14" calf but I believe those have more give than these. If you're in between sizes, you might want to consider trying both calf sizes just to be sure.
May 21, 2013
WONDERFUL!
I purchased these after my Ariats died (and boy did they really die!). I first ordered the Da Vinci, but when they arrived they were too large in the calf, so I ordered the Rapheal, and LOVE LOVE LOVE them! The leather is such wonderful quality, the zipper is thick and durable, and I LOVE the tab on the ankle. I didn't expect to love the boot so much without the laces, but they really look sharp and up to date! But most of all, I am just stunned with how well the extra slim calf fits-they fit just like customs! In fact, I had my friend look at them, and she likes them just as well as her $1,200 customs. I have only had these a month, so I did not fill in the durability, but I have a sneaky feeling they're going to last! I highly recommend them to anyone looking!
May 7, 2013
Such a beautiful boot!
I loved the rich look and feel of these boots, and the Tredstep brand was always my go to, but to my sadness, these tall boots just did not fit no matter what size I ordered. Sadly I sent them back. But I had no stress or hassles when I did this, Smartpak was great with my return!
May 6, 2013
Nice Ankle, Funny Calf
These boots are attractive, have nice leather, and a slim ankle, but calf does bulge at the top as other reviewers have mentioned. Unfortunately I fall between sizes with my 14.5 in calf. For Tredstep, 14 is slim and 15 is regular. I chose the regular and found them to bulge at the calf. I had a pair of Ariat Monacos that had a stitching blow out and hoped these would be a good replacement at half the price, but unfortunately for me, the Monacos fit better with their 14.5 inch regular calf.
April 19, 2013
Great boots
I haven't bought a new pair of tall boots in about 20 yrs!! I already had a pair of tredstep paddock boots that fit really well and I really like so I decided to take a chance and order the Raphael boot. At first I was afraid they were too tall but the lift and inner sole that came with the boots really helped make the break in time easy. I have a high instep so the front stretch panel over the top portion of the foot made the fit perfect. I have gotten many compliments every time I've worn them!!
April 1, 2013
Love at first zip!
I only had 3 weeks to break in a pair of new boots for an upcoming clinic. These were quite honestly about $100 over my budget, but I took a chance. After only a few zips they fit like a glove. The leather is fantastic.
I used to event and love to wear field boots. They are so much easier to flex and bend in the ankle. Now that I ride dressage and my 13 year old field boots were dead I decided to switch to a dress boot. These are a perfect cross over. I have enough flexibility (less than a field boot, but more than a strict, stiff dressage boot) to allow my to ride into the dressage ring looking my best, but still feel comfortable in a shorter stirrup over fences.
I would own two pair if I could. No lie.
March 20, 2013