Better Boot Buying

Hard to believe, but it’s already December. Where did the year go? Anyways, as we get closer to winter, the boots start to make their way out slowly but surely. Ladies, this means everything from rain boots, to cowboy boots, to snow boots make their way outside. Gentlemen, I know what you’re thinking. Why does she have snow boots? It’s Texas. Well, they were either a) on sale, b) look good, or c) see choice A. For this week’s blog we’ll look at a few of the different boot styles and look at the pros and cons of each. For next week’s blog we’ll share some tips on what to look for when you’re out there boot shopping.

Riding boots:
The good: Natural materials like leather allow airflow that keeps your feet dry.
The bad: Synthetic materials do the opposite. Heat & moisture build up leading to odor.

Rain boots:
The good: Eh. Wear cushioned insoles in these to get something in the “good” category.
The bad: The rigid shape of these limit natural foot movement & gives no arch support.

The Cowboy boot:
The good: Wear only for a short period of time and allow the toes to stretch
The bad: Cowboy boots bad? In Texas? Yeah right. But seriously, watch out for a narrow toebox area than can rub the foot the wrong way and cause a blister.

Snow boots:
The good: Get a rubber sole with deep grooves for proper traction….if it ever snows.
The bad: The sole can become slick and lead to trips or falls……if it ever snows.

Trendy ankle boots:
The good: Pick a pair with a heel no higher than 2 inches to avoid balance issues.
The bad: Lack of ankle support + a high heel can lead to imbalance.

These are just a few examples. Next week we’ll look at some other buying tips.