Boot Fitting Advice
How do I check for correct fit?
The foot should fit accurately in the boot. They should not feel too tight nor too loose.

Stand up straight and do not look down. Wear the socks you normally use for riding. Ask a helper to run the hand from the centre of the boot towards the toe. Gently apply pressure and you should feel the position of the foot in the boot. Squeeze gently just before the toecap. There should be some give. If it feels tight than the boots could ½ or a full size too small. If it feels loose, the boots are too big.

Boots with the Equitector Climate Control System
I get cold feet, what do I do?
The boots neither store nor generate heat. They are insulative and therefore body heat preservers. The system prevents body heat escaping into the atmosphere and reflects it back into the boot. That's why you can use them all the year round.
The level of internal heat is regulated by the type of socks you wear. You will need to experiment with various types and thicknesses until you establish which socks work best for you. Once you are satisfied with your choice, that type of sock will work for you in all conditions.
Bear in mind that manmade fibres such as nylons can generate sweat even when you do not feel that hot, whilst natural fibres such as wool and cotton do not therefore check the proportion of natural fibres/manmade when choosing your socks.
In extremely cold conditions, wear your socks over your breeches/jodhpurs and turn them over the collar of the boots. This prevents any body heat escaping through the gap between the sock and the boot.

I get sweaty feet?
You are overheating. This is due to your socks either being too warm or containing too many man-made fibres such as nylon or acrylics. Change your socks for a type that is more natural fibres such as cotton or wool and you will find an improvement.

Will the steel toe cap make my feet cold in winter?
No, it will not. The toecap is insulated on the inside protecting the feet from the cold metal.

Does the system work in the summer?
Yes it does. It disperses excess body heat and spreads it evenly around the foot. This prevents sweaty feet even if the temperature is + 35 C (100F)

New Classic Long Boots
The elastic feels very tight, will it loosen?
The elastic in the boot will stretch up to about 5 cm (2 inches). The first few times that you wear your new boots, the elastic will be tight and initially will only stretch about 50%. Each time you zip up the boots you will find this will become easier. The elastic will gradually relax and after 3 or 4 wears it stretches to its fullest extend and eventually moulds to your leg shape.

Are the zips likely to fail or break?
The boots have been designed as a zip boot. Many other makes are converted pull-up boots and the zip has been installed to drop straight down vertically. The zip cannot cope with that and this can cause problems. The New Classic is designed to drop under an angle, away from the zip. This prevents pressure on the zip at the point of the Achilles heel and jack knifing by the zip has thereby been avoided.
Some makes only have one elastic panel. Because the elastic wants to contract, the constant pull puts pressure on the teeth of the zip and in time, failure is inevitable. The New Classic has balanced the elastic on both sides of the zip and the counterforce prevents pressure on the teeth.
The Optilon zip in the New Classic has fine teeth of extraordinary strength. This zip is one of the highest quality available.

What happens if I gain or lose weight in my legs?
If over time your legs become slimmer or bigger and when you bought your boots you were well within the lower and upper stretch limit of the elastic, it will not affect the fit.
If your boots at time of purchase were at or near the lower limit and your legs become thinner, the boots will become too big and if your leg becomes bigger than the maximum tolerance, than the boots become too small.

The zip is digging into my heel when walking?
In that case the fit is not perfect and the boot may be a fraction too long for you. Half a size smaller should prevent this problem. If you already have the boots, then when you put your socks on, pull the top of the sock over and take it down about 5 - 7 cm. This will increase the circumference of that part of the leg by about 1 cm and fill out the boot.

Is the New Classic long boot suitable for competitions?
Yes, you can compete in them at all levels in all disciplines.
The boots are approved for affiliated dressage and BSJA show jumping.

Safety
My horse trod on me. Are my boots still ok?
Your boots should be ok. The steel toecap withstands a compression of 1000 kilo (2200 lbs), which exceeds the weight of any horse.
If you wish to make sure after a heavy impact, you can check the steel toecap. Put your hand inside the boot and run your fingers over the inside of the cap. If there are no indentations than the cap is fine and the tensile strength is intact. You can continue to wear the boots. Any cuts and damages to the leather are superficial and do not affect the safety aspect of the boot.

Can I wear these boots under Health and Safety regulations at my work?
Yes you can. They are designed to be worn by those who work at equestrian establishments. The boots meet the European safety standards, dependant on style, CE EN346 or EN345 and inside your boot you will find markings stating standard and other license details.

Boot care
Will my boots stay waterproof?
They will stay waterproof throughout their life provided they are well looked after. Remember, the boots are not gumboots, they are made out of leather. The leather will resist about 12 hours of wet and needs to dried out at room temperature before used again.
Nubuck leather is 6 to 8 hours water resistant, but in time this will wear off and it is recommended to spray these boots from time to time with a waterproofing product.

How should I care for my boots?
When the boots are wet, let them dry out at room temperature. Warning, do not dry them out in front of heaters or radiators as this will make the leather shrink and brittle.
Once dry, treat the boots with Rustical oil lotion or any other good quality boot care product. We recommend that liquids are used rather than pastes, as these clog up the pours in the leather.
Nubuck boots should be brushed down and treated like suede footwear. Rustical oil lotion can be used or a good quality waterproofing spray suitable for nubuck leather