Ariat

Ariat is the boot company that came in through the stable door rather than the saddle shop. It thinks like a sneaker company and dresses like a ranch hand, and it is not embarrassed about either.

Where it started

Beth Cross and Pam Parker founded Ariat in 1993. They were Stanford Business School classmates, then working at Bain & Company and Reebok, and they saw that athletic shoe technology could be applied to English and western riding boots.¹ Ariat describes itself as having been founded as “The New Breed of Boot,” and says it was the first to put athletic footwear technology into boots for equestrian athletes.²

The name comes from Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner.² The company released its first two boot styles in its founding year and later expanded into western and English apparel and workwear.¹ Its western shirts and outerwear arrived in 2006.¹ Corporate headquarters are in San Leandro, California.³

What it is known for

Comfort engineering, mostly, and the company is happy to name it. Ariat says it works with biomechanical research groups and testing labs, and that many of its boots go through 150 steps in construction.² The footbed and outsole systems carry trademarked names. ATS (Advanced Torque Stability) uses a supportive shank, ergonomic cushioning and a stabilizing platform to promote alignment; 4LR is four layers of cushioning and support with a stabilizing shank, for a lighter feel; Duratread is the wear-resistant rubber outsole.⁴ On select pull-ons, the U-Turn entry system uses a hidden stretch panel to ease entry for higher insteps.⁴

It also wears a lot of arena dirt. Ariat became the official boot sponsor of the Professional Bull Riders in 2009 and signed a sponsorship with the FEI, the international equestrian federation, in 2015.¹

Wikipedia reports that most Ariat manufacturing is outsourced to Mexico, Vietnam and China, with the men’s Two24 line made in the United States.¹ Check the country of origin on the specific pair; it is printed on the listing for a reason.

How Ariat sizes

Ariat says its boots generally run true to size, and if you are between sizes, consider sizing down for a snug fit.⁵ Its fit guide is precise about the try-on:

• Expect resistance at the arch as the boot goes on, then a pop as the foot settles. Snug across the arch and instep is correct; the leather stretches and molds with time.⁵
• Stand and lay your thumb sideways between the tip of your longest toe and the end of the boot. About one thumb’s width is the target.⁵
• Heel lift should not exceed one-eighth of an inch. More and the boot will feel large and clunky; less and it will feel too tight.⁵ That is a tighter standard than some other houses publish, so try Ariat on its own terms.
• Try boots on in the socks you will wear in them. A thicker sock can push you up a size.⁵

Ariat also recommends trying boots on late in the day, when feet may be slightly bigger.⁴ Wider toe shapes generally have a wider toe box, which is worth knowing before you fight a narrow one.⁵

What to buy first

A brown leather western with a square or broad square toe and one of the cushioned footbed systems, in your true size. It is the boot for the man who will actually stand in it all day, at the fairgrounds or the wedding reception that runs long. Pair it with an Ariat snap-front shirt from the Shirts floor if you want the brand top to bottom; nobody will hold it against you.

The Boots and Shirts floors carry the Ariat styles we have checked. Every buy goes through our link and the retailer is the seller.