Longtime readers will remember that winter boots are one item that I was just straight up cheap with a few years ago, and I lived to regret it. After I got two years out of a pair of less fancy TuffRiders and then
a pair of TuffRider Tundras lasted me essentially three weeks, I finally shelled out the cash for a pair of
Ariat Bromont H2Os, in brown, which is a UK-only color for Ariat.
Now that they've survived two complete winters and are starting their third, how have they held up?
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| In a word, BEAUTIFULLY |
First of all, understand that I take great care of most of my boots but I haven't taken care of these AT ALL. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I lose all motivation and willpower when it's cold outside. Winter is a season of survival for me and I guess my boots too. These have seen some abuse and not a lot of love.
The picture above is what they looked like after one cleaning and conditioning. Probably their first cleaning and conditioning in a year. The picture below is more like what they usually look like:
They are still waterproof. There's no signs of cracking. Scratches come out easily. The only signs of wear are on the suede on the inside of the boots, which is to be expected:
My only complaint, and something you should consider if you're buying these, is that at 2+ years in they really haven't dropped at all. And since I bought them a size bigger in the foot and calf than I normally do (to accommodate my 9,763 layers of winter clothing), that means I'm still wearing heel lifts with them and still leave them unzipped at the top most of the time.
So yes, they were over 3x the cost of the TuffRiders, but the cost-per-wear is going to end up being much cheaper because these things are clearly going to last. So this is not the cheaper option, but it's definitely the more frugal option.
In terms of warmth, they're not going to blow your mind when it's -10 outside, but they get the job done. More than anything, I need winter boots to give me more room inside for layers + socks than any of my other boots, so I'm not looking for them to be super warm. That said, they're definitely going to keep you warmer than a non-insulated boot (and note - there IS a non-insulated Bromont tall boot available).
Bottom Line: Expensive, but worth it. Still practically look new after 2 abusive winters, but be careful on sizing the height, they don't seem to drop as much as regular field boots do.
What: Ariat Bromont H2O
Price: $349.95 at SmartPak (I paid $198 + $105 international shipping on eBay)
Sizes: 5.5-11, full and regular calf options
Colors: Black only in US, brown available in UK (Flip between Ireland and US locations to see color options on
Ariat website here)
