My Middleburgs - Part 1
So I got a ton of gift cards from work over the holiday for an extra project outside my job description, and of course I had to use them. I've been eyeing the Middleburg Fleece Lined Winter Tall Boots from Dover. I wanted them cheaper than the $130, but I couldn't find them anywhere else, and my coupon code didn't work, so when I got giftcards....awww yiss. (Sidebar, you can use American Express gift cards for this, you just have to call and know your balance. The lady on the phone was awesome.) Also, they were on sale for $119 by the time I got there, so double bonus.
Let me start by saying I'm not a big tall boot person. I love the look, but I've never owned a nice pair that I broke in and rode a lot in. I bought these for two main reasons:
My toes are cold as shit in my Ariat Terrains.
My friend has a pair and loves them.
Her opinion was enough to sway me, but I still read reviews, which were few and far between. Some said to go up a size because of a tight calf, some said the color bleeds, some said the zippers sucked. I ignored all of that and bought the size 7, since I'm typically a 6.5 and there weren't half sizes. I want to be able to wear polartec breeches and wool socks with them. I can post my measurements later; I actually didn't measure at all for these.
I kind of died a little when they got here. They're super gorgeous smooth oiled leather, which is a neat matte finish. My fleece lining is more brown, but I don't really care. They're soft and aren't going to take a ton of breaking in. When I put them on, they fit nicely on a bare leg, and perfectly with winter breeches and my favorite wool socks. They're not too tall for me to walk, either, which is amazing. I spent some time swinging them by the foot to loosen up the ankles, but it won't take much to make them right.
I've ridden in them once, and they're insanely comfortable. Dancer was RANK that day, just awful, and they're grippy to the saddle and the stirrup, so I was really secure. I had no issues with the zipper or color bleed, and the dust brushed right off of them. My only tiny complaint with them is that they still need to drop, since I got a rub on the back of my right knee, but again, with time I expect that to go away.
Overall, I'm in love with them, and I'll do another part of this review after I put a few months on them. Currently, 10/10.