Review: Ariat Quantum Crowne Pro Field Boots

I have been on the search for my "Cinderella" boot, and thought I found my Holy Grail with the Ariat Quantum Crowne Pros after trying them on in a Dover Saddlery. I went online to SmartPak and ordered a pair, since they have a free shipping, free return policy. I ordered a size 8.5, slim calf, tall height. Here are my thoughts!

Retail is roughly $600

First Impression: Really shiny, almost fake looking leather, but the leather is thick and feels sturdy. The zipper is AMAZING. This is a zipper with heft; it feels like it wouldn't burst at all, even once I managed to zip the boots all the way up. The zipper was the only reason I stayed away from Ariat, because both my zippers broke, but this one is the boot zipper I have dreamed of. Once zipped up, the boots came up to the back of my knee. I have a 19" femur, which means that once these boots dropped, they may not be tall enough. The slim calf was the perfect fit for my 14" calf, and once the boots stretched, they would fit like a glove.

Toe is a lot rounder in person than in photos.

Pros:

• Love love love the zipper
• Really nice slimming silhouette through the calf (a little baggy and "ripple-y" at the ankle, but they're not customs, so not a huge deal)

Cons:

• Stiff, fake looking leather
• Round toe caps (may be my bias, but I loathe round toes on boots; oval and square for me!)
• Would drop to be too short- in my experiences with Ariat boots, they usually drop about 1.5- 2 inches
• Enamel swagger tab decoration looks cheap
• No boot bags included- my last two pairs of Ariats came with boot bags, and I was surprised this pair did not.

The "tacky" enamel swagger tag.

Really nice fit, but that rounded toe. 

(excuse the mess, just got home from work at 10 pm after a long day at school!)

Overall, for the price point, I will not be keeping these boots. I just was not impressed with the overall quality of the boot for the price of the boot. It looked, and felt, much like my old Ariat Heritage boots I had through 2003-2010. I loved my old Crowne Pros, but I really was not impressed by these boots. Since the DeNiros I wanted are on backorder, I will just have to be patient, and wait for them to arrive. I may be picky, but it's only because I am trying to find my off-the-rack dream boot.