Ego 7 Orion Field Boot Review

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Laces or zippers? Black or brown? Paddock or tall boots? Ariat or Tucci? Custom or stock?

We all prefer different brands, styles and colours when it comes to our riding boots. There are hundreds of options to choose form. Which means there are many price points as well.

Typically, our riding boots are the most expensive item that we wear. And we wear them every time we ride! So, it’s safe to say that we want to make sure that our purchase was worth it. That they meet or exceed our expectations.

So, what made me choose the Ego 7 boots?

A LITTLE BACKSTORY…

I first learnt about the Ego 7 brand last year at the Royal Winter Agricultural Fair. A tack shop had a booth where they displayed of a few different tall boot options. Some of the companies displayed were ones that I wasn’t completely familiar with.

I wasn’t looking for a pair to buy right then, but I did know that my paddock boots were getting a bit tired and I would need to save up for a replacement soon. So, I approached the display to see what they had available.

Their friendly sales staff didn’t pressure me to purchase anything right then, but did suggest that I try them on to see if I’d like them. They also had a sales rep from Ego 7 there to help me find the right fit. So, I zipped up into their Orion field boots and love the way they looked. They fit me almost perfectly and the leather was so soft. I had a feeling that it wouldn’t take a long time to break them in.

The rep then went on to explain to me that Ego 7 is a stock boot company designed by Franco Tucci. Which made sense because they fit me better than other tall boots I’ve tried. It’s almost like they were an Italian designed custom boot, just straight off the shelf.

THE BREAK IN TIME

A few months later, I decided to go out and buy the boots. I took them home and soaked them in leather conditioner so that they were ready for my next ride.

It only took about 10 rides to fully break them in. The majority of the boot was pretty much broken in after about the 4th ride, but the spot right behind my knees took the longest to soften. Now that they’re fully broken in, I can barely feel them at all. They aren’t stiff and they don’t have any pressure points.

THE FEATURES

The spur holder

The 3 notches at the back of the boot for the spurs is quite handy. It prevents the spur from moving around on your heel. Where you like to place the spur is where it’ll remain until you take them off. This leads to a more consistent aid.

Now, if you don’t need to ride with spurs or you don’t agree with the use of spurs, you may be worried that the plastic notches will still affect your ride. Don’t be! I have ridden two different horses in my paddock boots and in my Ego 7’s without spurs and I haven’t seen a difference in my ride. It’s also good to note that your heel really shouldn’t be hitting your horse’s side unless you need it to. Regardless if you ride with or without spurs.

The zipper

Behind the spur holder, there’s a leather panel that separates you from the zipper. That way, you won’t get snagged as you zip up your boots. At the top of the boot, there’s another leather tab with a hole in it where you can loop the string attached to the zipper. This allows you to prevent the zipper from sliding down as you ride. The leather tab hides just behind the clasp so you don’t see it when the boots are all done up.

I will say though that the zipper is really the only down side to these boots. It’s not a huge thing, but the zipper glides almost too smoothly up and down the boot. And the leather tab is made of such soft leather that it bends and stretches to follow the zipper instead of forcing it to stay up. I know that most riders have difficulties with their zippers being too stiff to zip up or down, but these have the opposite problem.

If anyone has a trick for making a zipper stiffer, please let me know!

The leather

I bet you can guess it by this point. The leather is super soft. The whole outside of the boot just flexes and moulds with your every move. Another nice feature is the thicker inner calf panel. This part of the boot is the stiffest. Which makes the most sense as that’s the part that’s against your horse’s side. It’s a great feature because it makes the boots more durable. I don’t think I’ll be rubbing a hole in these guys any time soon!

Even though they look pretty shiny on their website, the leather is actually quite matte. That’s not to say that, with a little time spent polishing, you can’t get them super shiny because I’m sure you could. I just prefer the matte look so I’m happy with just cleaning and conditioning them.

THE PRICE

I’m sure you’re wondering, how much do the Ego 7 boots cost? I paid just over $700 Canadian for them. Obviously, the price will depend on where you’re buying them from.

The price does set them in the mid to high price range (for stock boots anyway). The price tags will of course sky rocket if you’re looking at a custom boot. But for the quality that you’re getting, I think that they’re priced fairly.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

I’m quite happy with my Ego 7 boot purchase. I like that they’re different from everyone else yet they’re still very classic in design. I love the quality of the leather as well. Sure, the zipper is a little bit of an upset, but I’m sure I could find a solution to that if I did a quick Google search.

What I learnt from buying these boots is that you don’t have to go to the well-known brand names to buy a good pair. Sometimes being different and doing your research will actually allow you to come away with a great find.

If you’re curious about these boots, I suggest that you find the closest store to you so that you can try them on. If you’d like, you can learn more about the Orion boot here.

Have you tried the Ego 7 boots? What boots are your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time, happy riding!

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