Narrow Calf Riding Boots ~ 2015 All-Stars

Artwork copyright 2015 KKG

Not since 2013 have we had the material for a year-end "greatest hits" post featuring riding boots for skinny calves that will work for even the slimmest-legged among us. Despite my hopes, 2015 did not yield an abundance of 5-out-of-5-star boots for calf slimness -- but there were two standouts.

The Vaneli Vesper is, happily, still available at Amazon and for discounts (as I type) of 30 to 70 percent (!). It's a cute style that will be most at home in casual environments but, for some, may work at work too :) Most importantly, it hugs even scrawny calves nicely. So check that one out, if you haven't already.

The Skinnycalf Rider is a luxurious made-in-Italy boot that offers a good value for the price, especially if you use the code SKINNY20 at checkout. Drawbacks: It may not be quite as tall as more statuesque boot lovers would prefer; it runs a little small in the foot, as far as I could tell from my try-on; and (the biggie) it's mostly out of stock now. But there appear to be a few color/size combos available, so worth a peek.

photo: amazon.com

Note: I am 99% sure the reissued Solemani Gabi boots (at right) would rate a 5/5 for calf slimness, though I haven't tried on this year's model. Based on reviews, I'm guessing these are identical, or nearly so, to the Gabis I tried back in 2013. (The new quilted-leather Martina from this same reliably slim-friendly label looks pretty sharp, too, especially in black.)

*****

2015 honorable mentions: The Frye Molly Gore Tall, Frye Phillip Harness Tall, Aquatalia Gina and Via Spiga Bufu all rated 4 out of 5 in my book for both beauty/style and calf slimness. See if one of those strikes your fancy.

photo: 6pm.com

Last-minute tip if you're gift-hunting for a tall girl: The Ugg Danae is pretty elegant for a cold-weather (sheepskin-lined) boot and has a functional buckle for calf adjustment. Caveats: Based on reviews around the web, it sounds like this one runs narrow in foot as well as calf, so maybe go up 1/2 size from normal. And the shaft--somewhere between 18 & 20" tall, depending on which store you want to believe--may hit the knee awkwardly for shorter or even average-height folks.


Happy, healthy holidays to all ... and special thanks to everyone who has made this page more fun, useful, lively & engaging by posting a comment. May 2016 bring more laughter than tears, and -- just maybe, if it's not pushing our luck -- a few new skinny boot styles :-)

Vaneli Vesper

Happy New Year! Any resolutions? I normally don't mess much with those, but in 2014 I deeply regretted not finding us any narrow calf riding boots that deserve a 5-out-of-5-stars rating for shaft slimness. (Not for lack of trying!)

So it gives me extra pleasure to bring you, right out of the box for 2015, the super skinny Vaneli Vesper.

A quick note on how I rate all these boots: The "beauty" and "value" ratings are complete subjective, of course, with "value" being particularly tricky given the dramatic price bouncing many of these products do online over the months, for those that don't sell out quickly. The "calf slimness" rating, on the other hand, is actually an objective, numbers-based thing. To me, it's not just about the top measurement, 'cause who wants a baggy boot through the calf that tightens weirdly up top? Conversely, a boot that hugs the widest part of your leg -- the midcalf, for most of us -- is wonderful, but not if it turns all baggy and creased at the ankle or flares at the opening. The best method I could come up with when I started this blog was to total the three key measurements -- top, midcalf & ankle -- and set some standards for 5, 4, 3 etc. stars for overall slimness. It's not a perfect system, but along with the photos it should give you a pretty good sense of how these boots all compare.

To get those 5 stars for slimness, a boot has to come in at 36.5 inches or smaller, total, for my shoe size, which is 7.5-8. And with a 13" top measurement, 12" at midcalf and 10" at the ankle, the Vesper sails easily under that line, with a total figure of 35 even. In fact, that ties the 2013 version of the Kors Arley for the skinniest boot I've written about here so far, with the Vesper & Arley just barely nudging out the 35.25"-total 2013 Solemani Gabi.

If you're opposed to stretch material in a riding boot, stop reading now, as the Vesper's entire shaft is made of what appears to be a decent-quality but non-leather woven material of some sort. The texture is sort of medium-soft but durable feeling, IMO not too rubbery or plastic-like. The uppers are leather, with a pair of cute and (yea!) functional criss-cross buckles at the ankle.

The shaft height is just a hair under 16" in size 7.5, and there's a useful half zip at the inside ankle (see top two pix).

The heel is a manageable 1 5/8 inches, the footbed is lightly padded, and the subtle lug sole adds a few style points without looking too industrial.

Not so subtle -- happily for those of us in four-season areas -- are the treads on the sole....fairly serious for a boot this cute.

One could could argue that the Vesper, and last year's version the Vimy, are knockoffs of Aquatalia styles like the Urope, but if you don't have nearly $600 sitting around for a pair of riding boots, I'd recommend giving it some attention.

Rating:
Beauty: ****/5
Value: ****/5
Calf slimness: *****/5  :-) !

Find it at:
Jildor

 

September 2018 update: In a similar vein for fall 2018 is the Kallena boot (pictured at left) by a brand that is new to me, Aquadiva. Like the Vesper and Urope, it's got a slim (reportedly 13.5" in circumference), woven-looking textured shaft, plus the Kallena is waterproof for those inevitable fall storms.

Vaneli Radon

Vaneli is a brand I've been wanting to try for a while, as they seem to come out with at least one pair of riding boots for thin calves each year. For 2014 there are more than one, so it took me a while to settle on a style. I finally chose the Radon for its elegant, streamlined look and artful approach to stretch panels.

This turned out to be a leaner than average but not super skinny boot. The midcalf measurement is decent at 13.75" in size 7 1/2. The top is 14.75, and the ankle is 11 inches around.

Two things are noteworthy about the stretch panels in back of this boot, where a full zipper also hides. For one, they are a nice, soft stretch suede, rather than the stiff, bandage-like fabric you sometimes find serving this purpose. And in addition, they are shaped not straight up and down but in a gently widening (from bottom to top) manner than makes them a bit more interesting than most -- and, I guess, recognizes that most women with average to wider calves will need more stretch at the top than the ankle. To me, this has the effect of adding the illusion of some extra curve to the leg -- perhaps unwelcome for a larger calf, but quite nice on a lanky one.

The rest of the smooth, luxe feeling Radon is pretty straightforward -- nice foot shape, and definitely a wear-anywhere, dress up or down kind of style. Worth mentioning is the soft, cushiony lining from top to bottom -- sure to be welcome in the chillier months.

The price as of early May is terrific, so if you've got 13+ inch calves or don't mind a bit of gap, this may be a good option.

Rating:
Beauty: ****/5
Value: *****/5
Calf slimness: ***/5

Find it at:
?? (Sorry folks, as of mid October 2015 this one seems to have completely vanished. Any spottings, please share...)
January 2018 update:

photo: 6pm

6pm is showing a boot called Vaneli Radon (pictured at left), super skinny calf (check out the video!), but it has some stretch material similar to that featured on the Vaneli Vesper. Confusing, but hey, glad for each & every narrow calf option! 

And finally --
Like more bling with your riding boots? Hunt for the metallic-buckled Vaneli Realyna, which lists a 13" calf circumference.