Places to Buy Boots

bugler

This might be irrelevant in the end, as I may end up buying online through lack of any other options, but does anyone have any good suggestions as to where to buy rugby boots?

I've done the city centre trawl. The selection and availability in Clerys/Arnotts/Champion/City Centre Elverys is poor. I'm a size 12, and it's hassle finding any sort of boot, never mind one I like. The situation at the moment is worse as it's sale season, and there really is piss all around.

BUT, from previous experience I know that sometimes the best placed to buy boots are hidden away. Small stores that tend to stock a selection that might not be massive, but differs from the mainstream.

If anyone knows of any (anywhere in the country), please tell me :-)

Don't even mention Lifestyle. They have rows and rows of boots with 'Football' under them. They don't sell any other kind, so why they need to mark them like this I'm not sure.

And yes. I want Rugby Boots.

Downtime

Why not look online eg www.lovell-rugby.co.uk or try McLaughlins in UCD

Eoin

I think "Active Sports" in the Blackrock Shopping centre is pretty good - they have loads of items hidden under rails, so do ask them in case you don't see what you are looking for. Best give them a shout first, but I always found them good - it's an actual sports equipment shop, as opposed to a knacker fashion shop.

I'm surprised that Elverys' don't have a good selection, don't they have a dedicated rugby store on St. Stephen's Green?

bugler

They do, but it's small and I fail to see what they offer there that they don't in their other stores (maybe supplements). It's just rugby all right, but that's hardly enough :-)

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

toomevara

Bugler, as a fellow size twelver, I share your pain. I generally end up buying on line as its just too much hassle to find anything decent on the high street.There is a boot clear out at rugbystore.co.uk at the minute you could check that out.....last pair I bought I got from kitbag.co.uk....

EdgarAllenPoo

Seems like a stupid question but when you order the size you want online do they actually fit? I have gone to shops where the size I need doesn't fit but a different pair in the same exact size either in another shop or in the same shop is the right size.

Eoin

GDM wrote:

Seems like a stupid question but when you order the size you want online do they actually fit? I have gone to shops where the size I need doesn't fit but a different pair in the same exact size either in another shop or in the same shop is the right size.

Sure, it's pretty much the same with any type of clothing - how can you be sure that one size 12 boot will have the exactly the same width, length and room as another?

mikedragon32

I know you've already mentioned Elvery's but I find the one on Suffolk Street to be very good for selection and size range.

Out of interest are you looking for a particular brand/style. Forwards boots which come over the ankle can be a bugger to find. I got my last pair from Wexford (but don't know the name of the shop, they were bought for me).

toomevara

GDM wrote:

Seems like a stupid question but when you order the size you want online do they actually fit? I have gone to shops where the size I need doesn't fit but a different pair in the same exact size either in another shop or in the same shop is the right size.

its far from a stupid question, for example size twelve adidas will not do me at all (too narrow) whereas a size 12 nike is fine...generally ditto running shoes....you've got to know your individual needs as they're all quite different especially before you but online.

bugler

mikedragon,

I know there's a sale on which makes things worse, but at the moment the Suffolk St branch has nothing in my size and I'd say at best 3/4 different boots.

I'm not looking for high ones either. It just seems to me the selection out there is rubbish (ignoring the issue of being lucky enough to get the one pair of size 12s they get in).

The sooner the sale ends the better, hopefully some new stock will come in and there'll be a bit of choice. For two days.

For anyone who cares, Canterbury have a nice wide fit in my experience. Some brands are indeed too narrow.

mikedragon32

bugler wrote:

mikedragon,

I know there's a sale on which makes things worse, but at the moment the Suffolk St branch has nothing in my size and I'd say at best 3/4 different boots.

I'm not looking for high ones either. It just seems to me the selection out there is rubbish (ignoring the issue of being lucky enough to get the one pair of size 12s they get in).

The sooner the sale ends the better, hopefully some new stock will come in and there'll be a bit of choice. For two days.

For anyone who cares, Canterbury have a nice wide fit in my experience. Some brands are indeed too narrow.

Sale time is a bummer alright!

I find my Adidas boots a nice snug fit, but I like them to be close fitting anyway. If you've got a wide foot definitely stay away from Adidas.

I don't know how easy/hard it is to get ASICS boots here, but their fitting is usually on the generous side.

sheepshagger

Elverys - The Rugby Store, off Dawson Street.

Failing that, the Leinster Rugby store (in Donnybrook grounds)

If you know the size/style/brand you want order online at www.rugbystore.co.uk or www.eggcatcher.co.uk