Shopping Detectives, find this boot or one similar? (Shipping problem)

October 26, 2013 8:44 AM

So, I found a short boot I'd love to get, but nowhere that's stocking it will ship to Greece. Can you either find someplace that will (highly doubtful; I've searched a lot), or help me find one very, very, very similar?

The one I want but probably can't get is a Rieker Daphne 98252-00, sometimes called "Minesota" (sic) instead of Daphne. I've found them in Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, but nowhere that will ship to me (this place says they ship around the world, but when I tried to buy, they say it "can't be shipped to your location").

Here's a video that shows the boot, and here are many details of what I like about it, so what I'm looking for in a similar boot, if possible:

• well-made

• soft instead of hard/stiff leather (or nice leather-like)

• insanely comfortable

• light, not bulky, rather streamlined

• grippy (not leather) soles (vital!)

• lined, warm (and can probably be worn without socks)

• Toe that is neither pointy, nor too round, square, splayed, or curled

• Plain, with no ruching, rivets, studs, etc.

• I LOVE the double zipper, but this is probably not going to happen

I need a size 8 US / 6 UK / 39 Eur, in black, that can be shipped to Greece. I have found a different style of the same boot from somewhere that will ship to me, and I'm considering it, but really prefer the higher shaft (yes I had to look that word up!).

Soooo.... any bootie doppelgangers for this out there?

posted by taz to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

If you can't find any other options, you could probably use a mail-forwarding service like MyUS to ship it to you in Greece. I have used them before to send things to Cyprus. It will cost about $50 with express shipping.
posted by hariya at 9:09 AM on October 26, 2013

I would just post to jobs & ask someone to send it to you. I'd offer, but I'm not in any of the countries you mention!
posted by insectosaurus at 9:12 AM on October 26, 2013

(this place says they ship around the world, but when I tried to buy, they say it "can't be shipped to your location").

Have you tried emailing them and asking for special dispensation? I've had luck ordering things from Europe for shipment to the US that way. Sometimes they're perfectly okay with it, they just didn't set up their shopping cart system to support delivery to the US.
posted by jedicus at 9:12 AM on October 26, 2013

FWIW I have nearly identical Ecco boots, but if you can find your Rieker's somewhere that will ship in or to Ireland, I'll reship them for you.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:13 AM on October 27, 2013

Response by poster: Here's what I finally ended up doing: I eventually found some very simple Aerosoles plain black boots on sale for around $30, including shipping, and I bought some cute Riekers in a different style, so two pair for what I would have paid with the shipping had I been able to get the original Daphne style. So, MOAR SHOES is maybe better than fixating on the one pair that is the hardest to get.

Thanks very much for the suggestions and offers of help!
posted by taz at 1:48 AM on November 4, 2013

Mod note: Final update from the OP:

So... alllll this time later, I recently did a desultory search on Amazon UK, just in case, and it turns out they now have this very boot (Rieker 98252), and for quite a bit less than any other place I found earlier. I purchased, and like them a lot. They look nice and elegantly trim (no weird overly square or upturned toe action, no strange ornamentation or ruching) and with trousers, they kind of look visibly more like a Chelsea boot. They have a very good grip sole (important!), feel quite light, and because they are lined I can wear them without socks, which is one thing I really love from Uggs (though the inside sole part is something like felt). I really, really like the zippers on both sides, since I have a high instep which makes many boots hard to get into.

I'm yet undecided if I got the right size; I dithered between 39 and 40, and went with 39, which is actually perfect, heel to toe with no sock, but feels a little bit too tight in width. I think this will get much better with wear, but I would say if you are at all on the border between two sizes, go one size (say, EU 40 instead 39) or a half size (UK 6.5 instead of 6) up. These are still more comfortable than any other boots I've had except for Uggs, but not like *dreamy-dream-lalala-just-like-slippers!* comfortable. (However, I must say that even slippers don't usually feel dreamy comfortable to me; only these mules/clogs [El Naturalista Torcal N300] are like that for me.)

Anyway, at long last, success!

posted by taz (staff) at 10:24 AM on January 29, 2016