Ego 7 Contact Boots - Q and A With Ego 7 USA

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit with Amy and Josey of Ego 7 USA. I brought them ALL of your questions about Franco Tuccis’ latest boot, the Ego 7 Contact. If you haven't seen it already, the Ego 7 Contact boot is a hybrid of leather and high-tech compression fabric made specifically for equestrians. This riding boot offers a simple roll-up and roll-down approach to getting the boots on and off. Amy and Josey answered all of your questions and even some you had not asked yet! 

Josey Ego 7: 
We are here at AETA and it's been an absolute blast and we're so glad that Michelle is here with us today. So one of the big things that we're really excited about here is the new Ego 7 Contact boot. Designed by Franco Tucci ( for those that don’t know, Ego 7 is a Tucci brand), these boots have been been through rigorous testing for the last 12 months until Tucci was satisfied that these boots were perfect in every way.  These are just arriving here in the United States and if you are able to score a pair quickly, you're going to be one of the first riders to have a pair, which is super exciting. 

Michelle: 
Can you tell me a little bit about what makes this boot so different? 

Josey Ego 7:
It’s a little bit different than your traditional tall boot, with several features that riders are finding very beneficial. The exterior of the boot is a combination of technical durable knit mesh and Italian leather and proprietary silicone grip strips on the interior of the boot. This knit textile offers breathability and compression for your legs. This feature keeps your legs from overheating and supports your muscles by increasing circulation to keep muscle fatigue at bay.  

Amy Ego 7:
One thing we love about these boots is that they are zipper free! Making the Contact boots super easy to take on and off. That's really exciting. No zippers to worry about, which is really nice. Plus these boots don’t require any break in period. They are ready to go right out of the box.

Michelle:
What is the sizing like on these boots? How do you know what size you would need?

Amy Ego 7:
That's another great thing about these boots, they come in your standard foot sizes as normal, but calf and height sizing is much simpler. These boots fit everyone with only two height options and 2 calf options. They are available in Slim Regular, Slim Tall, Regular Regular and Regular Tall.  No matter which variant you fit in, it will be a perfect fit. 

Michelle:
Right, so compared to a domestic tall boot, how would I know what size I would wear?

Amy Ego 7: 
First you’re going to look at the size chart for Ego 7 Tall boots, like the Orion for example. You’re going to measure you leg and determine what your height and calf are. 

As you can see, the boots come in slim calf and regular calf. In the Contact boots, riders who wear extra slim -  slim in leather Ego 7’s will just need a slim now. Riders who currently wear a full or extra full calf will want to choose the Contact boot regular calf.  

As far as height goes, if you wear a minus one or a zero in your reg Ego 7 leather boots, you're going to be a regular height. Riders wearing a +1 or a +2 height in a leather Ego 7 will be a + 1 in the Contact. It’s really much simpler than how we have been fitting tall boots for the last few decades.

For example, I wear a 39 S +1 in an Orion. Compare that to the Contact size chart to see where your dimensions fall. I would wear a 39 Slim Tall in the Contact. 

Michelle:
Can you tell me a little bit about the proprietary silicone patches on the inside of the boots?

Josey Ego 7:
Sure! The inside of this boot, the part that goes against the horse has this amazing patch designed by Tucci that’s activated by body heat. Once these patches warm up they custom mold onto your leg. Additionally, these patches are melted on to the boot, to ensure long use and durability. You’ll never have to worry about this coming off, but it's protecting the inside of your calf.

Michelle:
I love it, so far! What about the footbed? Is it the same level of comfort that you would find in other Ego 7 tall boots, like the Aries, or the Orion? 

Josey Ego 7: 
As you can see, it does have a leather foot. So all the benefits of a leather boot on the bottom, all the benefits of the mesh on top. Lots of good stuff with this boot. And then I know you guys love ego seven s three level spur rest. We've got it, we've got it going on here, and it'll make sure since it is leather, that your spurs not gonna pinch you. So the benefits of the knit on top and then the leather on the bottom. 

Michelle:
We’ve had some questions about how this boot might work for someone with say a high arch, or maybe issues from surgical procedures at the ankle. What has the feedback been like for issues like this?

Amy Ego 7: 
Ego 7 has always had a really good footbed and I love how comfortable these are for just being in them all day.  I also have a high arch and I find that these boots are quite comfortable.  As for the latter part of your question. We’ve had some test riders in these who have those exact issues, one of our riders even has hardware at the ankle from surgery. Due to the accordion design across the arch and ankle combined with the leather and the stretch fabric, riders are finding that although they have more freedom of movement within the lower leg, they also have fabulous stability gained from the compression. 

Michelle:  
How exactly do you put these boots on and take them off? It looks like the compression fabric could make it hard to get them on and off.

Josey Ego 7: 
You’re going to love this!! They are not hard to get on and off at all. Simply reach inside the leg of the boot and roll the outside down to the heel. Slip your foot in and roll the boot up your leg, to take them off, just reverse the process. Pull the top of the leg down to the heel of the boot and slide your foot out. Easy peasy! The compression fabric holds them in place while you’re riding, so no need to worry about the boot sliding around on your leg. 

Michelle:
What kind of care do these boots require? Are they waterproof? Do they need boot trees?

Josey Ego 7:
That’s another benefit of these boots. Care is very simple. These boots do not require boot trees, in fact they arrive beautifully packaged folded over in a box ⅓ the size of a traditional tall boot box! When you’re done riding, you can simply leave them rolled down and ready to put on for your next ride! 

As for cleaning these boots, super simple! They are not waterproof but require very little effort to get clean. I always like to start with a damp rag, even on my normal full leather boots. So I would just use a damp rag to get the exterior dirt off the leather parts and if really dirty I will use some leather cleaner. For the knit material, simply use a damp rag to clean them. If they are extremely muddy you may need to hand wash the knit material, but it cleans easily. The fabric is actually designed to repel dust and barn debris like shavings, hay etc. 

Michelle: 
Can you show in them, or are they just schooling boots?

Amy Ego 7:
Of course, you can show in them? Why not? I’m sure there will be trainers out there who are super conservative and may not let their clients show in them but there is no reason and no rules out there that prohibit the use of these boots. 

Here's the thing about these boots. Someone else asked me if they're just schooling boots. They're not just schooling boots. Franco Tucci won’t make a boot that you can’t compete in. These boots are made to show in. They have everything that looks like a normal boot, just better! Once you're up in the irons all you see an awesome tall black riding boot. Currently, riders like Connor Swail and Kristen Vanderveen are out there showing in them and we have more U.S. riders coming. 100% yes, you can compete in these boots, and thats what they are designed for! 

These have been tested by Eco Seven over the past couple years. So they are sure that they're putting a boot out on the market that's gonna last and that is gonna work for riders super comfortable. 

Michelle: 
Where can you find these boots?

Amy Ego7:
These boots just started arriving here in the U.S. right before Christmas. Right now Farm House Tack is the only store to have them here in America. We are planning to roll them out to select tack shops nationwide, later this year once they are more readily available. But for right now The Farm House, down at Ocala World Equestrian Center is the only place to find these boots, and I’m telling you EVERYONE is going to want a pair of these boots! 

Got more questions? DM them to me on IG or FB and I’ll be sure to get them answered and add them here to this interview!