PONY'TUDE Approved: Custom Stirrup Leathers by Gary Mundy
Stirrup leathers are the kind of thing we only think about when they break.
A couple years ago I had treated myself to a pair of uber-fancy Beval nylon-lined calfskin leathers. Even though I got them on sale, they weren't cheap! A pair of these bad boys retails for around $100+, which is generally what you'll pay for any brand of calfskin stirrup leathers.
And now they look like this:
Um, yeah.
While the leathers were beautiful and soft, they (obviously) did not wear well. At all. I'm not abusive to my tack and keep everything relatively clean, but apparently riding 5 days a week for two years or so was too much for the poor calfskin, and if not for the festive red nylon underneath, there would be nothing left of them.
Not wanting to go the calfskin route again, and not having over $100 to spend on two glorified leather belts, I sussed out my options for replacements. I'm a fairly active member of the COTH forums, so naturally that was my first stop to find out what the most reasonably priced, best quality, most durable stirrup leathers were.
The resounding answer from riders of all disciplines was this: Gary Mundy.
Gary Mundy is a retired gentlemen from Indiana who runs a one-man-band leather shop that churns out beautiful custom pieces. His website is simple, and his offerings are limited, but the quality is unparalleled. I emailed Gary to get his price list and received a prompt, pleasant reply and a 15-page document detailing every imaginable option for custom leather goods.
Impressed would be an understatement.
I knew Gary was my man, so I carefully combed through the price list and options. My end selection was chestnut colored leather, 48" long (for my short legs), 1" wide, closely-spaced holes for precise adjustment, stitching around the edges for reinforcement, smooth side out, and my initials and a fleur-de-lis stamped at the tips.
How much did all that cost me, you ask?
A whopping $55. Shipping included.
The leathers just arrived the other day, and oh my word are they gorgeous!
The leather is absolutely lovely. It's sturdy yet flexible, and was easy to bend and manipulate right out of the box without feeling like it needed to be soaked in oil first to keep it from cracking. The workmanship is stunning, the stitching is perfect, and Gary left no detail to chance. I can see these leathers lasting for a long, long time.
And they look great on my saddle, too! They should darken to the perfect shade of chestnut brown once they're broken in.
I highly, HIGHLY recommend Gary Mundy for all your stirrup leather needs. He is incredibly easy to work with, his work is amazing, and you can't beat the price. I literally do not have one bad thing to say about Gary or his product. I hope he keeps on stitching for a long, long time!
A couple years ago I had treated myself to a pair of uber-fancy Beval nylon-lined calfskin leathers. Even though I got them on sale, they weren't cheap! A pair of these bad boys retails for around $100+, which is generally what you'll pay for any brand of calfskin stirrup leathers.
And now they look like this:
While the leathers were beautiful and soft, they (obviously) did not wear well. At all. I'm not abusive to my tack and keep everything relatively clean, but apparently riding 5 days a week for two years or so was too much for the poor calfskin, and if not for the festive red nylon underneath, there would be nothing left of them.
Not wanting to go the calfskin route again, and not having over $100 to spend on two glorified leather belts, I sussed out my options for replacements. I'm a fairly active member of the COTH forums, so naturally that was my first stop to find out what the most reasonably priced, best quality, most durable stirrup leathers were.
The resounding answer from riders of all disciplines was this: Gary Mundy.
Gary Mundy is a retired gentlemen from Indiana who runs a one-man-band leather shop that churns out beautiful custom pieces. His website is simple, and his offerings are limited, but the quality is unparalleled. I emailed Gary to get his price list and received a prompt, pleasant reply and a 15-page document detailing every imaginable option for custom leather goods.
Impressed would be an understatement.
I knew Gary was my man, so I carefully combed through the price list and options. My end selection was chestnut colored leather, 48" long (for my short legs), 1" wide, closely-spaced holes for precise adjustment, stitching around the edges for reinforcement, smooth side out, and my initials and a fleur-de-lis stamped at the tips.
How much did all that cost me, you ask?
A whopping $55. Shipping included.
The leathers just arrived the other day, and oh my word are they gorgeous!
The leather is absolutely lovely. It's sturdy yet flexible, and was easy to bend and manipulate right out of the box without feeling like it needed to be soaked in oil first to keep it from cracking. The workmanship is stunning, the stitching is perfect, and Gary left no detail to chance. I can see these leathers lasting for a long, long time.
And they look great on my saddle, too! They should darken to the perfect shade of chestnut brown once they're broken in.
I highly, HIGHLY recommend Gary Mundy for all your stirrup leather needs. He is incredibly easy to work with, his work is amazing, and you can't beat the price. I literally do not have one bad thing to say about Gary or his product. I hope he keeps on stitching for a long, long time!
Weird, I just had to refresh this four times before the comment box popped up. Anyway! I learned about Gary Mundy through COTH and was shocked to find that he lives under an hour from me in the sticks of Indiana! When Nick gets employed again, I am definitely replacing my too-short brown jump saddle leathers currently on my Dressage saddle with Gary leathers. Thanks for the awesome review and photos, I don't think I've seen photos of his work like that before.
ReplyDeleteHow far apart did you space your holes? Trying to order my own and stuck between a few!
ReplyDeleteI believe they're at 1/2"... whatever the closer option was!
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