Best wellies for walking

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mick taylor 24 Nov 2020

Reckon I should upgrade from my tenner Dunlop’s. Happy to pay up to £70 ish. Often walk five miles or more a day. Any preferences?  Muck boots seem good. 

 HB1 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Have a look at Nokian boots - quite well studded. I've had mine for a few years now. I'd recommend

 bigbobbyking 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

I discovered this week that Decathlon do wellies (in the hunting department...) I got a pair lined with fluffy fleece for £25. They're much warmer than my previous cheap-as-chips wellies and so far comfy enough for a 30 min dog walk. Unsure what you get for the delux-wellies as I've never tried higher priced ones. Decathlon did stock models up to £70-80 but wasn't very obvious what was better about them (and they didn't have any obvious insulation which to me made them worse!)

cb294 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Do they need to be rubber also on the shaft? If then, Tretorn or Nokian.

If not, Meindl, Lundhags and many others, especially brands from Scandinavia, do trekking / hunting boots with a fully rubber coated foot section and a high leather shaft. Most Swedish hikers you meet in the arctic fjells will have shoes of that type.

IME these are the best option for hiking through moorland or wet grassland and forests, as long as you do not need a stiff, crampon compatible sole.

CB

In reply to mick taylor:

My Mrs just bought some Muck boots. They seem good quality, but worth mentioning that she finds the fit is wrong for her - very broad heel and comparatively narrow toe. They're getting sent back.

Decathlon are probably a good shout, so long as your feet aren't over size 11 (the biggest their wellies seem to go, curse them)

In reply to mick taylor:

Not Hunter. My wife bought me some a few Xmas' a go. Cant get the buggers on or off easily with jeans on. Worn once.

Should I persevere?

 arch 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Neoprene wellies for me, much warmer. Le Chameau at the moment, but a bit more that the £70 you want to spend. Nice wellies though. 

 DaveHK 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Buy any cheap wellies and put a good quality insole in them. 

 Toby_W 24 Nov 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

What he said. 

I have Dunlops with good insoles in, they are cheap but well made and grippier than any of my climbing boots on ice :-0

Cheers

Toby

 lorentz 24 Nov 2020
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Same with my pair of Hunters. Plus, as I remembered a couple of Saturdays when I spent the day stood in a 3 inch puddle at work, the right foot one has always leaked slightly somewhere near my big toe. I emptied the exact depth of water as the puddle out of it as I struggled to take them off later that evening.

I would've sent them back but I'd bought them and taken them straight to a particularly muddy glastonbury, whereupon I also realised that they rubbed the hell out of my heels also.

All in all... An unhappy punter in Hunters. They're going in the bin! 

 Trangia 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

I 've had a pair of Muck boots for a couple of years now and thoroughly recommend them. They are completely waterproof, very comfortable and a lot more rigid than normal wellies meaning that they don't flop around, and are a good fit. Good grip on mud and feel more rigid like a good quality walking boot on steeper ground. 

I have flat feet so have replaced the insole with Ortho-soles which improve them even more, but the fit is so snug that I have a heel notched plastic boot "remover" which makes it much easier to pull them off when you get home or back to the car rather than straining your back.

They would be perfect for a 5 mile walk. I've done up to 12 miles in mine and worn them for much of the day.

 Myfyr Tomos 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Another vote for Muck Boots. Used them for many years and can't fault them. Be aware, they have a bewildering number of different models available - some with Vibram soles, some with steel toecaps and nailproof soles. Arctic models are also available. Would suggest you try them on before buying - I get mine at the local Farmers Coop at much lower prices than fancy "countrywear" shops.

 Sl@te Head 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Norwegian 'Viking' wellies get my vote, on my second pair and walked miles in my last pair prefering them to walking boots.

 mutt 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

which ever you choose - and lets hope you are happy with them - do recycle/upcycle your old ones. Hunters have a scheme

https://www.hunterboots.com/gb/en_gb/discover/Hunter-rubber-boot-recycling

I'm sure there are others.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

> My Mrs just bought some Muck boots. They seem good quality, but worth mentioning that she finds the fit is wrong for her - very broad heel and comparatively narrow toe. They're getting sent back.

Funnily enough I have a Men's pair of Muck Boots, but the fit sounds very different in/around the forefoot (i.e. much wider). I've really rated them and often use them for bouldering on wet days and/or family walks around the Peak.

> Decathlon are probably a good shout, so long as your feet aren't over size 11 (the biggest their wellies seem to go, curse them)

Funnily enough Penny, my other half, had a pair of these and wasn't at all impressed, but I guess you get what you pay for (and they don't cost much).

 EdS 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Grubbs Snowline for winter work / walks on the moors

 Iamgregp 24 Nov 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

This.

In fact better still rip a few out of some old pairs of trainers and stack them.

Went to too many Glastonbury's before I discovered this!

 toad 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

I've been wearing Aigles for a while. First time I've ever worn a pair out rather than binned them in disgust

 Stone Idle 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

The wife swears by Wonderwellies by Fitflop. Bloody Wonderwellies she says, but good for 6 miles or so.

 nniff 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

The cheaper Hunters are now injection moulded rather than made by hand from many pieces and are crap as a result (CP the old EBs). The more expensive ones are better, but my last pair of those perished really quickly.  Not best pleased with them at the moment, but the ones with a proper sole seem better.  However, I'm on Le Chameau currently and can't fault them

 Ridge 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

I'm still using a 10 year old pair of Dunlop Waterproof Rigger Boots, welly construction but rigger boot length, which makes them nicer to walk in. Beginning to split at the back, so might look at the Nokians as recommended above.

Removed User 24 Nov 2020
In reply to EdS:

> Grubbs Snowline for winter work / walks on the moors

My partner and I both have a pair of Grubbs. Mostly used for walking the dog up a muddy track. Do the job nicely.

 tspoon1981 24 Nov 2020
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

> Not Hunter. My wife bought me some a few Xmas' a go. Cant get the buggers on or off easily with jeans on. Worn once.

> Should I persevere?

Depends which Hunter boots, I have 2 pairs of the Balmoral commando full zip which are genuinely the best walking welly going. They've spent days going up soggy munros, longer days in boggy fields and generally walking around locally. I keep a pair in the boot and a pair at the back door. There was a period where Hunter concentrated on fashion wellies which were terribly made but they seem to have focused on proper wellies again. 

1
 bigbobbyking 24 Nov 2020
In reply to arch:

Are neoprene wellies just lined with neoprene or all neoprene? Doesn't that mean your feet get wet?

 Guy Hurst 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

The Muck Boots I've been using for years for muddy valley walks and Pennine bog trots have been excellent. Always warm and supportive, and pretty close to the comfort level of good leather walking boots.

It would be pointless to say which style they are, because I'm pretty sure Muck Boots have stopped making it and in any case fit is everything. Best to find a good agricultural merchants with several styles in stock and try them on until you find the right fit.

 Fozzy 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Aigle Parcour 2 ISO. I pretty much live in mine in the winter, they are spot on. I’m now on my 3rd pair in 10yrs, which isn’t bad considering they get worn daily & get a lot of heavy use. 

1
 arch 24 Nov 2020
In reply to bigbobbyking:

> Are neoprene wellies just lined with neoprene or all neoprene? Doesn't that mean your feet get wet?

Lined, I suffer with cold feet and I wouldn't wear any other type now and I get through wellies pretty quickly for some reason. Had lots of different ones. Cheap plastic ones, Dunlops, Jack Pyke, Seeland, Grubs, Muckboots, Hunter Balmoral, none ever seem to last me more than two years. I'm hoping the Chameaus last as they seem a little bit more supple than the rest I've tried.

 SFM 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Another shout for Nokian Boots. I’ve had a pair of Finntrims for well over 10 years now. They fit me well, are lightweight and have a decent sole. Originally I bought the to go to festivals so have happily worn them for weekends at a time. That said I’ve always worn them with sheepskin insoles which might help to have averted sore and cold feet. 

 sheffieldchris 24 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

I got a pair of Hogg wellington boots. First I have ever seen with a Vibram sole in the pattern of a normal walking boot. Think I paid about £70.

Has revolutionized my walking, all that bog hopping in the peak district and on the bog slogs up the Scottish moors to lower Corbett's. No need to bother dodging it just walk right through it. I have even used them on steeper ground, not the best but if you have also made the switch to fell running shoes when you go in the mountains it's not too much of an issue.

Damp socks at the end of the day of course, dry socks on next day in your dried wellies and off you go. Yet to see a gore-tex boot stay dry all day in the bogs and never seen a pair dry over night except with those forced boot driers.

 Bob Kemp 24 Nov 2020
In reply to SFM:

They look like something I’ve wanted for years but where can you buy the damn things? 

mick taylor 25 Nov 2020
mick taylor 25 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Dear all.  Thanks, you’ve helped narrow it down from 4 options to about 8!

mick taylor 25 Nov 2020
In reply to sheffieldchris:

How was the sizing ( I have broad toe area)?  And would you get the same size number as your walking boots?  

 sheffieldchris 25 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

I normally wear a 43 in shoes but went with a 44 in these boots, a tiny bit loose on the heel but for the same broad toe area issue I had to get the size above. Also the 43 were a Herculean task to get off.

Removed User 25 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Hunter Argylls are the obvious answer to this question. The are much softer rubber so the don't rub shins, have better grip (ask cavers) and are tasteful black so apres-walk activities can be attended with no sense of shame. Only downside is they are a bit more prone to puncturing so be careful leaping barbed wire fencing.

Post edited at 10:19
 bigbobbyking 25 Nov 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

> Buy any cheap wellies and put a good quality insole in them. 

Is the insole for warmth or comfort? I've never bought an insole before: what kind of thing would you suggest?

(Wish I'd read this thread before buying wellies last weekend!)

 DaveHK 25 Nov 2020
In reply to bigbobbyking:

Comfort mainly. I just use ones out of old running shoes or walking boots but if you wanted to be really fancy something like Superfeet would give more support.

 Bob Kemp 25 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Thanks Mick. Of course they haven’t got my size...

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Screwfix £10 Dunlops and thick socks, for me

 Trangia 26 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

> How was the sizing ( I have broad toe area)?  And would you get the same size number as your walking boots?  

As I mentioned I use Ortho -sole insoles because of my flat feet. I have no problem in switching the same Ortho-soles between my walking boots and the Muckboots. Both fit perfectly.

 Billhook 26 Nov 2020
In reply to mick taylor:

Another vote for Aigles - They have a proper footbed for walking.  

I have a pair of Muckboots too, but much prefer the Aigles.


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