Are 'Wellies' comfortable to walk in ?

Spirogyra

Hi I was looking at a pair of (slightly above) ankle Hunter Boots. They seem quite wide, so is rain likely to 'get in' ? More importantly what are they like to walk in ?. I tend to do quite a lot of walking. And are they 'socially' acceptable now 'on the bus' or in a cafe?. I think they kinda are more than before ?
But above all,comfort?. How are they for other people?.
Thanks
S

cagedbutterfly

Living in rural Ireland I am the proud owner of a few pairs of wellies but have to admit none of them are ankle height - would be no good in the fields around where I live so my experience is of knee height wellies only.

Even though I wear mine a lot and would have no problem wearing them into the local shop etc, I wouldn't wear them out walking. Would you not be better getting a pair of good hiking boots instead?
But I have found that while Hunters are good quality, I don't find them to be that comfy and they're really not that warm so I always need to wear 2 pairs of socks. I got a pair of unbranded wellies around the same time as I bought my Hunters and while they were a lot cheaper, the quality was on par with the Hunters plus they had the advantage of being fur lined so to be honest that's the pair that I use most and find them so comfy that I could quite happily wear them all day. I could never do that with the Hunters because my feet would be like two blocks of ice within a couple of hours.

honeybear

I wear wellies a lot walking dogs in Winter. Have a very comfy Dunlop pair, but they wouldn’t be pretty. I have Hunters that I only wear occasionally as they look & feel lovely but are not long lasting.

tringle

I have a pair of long wellies I wear out walking in fields and on the roads. I got them in a equestrian shop. They are neoprene lined so very warm and comfortable. I got insoles made in Elverys for my runners and I put them in all my flat shoes including my wellies
I've no idea about hunter wellies.
I wouldn't have a problem wearing them in town shopping on a wet day but I wouldn't walk them into a shop if they were muddy.

Oasis1974

Muck savages only use wellies and there generally not excepted in urban areas. Even though i did see some oldish man walking around my local supermarket in said wellingtons. Lets just say uncouth and call security sprang to mind. :mad:

Nekarsulm

Hunters are not really all that good of a wellie. They are regarded as "fashionable" if you are going hunting or attending a festival or a point-to-point , but the fact that the heel is smaller than the upper makes them less stable, they are cold to wear, and worst of all, are bloody dangerous on smooth polished surfaces.

For comfort, try a pair of Dunlop "Purofort" or a pair of Bekina.

Wanderer78

Hate them, hate them, hate them! Then again, I've only ever used cheap ****e, been told good quality hunting wellies are fantastic, such as neoprene ones. I'd recommend hiking boots or trail shoes, preferably with waterproofing such as Gore-tex.

Edward M

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Hate them, hate them, hate them! Then again, I've only ever used cheap ****e, been told good quality hunting wellies are fantastic, such as neoprene ones. I'd recommend hiking boots or trail shoes, preferably with waterproofing such as Gore-tex.

Good advice, wellies are really for a purpose, fashioning them up won't change that. For the most part they are cold and your feet sweat in them like hell if its warm. There is no support in them for hiking like a good boot.
They are great if you can use for short periods, around a half hour at a time, they keep out the wet and muck and you can dip them in puddles or buckets and hose them down to clean them. I always have a pair with me in the jeep or car, but I only put them on when necessary, I change in to boots or shoes as soon as I don't need them.

dudara

@Oasis1974 - if you can’t offer anything helpful, then please don’t post.

OP - my advice would be to stay away from wellies as an everyday shoe. To wear wellies comfortably in winter and keep your feet warm, you need big thick socks. They are rubber, so they don’t breathe, and your feet will sweat. IMO You’re better off investing in a good quality pair of leather boots. (Farmer’s daughter here)

tringle

I ran the tea tent at our local county show, wore my wellies with a dress and a flowery apron from 6am to 6pm no problem. As said lined with neoprene and my inserts. I get proper fitting ones a wear them with small skinny socks no problem. I'd also walk about 2 hours in them....I must check the brand. But as said "fashion wellies" really aren't practical.

freshpopcorn

Most farmers I know who'd be doing a good bit of walking would always choose a good pair of boots over wellies if they could.

Sunny Dayz

Op what are you looking for them for?
I spend a bit of time marshalling at motorsport and running events, I could be standing outside in the rain for a day (with a few breaks sitting in my car in the down time). I wear a pair of hiking boots from either Lidl/Aldi with a pair of heavy socks. I usually have a pair of skinny stretchy jeans from Penneys tucked into them, and can slid a pair of waterproof trousers over them if needs be. I find that they are comfortable to wear, are warm enough and have good grip.


I have a pair of knee high wellies at home, dunno where from but I would rarely wear them, even with two pairs of socks my feet are frozen in them.

Twee.

Similarly I do a bit of work at festivals where you'd be outside all day and on your feet, most of the crew would wear hiking boots as they're waterproof, warm and comfy. Dubarry are an option if you want something more stylish. Timberland make nice hiking boots also, separate to their fashion collection.

eviltimeban

Doc Marten's could be a happy medium?

Saying that I saw a woman walking down my local street and she was wearing wellies. At first I thought they were just knee boots. Nothing unusual about it I would say. If they are nice boots and you enjoy wearing and looking at them, then get em!

Spirogyra

eviltimeban wrote: »

Doc Marten's could be a happy medium?

Saying that I saw a woman walking down my local street and she was wearing wellies. At first I thought they were just knee boots. Nothing unusual about it I would say. If they are nice boots and you enjoy wearing and looking at them, then get em!

Docs I find very sharp and cutting to my feet have developed blisters even on older pairs, Not a bad suggestion though

Toastytoes

I have a pair of (faux) fur lined Muck Boots. They are the dream. So warm and comfortable. I’ve worn them out in the mud in the countryside, sightseeing in rainy Amsterdam, to festivals and even to the pub (in advance of an outdoor gig). Love them. Sure, they get funny looks sometimes but I don’t care about that kind of thing.

jordata

Toastytoes wrote: »

I have a pair of (faux) fur lined Muck Boots. They are the dream. So warm and comfortable. I’ve worn them out in the mud in the countryside, sightseeing in rainy Amsterdam, to festivals and even to the pub (in advance of an outdoor gig). Love them. Sure, they get funny looks sometimes but I don’t care about that kind of thing.

And you have the username to prove it :D:D

Toastytoes

jordata wrote: »

And you have the username to prove it :D:D

Fact.

Spirogyra

Decided 'not to go for them' based on the advice here

Spirogyra

Saw a lady in a Cafe wearing them today, black Hunter,nearly to her knees.

mollymaloney

God love my mother, but she used to always say that, ''them old wellingtons would rot the feet off you''. That was back in the day when many women wore them around the farmyard, feeding calves, pigs, hens etc-- . One poor neighbouring woman that I remember, seemed to have them on constantly. My father's observation was, ''that the she married, it wasn't to a man, but to a pair of wellingtons and a galavinized bucket''.

So much has changed-- for the better.

GingerLily

Spirogyra wrote: »

Saw a lady in a Cafe wearing them today, black Hunter,nearly to her knees.

If you want wellies you should get them, I wouldn't buy them myself - I live in the suburbs and not on a farm!!

lubie76

I swear by butterfly twists wellies. They normally do comfy shoes but also do wellies. Might be difficult to get them this time of year due to being out of season but there are a few pairs on sale so you might even grab a bargain.

https://butterflytwists.com/

Dial Hard

Twee. wrote: »

Dubarry are an option if you want something more stylish.

I've a pair of Dubarry Galway boots for walking the dog in winter and, while they were expensive, they were well worth the money, imo. The dog goes out 3-4 times a day and while I wouldn't consider them particularly stylish anymore in their mud-covered glory, they're sturdy, warm and waterproof.

Dublin River are a slightly cheaper alternative either.

OP, it's not clear what kind of walking you mostly do, but if it's anything other than on a footpath, I'd definitely go higher than the ankle no matter what boot you decide to go for in the end. Mine are knee-high and they're splattered with muck right up to the top. That's all going on your trews if you're in ankle boots.