Muck Boot, Nevis Sport review
I know what you are thinking. After this review I said I would not need to change my boots
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?513-Avon-Muck-Boots-a-Review
And after this one I was pretty much sure I had the boots that I would stick with
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?513-Avon-Muck-Boots-a-Review
So what changed? Well since my discovery of Muck Boots I have always been a borderline size 11. During last year I lost a couple of stone in weight and started to find the Tay Sports a little loose (I had never realised I had fat feet). This could be solved with thicker or extra socks but one of the things I have always liked about the Muck Boots is being able to do away with extra socks as they are comfy and warm with just normal socks. Now with normal socks they were rubbing at my heal on long walks.
My plan was initially to just get a pair of Tay Sports in size 10 as I have been more than happy with them. However when I checked the http://www.balnecroftcountryclothing.co.uk/ site, where I usually get the boots from I saw the Nevis Sport. This is the same boot as the Tay Sport but with a different sole pattern. So after speaking to Kay at Blanecroft (very helpful she was too) I decided to try the Nevis Sports.
Now given that this is the same boot as far as insulation is concerned and also as far as comfort you can look at the Tay Sport review linked above for the details of that. I would particularly refer you to the science bit about the breathing and also to the reasons Muck Boots are my chosen footwear. Suffice to say the boot is extremely comfortable, flexible and warm, with cold wet feet a thing of the past. What more could you want?
In the middle of last year I got a new puppy, Sam, a Rottweiler bitch. As a result as well as my canoeing I have been doing a lot more walking outside, in all weathers. The first part of this being in the Tay Sports and the latter in the Nevis Sports so I have had plenty of use to compare the two.
The Tay Sport soles are marketed as anti clog and as reported this is true. The Nevis Sport does clog but not as much as the tighter tread pattern you tend to get on walking boots
So what is the difference and why choose one over the other?
As I say I have had a chance to use both types of boots a lot in many different conditions. For warmth, waterproof and comfort they are generally equal. The deciding factor on which you should choose comes done to the terrain you will most be covering.
What surprised me was that there is a noticeable difference. I tended to think that one tread pattern would be much the same as another but in this case that is not so.
The Tay Sport is as you would expect it better in muddy conditions. The knobbly tread being akin to the studs on a football boot. The same analogy holds when walking on hard surfaces. It is noticeable very slightly on the likes of a Tarmac path but only very very slightly. Where it is far more noticeable is when scrambling over rocks and the like. In these circumstances where there is only a small part of the sole in contact it may be the edge of a stud that is touching and this can slip a bit. The flatter sole of the Nevis Port is more predictable in this terrain and as a result better.
In snow there is not much difference in performance with a very slight advantage to the Tay Sport. On ice, however, I found the Nevis Sport to be a good bit more grippy. Still not really grippy just helped with the larger surface area in contact with the ice. For a lot of ice use I would recommend useing one of the special overshoe things you get with the metal studs or springs.
So which boot should you choose? I can't answer that as it will depend on your use. If you are a farmer walking the fields all day or use your boots when grouse beating or the like then the Tay Sport would be my recommendation. For a dog walker mostly on woodland paths and Tarmac cycle ways then the Nevis Sport is the better option.
For my use I think the Nevis Sport is the better of the two. In the canoe and scrambling over rocks it is a little ahead as it also is for the walks along the cycle track near my home. It also has the edge when standing in the canoe or scrambling over rocks at the shore.
Now it is worth pointing out that these differences are minor. I am making the comparison because I can but if I had a pair of size 10 Tay Sports I would not spend the money buying a pair of Nevis Sports. I cannot imagine a situation where it would be worth swapping between the two if you already had a properly fitting undamaged pair of either type.
However, if you have a normal pair of wellies I would cut them into strips to use for firefighters and get yourself a pair of Muck Boots straight away ;-)
I know what you are thinking. After this review I said I would not need to change my boots
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?513-Avon-Muck-Boots-a-Review
And after this one I was pretty much sure I had the boots that I would stick with
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?513-Avon-Muck-Boots-a-Review
So what changed? Well since my discovery of Muck Boots I have always been a borderline size 11. During last year I lost a couple of stone in weight and started to find the Tay Sports a little loose (I had never realised I had fat feet). This could be solved with thicker or extra socks but one of the things I have always liked about the Muck Boots is being able to do away with extra socks as they are comfy and warm with just normal socks. Now with normal socks they were rubbing at my heal on long walks.
My plan was initially to just get a pair of Tay Sports in size 10 as I have been more than happy with them. However when I checked the http://www.balnecroftcountryclothing.co.uk/ site, where I usually get the boots from I saw the Nevis Sport. This is the same boot as the Tay Sport but with a different sole pattern. So after speaking to Kay at Blanecroft (very helpful she was too) I decided to try the Nevis Sports.
Now given that this is the same boot as far as insulation is concerned and also as far as comfort you can look at the Tay Sport review linked above for the details of that. I would particularly refer you to the science bit about the breathing and also to the reasons Muck Boots are my chosen footwear. Suffice to say the boot is extremely comfortable, flexible and warm, with cold wet feet a thing of the past. What more could you want?
In the middle of last year I got a new puppy, Sam, a Rottweiler bitch. As a result as well as my canoeing I have been doing a lot more walking outside, in all weathers. The first part of this being in the Tay Sports and the latter in the Nevis Sports so I have had plenty of use to compare the two.
The Tay Sport soles are marketed as anti clog and as reported this is true. The Nevis Sport does clog but not as much as the tighter tread pattern you tend to get on walking boots
So what is the difference and why choose one over the other?
As I say I have had a chance to use both types of boots a lot in many different conditions. For warmth, waterproof and comfort they are generally equal. The deciding factor on which you should choose comes done to the terrain you will most be covering.
What surprised me was that there is a noticeable difference. I tended to think that one tread pattern would be much the same as another but in this case that is not so.
The Tay Sport is as you would expect it better in muddy conditions. The knobbly tread being akin to the studs on a football boot. The same analogy holds when walking on hard surfaces. It is noticeable very slightly on the likes of a Tarmac path but only very very slightly. Where it is far more noticeable is when scrambling over rocks and the like. In these circumstances where there is only a small part of the sole in contact it may be the edge of a stud that is touching and this can slip a bit. The flatter sole of the Nevis Port is more predictable in this terrain and as a result better.
In snow there is not much difference in performance with a very slight advantage to the Tay Sport. On ice, however, I found the Nevis Sport to be a good bit more grippy. Still not really grippy just helped with the larger surface area in contact with the ice. For a lot of ice use I would recommend useing one of the special overshoe things you get with the metal studs or springs.
So which boot should you choose? I can't answer that as it will depend on your use. If you are a farmer walking the fields all day or use your boots when grouse beating or the like then the Tay Sport would be my recommendation. For a dog walker mostly on woodland paths and Tarmac cycle ways then the Nevis Sport is the better option.
For my use I think the Nevis Sport is the better of the two. In the canoe and scrambling over rocks it is a little ahead as it also is for the walks along the cycle track near my home. It also has the edge when standing in the canoe or scrambling over rocks at the shore.
Now it is worth pointing out that these differences are minor. I am making the comparison because I can but if I had a pair of size 10 Tay Sports I would not spend the money buying a pair of Nevis Sports. I cannot imagine a situation where it would be worth swapping between the two if you already had a properly fitting undamaged pair of either type.
However, if you have a normal pair of wellies I would cut them into strips to use for firefighters and get yourself a pair of Muck Boots straight away ;-)
