Wellie woes!

[MartiniDave]

Hi Folks,

I don't seem to have a lot of luck with wellington boots. I've had both Garland and Le Chameux wellis, but I can't seem to get more than 2 or 3 years of moderate use (shooting, beating and dog walking) out of them before they sort of perish and split. Now, these things ain't cheap, so I guess what I'm asking is - am I alone in having this happen and can any of you recommend me a decent make of comfortable, durable wellies that won't leave me broke?

Thanks in anticipation.

Dave

 

[British Red]

Dave,

I swear by my Grubbs Stalkers. Very much in the "Muck Boot" style of neoprene leg grippers. I have done horrible things in mine from rotovating 36" deep manure through practical shotgun and Salt marsh walking.

Here is a link to the original review

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24592

I still wear them. The heels are abraded where I haul them off with a boot jack and there is one puncture (blackthorn) on a leg that I just bunged some glue on. They are still going strong though

I'd buy another pait for small holding or shooting if these went

 

[vizsla]

Im on my second pair of hunters think there the balmoral with thick neoprene i ware them everyday apart from if its too warm there soooo comfy iv had them for about 3 years and if i was to clean them they would look like new. I can cover good distance in them too. I would saggest going to try them on though as one pair seems to be made better than another

 

[MartiniDave]

Thanks BR, those stalkers look pretty good and not TOO expensive! The country shows are coming up so new boots might be just the excuse I need to go to lots of them!

Dave

 

[marcelxl]

Another one for Grubs Stalkers........ hell of a boot!

Not cheap, not at all but out last and out perform any other wellie I have come across, comfy, supportive & warm

A keeper mate of mine said he could have gone through sometimes 2 pairs a season including expensive Le Chams & Aigles and the Grubs were in the second season happily.

Fantastic boots

 

[Wilderbeast]

If you want my advice it would be thus! Don't wear wellies! Instead I would team a good pair of hightop stalking boots eg http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/product/404adf1284639a4228527997/Le+Chameau+Mouflon+High+Boots/ with a good pair of gaiters, provided you treat the boots well they will last a very long time and far more thorn proof than wellies! If you're not keen on that you might try something like this http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/product/114adf1fad48fa8295799579/Musto+Buckden+Shooting+Boots/

Hope that helps,

Will

 

[ged]

... I guess what I'm asking is - am I alone in having this happen ...

Nope. I only get about a couple of thousand miles out of a pair of wellies and then I have to start dodging puddles. At the moment I'm on my third pair of Muck Boots and after a couple of years the right boot (I'm always heavier on the right foot of my footwear) has split in several places around the ball of my foot. I do between three and six miles a day with the dogs and depending on the state of the ground on the route I'm walking I might wear the Muck Boots or my Alt-Bergs. More often than not it's the wellies.

Call this a reference point. I'm not complaining, I wouldn't really expect wellington boots to be designed to take the sort of hammer that I give my footwear.

...and can any of you recommend me a decent make of comfortable, durable wellies that won't leave me broke?

Sorry, I can't. I'd agree with Will that leather boots and perhaps gaiters will last better. I got ten years out of my Alt-Bergs before I had them refurbished. They could probably have done another two or three, but they'd suffered quite a bit so I thought they deserved a treat.

 

[Bowlander]

I'm going away from LeChameau after my current pair lasted less than 18months - will give Hunter Neo's a go. Its peat and heather that knacker my wellies and boots - a guy tested some bare peat near here and it was pH 3.5!

 

[Miyagi]

Did someone say Wellies?

Liam

 

[Teepee]

Theres a product that replaces the plasticizers in plastics and rubber thats really popular with the paddling community on plastic kayaks. Its called 303 Aerospace protectant. It halts UV and lots of chemical damage and should make a big difference to the life of wellies too.

I've put it on my boat from new (2 years old now) and theres no sign of degradation or fading on the rubber or plastic. Might be worth a go, the stuffs much cheaper than new expensive wellies.

 

[MartiniDave]

Teepee, that stuff sounds worth a try.

As for leather boots and gaiters, possibly ok for a lot of my needs, but we have a particular drive on our shoot called "The Reedbeds", wellies (or perhaps an air-boat) are essential in there.

Dave