Wellies - where to get them?

[kimbo]

Hi Guys,

I am in need of a decent pair of wellies for the first time in my life - never owned a pair before. Apart from the obvious, can anyone tell me what makes a 'good' boot and where to get them from.

Oh, one last thing........it would really help if they don't cost a fortune (don't ask much do I?).

Cheers

 

[pentrekeeper]

Not much help with where to get them, but I would give the following advice.
Wellies can cost a fortune (to me anyway) and I could not bring myself to spend that kind of money on a pair so have never tried the expensive ones.
I am a gamekeeper and wear wellies every day and need a hard wearing yet comfortable pair with reasonably grippy soles, and I swear by Hunter wellies.
I would like a pair that is neoprene lined for warmth but too expensive for me. If possible I would suggest a model that has the more heavy duty sole, but the standard one is OK.
A pair of these lasts me between one and two years.
Avoid wellies with hard soles as they will tend to slip rather than grip.
I get mine locally for about £42 and fot that they are excellent value.
The in wellie amongst shooters are made by Le Chameau (£200) but far outside my price range and I think the rubber is too soft to give sufficient support around the ankle, but thats only my opinion having never owned a pair.
Remember no wellie is thorn proof and it would break my heart to own an expensive pair only to stand on a blackthorn or similar.

 

[kimbo]

That's exactly the sound advice I was after, cheers pentrekeeper much appreciated.

Kim

 

[susi]

http://www.nokianfootwear.fi/eng/

 

[scanker]

I have a pair of muckboots, bought after a recommendation on here. Nearly broke my heart spending £50 on wellies, but I now think they were worth the money.

 

[TobyH]

Countrywide sell reasonable wellies...

 

[JDO330]

Do quick search on here for wellingtons or wellies (cant remember which?) as there was a recent post. I recall "Grubs" boots are very well regarded.

Having said that, the advice above from pantrekeeper sounds pretty good to me too.

ATB, Jon.

 

[slamdunk]

£200 wellies?!?

For TV stars and the country set only I'm thinking!! (Better £50 on wellies and £150 on a custom made knife )

 

[Rebel]

I have a pair of muckboots, bought after a recommendation on here. Nearly broke my heart spending £50 on wellies, but I now think they were worth the money.

Me too.

They are good though. Comfortable and my feet haven't been cold at all while wearing them out in this freezing weather. After reading MajiKelly's recommendation I knew I had to give them a try. The only downside of my pair is that they are heavy, apart from that they are the only wellies I've actually enjoyed wearing. I can walk in comfort with them on which is a first for me.

 

[rik_uk3]

Wilkinsons, green welly up to size 11 £3.99

The chap asked about a pair of wellys that did not cost too much and yet bingo, £200 boots are put in the frame, why oh why when someone asks for kit you don't need a bank loan for do members dive in spurting off about top end of the range kit :aargh4:

 

[Kepis]

B&Q for me, perfectly servicable, dirt cheap and do the job

 

[kimbo]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, much appreciated. I think I'll nip down B&Q (as I've got some vouchers somewhere and if I don't like them I'll take the plunge with some muckboots or hunters.

Cheers

Kim

 

[pentrekeeper]

Wilkinsons, green welly up to size 11 £3.99

The chap asked about a pair of wellys that did not cost too much and yet bingo, £200 boots are put in the frame, why oh why when someone asks for kit you don't need a bank loan for do members dive in spurting off about top end of the range kit :aargh4:

Incorrect, the chap asked for a decent pair of wellies. The mention of ones costing a small fortune was a simple observation to put the cost of a decent pair in perspective in case £40 was considered expensive.
The original poster was happy with the reply so who the hell are you to be critical about it.
It has been said before on this forum about the tetchy bunch of members that appear to be out to cause arguements for the sake of it, spoiling what should be a friendly meeting place.
What are they putting in the water down there ?
Anyway I am who I am and until I get banned I will post whatever I want within the rules, and if smileys do it for you then

 

[Rebel]

I agree with the above post.

After having spent the previous 50 years of my life wearing cheap wellies I now have to testify that Muck Boots were a revelation to me. The difference to the toll on my feet in every single way is worth the price for me. They are expensive and I didn't purchase them from my large stash of money but I really felt I needed to take better care of my feet. I buy good quality hiking boots and shoes so why not do the same with wellies?

The quality you purchases does depend on what your are wearing the boots for and how often. If I only wore them to potter around in the back garden in then I'd be quite happy to continue wearing a ten quid pair from B&Q.

 

[kimbo]

I feel I must add to this thread, much as I DO NOT want to continue or inflame an argument that is brewing (far too much of that on this site recently).

Pentrekeeper gave me exactly what I had asked for, informed advice based on experience and knowledge - and for that I am very grateful. As part of that advice he also gave me his opinion on why the hugely expensive wellies are not worth getting - a trap I had fallen for before with other kit thinking a hefty price tag equates to a better product. Again I am very thankful for his advice.

Everyone who gave me advice - thanks, you are the reason I come to this place. This is a great place that we can all meet and benefit from one another's experience and specialised knowledge. I have learnt loads and enjoyed meeting the vast majority of people on here. Can we please leave it at that.

For the record, I didn't take his advice and went for a cheapo pair from B&Q, but that's the point - I can take it or leave it and all opinions on the topic were geatfully recieved.

Thanks Everyone. :You_Rock_

 

[bushscout1]

Just for the record as you've already sourced your boots, I used to spend a lot of time at work in wellingtons during the wetter months (sometimes year round).

Due to the nature of the site I worked on they had to be safety boots and hence had a steel mid-sole & toe-cap.

Whilst initially I was issued with cheaper wellies which were uncomfortable over longer periods, I was able to get the Century 4000 Super Safety Boot supplied by ARCO, which is made from heavy duty rubber. They were very comfortable and I frequently would spend all day in them without any complaint.

They are not cheap at £50 - £60 but despite being worn intensively in very demanding conditions, they would last 1 - 2 years, and I still use them for the gardening now (with dry feet).

I can't compare them to Hunter or Muck Boots, but would say they're worth considering based on the added protection and durability.

As far as the price debate goes, I'd like to put forward 2 points:

• I was once told to invest in a good bed and good footware as you'll spend most of your life in one or the other, and comfort is not something to be overlooked lightly.
• Whilst cheaper boots are OK in the short term, if they don't last (either because they aren't durable enough for the conditions or they simply start to leak due to wear & tear) they'll end up costing you more in the long run.

I hope this helps.

 

[susi]

A wise old man once told me, "the two things to look after son are feet and eyes, feet and eyes I tell you". Didn't listen at the time, but years later I now say the same.


Also, no offence intended to the guy with his £3.99 Chinese Wellies, but I could never consider that option for myself. I always try to buy from my home country, EU is a second choice. Only when shopping becomes more difficult, and it's something that I can't do without, do I look to the Far East/Pacific rim.

This is especially important to me as I see the current economic state (especially you guys over in the UK!). Then of course there is the environmental aspect. Yes labour is cheaper in China, but the product cost is also lower because they manufacture with less care for the environment = more pollution (even before shipping costs)

Being someone who appreciates being outside in a relatively clean, non-polluted environment, this is especially important to my conscience.

 

[saddle_tramp]

Wilkinsons, green welly up to size 11 £3.99

The chap asked about a pair of wellys that did not cost too much and yet bingo, £200 boots are put in the frame, why oh why when someone asks for kit you don't need a bank loan for do members dive in spurting off about top end of the range kit :aargh4:

Well said that man!

 

[Shewie]

I know you`ve already made your purchase Kim but for anyone else in the market for decent wellies, I got mysefl a pair of Muck Tweed boots from JC Country in Preston for £45.99

Postage was free and they were very competitively priced too.

http://www.jccountry.co.uk/acatalog/Muck_Boot_Company.html

No connection just a happy customer

 

[Nonsuch]

Muck Boots Tay Sport brilliant