Ladies - name your favourite wellies!

[Millymollymandy]

Aigle. Nuff said.

[Stonehead]

fenwoman like you I can not afford the boots stonehead buys

What it comes down to is, do I spend £45 every three years or so on one pair of really good boots. Or do I spend £80 a year on several pairs of cheap tat?

It's funny how people only see the immediate price - £10 vs £45 - instead of the actual cost - £45 vs £240, plus the difference in comfort, warmth and safety.

We do not have money to throw away on anything, so we always look to buy things that last and, preferably, can be repaired as well. Yes, they may look more expensive up front, but in the long-term buying quality makes your money go further.

And don't forget, people often post on here about the consumer, throw-away society. You're hardly moving away from that if you're quite happy to buy cheap stuff that wears out quickly and is then thrown away, to be replaced by more of the same.

We decided a fair while back to break out of that loop and go for quality items that last, are made by people on a fair wage and, if possible, made more sustainably and closer to us. But the weird result of that is that people then think we're rich (ha!) and wasting money.

Anyway, I'd better quit before I really blow a gasket.


Oh, if you think we're rich, consider this. We had three pairs of wellies wear out at the same time - mine, the OH's and the Wee 'Uns. For two months we didn't have the money to replace any of them, so we put our feet in carrier bags and then put the wellies on. (Except the little one as he has waterproof shoes.)

Then we had enough money to buy the OH's replacements (which should last her another three years). The little one is next, hopefully in November, and I'll continue with my bagged feet until just before the really bad weather hits in January. So feel free to scorn us, but don't do it because we're "rich" and throwing money away.

[baldowrie]

perhaps I should rephrase..I can not justify my reasons to pay that as I don't use them as much as you My £3 ones I have had for 5 years but then if I was doing as you do they would not last 6 mths and therefore a false economy and find it in the budget for the more expensive ones.

My problem is the size, 3. Kids ones are too tight and adults too big even with extra socks

[the.fee.fairy]

I wear £5 wellies personally, but the most wear they've had was 3 days of BGG when it was muddy

My sister and i bought cheap wellies for the weekend and painted them with our names, and i had an ish flower on one, and a fairy on the other - so i could be recognised by random ishers!

I do, however spend about £100 on leather boots (New Rocks) because i wear them day in, day out and they last about 3 years a go. They're not working boots though...not by a long stretch! The maly ones might be suitable, but they're not as waterproof as wellies (they've got tongues and laces).

[fenwoman]

Hunter Boots.

Tough, comfortable and made in Scotland.

The OH swears by her Argyll Ladies (£32), while I wear Century 4000 Super Safetys (£45).

They're not a cheap boot but they're hardly expensive either, especially given their longevity.

I think I´ve been eyeing up the same boots as your OH, they look sturdy and mention that the footbed is ergonomically designed (which will help keep my footing in these hills!). I´d have to order them from the UK as trying to get wellies in the south of spain is laughable, though they are needed in the mountains in winter. So I´d be taking a risk on the fit and I often find that boots are quite baggy round the ankle and calf as I´m quite petite. So here´s a personal question....How do Mrs Stonehead´s fit? Is she slender or shapely calfed? ....... I don´t quite believe I just asked that.....

I have skinny pins too. If I wear black tights, they just look like a couple of burnt matchsticks. I either wear my thick welly socks inside or some leggings.

[fenwoman]

fenwoman, stonehead I can see both side of the story.................

stonehead boots are expensive and he could probably get cheaper ones but come the winter he would regret it as he would probably end up with frost bite in his toes.

fenwoman like you I can not afford the boots stonehead buys, but come the winter I wish I could and when I visit him and look round his pigs my cheapos do slip when it's wet

Basically you buy the best you can afford...so if any one has a pair of size 3 'posh' ones they no longer want.............

I want some made out of recycled car tyres. I woonder if anyone makes them? Surely they would keep a grip on wet surfaces?
I would get frostbite in any wellies if I bought them a size 3 which is the shoe size I take. In fact, many many years ago, I did get it and lost all my toenails and skin . That was in some fairly expensive wellies as I was wealthy at the time. (haven't always been poor).
Now, I buy a size bigger (4) and wear an insole plus wellie liners. My son got me fleece ones last year but a couple of year ago he found some Scandinavian ones made from stretchy fleece material. They were absolutely brilliant. No matter how cold or how long I was out, my feet were like toast. I must ask where he got them from and get some more.Or look on Canadian ebay cos they know how to cope with cold too as it gets to minus 20C in winter there (lived there for several years).

[baldowrie]

it gets to minus 20C in winter there

as it does were stonehead lives

[Silver Ether]

I like my muckboots.... not cheap but they've lasted REALLY well and keep my feet warmer than my other ones... which I also like btw... purple rubber ones by Hunter that gave a donation to the woodland trust. I've even worn them with a skirt when I first moved and didn't have anything else to wear for a week - you can even buy matching liners for them (bit extreme methinks)

and me and me ... I lorrrve my muck boots I even wear then if its not raining ...they are so comfy warm and the steel toe caps are really handy

[mrsflibble]

I don't own any wellies. I have unfeasibly chubby calves and therefore the mere idea of wellies gives me the willies lol! I do however have some wonderful "clomperstomper" style walking boots which I use for everything. they came from barrats about 4 years ago and are fab.

[circlecross]

my hunters are twenty years old and were a present so i paid nothing and for the use they get have lasted for ever!

[Masco&Bongo]

I got some lovely pink ones from Robinsons (the horse-y shop people) and they were about £12.

They've lasted about 20 months and split last week

I'm still unsuer whether to buy another pair of those (they do pink, light blue, green, purple, dark blue) or to invest in Hunters, as I've heard only good things about them.

I'm wearing wellies a lot more now than I did 2 years ao - they are worn most of the time I am at home and not at work, and I can't sort the chickens or dogs out without them!!

[theabsinthefairy]

I bought some very fetching floral ones from Blacks before we left the UK. But found my feet got too cold in them even with the polar fleece ski boot liners I was wearing over my socks.

So back to the muck boots - live in them all year round ( and have the white tan lines around my ankles to prove it!)

To resolve the wet water issues above the ankle, I found that a pair of gaiters up the knee worked very well indeed. And being a little challenged in the calf area - a much more comfortable fit than trying to squeeze into wellies (a size 3 - kids size calf measurements)

Monika