Lockdown

[ohcarolina]

Hi all

 

I have extra wide feet along with hereditary problems that can cause real pain and wellies are a nightmare. However I need some decent ones as my basic green ones are like instruments of torture as they're so thick and way too narrow and I'm needing wellies more and more with the girls and an allotment to maintain!

 

I've seen some Hunter wellies in my local TK Maxx for £25 a pair. I tried them on and they were roomy enough for my wellie liners and socks and felt comfy. Can anyone tell me if they are any good and last or are they just another fashion statement?

 

BTW - I've tried Joules at my local farm shop and they're just too small but I am going to Ardingly this week so may see something there.

 

Any advice gratefully received.

 

Caroline

[chestnutmare]

I've had my Hunter Wellies for a few years. My Joules 'wellibobs' lasted me less than a Summer.

[lillybettybabs]

It depends what you want them for really, Not as hard wearing as the Le Chameau

and Aigle wellie but fine for light/medium use.

I have some for gardening in a they are much cheaper than my shooting/walking wellies.

[SpeckledyEgg]

I've just gone through my 3rd pair of neoprene Hunters - each pair only lasting me just longer than the 12 months guarantee - I emailed Hunter about this and they came back to say that they are only a 'general purpose boot and not for daily walking'. I use mine for walking the dog every day so wasn't very happy that that Hunter don't consider their wellies should be for walking in, in my opinion thats what wellies are for!! Anyway, I've now gone for what I've been told are much harder wearing boots - Aigle, and I must say they are lovely and soft and very comfy!

Good luck with your welly choosing

[counturchickens]

My Hubbie bought me some fur lines Wellies from cotton traders, they are are half leg legnth. I've had them for 3 years and still going strong. I love em

[Groovychook]

My Hunters only lasted for about 18 months until the sole split

I do a lot of digging so maybe have pushed them to the limit, but would still have expected them to last a little longer!

 

I am currently wellyless so am very interested to hear of other peoples recommendations. I was thinking of getting a pair of town & country next- I'm loathed to splash out again!

[Lavenders_Blue]

My Hunters lasted about 6 months before the sole split right across the bottom - as I found out on a rainy day when I got a very wet foot!

I replaced them with a pair of Muck Boots, which although they seem to be very well made, are incredibly uncomfortable and rub blisters all over my feet They cost me so much I am loathe to replace them (despite being pretty much unwearable) but come next winter I will need to do so, as I wear wellies most days for dog walking in the bad weather. At the moment they are okay for pottering in and out of the chicken run, but I can't wear them for dog walking, my poor feet would be torn to shreds.

[quickcluck]

I've had mine only a few months, but love them, they replaced my crocs wellies which were fabulous, but alas they make them no longer So far so good tho, they've had much use in our rather inclement weather!

[Hens@HalfMoonLane]

Yes they are good and very comfortable but in my opinion there are now better wellies on the market, for example I like le chameau outlast (love them) or sealand. Both have vibram soles and are better all round value.

[soapdragon]

Hunters can be a bit hit and miss and as previous postings have said...it depends on what you want them for. However, £25.00 is a very good price for Hunters and, if they felt comfy when you tried them on, I'd go for it!

[ohcarolina]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Looking at the expensive ones everyone recommended nearly gave me a heart attack (but I don't doubt that they're worth the money) so I'll have a wander round Ardingly Thursday and maybe sell an Eglu to buy some decent ones

 

Thanks again

 

Caroline

[lillybettybabs]

Yep they are expensive but i have had my Aigle parcour iso ones for five years now. So they are good

value and have much better soles and grip.

[The Dogmother]

I don't buy Hunters as I've heard that they're not what they used to be quality-wise. I have Lowthers for really wet stuff, cleaning out the chickens etc and neoprene muck boots for when it's really cold or snowing.

[Paola]

My Hunters lasted about 6 months before the sole split right across the bottom - as I found out on a rainy day when I got a very wet foot!

I replaced them with a pair of Muck Boots, which although they seem to be very well made, are incredibly uncomfortable and rub blisters all over my feet They cost me so much I am loathe to replace them (despite being pretty much unwearable) but come next winter I will need to do so, as I wear wellies most days for dog walking in the bad weather. At the moment they are okay for pottering in and out of the chicken run, but I can't wear them for dog walking, my poor feet would be torn to shreds.

 

I have Muck Boots and have had no problems with them at all. No blisters here I wear them for dog walking and RDA. Its too early to say how they will last long term but so far so good

[clucker1]

I am a hunter wellies fan here. My present ones have lasted 2 years so far, get daily use and lots of trailing around in the mud with chickens and horses! Wouldn't be without them. Have just ordered another pair for my daughter, will be interested to see how they fare with the new quality issues previously mentioned.

[Lavenders_Blue]

My Hunters lasted about 6 months before the sole split right across the bottom - as I found out on a rainy day when I got a very wet foot!

I replaced them with a pair of Muck Boots, which although they seem to be very well made, are incredibly uncomfortable and rub blisters all over my feet They cost me so much I am loathe to replace them (despite being pretty much unwearable) but come next winter I will need to do so, as I wear wellies most days for dog walking in the bad weather. At the moment they are okay for pottering in and out of the chicken run, but I can't wear them for dog walking, my poor feet would be torn to shreds.

 

I have Muck Boots and have had no problems with them at all. No blisters here I wear them for dog walking and RDA. Its too early to say how they will last long term but so far so good

 

TBH I think it's my feet that's the problem, not the wellies, as I have heard lots and lots of good things about Muck Boots and I see loads of other dog walkers wearing them. I seem to have very delicate skin that cuts and blisters easily and it's just unfortunate that the Muck Boots happen to cause me a problem. Hunter wellies I found very very comfy but I can't afford to shell out Hunter welly money every 6 months, so it's back to the drawing board I think.

[Paola]

I wonder if Hunter wellies are are all made in the same factory Maybe some factories produce better quality, longer lasting wellies

[The Dogmother]

I wonder if Hunter wellies are are all made in the same factory Maybe some factories produce better quality, longer lasting wellies

 

Reminds me of a thread a few years back about the quality/sizing of Crocs that were made in different countries.

 

Hunter used to be very good, quality wellies, but things seem t have changed since they 'got fashion'

[Ms Marple]

Hi. I have these http://www.hunter-boot.com/balmoral-lady-neoprene/dark-olive. They were expensive but I shopped around the net until I found a good price. I have had them about a year and so far they have proved well worth it. Cleaning out the chickens, dog walking, gardening ( which in ours tends to be of a construction nature). They are early warm and very comfortable. It was money well spent. prior to these I had gone through three pairs of Joules very quickly

[The Dogmother]

Joules wellies are pants; I had some muck boots from them a few years back... they split twice (had replacements) and the retailer I got them said that they'd sent their whole stock back for that style. A friend had their chicken decorated wellies and had similar problems... in fact I think there was a thread on here a while ago along the same vein.

 

To be fair, Joules were responsive when I brought the matter to their attention.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Yes my Joules wellies were rubbish too (although also very comfortable for their short lifespan!).

[Chortle Chook]

Another Le Chameau fan here. I used to love my Hunters and wore and wore them despite being ribbed about them. In fact it was trying them on in a Homebase once that converted me from bog standard wellies to the more expensive ones. They were just so light and comfy. I bought a navy blue pair and they lasted for years but then when they went I found that Hunter were making their boots elsewhere (believe it is China) and the quality but not the price had gone right down. It took me a bit of hunting around at various agri fairs before I found Le Chameau and they are to me all that Hunters used to be - expensive, yes, but well worth it

 

I haven't manged to convert OH however who bought some of those trendy leather items with horizontal stripes in dark brown . . . after just a year, they have split every which way on the sole, and they were twice the cost too

[Bramble]

This is a great thread ... I've pretty much decided to stick with cheap and cheerful wellies - Joules ones, as we all know, are about as much use as a chocolate teapot and it sounds as though Hunters are no better now, so I might pop into Countrywide and see what they have welly wise - something with a decent grip would be excellent.

[The Dogmother]

Probably best. My Lowther ones aren't expensive and they're from the local feed store.