Wellies or walking boots?

[Twisted Melon]

Always walking boots for me. If there's lots of heavy mud I think you need something with good ankle support. Also wellies can stick in the mud leaving you hopping about on one foot trying not to fall arse over tit and get your foot back in the abandoned welly.

[Keithy]

Boots and gaiters for me though have wellies on standby for an 11th hour late back on Tuesday if i lose my nerve!

[JanieM28]

21 minutes ago, StormCrow said:

it would help waterproof them its one thing to stand in water for a few mins its another walking in mud and water for a few days I'd err on the side of caution and give them all the help I could.

Agreed - besides they'd look prettier if they started off shiny.

 

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

I'm back to walking boots and gaiters this year but have done just fine with wellies in the past. I find wellies a bit flat footed so the bottom of your feet hurt after dancing a while, I got some gel insoles for my wellies year before last and they worked really well.

[H.M.V]

I love my wellies, walk the dogs in them throughout the winter down the bog where boots just aren't going to cut it. I also enjoy the freedom of being able to jump in puddles. Lol. My last pair of boots met their demise on the farm last year and not forking out for another pair that I will only wear on the farm. I didn't find them any more or less comfortable than my wellies. So new pair of insoles and I'm good to go. 

[bigfurbdogg]

Right, you lot have swayed me. I've impulsed bought these with some gators. I better start wearing them in I guess.

[ohvienna]

My north face boots were fairly comfortable straight away and didn't take too long to wear in, just walk around in them today and try and get them on over the next few days and hopefully that'll be enough!

[bigfurbdogg]

11 minutes ago, ohvienna said:

My north face boots were fairly comfortable straight away and didn't take too long to wear in, just walk around in them today and try and get them on over the next few days and hopefully that'll be enough!

Good to hear!

[Sack truck]

Aye I've always found walking boots pretty good straight out the box. On my fourth pair and never had to break any in tbh

[Andeeroo]

I've got a pair of Berghaus walking boots but i've got no idea which particular model. Think I paid around £90 and they didn't need wearing in. Think this is their 3rd or 4th outing. Very comfortable and never had blisters or particularly sore feet.

Never needed to wear gaiters with them but I've just bought a pair for about £25 which seem to do a remarkable job of keeping water out. Not sure how they'll survive 5 days of constant mud/wetness if that is the case, but I'm hopeful of not needing them.

Only concern at the moment is knowing what I'll need when getting off the coach and to our pitching spot without knowing the worst affected areas. Sure it'll all be dandy!

[Chazwozza]

2 hours ago, sime said:

Only ever worn my willy but am open minded to try something new...!

 

2 hours ago, pie_and_a_pint said:

See, I'd quite like to try wearing willies. Would be much quicker to just pop to the urinal instead of queueing for the loos...

Seems like @Philippa is influencing your thinking...

[rpfranks]

I'm taking both as I'm hoping the ground will dry out by Friday

[sharooni_star]

Also taking both, fingers crossed it drys out :-)

[sime]

33 minutes ago, Chazwozza said:

 

Seems like @Philippa is influencing your thinking...

Ha! Bless her and her saucy van...!

[balti-pie]

Ah: can't find my wellies. The decision has already been made for me! 

[Spindles]

4 hours ago, themuel said:

What do you reckon to these? They've been broken in just not by me! 

 

Wearing footwear broken in by someone else is worse, as the shoe will have softened and hardened according to the pressure of their feet.  Yours are a different shape and therefore the existing ridges are likely to exert more pressure on your feet in turn, particularly on the sole, but also where your feet bend.  Stick a gel insole or something in them at least.  As far as being suitable boots, they are about perfect as long as the sole has decent tread.

[4AssedMonkey]

Only 1 year did I not take wellies. I ended up buying some on site. As good as my waterproof hiking boots are, they still let moisture in eventually when wading through mud. Wellies never do. That said the cheap wellies are murder on your feet.  The ideal compromise is done decent, comfy wellies - the shooting/hunting/horse riding type, with padding and decent soles etc. I was lucky to get some cheapish ones a few years ago which work brilliantly.

[Neville Street]

Sitting in car park on the Lizard and the persistent heavy rain/drizzle combined with this thread made me buy these TRIXES 1 Pair Waterproof Outdoor Hiking Walking Climbing Snow Legging Gaiters https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ELAYK06/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_xmSzxbT5GY3T6

cheap and cheerful and hopefully stay in my bag all weekend

 

[Mash011]

I was straight wellies from Friday afternoon onwards last year and didn't have a problem with them at all. Reckon I'll stick with em for most of the festival this year unless the ground gets hard.

[fingers_mark]

Wellies and flip flops. No inbetween.

[alibear]

I've just come back from Go Outdoors, where I purchased a pair of walking boots and gators. Luckily I'm only a size 3 so can get away with much cheaper, kids' boots. I've got some Hunter wellies which, despite their Kate Moss wannabe following, are actually fantastic - really comfortable, with great grip. Well worth the money (although they're kids' ones too!)

I'm going to start with my walking boots with wellies as a back up. I'm also hoping the fact I've forked out c£60 means they won't be needed!

Edited June 19, 2016 by alibear

[bigfurbdogg]

I've tried on my boots and gaiters and all looks good to me.

I've got a question tho for people that have used gaiters before, how effective are they? With a good boot and gaiter combo can you literally treat them as wellies? Surely if I'm wading through mud that is going above my ankles then some water is going to get in? 

[Kneale]

I bought a pair of Beghaus Supalites a few weeks ago and worn them several times and they are the comfiest things I've ever worn, and didn't need breaking in at all, I'm actually looking forward to wearing them for five days on the run Really unsure about whether to take wellies, going to wait till Tuesday and if the forecast for the weekend looks bad then maybe I'll get a pair. Really unsure about gaiters too, how exactly do they stop water getting into your boots as there are big gaps? Or are they just to keep your legs dry? Also does anyone else thing they would look weird being worn with shorts? Haha.

[bigfurbdogg]

58 minutes ago, Kneale said:

I bought a pair of Beghaus Supalites a few weeks ago and worn them several times and they are the comfiest things I've ever worn, and didn't need breaking in at all, I'm actually looking forward to wearing them for five days on the run Really unsure about whether to take wellies, going to wait till Tuesday and if the forecast for the weekend looks bad then maybe I'll get a pair. Really unsure about gaiters too, how exactly do they stop water getting into your boots as there are big gaps? Or are they just to keep your legs dry? Also does anyone else thing they would look weird being worn with shorts? Haha.

I'm planning to wear them with shorts if it comes to it, and I don't for one moment think I'm going to be looking good whilst doing it.

[themuel]

4 hours ago, Spindles said:

Wearing footwear broken in by someone else is worse, as the shoe will have softened and hardened according to the pressure of their feet.  Yours are a different shape and therefore the existing ridges are likely to exert more pressure on your feet in turn, particularly on the sole, but also where your feet bend.  Stick a gel insole or something in them at least.  As far as being suitable boots, they are about perfect as long as the sole has decent tread.

Hmmmm I'm going to take my chances. I wore them all day today and not a hint of any discomfort so fingers crossed.