Wellies for dog walking

[theconstantinoplegardener]

Hello dear dog owners. Please can you recommend your favourite brands of durable wellies to me? I live surrounded by marshland, so wellies are essenial for much of the year. I bought some Briers a few months back, but both boots have developed leaks in the heels. They were quite expensive and I was expecting them to last much longer. What wellies do you use?

Essenial? Essential!

I have Ariat Stormstoppers which are a welly/ riding boot hybrid. They feel like a normal boot underneath and have good ankle support. I don't like the strange floppy feeling of a standard welly. These are ridiculously comfortable. I hike for miles in them and use them rather than walking boots when really wet and muddy out. Had them about 4 years and still going strong. Cost about £100 at the time. I need a boot jack to get them off, that's the only downside.

neoprene Le Chameau Vierzonord with the rubbery zips - warm in winter, not unbearable in summer, good sole grips for walking in mud. Cost about £130 four (?) years ago, and are only just developing a slight crack in the rubber at the heel. The zips alone have transformed my wellie experience - no more hopping around trying to prise boots off without getting your other sock wet/muddy....

Isle Jacobsen Hornbaek. I've had mine for years and they've never let me down

Ilse stupid autocorrect!

Aigle Parcours. I just replaced mine at Christmas after three years of daily use - I walk on forest trails, stoney paths, though rivers, on roads. Love them, and my feet are never cold.
My old ones still had plenty of wear but a puppy had chewed the fastening which was a bit annoying and my main excuse for replacing them.

Hunters are fantastic

Aigle Parcours 2.
Much more comfortable than my previous Le Chameau, though they did last me 12 years.
Only 2 years into the Aigle's but they look as good as new.

I bought some cheap ones by Ladeheid from Amazon last September as my budget won’t stretch very far, I paid around £13 at the time, and I thought that if they lasted me long enough until my warm and waterproof Merrell snow boots were needed then I’d be happy.
I’ve worn them all Winter, and walked around 8 miles each day in them. They’re exceptionally light and warm, and they’ve not leaked at all.

Should add that I walk through woodland, through heather, on stony paths and around an old quarry with rough ground.

I have no dogs but have been out in the mud a lot! My Dublin River Boots I've had for years and are super tough.

For horse riding in the winter I now have some Muck Boot Co. boots, thermal and cosy! I have the Colt Ryder Equestrian Wellies.

Neither of those options are cheap options, but they'll last!!

Thanks everybody. I'll see which of these brands are available locally.

I would avoid Muck Boots. I bought some last year and whilst they are warm and comfy, one split within a few months. A few weeks later and the other split in a different place.

When I tried to contact them about it I got radio silence for a few weeks until suddenly a new pair arrived with no comms. Nice enough for me but during that time I did some online searching and their FB page is littered with people who are upset/angry/suing them for not handling complaints properly or not refunding money when brand new boots etc are returned to them. It would appear they might have changed hands some time over the last year or so and they the new owners are struggling to provide a good product and service.

Aigle every time. Don’t touch the new hunters, unless you get very lucky with a set they fall part in no time. If you can find a set of the old made in Scotland ones though those are good.

I've had all kinds of fancy wellies bit honestly, the best pair have been my £12 Dunlop's from Amazon. Where I live is extremely muddy and the grips on these are really chunky and they're totally waterproof.

I've had my muck boots for a couple of years. No splits and still as warm and comfortable as when I first bought them.

Another vote for Aigle. I've got the non neoprene ones and they're fab. I use them for dog walking and seeing to my horse so they get used a lot!

I'm on my second pair of Aigle Parcours. First ones lasted through twice daily walks for nearly 5 years!! They've got such comfy supportive soles that you forget you are wearing wellies, and they are toasty warm in the winter. DH loved mine so much he bought a pair of his own.

One of those things that you def get what you pay for. Amazon are good for having them on offer.