Wellies or walking boots?

[madspaceangel]

Last year I took my trusty old dunlop wellies.

They were always comfy enough doing my usual garden plodding, rock pooling, walking the dog all that sort of stuff....

At Glastonbury they turned into torture devices and crippled my right ankle (I have really low ankle bones so I am used to this trouble in some shoes/boots, but didn't expect it from my old wellies)

Should I invest in better socks to pad my ankles out and stick with my wellies or are walking boots the way to go?

If it is the latter, any suggestions on what to avoid when buying new ones? Sadly my old ones died after 10+ years and I don't even know what brand they were.

[Paul ™]

Walking boots... all the way. With gaiters if it gets really muddy

[jameshunt]

The age old dilemma. Myself, waterproofed hiking boots. The missus, wellies.

[schmangle-mangle]

boots for me....I just cant get on with wellies, you cant dance properly in them and they always wobble around your foot a bit

Or maybe im getting the wrong wellies?

[madspaceangel]

I can't dance anyways, so 'wobbly foot wellies' would be an excellent alibi for my suspect moves.

[Octave Doctor]

goretex well worn-in boots, thick socks, gaiters if necessary. keep wellies in reserve only if we have a real deluge - you are potentially hiking for miles every day

[madspaceangel]

Do you recon if I bought some new boots now I could wear them in enough between now and Glasto?

[Kyelo]

Normally take ma Muckboots(kinda like wellies)but am going light this year, only taking the trainers! IT WILL BE SUNNY!

[geztival_09]

Normally take ma Muckboots(kinda like wellies)but am going light this year, only taking the trainers! IT WILL BE SUNNY!

[madspaceangel]

Luckily last year I didn't need to wear wellies the whole time and wore mt trainers on the nice days. If I had been confined to wellies for the duration I would have gone barefoot.

I just answered my question there didn't i?

Wellies for emergency only!

So any walking boot recommendations? Any brands/types to avoid?

[paulo999]

Walking boots... all the way. With gaiters if it gets really muddy

[cally77]

I've been meaning to get a pair of walking boots for ages now and it just keeps geting closer and still aint got any...

I really need to sort a pair out and wear them in soon as................

I just dont know what 1's....

[paulo999]

Definitely worth trying on different brands and models until you feet say "yeah!"

My faves were a pair of Berghaus - synthetic uppers rather than leather. Like slippers from day one, and they took a beating of five years of festivals and plenty of other outdoor stuff.

[mandypants]

Definately walking boots, they're a lot more sturdy, more support for your feet and ankles, and they don't slide off if you get stuck in mud, leaving you with wet, muddy socks! I recommend double layer walking socks too, they save you getting blisters from rubbing and the inner layer wicks moisture away so you don't get any grief from your feet being damp with sweat. Get them soon though and make sure you wear them in properly, even the comfiest ones need loosening up a bit. Gaiters will protect you if there is deep mud too.

[Kyelo]

Loving the optimism

OP I'm going for walking boots.

I know you can get all kinds of funky wellies these days, but I can imagine my feet being mullered by Wednesday evening. My feet need to be happy if I'm gonna be on them for 5 days

[JodiB]

You will only need flip-flops due to the fantastic weather this year.

[TheBigJT]

I tried a number of boot options and settled on this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Brown-Urban-Expediti...6715&sr=1-5

I loved the Asolo Legends that I tried on in a local shop, but just couldn't spend $200 on them.

I'm wearing the Rockports right now at my desk as I try to get my feet used to them.

[Laura_Babs]

I have a pair of Hunters wellies and find them very comfy.

[ukslim]

Doc Martens are - and always have been - the way forward.

[parkgrange]

Last year I tried walking boots but no gaiters and trying to undo the mud-clarted laces stood on one leg at 3am on the wrong end of a dozen or so pints of falling-down water wasn't easy.

This year i've invested in a pair of Muckboots and I put em on trial in the snow over January. I reckon they are about the comfiest things i've ever had on me plates.

But it aint, I say AINT, going to rain at all this year is it? So i've also bought myself a pair of walking trainers as my trusty old Nike Air's were about as much use as alcohol free vodka...

[tilt]

Both.

Wellies for any short periods (eg. late night popping to the toilets) when tying up muddy laces is an uneccessary hassle and decent waterproof boots for any longer periods, ie. actually walking round the festival.

[madspaceangel]

Thanks for all the advice.

At the risk of sounding stoopid, what is the difference between much boots and wellies?

[Kyelo]

Thanks for all the advice.

At the risk of sounding stoopid, what is the difference between much boots and wellies?

Edited February 16, 2010 by BenchBuddah

[madspaceangel]

I see!

Last year the other half bought a pair of Brasher leather boots and says they are bloody brilliant. I can't really afford anything as expensive as that. He tried on quite a few pairs and he said some types were instant sweat boxes. I really want to avoid that.

Does anyone have any thoughts on army surplus type boots? I will need something that comes up and over the ankle, anything cut to go under the ankle ends up crippling me.

I was looking at these.

http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shop/bo...ble-488848.html

[mandypants]

I see!

Last year the other half bought a pair of Brasher leather boots and says they are bloody brilliant. I can't really afford anything as expensive as that. He tried on quite a few pairs and he said some types were instant sweat boxes. I really want to avoid that.

Does anyone have any thoughts on army surplus type boots? I will need something that comes up and over the ankle, anything cut to go under the ankle ends up crippling me.

I was looking at these.

http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shop/bo...ble-488848.html