Wellies, walking boots or trainers???????

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, Lesley2337 said:

Any good websites to buy good walking socks from? 

I think bamboo socks are recommended for the lighter pair … along with standard walking socks … or the crème de la crème of sealskinz 

[4AssedMonkey]

3 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

I think bamboo socks are recommended for the lighter pair … along with standard walking socks … or the crème de la crème of sealskinz 

I'd never recommend Sealskinz.  Waterproof, but very, very sweaty so your feet end up wet anyway.  Bamboo is a great shout though, wicks sweat away, dries quickly and doesn't get smelly.

[BBC7BBCHEAVEN]

Walking boots hands down for me. They're much more comfortable in the heat, and hold up against most wet years apart from the absolute worst, even then they have the benefit of not pulling off your feet when the mud starts to thicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, 4AssedMonkey said:

I'd never recommend Sealskinz.  Waterproof, but very, very sweaty so your feet end up wet anyway.  Bamboo is a great shout though, wicks sweat away, dries quickly and doesn't get smelly.

They’ve always added an extra layer of waterproof to my not so waterproof shoes … yeah they can get a bit hot but I try and take them off to let my feet breathe where I can 

[moogster]

Gaiters with walking boots. Not the sexiest look but unless you really walk in a massive pool, works very well.

[Spindles]

Wellies are the devil's slippers.  I've done a few variations of glastonbury mud now and my trusty walking boots have never let me down.  Like others I wear 2 layers of socks to reduce friction and have had good experience with bamboo socks.

[Alvoram]

Taking all 3, but WILL only need trainers!!!

Have some Merrell walking boots that are extremely comfy, and have never failed to keep my feet dry, even on the wettest hikes, so unless we're talking deep deep mud or standing water, I doubt I'll wear wellies. 

[Wooderson]

If you planned on doing much walking in 1997/1998/2005/2007/2011/2016 without wellies I'd imagine that was grim enough craic. Walking boots/gaiters are lovely and comfy, blahdiblah, until your feet meet a fucking warzone.

Edited May 31, 2022 by Wooderson

[LinvoyPrimus]

I've got Adidas Terrex hybrid boots/trainers - use them all the time and will most definitely be taking them to Glastonbury as they're incredibly comfortable.

Will decide the week of the festival on whether to pair them with wellies or trainers. Last year I was locked on wellies until the days before when the forecast took a significant turn for the better.

[Dave_c]

7 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

If you planned on doing much walking in 1997/1998/2005/2007/2011/2016 without wellies I'd imagine that was grim enough craic. Walking boots/gaiters are lovely and comfy, blahdiblah, until your feet meet a fucking warzone.

Agreed, can't imagine 2016 without wellies, it was grim enough with wellies.

[The Nal]

1 minute ago, Dave_c said:

Agreed, can't imagine 2016 without wellies, it was grim enough with wellies.

Did 16 in walking boots. No problem. 

[alanr]

4 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

If you planned on doing much walking in 1997/1998/2005/2007/2011/2016 without wellies I'd imagine that was grim enough craic. Walking boots/gaiters are lovely and comfy, blahdiblah, until your feet meet a fucking warzone.

I did 2011 & 2016 in walking boots, and never got wet feet. Just had to watch for areas of standing water to avoid, it sometimes added a few minutes to walking times, but I didn't find it a problem. I don't think there was any area I did not visit

 

[zeppelin]

Walking boots have been perfect every year in my opinion. Including 2016.

[Alvoram]

1 minute ago, Wooderson said:

If you planned on doing much walking in 1997/1998/2005/2007/2011/2016 without wellies I'd imagine that was grim enough craic. Walking boots/gaiters are lovely and comfy, blahdiblah, under your feet meet a fucking warzone.

'Good' walking boots are as good as wellies though. Completely waterproof boots, like the gore-tex Moab 2s can be entirely submerged most of the day and still keep your feet dry. Had the pleasure of testing this on the Yorkshire 3 peaks on the rainiest day in history. (Oct 3rd 2020.) The deep mud and standing water was absolutely unbelievable, my Moabs kept my feet entirely dry. Others wearing cheaper walking boots didn't do so well though, to be fair to what you're saying.

I will take wellies, and I will wear them if needed to protect a higher portion of my lower legs, but I have every faith, from experience, in my boots ability to keep my feet dry in any conditions. 🙂 

[Crazyfool01]

So happy to see this discussion once more 😀

[found home in 2009]

Used to take wellies and walking boots. Then in 2016 my wellies got stuck in the mud whilst a crowd surge pushed me forward and I ended up in my bare feet in ankle deep mud. Never again, walking boots all the way for me now. Walking boots are more comfortable than wellies, allow your feet to breath better and just as waterproof, but less risk of coming off in sticky mud.

For socks I have used the blister prevention ones (which is basically a sock within a sock) or have just wore 2 pairs of normal socks and never had any issues with blisters with either of these options. Also have those bamboo socks and can recommend.

Obviously take trainers as well in case it's sunny and bone dry

[Wooderson]

Boots/gaitors great along with ability to avoid standing water in the night/crowds/whilst jarred and you'll be perfect.

 

If you're not possessed of this skill, wellies and insoles fullproof.

[squirrelarmy]

Still going to be wellies and trainers for me. If it gets too wet for trainers then we’re heading into Welly territory. My trainers can handle a bit of wet. 
 

Even if it’s forecast to be sunny I’ll still have my wellies on standby. That one year I didn’t take them still haunts me. 

[clarkete]

33 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

If you planned on doing much walking in 1997/1998/2005/2007/2011/2016 without wellies I'd imagine that was grim enough craic. Walking boots/gaiters are lovely and comfy, blahdiblah, until your feet meet a fucking warzone.

2007 was a very trench foot year if you only had boots, 2016 if you weren't in wellies then some of those flat open areas you'd have to laboriously walk around rather than cross.  Each have their merits depending on conditions, as do lighter shoes as 2019 would have been grim in hot boots. 

Never bothered with double socks, but bamboo are good. 

 

[JoBalls]

I’ve got some Dr Martens wellies for if it’s wet which are an excellent walking boot/welly hybrid. All the waterproofness of a welly with the security and comfort of a boot. I don’t think they make them anymore unfortunately though.

If it’s damp but not muddy I’ll go with a normal pair of DMs and if it’s dry then trainers. 

[scrippit]

Always used lightweight walking boots including the very muddy 2011 and the very hot 2019. I make sure they are broken in and properly waterproofed. Walking 12-15 miles a day on average so it pays to get it right. Good socks and Compeed plasters a must. 

Now I’ve gone and made myself sound like a member of the Ramblers Club! However, I will be also wearing a ‘60s fake fur jacket, a massive wing collared flowery shirt a purple fedora and purple flares to compensate. 

[The Nal]

Can remember the day I ditched the wellies. Woke up one morning, sore, and thought "These are fucking shite".

Wreck your toes, feet and back, feet cant breate in them, they get stuck in the mud, pain in the hole to transport and take off and they're too warm. 

Switching to walking boots was a revelation. You don't see those hiking types walking miles and miles everyday in wellies. Bill Bryson or whoever. Even that cretin Forrest Gump didn't wear wellies. Cheap rubber molded vaguely into the shape of a shoe.

I even ditched the gaiters after a day or two in 2016. Don't need them. Easy to avoid the nasty stuff which is what the wellie brigade do anyway. 

 

 

[Ayrshire Chris]

All of them in the car, then choose what’s best 

[DeanoL]

3 hours ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

I think you are all mental.  I went 2013 with just my (waterproof) hiking boots and no wellies.  Huge mistake.  Parts of the site were above ankle deep in slurry which just came over the top of the boot and waterlogged them from the inside, then they weighed a tonne and gave me blisters.  This led me to buying some MuckBoots, which I've had ever since and are great.  Properly waterproof, cover above my calves so depth of mud is not and issue and they are if anything more comfortable than my hiking boots.

It depends on the approach. I've always taken walking boots but yeah, it does mean you have to be a bit conscious of where you are walking if it's flooded. Whereas with wellies you can just barrel forwards without a care in the world. 

 

[Kizzie]

On 4/13/2022 at 1:57 PM, t0paz said:

I remember wading across that late one night in 2007. Thankfully seems largely resolved now.

I remember wading across the Other stage field in 2007 too, being dragged along by Neil, I must have been wading too slowly!

Iggy Pop was on stage with a near empty lake in front of him, the audience all seemed to be on the stage too, was very crowded 😳 

I was in wellies