Anyone else finding wellies don't stay waterproof for long these days?

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MissMincePie&Brandy

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I seem to be having a welly crisis :eek:

I used to just wear hunters, which used to be fantastic boots and last a good many years before wearing out. However that all changed a long time ago, I think around the time production in Scotland moved overseas. I've been through countless pairs since. I find Hunter originals don't last more than about 3 to 5 months, and although the neoprene ones are better, even they lasted me just under a year and I couldn't find the receipt to return them, which was frustrating considering how much they cost!

I've now tried most of the well known brands, and lots of cheaper copies, and I can't find anything that lasts more than a year without splitting. TBH I'm just getting fed up of having wet feet and having to regularly buy more of the damn things.

The latest pair are £20 stormwells, which look like hunters and are rubber (so should have lasted longer), and they have lasted me a record 9 days of wear, before they split! Grrrr

I'm wondering if I'd be better trying a long, leather pair of waterproof boots next? How do the likes of Dubary and Dublins stand up to general yard work, a fair bit of walking, and getting wet/muddy/hosed down daily?
 
totally agree with you, wellies are rubbish these days, my first pair of hunters lasted me 5 years, the soles wore out, my last pair lasted me 5 months, they split:mad: I too have tried cheap ones and expensive ones and they're all as bad, i refuse to pay £200 for a pair of wellies tho !! i have some leather shires 'wellies' but TBH they're not very good in the really wet fields, soon get damp feet:rolleyes: Last winter i got some rigger boots! lovely and warm and coped with the wet quite well, just a bit heavy and as the tops are wider than wellies i was forever sloshing water in them and emptying half a haynet worth of hay out when i got home:rolleyes::D
 
I too have had this problem! Will never buy Hunters again, used to last me 3 or 4 years, now you'd be lucky if they lasted 3 or 4 months!!! I decided that I would spend that little bit more and try some Muck Boots. A friend has some and they've lasted ages. Fingers crossed, it seems it was the best £65 I've spent! Had them now nearly 6 months and they look like I've just bought them, have been lasting great. The only thing is, they tend to be rather warm in the summer months.
 
yeah, have also found most wellies arent that great! have had the expensive ones, but usually found i usually get holes in them..which arent great walking through puddles! usually just go for the cheap ones and replace them when they get broken...parents wear the 'muckboot' ones, which are pretty pricey but seem worth it. x
 
I've had my "muckboots" for 3 years amazing boots. I will be buying a new pair in October and keep the old pair for dog walking.
 
Tazhazzamoose said:
we use muckboots!
Click to expand...

So do I.
:D

Well Tynes, same difference. My current pair of Tynes have lasted 5 years (winters) OK, so 2.5 years then.

The one and only pair of Muckboots I had lasted about 3 years in Wales so they were thoroughly tested! ;)

I can't quite bring myself to wade around in mud, water and snow anymore in leather boots so I don't know about the longevity of DR's, Dubarrys etc for sure. The old ones I have had died because I never oil them and they literally fell apart with use. I don't wear mine at all now.

I'd rather spend a reasonable amount (what was it for Tynes 5 years ago? 60 pounds?) on a decent pair of boots than more than that on several pairs of tat.
 
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My current pair are Bullseye Hood Full Knee Farming Boots bought from local Agric outlet
More than I usually pay but wide enough for extra layers through the horrendous winter we just had
Not fashionable--just workwear!
 
I had a pair of Le Chemeau bought for me about 10 years ago as a present (they cost about £150) and I have hammered them constantly since and they are only just now starting to show a bit of wear and tear. Buy cheap, pay double!
 
I too have been through countless pairs of wellies over the last few years - the previous pair had lasted for many years (at least 8), but since then, no luck. I have had my money back on several occasions. I have bought expensive ones and cheap ones - the same problem - they usually split. I wonder if less rubber is being used in their production, perhaps manufacturers are opting for cheaper materials which is why they don't last. Infuriating!
 
vickyb said:
I wonder if less rubber is being used in their production, perhaps manufacturers are opting for cheaper materials which is why they don't last. Infuriating!
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I'll bet if you could compare the rubber content in todays hunters to an old pair there would be a big difference, namely less in todays!! when they were still run and owned by gates rubber they were ok, i think it's since then they have got worse:(
 
Enfys said:
So do I.
:D

Well Tynes, same difference. My current pair of Tynes have lasted 5 years (winters) OK, so 2.5 years then.

The one and only pair of Muckboots I had lasted about 3 years in Wales so they were thoroughly tested! ;)

I can't quite bring myself to wade around in mud, water and snow anymore in leather boots so I don't know about the longevity of DR's, Dubarrys etc for sure. The old ones I have had died because I never oil them and they literally fell apart with use. I don't wear mine at all now.

I'd rather spend a reasonable amount (what was it for Tynes 5 years ago? 60 pounds?) on a decent pair of boots than more than that on several pairs of tat.
Click to expand...

not heard of tynes sounds like the same thing, muckboots cost 60 to 70 quid if i remember but had mine a couple years. i agree, would rather spend the money on something that will last
 
I wear Aigle neoprene wellies, they cost about £100 but my current pair have lasted 4 years and are still waterproof. I reckon ,if you spend long hours every day in them, you've got to have good ones.
 
I used to go through wellies about every 2-3 months, spending between 20-30 a time. Got a pair of hunters as thought there rep was good. They lasted 6 months. But I used a bike tyre repair patch over the split which worked. Bought another pair of boots in a sale at Go Outdoors in November as I didn't think the Hunters would go through the winter. Suprisingly since my bodge job on them they have been great and my new boots are sat in the cupboard still
 
Agree, gave up on Hunters when they kept splitting within a few months, tried muckers - split, tried muckboots - leaked after less than six months so have given up and just wear Dunlop wellies at £10 a go from the local workman's clothing outlet. Not cool but practical & long lasting!
 
My last pair of Hunters died a death after just under a year, they split on the ankles where I had crouched down in them. I now have another pair of Hunters but don't wear them that often and very wary of crouching down in them! I also have a pair of Ariat long boots, like the Grasmere's but black. Only problem is they're winter boots so they only get used in cold weather. They are fantastic though, used them when I worked at a livery yard and they coped with having buckets of water poured over them, going through deep mud and being scrubbed clean, just as long as you clean them and give them a leather treatment stuff they hold up. They were expensive though at over £200!
 
I've had a pair of Aigle for 6yrs they're still going strong.Le Chameau are the 'dog's danglies' though. They do wool lined, neoprene and even leather lined. If my Aigles ever wear out I'll have a pair.
 
My friend who runs the livery yard I'm on was fed up of hunters, they just aint the same, she had numerous pairs split so got so fed she now wears long leather waterproof ones, think they were bout £100 but she swears by them now, I'll find out the make and let you know.

I did find this great website the other day and you can pay by paypal which is great as I'd sold a couple of things on ebay and saved me transferring it to my bank account
http://www.easy-wellies.co.uk/?zenid=on1seurpqrrq7onrqtin7e3ia0

they are really helpful and very good communication from them and the courier

I swear by muck boot co ones for myself
 
I have had the same problem with hunters and am on my 3rd pair in a year! Thankfully they have kept changing them as they are under the year warrenty but this will be my last pair. I thought that i would buy a good (and expensive) brand and they would last me a long time but obviously they dont make them like they used to - so annoying!!
 
Re the leather boots I lived in a pair of ariat windemeres for a year and they lasted a year without me cleaning them at all. I would have thought that if you looked after them they would last a lot longer, and they were very warm in the snow as well.
 
My local shop said that Hunters are now made in China and they just aren't the same quality, he said if you want apres-wellies they are OK, but not for proper country use. So I bought some Aigle one's, they are great.
 
I bought some Just Toggs Mudruckers in December and they've been great so far. Before I have just bought £10 wellies from local DIY or outdoor store and they last about 6months usually (providing no hoof steps on them).
 
i have some Toggi wellies they are brilliant ive had them 3 years now and they are showing no signs of wear yet and they have neoprene inside so lovely and warm they only cost about £40 i think
 
I've tried Muckers and they split within a few months. And they are expensive here in NZ.

I've tried cheapies from the Warehouse (mega store) and I've found the best ones are the ones they use at the freezing works - problem is they are white! My horses find them fascinating!

Those of youo with shonky Hunters have you written to them and told them what you are experiencing?
 
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