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Having recently aqcuired a puppy, I'm looking for a pair of waterproof, comfy boots for winter dog walking adventures.
Nothing more challenging than ankle deep wet grass. Don't need to be suitable for actual mountains or anything.
Seeking bargains, much cheapness. £30-£40 -ish.
Any recommendations?
Decathlon is your friend.
I would buy some cheap walking boots that fit your feet. HTH.
Or steal some more expensive ones.
Was in Decathlon in Edinburgh this morning and they seemed to have mega cheap or expensive but very little in between, hence the question.
Did buy a jacket though....and some gloves...and a hat...and a neck warmer...and a ping pong table and a canoe.
Pair of wellies and warm socks!
Tuck your trousers in your socks if it is wet - nothing worse than getting home with the bottom 6 inches of your jeans sodden wet.
Also, if you;re going to be out in the rain (you will be!) - get high boots (not sure what's available at your price point - I use some more expensive boots that have a walkign boot foot bit and sole but are knee length with a zip up the side)and a knee length coat to minimise need to get changed post walk.
[edit] not wellies if you'll be walking for any length of time - they just don't offer the foot support and stabilisation you need.
Don't need to be suitable for actual mountains or anything.
Was in Decathlon in Edinburgh this morning and they seemed to have mega cheap
You've just answered your own question..
It's not a pleasant experience, but have a look in Sports Direct!
I know I may have appeared to be flippant earlier, but seriously, just try a bunch of cheap walking boots on until you find a pair that are comfortable for you, then buy them. The bottom line with walking boots is that they're all subtly different shapes, which means that personal recommendations are next to useless. As an extreme example, if I have feet shaped like a duck and yours are shaped like pigs' trotters, the fact that I find KEEN boots luxuriously comfortable is an irrelevance. Though if you do have feet shaped like a duck, KEEN would be a good choice. HTH.
Some of the Hi-Tec ones that seem the perennial favourite of shops like Sports Direct, or Mountain Warehouse etc.
I bought a pair for £30 from a shop in Buxton years ago while camping - probably a decade ago.
They gave up being waterproof a couple of years ago, but are still very comfortable.
This kind of thing (although the 1 review isn't particularly favourable)
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-tec-alto-ii-mid-wp-mens-p390008
Or these if feeling extravagant:
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-tec-stratus-mid-wp-p412566
I got much more than the £40 they cost out of a pair of Johnscliffe - of course it helped that they fitted me well.
Some of the Hi-Tec ones
I'd stay clear - pair of boots (bought for walking the dog) lasted about a year and fell apart. Trainers not even a year.
Got a pair of Scarpas just under £100 (sale@Tiso), had for 3 years and look like there's plenty of life in them. They've had a harder life than the Hi-Tecs having done some low level hill walks as well. And they work fine for wandering down to the pub in winter
[url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Timberland-Ca1ojd-Chukka-Boots-Gaucho/dp/B073PBSB1L/ref=sr_1_3?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1507040633&sr=1-3&nodeID=355005011&psd=1&keywords=larchmont+chukka ]Don't be a cheapskate![/url]
Ive just bought another pair of these, as the last ones have lasted around 6-7 years, all of which have been dog walking years with dry feet. Lovely boots and you'll even look a bit stylish too! You get what you pay for!
SportPursuit. They'll have em in the "warehouse" sales for quick(ish) delivery.
Hang on, I'll tell you what they have...
Loads on there - Kefas are the best for value (I've had mine yonks), but there's Columbia, Trespass and a few other brands in the price range.
You get what you pay for!
Yep. Paid for a dog. Got one.
No money left for expensive boots. 😉
To be honest, for most dog walking, unless you're heading up some proper hills, wellies are great
Proper wellies, not cheap tat with fancy prints. Personally I favour muck boots, they're excellent and well worth it
Aldi fishermens wellies (aka muck boot clones)
£19.99 of awsomeness
or berghaus lightweight walking boots...often can be had at 50% off on Amazon
Good thing about wellies is they require no looking after and are high enough to keep your trews clean.
Daily walk the dogs in ankle-deep grass - 20 years of this tells me that even the best leather and GoreTex boots will start leaking at some point. I also have some 20 year-old Nokian short wellies - very popular in Scandinavia and still going strong. They also take tungsten carbide inserts that work on ice.
I did walk mine in Sports Direct Dunlop wellies (£11 iirc) when it was very wet. (Comfortable enough and ahem, still going strong!)
As dovebiker says, hiking boots do tend to leak.
It’s always worth a look in tkmaxx for stuff like this.
They sometimes have hiking type boots in but a pair of timberland type boots would work just as well
You might prefer something slip on like wellies or rigger boots though. Depends on what getting in the door with a wet dog and muddy boots is like in your house- you might prefer being able to keep your hands free!
Wellies as they're quick to put on first thing in the morning and stop the bottom of your trousers getting wet, as well as walking boots
Wellies with insoles and a good pair of socks every time. I hated wellies until I got dogs, then the ease of use just made them the best choice.
Easy to put ion, easy to take off. Waterproof. £9 for Dunlop or similar.
+1 for wellies. Boots without gaiters will just end in muddy legs.
It’s always worth a look in tkmaxx for stuff like this.
^^That man sometimes knows what he's talking about 😉
Get thee to the MAXX or sell your soul and look in Sports Direct 🙂
It’s always worth a look in tkmaxx for stuff like this.
Dammit. Shoulda thunk of that when I was at Hermiston Gait Decathlon.
Sports Direct wellies seems to be a popular option.
I'll be in Gretna in the October school week and i'll trawl round the outdoor outlets for bargains before I go full ned.
Thanks all.
Standards are slipping round here . No one has demanded pictures of the puppy.
Another vote for wellies here. As said elsewhere get a decent set of insoles and warm socks for winter and they'll be perfect.
Dammit. Shoulda thunk of that when I was at Hermiston Gait Decathlon
Look in the corners in tkmaxx- wellies don’t fit on their racks so wellies and taller boots tend to end up tucked out of sight a little bit.
+1 to tk maxx. Bought a really nice pair of Merrill walking shoes for £40 from there for dog walking. Been ace...
I bought posh wellies for about 30. They are comfy and perfect for your task. Go try a few on but i got mine in wickes of all places
Decathlon wellies have a very comfortable insole.
The 29quid ones do anyway.
And a pair of hunting socks for warmth
A little off-kilter suggestion here:
I bought a pair of DeWalt "Bolster" boots from Screwfix.
They're amazingly comfortable to wear all day, proper protective toe and sole (if you ever needed workboots) warm, supportive and pretty waterproof. What's more they look pretty smart too. I find myself wearing them to the pub and other places and they're fine for riding the bike. Pub bike is fixed wheel with flat V8 pedals - normally a lethal combo.
I swapped them for a pair of Doc Marten workboots that I just couldn't get on with - made my feet hurt.
I wore them all the time at the Beautiful days festival which turned out to be a bit of a mudfest and was dry and comfortable - without slipping over all the time.
You're a QS aren't you? Nick a pair of boots from site.
Sweet baby jeebus and the orphans....
Sorry, I mean "boss, I've misplaced my PPE"
I used my site safety boots last winter for dog walking. Boy they feel heavy after a few miles.
Don't be tempted to buy cheap Gelert ones from sports direct. They claim to be waterproof but after less than a year one sole is making a stupid squelch noise and both feet seem to be getting wet - particularly on the soles of my feet.
Think I'll shortly be buying some wellies instead.
I got some Hi-Tec waterproof boots back in May which have been good - done beach holidays , clambering and various other dog walking duties and still look and feel very new. Cost me £35 from Amazon.
You're a QS aren't you? Nick a pair of boots from site.
Quantity surveyors don't go on site they just spoil all the fun from behind a spreadsheet.
Spreadsheets ARE the fun.
I've already ordered a pair of riggers but they're murder to walk in for any distance.
