Last summer we moved from the midwest to the Puget Sound area. We live on an old horse farm, and I like to ramble around our property. I rack up about three miles a day doing so.
Because of the rain and dew, I often wear rubber rain boots on these rambles. They’re waterproof and they come up to my knee, which is necessary in the high grass. The problem is, I blow them out really fast doing this. We’ve lived here for ten months and I just blew holes in my third pair, making them essentially useless because my feet get wet. The first two were fairly cheap; the most recent pair were from Eddie Bauer and I seriously hoped they would last longer, it being a Seattle-based company and all.
So what do I do? Buy the cheapest ones I can find, and replace them every 3-4 months? Is there something else that will work better for me? I thought about waterproof hiking boots, but none of them are tall enough. I would end up with soggy trousers.
Have you looked into barn boots at farm store? Waterproof takes on a whole new level of importance when the water is actually liquid manure. They’re ugly as crap and not too good if you need fancy stuff like extra arch support, but they do keep ya dry and last(or at least they did when I got my last ones which are still great 20 years later).
I have a hobby ebay business selling shoes and boots on the net so here’s my 2 cents.
There are huge range of waterproof boots available. Muck style bootslike these are far heavier duty than rain boots and are not cheap. Having said this no rubber boot of any kind is really going to last long when used for 3 miles of overland trekking a day. That’s not what they are designed for.
You need a high quality waterproof hiking boot and tall gaiters or a tall, waterproof hunting boot. Both are typically in the 150-300 dollar range.
As long as you’re not slogging through a swamp I’d investigate high waterproof hiking shoes and gaters. The shoes would be waterproof to maybe 2-3 inches whiles the gaters provide protection from tall wet grass as well as falling rain.
The quality of LLB merchandise can’t be beat. Their stuff is durable. I have a leather bookbag and boots that date back to my undergrad days 40-odd years ago that I still use and that are still in fine condition.
Land’s End has good stuff, too. So has Orvis, though Orvis can be pricey.
I sure do love to look at LL Bean boots online. I assumed I’d have them beat to hell in a season, though.
I looked through Cabela’s, now that you all told me about hunting boots and gaiters and all that. Mostly thinking about what kind of on/off mechanism would work best for me. Laces … ergh. I hate to lace shoes.
You need to understand that non-rubber fabric or leather boots regardless of quality do need to dry out between uses or they will deteriorate and stink. If you are going to soak the boots with each use you need to get 2-3 pairs to cycle so they can dry out.
You keep giving me links to men’s boots, astro I have stolen my husband’s when in a pinch, but I find boots made for women fit me better in the long term.
Seriously though–thanks for your advice. I just bit the bullet on a pair of pull-on Muck boots from Cabela’s. They were pricey, but if they last, they’ll be worth it. Thanks for confirming my suspicion about Bean boots …
Muckboots. They are a bit pricey, but you just shove your feet in and they are good to go. Everyone I know (we are a bit rural) keeps a pair by the door. Waterproof, comfortable, last for years.
I’ve owned several pairs of the slip on version of LLBean boots over decades. One thing to realize is that the soles wear pretty quickly and become quite slippery. Far before the upper parts wear out. (I admit that a part of my experience may be due to my wearing them - at least in part - on paved surfaces. They might not wear this way if used solely on grass/dirt.) They can be EXTREMELY slick on damp/icy surfaces. In fact, I broke my ankle last year walking down tiled stairs inside my house.
A great product in terms of ease to slip on and completely waterproof, but you might want to pay a little more attention than you otherwise might. I still wear them, mainly because I’ve been too lazy to get a pair of muckboots - which impress me as the best alternative. But I’m VERY careful if they are the least bit damp.
I second (third?) the idea of ankle-high waterproof hiking boots and gaiters.
I will second this recommendation. Best pair of rubber boots ever! I am super picky about comfort and support and I love my Muckboots so much I’m working on my third pair. It took me three years of daily dog walks to wear the tread off my first ankle high pair, but they’re still waterproof. Not too hot in summer, and warm enough for winter if I’m not standing around. Invested in a tall pair with heavier tread for snow and winter, and most recently another ankle high pair for daily dog walks. Buy a size smaller than you’d normally wear.
I bought rugged hiking sandals. TEVAs, Chockos, KEENs. they all work well. Just give up hope and get your feet wet. They will dry out. Unless there is some inherent harm in being wet for 3.5 miles of walking, then I recommend you bail on the idea that you HAVE to stay dry.
Case in point. I was canoeing with my brother in Alaska a few years ago. He had the best waterproof hiking boots the government could buy for him. He was unable and unwilling to go into water more than ankle deep. With my Teva’s I was able to say ‘screw it’ and walked all through the river up to my thighs. I dried out in minutes, his feet would have been soaked for hours.
Hmmm. My husband is a sports sandal devotee. We’ve found that Chaco’s quality has gone to hell. The pair he bought three years ago delaminated in their second season. The pair before that was the pair he bought in 1990, to trek around Nepal. Lasted him 25 years. Very sad.
I do wear a pair of rubber gardening clogs for my rambles in warm weather–when I’m wearing shorts or capris anyway. Dunno how it would feel to slog through the mud in 45-degree winter weather, though, and my trousers would still get wet. There is also the sticky issue of blackberry brambles, which have wicked thorns. I do like to venture into the hedgerows.
Since gaiters have already been mentioned (standard part of my outdoor gear for 30 years) I’ll add rain/brush chaps, not leather, water-proofed nylon or canvas.
Either means your shoes only need to be water-proof to the ankle, and for that, I swear by pac boots, which also come as slip-ons.
(I have had pacs crack over the toe (easily fixed with some Goop) but I’ve never worn out the soles.)
I have stolen my husband’s when in a pinch, but I find boots made for women fit me better in the long term.