There are many wellies on the market, some better than others, and if you trying to choose for the first time there are things to consider:

Why spend so much on wellies when the local DIY shop is selling them for £15?

You will find that most cheap wellingtons are made mostly from PVC. This will make you perspire and has a poor resistance to the work that we expect wellies to do. They will wear quickly and tear/split easily. Our whole range of rubber wellies are made from 100% natural rubber, and our stocks are handmade, giving superb quality and longevity.

If you suffer with cold feet, a neoprene-lined welly will keep your feet amazingly warm on the coldest days. If you don’t, don’t buy neoprene-lined wellies – you will overheat!

Our warmest boot is the Aigle Parcours 2 ISO, extremely warm and very comfortable. Le Chameau’s equivalent is the Vierzonord welly, another warm and comfortable boot, whilst the Le Chameau Chasseur Neo wellies have a neoprene lining and a full-length waterproof zip. The Muck Boots and Grubs ranges are made from neoprene but designed to breathe. They are all fully waterproof and have the advantage that you can roll the legs of the boot down, allowing air to circulate.

Le Chameau have produced the Chasseur Fouree with a natural wool lining, which is very cosy!

Read our Best Winter Wellies Guide

Cotton-lined wellingtons allow you to decide whether a thick sock is needed or not, depending on the temperature. An Outlast lined boot will regulate the temperature of your feet, cooling if they get too hot. The Aigle Parcours 2 Outlast wellies are lined with this amazing material.

A leather lining in your wellies works as an insulator and assists in allowing your feet to breathe – very comfortable! Our boots that feature a leather lining include: Le Chameau Chasseur Cuir or Chasseur Cuir (Ladies). You will find that the leather will mould to your foot, giving you the perfect fit and comfort level whilst the leather and rubber combination helps to make the boots last longer.

If your calves are normally too large to be accommodated in a standard welly, choose a boot with a waterproof gusset. The Aigle Parcours 2 Vario, Agile Parcours 2 ISO, Aigle 2 Parcours Outlast, Le Chameau Vierzonord and also Le Chameau Vierzonord Ladies wellies have this facility. This allows for an amount of adjustment at the top of the boots (up to 6cm with Aigle and Le Chameau). If this doesn’t suit, the neoprene Muck Boots or Grubs ranges are very flexible in the leg and have the added bonus of clamping on to your calf to stop water running down inside your wellies!

Beware: a zipped boot does not give any more room in the leg of the boot once zipped up!

The Muck Boots and Grubs ranges can be folded over to get the wellies on and off, making the process easier than a standard rubber boot. Wellies with a gusset (see above) will also aid the on/off process whilst wellies with a full zip (see Le Chameau Chasseur and Le Chameau Chasseurneo) make life even simpler, although caring for the zips is very important (see Boot Care)!

If all else fails, use one of our Boot Jacks. It saves wearing out the back door step and the heel of the wellies!

The Muck Boot Chore Hi is a warm and solid boot, strengthened for durability at work.

Sadly, there are no rubber boots still made in the UK. The nearest welly makers are in northern France – Aigle have been making boots there since 1853!

We are happy to advise if you have particular requirements or are confused by the wealth of choice. Call us on 0161 850 4880 or email us via our contact form (click here). You can also reach us on social media – FacebookTwitter