-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Boots or things for the feet (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter pduxon
- Start date
Darren Oakley-Martin
________________
I have a pair of Hawkins. I Love 'em and cherish 'em! Wash and clean them every time I get back from birding. Cool and warm at the same time! They've travelled the equivalent of twice round the world with me and STILL going strong. Nice boots.
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
Has to be "Hunters" Pete,no cheapos!!.or a good pair of Reebocs.
deboo
.............
Ooooohh a shoe thread!!!
I've got 3 pairs of Portugese walking boots from an Army surplus store in Burton.
They are Goretex and cost £20 a pair...I like my hush puppy sandals, but best of all
I've got my wellies...they are by royal appointment and I have actually seen her maj traipsing around Sandringham in a pair just like mine...size 13's too.
You know what they say about men with big feet doncha?
Big feet...big wellies...yup, that's what they say....hahaha
Dave.
I've got 3 pairs of Portugese walking boots from an Army surplus store in Burton.
They are Goretex and cost £20 a pair...I like my hush puppy sandals, but best of all
I've got my wellies...they are by royal appointment and I have actually seen her maj traipsing around Sandringham in a pair just like mine...size 13's too.
You know what they say about men with big feet doncha?
Big feet...big wellies...yup, that's what they say....hahaha
Dave.
Edward woodwood
Member
Watcha Pete
pair of Gore-tex, fairly lightweight boots - been everywhere over last four years and seem to be holding up amazingly
in summer and footy season a pair of Adidas Sambas usualy suffices - for the fashion concious birder (yes there's only one!) - or when an impromptu five-a-side breaks out....
pair of Gore-tex, fairly lightweight boots - been everywhere over last four years and seem to be holding up amazingly
in summer and footy season a pair of Adidas Sambas usualy suffices - for the fashion concious birder (yes there's only one!) - or when an impromptu five-a-side breaks out....
Duck Boots Rock! I've never seen them in the UK but they like an army surplus boot crossed with a wellie - basically leather boots with a rubberised sole and lower section - can get a bit stinky but ideal for walking through wet fields of slightly boggy ground. this is a pic: http://www.perrets.com/Pb240007_250w.jpg
StevieEvans
Well-known member
Give it some
Green 'Dickies' Wellies at this time year when "thas lurds o' clarts"
Advantages:-
Easy on & off & Easy to clean..
Dry feet all day even when you've been over the heaps for Jack Snipe....
Dont have to worry about them getting wet, if they're covered in dog-**** & you've left them at the back door.....
Steel toe-caps great for making steps up steep, slippy banksides & discretely getting rid of unwanted dogs....
Great for a game of 'Hoy the wellie' if the birding is poor.....
Disadvantages:-
Tripod leg(s) can become lodged down boot(s)....
Can become seperated from the foot while following that snipe with unusual wing pattern too quickly....
Metal toecaps Set off airport detectors as you walk through.....
Derisory stares from 'bird spotters'.....
Also Tried various brands of Goretex boots, comfortable but never last long.
Used to live in Rigger work boots, been to the top of Cross Fell & walked up Cairngorm in them! Think if i tried it now id be in an ITU.
SE. Wellies Rule
Green 'Dickies' Wellies at this time year when "thas lurds o' clarts"
Advantages:-
Easy on & off & Easy to clean..
Dry feet all day even when you've been over the heaps for Jack Snipe....
Dont have to worry about them getting wet, if they're covered in dog-**** & you've left them at the back door.....
Steel toe-caps great for making steps up steep, slippy banksides & discretely getting rid of unwanted dogs....
Great for a game of 'Hoy the wellie' if the birding is poor.....
Disadvantages:-
Tripod leg(s) can become lodged down boot(s)....
Can become seperated from the foot while following that snipe with unusual wing pattern too quickly....
Metal toecaps Set off airport detectors as you walk through.....
Derisory stares from 'bird spotters'.....
Also Tried various brands of Goretex boots, comfortable but never last long.
Used to live in Rigger work boots, been to the top of Cross Fell & walked up Cairngorm in them! Think if i tried it now id be in an ITU.
SE. Wellies Rule
Chris Oates
Why does a Black-headed Gull have a brown head...
Thanks for all the advice here.
I'd never heard of Brasher or Karrimor before so with some trepidation I ordered Karrimor KSBs & Brasher quasars from M & M Sports (website here) - both are a real pleasure to walk in.
They are both UK based companies that appear think a bit about English feet - I've had three pairs of Hawkins (got them cheap) that were always toe pinchers.
The trepidation was due to (a) never heard of the brands (b) never heard of M&M Sports - both came good and the prices were excellent.
I think we've all got the idea now that warmth comes from cheap layers & fleece, inexpensive coat, hat, gloves - your feet though need extra attention & protection as wet/cold/sore ones are certain to curtail your birding day.
I'd never heard of Brasher or Karrimor before so with some trepidation I ordered Karrimor KSBs & Brasher quasars from M & M Sports (website here) - both are a real pleasure to walk in.
They are both UK based companies that appear think a bit about English feet - I've had three pairs of Hawkins (got them cheap) that were always toe pinchers.
The trepidation was due to (a) never heard of the brands (b) never heard of M&M Sports - both came good and the prices were excellent.
I think we've all got the idea now that warmth comes from cheap layers & fleece, inexpensive coat, hat, gloves - your feet though need extra attention & protection as wet/cold/sore ones are certain to curtail your birding day.
Corax67
Well-known member
And in my bootbags are:
Dunlop Wellies - super comfy all year round wear, hard wearing & cheap.
Scarpa full grain leather walking boots - my go everywhere, do everything boots (needed NO breaking in at all - wonderful).
Berghaus Gore-tex lightweight walking boots - my summer specials.
It has to be comfort & fit first for me & these all work beautifully.
Dunlop Wellies - super comfy all year round wear, hard wearing & cheap.
Scarpa full grain leather walking boots - my go everywhere, do everything boots (needed NO breaking in at all - wonderful).
Berghaus Gore-tex lightweight walking boots - my summer specials.
It has to be comfort & fit first for me & these all work beautifully.
matt green
Norfolkman gone walkabout
been yomping around in my latest pair of £5.99 green wellies from the garden centre,had em a month,they havent started to split yet.
having my trezeta walking boots glued back together tomorrow for the last time,when they are trashed i'm getting some brasher hill masters just like the dudes at titchwell!!
lord knows how long they will last,this mid norfolk boulder clay sticks to everything and sets like concrete.
matt
having my trezeta walking boots glued back together tomorrow for the last time,when they are trashed i'm getting some brasher hill masters just like the dudes at titchwell!!
lord knows how long they will last,this mid norfolk boulder clay sticks to everything and sets like concrete.
matt
Last edited:
Marmot
Well-known member
Try out these Tayberry boots and only £19.99. They are toasty warm comfy and you can walk in puddles and mud without any problems sue to the bottom half which is waterproof seeled like a wellie.
http://www.tayberryonline.co.uk/acatalog/Garden_Boot.html
http://www.tayberryonline.co.uk/acatalog/Garden_Boot.html
Jack Snipe
goose on the loose
As with endeavour of this kind, you simply equip yourself with the appropriate footwear for the weather and ground conditions! It's not rocket science
In my case it's usually a variety of permutations, depending on what the elements has to throw at me....if it's dry during summer, then ordinary lightweight walking boots (even the cheaper Hi-Tec types aren't too bad as they do their job) are fine. If I don't want to be clad too bulkily, then I too am quite happy to just walk about in a pair of trusty trainers (Adidas Sambas being my faves as well - though they don't offer the best "suspension" as they're flat indoor soccer/recreation shoes more than specifically designed walking/torsion trainers). If it's wetter but not completely mud-swamped or slippy, then a pair of my old DM boots does the job very well....
However, when the necessity for wellies arises due to more saturated/muddy conditions, I too find that sticking to the good old British-made black Uniroyal Argyll (now Hunter-affiliated) wellies with the red bands and comfy cushioned insoles more than does the job for me, or if the ground is more rugged, the steel-toe variant will offer even better protection - but I'd only advocate the latter for more strenuous activities like digging and stuff like that! Nothing beats the durability and comfort of a good old British-made black welly boot though of the Uniroyal/Gates or former BTR/Bullseye make (bit of a traditionalist am I, as I won't be seen dead in cheap PVC or green wellies!) . But the bad news is that not only are the old Argylls almost impossible to find now due to the market being taken over by the green Hunter, but any pairs you do come across are obscenely expensive. In fact I think they have just reintroduced a new variant of this boot based on the old classic shape/design but they appear flimsier and, needless to say, more expensive (see the Hunter's website). Now, in my view, only fools would think of forking out anything up to £40-50 just for a pair of wellies - no matter how good quality they are! Just as well I bought mine over 15 years ago when they were much cheaper (a mere £12) and more easily available from various outlets, and they have served me all this time!
In my case it's usually a variety of permutations, depending on what the elements has to throw at me....if it's dry during summer, then ordinary lightweight walking boots (even the cheaper Hi-Tec types aren't too bad as they do their job) are fine. If I don't want to be clad too bulkily, then I too am quite happy to just walk about in a pair of trusty trainers (Adidas Sambas being my faves as well - though they don't offer the best "suspension" as they're flat indoor soccer/recreation shoes more than specifically designed walking/torsion trainers). If it's wetter but not completely mud-swamped or slippy, then a pair of my old DM boots does the job very well....
However, when the necessity for wellies arises due to more saturated/muddy conditions, I too find that sticking to the good old British-made black Uniroyal Argyll (now Hunter-affiliated) wellies with the red bands and comfy cushioned insoles more than does the job for me, or if the ground is more rugged, the steel-toe variant will offer even better protection - but I'd only advocate the latter for more strenuous activities like digging and stuff like that! Nothing beats the durability and comfort of a good old British-made black welly boot though of the Uniroyal/Gates or former BTR/Bullseye make (bit of a traditionalist am I, as I won't be seen dead in cheap PVC or green wellies!) . But the bad news is that not only are the old Argylls almost impossible to find now due to the market being taken over by the green Hunter, but any pairs you do come across are obscenely expensive. In fact I think they have just reintroduced a new variant of this boot based on the old classic shape/design but they appear flimsier and, needless to say, more expensive (see the Hunter's website). Now, in my view, only fools would think of forking out anything up to £40-50 just for a pair of wellies - no matter how good quality they are! Just as well I bought mine over 15 years ago when they were much cheaper (a mere £12) and more easily available from various outlets, and they have served me all this time!
