Author Topic: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?  (Read 16283 times)

deltaecho

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has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« on: March 12, 2013, 06:16:07 PM »
I'm looking for a rain boot that doesn't fall apart after 1-2 years, I've bought 2 pairs so far.  does anyone have any suggestions for durable ones that will last?  I don't mind spending more money if they actually last.

mustachecat

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2013, 06:31:25 PM »
I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit this, but I have a pair of Burberry wellies, and they've lasted eight years with minimal wear and no tears/leaks/etc.

If I were in the market for another pair, I would go with Hunter or LL Bean, tilting towards LL Bean because they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

CanuckExpat

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2013, 06:40:05 PM »
Maybe try checking a store with a good warranty program: return any time if not satisfied (REI, Lands End,..). That way at least, if the boots fall apart before you think they should, you'd be able to get a refund. In my limited experience, at least with these two stores, the merchandise does tend to be somewhat better quality than stores that don't offer such generous guarantees.

Blazin

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2013, 08:10:15 PM »
I have a pair of Bogs that have been great!   I don't know how much they normally run as I got them at a warehouse sale several years ago.

tmac

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2013, 09:21:40 PM »
I have a pair of Red Ball rubber boots I bought during a camping and canoeing trip in 1990. 23 years. Does that count as BIFL?

KGZotU

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2013, 09:54:54 PM »
Much of SE Alaska is a rainforest, and the footwear of choice there is Xtratuf boots.

vern

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2013, 12:13:21 AM »
I have a pair of insulated Muck Boots that I got for duck hunting.  I wear them around the house when its raining and also on the way up and back to cross country skiing.

I've had them for ~8 years and they are very high quality.

StarswirlTheMustached

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2013, 07:04:48 AM »
I don't know if the quality is still there, or if you can get them in the US, but the "Made in Canada" rubber boots they sell at Canadian Tire seem to last me pretty much forever. Of course, that's with very occasional wear. I've no experience with how well they'd stand up if you put a lot of miles on them.

tdbat

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2013, 07:17:21 AM »
I second the Xtra Tuff boots. They are the ultimate utility boot. I work in a variety of locations but use them in the Northeast in rain and snow (with LL Bean shearling boot liners in winter) and I find them useful when working in tropical forests as well. I just pull the liner out and the boots themselves fold down to fit in a duffel bag for travel.

I'm on my second pair in 8 years only because I waded through a swamp, filled my boots, then left them too close to the fire that night and melted a hole in one of them. That's about the only way you'll get a hole in them. I'd estimate I wear mine about 150 - 200 days each year.

chicagomeg

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2013, 08:28:29 AM »
I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit this, but I have a pair of Burberry wellies, and they've lasted eight years with minimal wear and no tears/leaks/etc.

If I were in the market for another pair, I would go with Hunter or LL Bean, tilting towards LL Bean because they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

I had Bean wellies in college. Admittedly, I wore them almost every day because I couldn't afford rain boots & snow boots. They probably saw more salt than they were supposed to. Still, I got them for my birthday in Oct. 2009 and had to return them for a refund in April 2011 when they started leaking. I was disappointed. I suppose I could keep getting free ones over and over, but I'm going to try Kamik's this time; my coworker has them and says they've held up well so far, and they look nice enough to wear to and from work w/o issue.

mustachecat

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2013, 08:38:35 AM »
I had Bean wellies in college. Admittedly, I wore them almost every day because I couldn't afford rain boots & snow boots. They probably saw more salt than they were supposed to. Still, I got them for my birthday in Oct. 2009 and had to return them for a refund in April 2011 when they started leaking. I was disappointed. I suppose I could keep getting free ones over and over, but I'm going to try Kamik's this time; my coworker has them and says they've held up well so far, and they look nice enough to wear to and from work w/o issue.

Oh, that's really too bad. I have a few LL Bean things that have lasted over the years, and my friend still has a pair of duck boots from when she was 15. Maybe the manufacturing quality has gone down recently?

chicagomeg

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2013, 10:13:26 AM »
I had Bean wellies in college. Admittedly, I wore them almost every day because I couldn't afford rain boots & snow boots. They probably saw more salt than they were supposed to. Still, I got them for my birthday in Oct. 2009 and had to return them for a refund in April 2011 when they started leaking. I was disappointed. I suppose I could keep getting free ones over and over, but I'm going to try Kamik's this time; my coworker has them and says they've held up well so far, and they look nice enough to wear to and from work w/o issue.

Oh, that's really too bad. I have a few LL Bean things that have lasted over the years, and my friend still has a pair of duck boots from when she was 15. Maybe the manufacturing quality has gone down recently?

I don't know, I've had good luck with mine and my fiance's coats from there so far. I do think the salt had a lot to do with it, it seems logical that that would dry out the rubber, no matter where the boots are from.

lifejoy

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2013, 11:14:54 AM »
I love the look of Tretorn, but they don't last!

I'm glad you started this thread :)

Erica/NWEdible

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2013, 12:04:03 PM »
+1 to BOGS

c

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2013, 03:44:22 PM »
I have Hunters, the Festival version, which is the shorter one as it's most rainy during the Summer here. I've had them for about 4 years and two years ago I bought some fleece liners so I can wear them during the winter too - I didn't find them warm enough. These are the closest http://usa.hunter-boot.com/product/original-short

Prior to getting them I had cheaper pairs but they always gave out after a season. I walk a lot and am tough on my footwear, it's one of the areas I learnt not to skimp in.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2013, 03:46:21 PM by c »

Anvil

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #15 on: March 14, 2013, 02:22:30 AM »
Don't know if its just a UK thing, but Dunlops.  My sister in law works in land management - and they all wear them.  They come in all kinds from fairly cheap regular, to all kinds of job sepcifics, steel toes, hyper warm, for super wet environments, farmers.

http://www.dunlopboots.com/en

I got some cheap ones off amazon, and they are sturdy, comfortable and hard wearing.  The best wellies I've ever had!


mobilisinmobili

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2013, 03:59:59 PM »
I'm looking for a rain boot that doesn't fall apart after 1-2 years, I've bought 2 pairs so far.  does anyone have any suggestions for durable ones that will last?  I don't mind spending more money if they actually last.

What are you going to be using them for?

LL Beans are great in the city (stylish rain boot as well), but personally I wouldn't use them in a work / outdoors / swamp / construction environment. They're fine for the city though.


deltaecho

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Re: has anyone found durable rubber rain boots?
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2013, 04:42:06 PM »
wow, thanks for all the suggestions.  they are for walking around wet fields and woods with my dog.  I still haven't decided.