Wellies / Waterproof Boots

[Knomester]

I just wondered if any of you know much about wellies or waterproof boots in terms of how good they are for childrens' feet?

Our toddler is due some new wellies as his feet have just grown, but we're not sure which brand or style to go for. Until now he has always had a basic welly (currently has the ?12 ones from John Lewis which have the cuff at the top), but as he wears them so much (all day sometimes - he spends most of his time in mud and puddles) I'm not sure whether they are any good for his feet, etc.

We spend so much money on correctly fitted shoes that it strikes me as odd to just stick his feet in any old wellies when it's not just for occasional use (as in our son's case). There are so many wellies out there - bog standard wellies, crocs, hunter, joules, etc and I've also heard there are properly fitted waterproof boots you can by (I can't remember the details...) - that I'm not really sure where to start.

He is a size 7 shoe so would probably need a bigger size in boots to allow for thicker socks. I don't know if that makes any difference.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts / guidance! Thanks

[oimissus]

maybe get them from Clarks? I agree if he's in them so much it's probably worth getting 'good' ones.

[lucyA1308]

I often wonder the same thing. My daughter mostly wears wellies from September - July ( I do remember a brief spell of sunshine last year, but other than that it was mainly wellies). our are even cheaper - ?6 from Sainsbury's, yet I do spend much more on properly fitted Clarks shoes which get worn much less.

I think Shoes need to fit because if they are too big, they will fall off, or the child won't walk properly, which is not so much the case with Wellies. you can easily tell if the wellies are too tight, and I think this is the thing to watch out for regard childrens feet.

[bluesuperted]

Hi K!

As you know I was pondering the same thing, especially as I don't drive so E is always on foot (hardly ever in pushchair or, sob, sling) these days and it's always crap weather!

We decided to bite the bullet and invested in a pair of Vivobarefoot Becks boots, I've had many friends love them and I really like the flexible, natural and wide design of the Vivobarefoot range. They were super pricey though as I bought them in Biff (?57!) but I figured they were the same price as wellies plus new shoes. I opted for slightly too big and E is currently wearing them with extra socks - the fit is great that way and I'm much happier with him wearing those boots everyday than I was with his JoJo wellies which looked like they had no ankle support once they were a bit over-used. The Becks boots seem water and mud proof so far, which is good. Here's a picture but there is not a good size selection (price is great though!). Think they are actually girls but they look lovely on boys.

http://www.littlegemsboutique.com/becks---dark-brown---vivobarefoot-kids-was-5799-now-4099-6646-p.asp

Vivobarefoot also has a nice 'Chelsea' boot which is also nice and a bit cheaper but slightly lower and without the fleecy inner. Also you can sometimes find these boots cheaper online but you'd have to be sure of sizes first. Hope this helps!

BST x

[Magnima]

I've just got my little boy some Splats,waterproof like wellies but light-weight and breathable.

Only trouble is they start at a size 8 which I bought for my son who's a 7 thinking he'd wear thick socks but they come up really big. Anyway might be worth a look. Bit expensive at ?38 but worth it if they are in them constantly. http://www.thesplats.com/

[bonacara]

wellies are ok in plus temperatures, however when it gets down close to 0 they are freezing! made of rubber they dont have any warmth, even if thick socks are worn inside them. you need proper leather boots for winter, preferably with fur lining all the way down to the toes. (not just for show) coming from a colder country I am amazed at how many people (kids and adults) wear wellies here in the middle of winter!! brrrr.

[snowboarder]

My little wellie wearer has a pair of these aigle lined wellies: http://www.easy-wellies.co.uk/aigle-childrens-fur-lined-snow-boot-red-and-white-p-740.html. This is good because he has some kind of issue with wearing socks, so furry lining is helpful (!). I also bagged a pair of olang snow boots for him on ebay ( a fiver! woohoo!) which are study/supportive and super warm! - http://www.olang.co.uk/product.php?product_id=57

[Knomester]

Thank you all so much! Lots to looks at.

[GinaG3]

My our daughter had goretex boots from Clarks, so fully waterproof, but breathable at the same time. Available for boys and girls in winter months I think, but ?55 a pop. Have the advantage of being properly fitted though, I can't think of many others at all.. Worth a look in their sale which is on now, probably going in to final clearance as I type.

[Knomester]

Thank you all for your help and advice.

In the end, as my toddler already has a pair of leather ankle boots for everyday wear, we bought him a pair of waterproof snowboots (with adjustable velcro straps) for cold and snowy weather - http://www.muddypuddles.com/boys/footwear_1/snowboots_1/reflex_snowboots.htm - and a pair of knee high wellies for jumping in puddles on rainy days - http://www.muddypuddles.com/footwear/wellies/classic_wellies_navy.htm

Both have proved to be excellent choices so far. We bought both in the next size up (size 8) and he wears them with thick welly socks. The snowboots fit well and are lovely and warm. They are also really light so he can run around in them no problem. The wellies come high up his legs so combined with waterproof trousers are perfect for mud and puddles. They also seem to fit much better than any of the other brands we tried (John Lewis, Hunter and Crocs).

Can't wait for his feet to grow so that he can have a pair of splats though - they look amazing!