The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: rispainfarm on June 25, 2013, 06:11:26 pm
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In the interest of research and for a future article all you hard working smallholders, I would be interested in knowing your favourite brand of wellingtons, why? and which ones would you avoid like the plague. Also the type of coat you favour when working outside with the animals, again why and which ones would you avoid. Also any other type of clothes that you wear and couldn't live without when working outside with the animals. Many thanks :)
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Favourite wellies - Dunlop, safety. They have enough room for my broad feet and calves. I've other wellies (inherited) that I simply can't get into, although they are the right size.
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Wellies, I have the same problem because of very high arches. The few times I wear wellies I choose those that lace all the way up and they are a pain in the :rant: as they get caught in everything. Never wear coats as the weather only goes down to minus 40 :innocent:
Just more and more layers of jumpers. One tip - wool jumpers neutralise farmyard smells / odeurs / perfumes.
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Ive got a pair of Dunlop green wellies and very good they are too. They are nice and comfy for my very fat legs, and are surprisingly warm even in the snow. They were one of my husband's better pressies for me.
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never hunter wellies as they only last 3 mths with me. i love my muckboot wellies as they last all year, and if they do split, its quite high up so still wearable.
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Dunlop pro comfort - cheap light and into second year now with no loss of grip ;D Went through 2 pairs of insulated ones and muc boots - rubbish! Sole wore smooth in 6 months. Any old coat. I now have a second hand barbour, a £20 drizabone long coat off ebay ( :love: :love: :love: ) and 2 old waterproofs - I just wear them in roatation while each dries off (rains a lot here!!)
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Muckboots - good insulation from the cold - makes walking (did I say walking?) through snow drifts bearable, comfortable to wear for long periods.
I would never go back to Hunters again - the cold penetrates the soles and my feet turn to ice no matter how many pairs of sox.
Gloves - often Riggers - leather palm & fingers, cloth outside. - cheap from places like Screwfix, robust enough to withstand a good chewing from a hungry Shetland cow after a carrot. Stops your hands freezing on a wet metal gate in the winter.
Waterproof trousers - most necessary in Winter - when walking through shuddy fields and tracks (shuddy= mixture of mud & cow dung). Also waterproof trousers give an extra layer of clothing to keep in the warmth. Waterproof trousers also allow us to sit down on the side of the field to get the calves used to us. And, as some of our cows are 'leaners' it stops jeans getting covered in greasy cow rubbings.
Hat/Scarf - when the wind blows up here, it really blows - and you loose a lot of heat from your head.
Waterproof coat - currently using a Gelert -nice and cosy - bought in a sale. A coat has to have pockets -for the baler twine, the odd spanner, penknife, small hand spade, carrots etc.
Steve wears overalls for working on the tractor - when he remembers - stops shirts & jeans getting covered in grease - when he remembers to wear his overalls.
Another thing we couldn't do without this time of year is Jungle Formula Max - stops the midges biting and I've got a midge net hat for when the going gets tough.
Sue
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Wellies - in the summer, some cheap ones with bright red flowers on ;D Winter - muck boots as they keep my feet really warm. NEVER going near hunters again, so uncomfortable and total waste of cash for me.
A Joules bodywarmer/gilet as it has large pockets for keys, baler twine, dog treats etc
Barbour type waterproof jacket that used to be my dads and is huge on me but loads of pockets and very warm.
Hat - one that belongs to my 8 year old - it has badger eyes and nose on it and large fluffy ears, the flaps cover my ears, crucial in the winter or wind.
Socks - Toggie socks are awesome and don't roll down!
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Wellies -I had a pair of Barbours for a good few years, now love my neoprene lined Muddies ( I'm a kids size by the way so much cheaper )
Coat is a long Berghaus which a fleece can be zipped in for winter. Plenty of pockets inside and out even though one or two have a few dog tooth marks in now :innocent: I've had it for appx 10years now.
Hat is usually a fleece in cerise pink but when I was having sheep experience on a farm my hat was 'stolen' by a cow and I didn't notice until I tried to take it off. And it didn't feel secure on my head as I rode the quad in gusty winds so a cerise balaclava was perfect.
Often wear a padded body warmer too, even fits under my coat on really cold days.
I don't do anything without waterproof trousers and wellies as I'm so clumsy and mud attracts itself to me even in summer ::)
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Loved my Gortex waterproofs when shooting, always kept me bone dry
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Thank you so much everyone for replying, keep them coming in. Article aside it is interesting listening to what you have to say. Hunters it seems are a no good except for show. Could this be because the rubber is so thin and they easily split. Le chameau as well from speaking to other people don't seem to fair well as working wellies.
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I wear Land Master wellies last for years. Most of my work clothes are joggers, jackets from the charity shop. I have summer socks and winter ones, fleece jackets summer, thick ski one for the winter. hats, gloves all sorts.
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Thank you so much everyone for replying, keep them coming in. Article aside it is interesting listening to what you have to say. Hunters it seems are a no good except for show. Could this be because the rubber is so thin and they easily split. Le chameau as well from speaking to other people don't seem to fair well as working wellies.
Hunters used to be great. I got a neoprene pair for Xmas years ago and they were the best wellies I ever had - warm, comfy and lasted for years. Suspect they've compromised on quality to keep costs down, so they are more fashion than function now. :-\
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Le Chameau neoprene lasted me 2 years, hunters 3 months, le Chameau I would get again cos they do lady shaped and sooo comfy
Now have muck boots which are shorter and unisex so rub a bit at top but they DO have better grip than any of the others (I got the ones with the most extreme tread)
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I only walk the dogs daily and do a bit of beating in season but its on hard and rough ground often, for years me and my husband have bought Muddies or Muck Boots, very very comfy and warm and I like the support past my ankle due to my mobility, I did decided to go for leather ones and this time bought some Tuffa Leather boots, they have a sheepskin liner and are so cosy and comfy I could wear them all day...they also fit my fat calves...as do Muck Boots.
I have various coats but after wax jackets, outdoor wear ones like Jack Murphy and several waterproof ones, I love my old and comfy parker style coat with loads of pockets and a 2 way zip as I hate not to be able to get my leg over a log if my coat is fully done up...after a new coat though and do have an eye on what people recon on here
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My hunters just really, really hurt me. I could only wear them for 20 minutes maximum. I thought it was because I have curvy calfs ;D but upon giving them to my Milli who despite being only 11 has same size feet as her mother, she hates them too!
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We had a couple stay with us once who used to sell wellington boots mail order and they stopped as the size on them varied so much, some were getting smaller but the same brand and size, I notice when I tried on some boots, the smaller size in some brands fitted me when a larger size was too small!! I think the brand we feel comfy in has more to do with our design and suitability to the boot....I love the Neuprean ones as I can get them on and off and they fit well!
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Tried Muckboots-comfy but split very quickly letting water in then Muddies-more comfy than the Muckboots but split again. Find on both of them that the neoprene catches on things like fencing, wire etc. Now have my gorgeous Aigle wellies which are super comfy and neoprene lined (much, much better) Have only had them since last September so they haven't stood the test of time yet but so far so good. My hands and feet get really cold in winter and these have kept my feet the toastiest (sometimes too toasty!). Even popped them on with no socks last night when I put the chooks to bed and they were still comfy. Have not yet found a pair of wellies within which my socks stay up for long periods of wear though which is a real irritant to me.
Clothing wise-jeans with stretch in are vital for catching and tipping sheep to do treatment. A pair of overalls in winter for extra warmth and a succession of waterproof jackets in varying stages of dryness and cruddiness. Sometimes they're both clean and utterly dry. Alas never for long though and ever containing crumbs of some feedstuff or other in pockets! 'Bodyguards' rubber gloves in pockets at all times for treatment, handling icky things and an extra layer under winter gloves to keep moisture out. Still get cold hands but not as bad as cold WET hands. Always have the rubber faced/cotton backed builder's type workgloves for rough jobs. At £1 a pair from the bargain shop you can't go too wrong with them. Have loads of 50p charity shop woolly and fleecey hats. I but loads of tops from charity shops (50p rail) as it really doesn't matter what they look like as long as they can be lobbed in the washing machine.
I have a fabulous Drizabone coat but am too short of arse for it. It's a cumbersome bugger anyway, only wear it when the threat of rain through to the undies looms. Would love a Barbour type jacket.
I did have an idea to have essential tools/meds etc in a leather workman's pouch with the intention of always being ready when going out to the animals. It was hard to manouvere (is that spelt right?)/anyway move about freely-like with it on though. Just thought if I was PREPARED it would be a good thing. Got told in no uncertain terms that I looked a total tit so I've abandoned that.
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I have Muckboots and my experience mirrors what has been written here.
First pair split low down within three months but this latest pair have been great so it seems to be a bit of lottery quality-wise. I like that they stretch snug to my calf so I don't get bits of crud falling down the top (my OH has this problem with his wide topped Dunlops).
Mind you - these days my wellies are always covered by my rubber overtrousers. It's never dry here (Wales).
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Dunlop for wellies, good price, good material. On my second pair in 10 years.
Seldom wear coats. I am a fleece, padded waistcoat, another fleece kind of chap. Don't mind getting wet, prefer that to a waterproof and sweating.
Hats I have by the ton. Wool hats, thermal "wool" hats. Leather croc-Dundee style, French beret, panama, trilby, brown chord flat cap, tartan flat cap, several gardening baseball caps.
Gloves, i have a few, but then again, too few to mention............. :roflanim:
Rgds
Sskye
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Labels aren't worth it and I don't have the money for them to look fashionable so for me it's plain green "farmer wellies" from the local agri store at £12 a pair, current ones have lasted 3 years so far and are wide enough in the calf for me just about.
I'm also a multi-layer fleece type, cheap ones from EWM sales or charity shops mostly, cheapo T shirts from supermarkets and alternate fleece waistcoats inherited from my mum - in summer I often have them on over a T shirt cos I need the pockets as mostly the lower half is equally cheapo leggings and jogger type things, a lycra pair under a loose pair in winter..
Can't be doing with hats or scarves so I have a problem with earache in a cold wind and a former walking pal gave me a neckwarmer type thing that can be pulled up to cover ears at a push. About 6 years and still not much use but it helps when I remember.
Gloves - mostly thinsulate fleecey types with holes worn through finger ends, a couple pairs fingerless woolly types my mum knitted years ago and my absolute favourites a pair of waterproof insulated ones donated by the then husband of a friend - he works on the rigs, no idea what they are or where they came from but one finger end is finally coming adrift and I'll be devastated when they go but will keep using them til they fall off my hands!
Coats vary, I usually have 2-3 on the go in winter as none are that waterproof - have old drizabone and wax ones but find them a. cold and b. no longer waterproof enough so tend to have one in the car as a spare layer along with spare boots and gloves, not that I have to drive to fields now but the habit has remained.
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I've got a pair of hunters, think they're balmoral with bamboo carbon lining, apart from the ridiculous amount of pandas I attract due to the lining I can't reccomend them highly enough, I have spades for feet and humongous calf muscles so struggle to find anything to fit, anyway these do, they where expensive but I've had them for 3yrs and the sole is only just getting to the point where I may need to do something about it, I wear them a lot
I've got an old Barbour trooper jacket for winter which is reproved every year and I've got a north face wind proof jacket for summer
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Yours sound posher than mine were, Alistair. Bamboo is wonderful stuff, my girls all had bamboo nappies and never suffered a rash once, cool in summer warm in winter :thumbsup:
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The best thing I have (for the winter time) is a floatation suit (designed for fishing ;)) It's essentially a bib and brace but is thermal lined and has big pockets :thumbsup: It's fab and lets me go out and about whatever the weather without getting cold.
And fingerless gloves for winter - they seem to work better for me that whole gloves for some bizarre reason.
Wellies - pfft, with my fat calves I've just about given up ::) I've got a short leg pair which are the most uncomfortable things I've ever worn, I used to wear my old Doc Marten boots - they were great :thumbsup: But after 9 years the soles are coming away from the shoes and have no grip, so now they only get used on dry days ;)
And a hat - proper wooly, well fitting (so the gales don't blow it off) if my head, hands and feet are warm it's much less miserable when the weather is bad :innocent:
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We should organise a "fashion show" :roflanim:
Jeans for me (Lands End, best fit I've found) although today I am wearing a pair of Dan's joggies. I buy three pairs of jeans at a time and wear them until they all disintegrate then replace them. I also have bib and brace dungers but keep forgetting about the straps when I go to the loo ::)
Footwear - Ariat H2O boots or Muckboots. I'm on my umpteenth pair of Ariats. Love 'em. Have two pairs - one for work and one for good; when the work ones give out, the "good" ones become work ones. Muckboots fit round my well developed calves but like others, I find them a bit slippy in the wet and not hugely long lasting. But they are warm. ;D
I have a few checked seersucker shirts that I love and feel give that rustic look. Teamed with the dungers, I feel like Mary Ellen from The Waltons but without the white ankle socks. If not them it's a TAS Tshirt.
Two fleece gilets and two fleece jackets - one set to wash and one to wear and a waterproof jacket (long so it melds with the waterproof trousers leaving no gap).
Not really a hat person - I do have a Ralph Lauren Polo baseball cap (my only designer clothing) but I pinch Dan's trapper hat in winter if it's really cold, leaving him with the Prime Scotch Beef one :eyelashes:
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Wellies - lightweight Aigle ones for summer, muckboots for winter & Timberland boots when its dry.
Coats - Rydale light long waxed coat with fleece lining and hood all year round, padded waistcoat with lots of pockets for summer
Hats- woolly hats are free off OH's builder's merchants and i have a GOS club cap for sunshine also a square of gingham.
Gloves- pair of rubber hand cloth back master gardeners about every 3mths, in winter i put woolly gloves inside them
Overtrousers - got FOC from a mate who went round the world yachting, no brand but warm, breathable and waterproof
I also have a Claas pair of overalls in lime green and grey, tres chic.
Mandy :pig:
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Not seen Bamboo used in stuff...Just contours up an image of huge sticks poking out the boot or nappy.......
funny how the men's shirts, jumpers etc, attract me these days :innocent: , and how many times have I herd women say tht their calves are too big for long boots....why oh why do the not make them wider and he people itch thin calves can wear thick long football socks :rant:
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Thanks alot folks, that has been really helpful. Anyone got any photos of themselves in their wellies or clothing that they would like me to use. You will be credited of course, But I will be using all the information that has been put down. Thanks again and a big :hug: to all of you.
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I wear muck boots, took me a while to find the version I wanted as they are designed for the milk parlours so don't slip.
I have the cheapest dickies work trouser at about 8 pound a pair and rydale checked shirts long sleeve for winter short for summer.
a cap and have a few swanndri tops some 'technical' tops and some just well made woven wool ones that are really waterproof and warm.
In fact in winter I look a lot like this chap but now with black boots
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love the piccie
its not you though is it? ;)
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no i'm a lot more slimmer (in summer) ::)
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I have yet to find a brand of wellies that I didn't trash pretty quickly (never had the money to try Le Chameau though - lots of people recommend them)
I will probably be going back to buying the cheap wellies from the strauss catalogue in bulk.
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As my husband pointed out when I keep coming home with charity shop only £5 outfits.....one good pair may last longer than several cheap ones.......my muck boots only got a leak due to heavy stones where I walk, otherwise I love them, my bestest boots may not last so long due to my chubby legs though!
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Not sure that you would like it here Happgolucky. There are NO charity shops in this part of France - NONE.
We have Gamm Vert stores everywhere - they are a bit like a garden centre but sell animal feed and everything you need on a farm or small holding. Actually they sell everything to raise an animal, kill it, cut it, mince it and turn it into a sausage.
Wellies = yes they have but a few. Last time I looked they were 165€ and 220€ .
No idea what brands they were as the average Jean-Paul does not do designer labels, 4x4 cars or patios . ;D
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for years and years I have trawled charity shops and used furniture shops ect, most things in the house are pre loved (not my husband though) saying that I do love the bits of France I havc visited...much different culture than UK...funny thing is I took my husband shopping today and he bought some wonderful nearly new shirts for less than £20 from the charity shop...so he too is hooked
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I also gave up on Hunters at 70 quid a pair and only getting 4-6 months wear it was ridiculous! i wear them for the farm and the stables and also to ride in. i bought a pair of Century last summer.They were about 40 quid and so far i am pleased with them.
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Love my Le Chameau wellys, the coat is usually just a cheap ski jacket, have to have a wooly hat preferably with a pompom so that I can find it easily. Just can't do gloves hence the fact that my hands look like they belong to an 80 year old. Bought a pair of sallopetes this year and loved them.
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I had a pair of bright yellow purofort wellies that lasted for years until I stepped on a nail TWICE in the pig pen, reasonably priced and super comfy and its waterproof bib & brace type arrangement and whatever jacket I pick up off the back of the chair in the kitchen, have an ancient northface if its cold or a ryedale wax one if its not.
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I am using Bekina Agrilite wellies at the moment. Very comfy had them 6 months now and still like new.
Used hunters in the past and both times they have split within a couple of months >:(
Cloths wise as long as there is plenty of pockets for baling twine and all the usual rubbish you seem to collect during the day :thumbsup:
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Off to the Scone Game Fair at the Weekend and fingers crossed, may get a nice coat.....reduced!!!
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Dunlop wellies in Summer (ha! Tells you a lot about our Summer weather!) and Muck boots in winter. Dickies waterproof jacket and trousers. Waxed jacket (Countrywide special) Oh and glittery earrings!
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Bekina Steplite X wellies (steel top cap and sole). Have lasted nearly 3 years now, although as I've often stored them with the wet waterproof trousers rolled down in situ, and we have a cold house where nothing dries, they are starting to rot a little around the ankle - but they are still watertight.
Very light and comfy, can't praise them enough. Also very good for breaking ice in water troughs ;) .
Summer jacket is a 12 year old Lowe Alpine fleece :), or a rugby shirt (long sleeves for nettle protection). Winter jacket is usually something that hay doesn't stick to, like a micropile jacket - light and mostly waterproof. Many wooly hats, and a big leather cowboy hat for when it's really p*ssing it down.
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Off to the Scone Game Fair at the Weekend and fingers crossed, may get a nice coat.....reduced!!!
I'm off there too. Never been before, looking forward to it. Are there good bargains to be had.