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GruffT

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So, the time has come to upgrade from plastic wellies to proper boots.

General UK cruising use + offshore racing a fair bit this season. I have quite wide feet but slim ish calves. (of course I'll try them on before I buy...)

So... my questions to this parish :
1) Dubarry or Musto (or another brand altogether) ?
2) Fastnet / HPX Ocean with "gator" type affair to try and stop water getting in or open top type?
3) Leather or synthetic?

Any thoughts / comments most welcome.

Gruff
 
GruffT said:
So, the time has come to upgrade from plastic wellies to proper boots.

General UK cruising use + offshore racing a fair bit this season. I have quite wide feet but slim ish calves. (of course I'll try them on before I buy...)we

So... my questions to this parish :
1) Dubarry or Musto (or another brand altogether) ?
2) Fastnet / HPX Ocean with "gator" type affair to try and stop water getting in or open top type?
3) Leather or synthetic?

Any thoughts / comments most welcome.

Gruff
Click to expand...

have just bought 2 prs Dubarry Newports.
Dubarry will stretch to suit your feet foc if you pay to send them. rtnd within a week
 
Dubarrys are excellent boots. We have just had an old pair re-soled by Dubarry, an excellent job and good service, however, we were told that the new range of boots cannot be re-soled. That maybe a point worth remembering if you are expecting to be able to extend their life.
 
Dubarrys

Dubarrys aren't always perfect... well they werent for me. I have very wide feet- and 'solid' calves. I had to by a size larger in order to get the width for both foot and calf; then fairly early on the inner lining in one became detached from the sole- and I struggled for hours take the boot off - before resorting to sticking a long ruler down it. Which broke. Got a stronger stick. I should have sent them back but didn't get round to it- I'm sure they would have sorted it, they do have a good reputation.

I understand they now come with a bit of elastic on the top of the boot to stretch over chunkier calves, and wide fittings- but not in my size (womens 6). As my boots are now on their last legs (inner lining still not sorted, heels worn down, the outer sole bubbling away from the inner, a granular feeling underfoot- and really really smelly!) I don't know whether I would have another pair. However, HWMO is very pleased with his.
 
If you are going offshore racing then I would suggest you look no further than boots with gators. I have a pair of Musto HPX Oceans with the gators, and they've kept my feet dry with water up to my neck. I've tried dubarrys without gators and got wet feet with a wave that wasn't even knee height.

My HPX Oceans have kept my feet warm and dry everywhere between the English Channel in Winter, to the Southern Ocean, in what they call summer down there.
 
GruffT said:
So, the time has come to upgrade from plastic wellies to proper boots.

General UK cruising use + offshore racing a fair bit this season. I have quite wide feet but slim ish calves. (of course I'll try them on before I buy...)

So... my questions to this parish :
1) Dubarry or Musto (or another brand altogether) ?
2) Fastnet / HPX Ocean with "gator" type affair to try and stop water getting in or open top type?
3) Leather or synthetic?

Any thoughts / comments most welcome.

Gruff
Click to expand...

Amongst our race crew we have every major brand of boot represented, except Gill for some reason.
We race almost year round, and complaints of wet/cold feet are almost nonexistant. Which leads me to confidently state that it almost doesn't matter which ones you buy, they are all excellent. Buy the best fit. For me this was the Musto HPX, mainly because I have extremely long legs, and they were, at the time, the tallest boots available!
 
Woodlouse said:
If you are going offshore racing then I would suggest you look no further than boots with gators. I have a pair of Musto HPX Oceans with the gators, and they've kept my feet dry with water up to my neck. I've tried dubarrys without gators and got wet feet with a wave that wasn't even knee height.
Click to expand...

You are missing the point - the £200 boots are meant to be worn on show at the sailing club bar or on the pontoon, not actually going to sea ;-)
 
it's a fashion statement ! :eek:

dubarry ultima soooooper..... on my second pair first lasted 10 years.

but try various sizes of the same size on cause they are all slightly different !
 
I guess your getting the point,

Dubarry's are the best boot, If I was chosing to buy a pai I would go with the Ultima or Fastnet. They come in half sizes where as Musto, Henri Lloyd do not - Gill are sized in Euro.

I spent quite abit of time fitting out a superyacht first mate trying out different sizes. from Dubarry including the "extra fit" that Dubarry offer on most of there boots.

After the experience I would buy Dubarry's.

James
 
Just bought some boots yesterday. Tried Dubarry, Musto, Gill and HL. They are all well-made, but quite different in shape/fit.

I really recommend you try them all on. for that amount of money they need to feel as comfortable as slippers.

P.S. I bought Dubarry.
 
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