samwise
Well-Known Member
Dubarrys every time, just bought a pair for my son after he did a week on a Challenge yacht with a pair of our classic XM rubber boots. Always wear mine without socks and my toes stay toasty ( and well ventilated!)
What boots?
- Thread starter armchairsailor
- Start date
pikeyrm
Well-Known Member
Gill Kevlar breathable boots win my vote.
After just crossing the Southern Atlantic with them on my feet for the whole journey.
great boot.
After just crossing the Southern Atlantic with them on my feet for the whole journey.
great boot.
Cantata
Well-Known Member
Another vote for the Quayside boots, I've had mine 3 years and wish I'd had them a lot longer. Bl**dy marvellous. Unless it's really cold I don't even seem to need socks in them and I'm not someone with naturally warm feet. Looked at Dubarrys but they are a lot more expensive, couldn't justify it.
thedoc
Well-Known Member
boots
all leather goretex dubarrys. Mine have sailed round the world and several thousand miles since, still in good nick and waterproof after some very hard extended wear.
all leather goretex dubarrys. Mine have sailed round the world and several thousand miles since, still in good nick and waterproof after some very hard extended wear.
snooks
Well-Known Member
I own Dubarry ultimas, Musto MPX goretex, and Helly Hansen Helly Wellies
The hellys win the name award! They are light waterproof and comfy, they stick to the deck like something silly, they have tabs to pull them on and kick bits at the bottom of the boot to kick them off, they are snug and comfy. This is my first season of wearing them. They don't have gaters, which after using on the mustos I really miss. Kneeling in water with the hellys on, water can find it's way up the leg, where as it never did with my mustos.
The helly wellie replaced my Mustos, which after about 5-6 years of hard wearing started to leak, the gaters are great, no catching the velcro, they also stop a lot of water. The only problem is the toggle on the back of the boot, it can be uncomfortable if you're helming standing up and you calf is against the side of the cockpit, or if you happen to be in the rail and your calf is on the hull, but it's a small price to pay for the the security of the gater tho. The grip started off good, but then went poor "polishing" to an almost shiny finish over the years. As I understand it the soles have been redesigned and a different formula of rubber used since the first version that I had.
Before those I had the dubarrys, much lighter than the Mustos, but not and light and securely fitting as the helly wellie, no gater, and I ended up wearing the soles down and got the mustos. On a day when I forgot my mustos and went back (after about a year) to dubarrys, the soles had polished off, turning into a hard shiny rubber that would even grip to carpet, to put it bluntly they were dangerous and I almost went over the side. Again I believe the sole compound has changed since I got mine....but I've had the same thing happen to my dubarry deck shoes as well if I don't wear them for some time. They do have the classic look, unlike the helly wellies which have been nicknames "space boots" by my colleagues on the motorboat mags!
If you find your boots leak, think about getting some long length sealskiz waterproof socks, the merino wool ones aren't cheap, but when your feet are cold and wet you'll wish you'd spend the money. Nothing quite like warm dry feel when the rest of you is cold and wet
The hellys win the name award! They are light waterproof and comfy, they stick to the deck like something silly, they have tabs to pull them on and kick bits at the bottom of the boot to kick them off, they are snug and comfy. This is my first season of wearing them. They don't have gaters, which after using on the mustos I really miss. Kneeling in water with the hellys on, water can find it's way up the leg, where as it never did with my mustos.
The helly wellie replaced my Mustos, which after about 5-6 years of hard wearing started to leak, the gaters are great, no catching the velcro, they also stop a lot of water. The only problem is the toggle on the back of the boot, it can be uncomfortable if you're helming standing up and you calf is against the side of the cockpit, or if you happen to be in the rail and your calf is on the hull, but it's a small price to pay for the the security of the gater tho. The grip started off good, but then went poor "polishing" to an almost shiny finish over the years. As I understand it the soles have been redesigned and a different formula of rubber used since the first version that I had.
Before those I had the dubarrys, much lighter than the Mustos, but not and light and securely fitting as the helly wellie, no gater, and I ended up wearing the soles down and got the mustos. On a day when I forgot my mustos and went back (after about a year) to dubarrys, the soles had polished off, turning into a hard shiny rubber that would even grip to carpet, to put it bluntly they were dangerous and I almost went over the side. Again I believe the sole compound has changed since I got mine....but I've had the same thing happen to my dubarry deck shoes as well if I don't wear them for some time. They do have the classic look, unlike the helly wellies which have been nicknames "space boots" by my colleagues on the motorboat mags!
If you find your boots leak, think about getting some long length sealskiz waterproof socks, the merino wool ones aren't cheap, but when your feet are cold and wet you'll wish you'd spend the money. Nothing quite like warm dry feel when the rest of you is cold and wet
flaming
Well-Known Member
Mine did that after 5 seasons, so I sent them back to mr Musto. New boots in the post 2 weeks later. Might be worth a shot?!
Absolutely love the mustos, I've never, ever had a drop of water down them, and the grip is excellent.
Although, if you prefer the Dubs Henri Lloyd do a garter. Loads of my friends have that, and say it's well worth the money.
michael_w
Well-Known Member
All leather Dubarrys and Sealskinz socks. Never have cold feet again.
The socks, being waterproof are excellent when you're down below off watch and the cabin sole is soggy.
The socks, being waterproof are excellent when you're down below off watch and the cabin sole is soggy.
doris
Well-Known Member
Everyone raves about Dubs as do I when on a boat with non-slip decks. Both myself and a mate with teak decks found them lethal on dry teak. As soon as the teak was wet the grip was terrific. His are now relegated to gardening, fortunately Doris has non-skid.
snooks
Well-Known Member
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Doris,
That's bizarre. My decks are teak, my boots are Dooberries, and I've always remained securely tit over arse.
That's bizarre. My decks are teak, my boots are Dooberries, and I've always remained securely tit over arse.
doris
Well-Known Member
Maybe the swan teak was just inferior!! Nothing would surprise me with these dodgy scandinavians!
BelleSerene
Well-Known Member
Er... forgive me, but isn't the point of sailing boots that they keep the water on the outside? And if they let the water in so you're standing in a portable puddle, isn't the solution either to replace the boots or go back to deck shoes?
If the waterproof socks inside your leaky boots start leaking, should I suppose you then get another pair to wear inside the leaky pair - all inside the leaky boots?
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
I admit that the fancy boots are purported to be good if you need to spend days / weeks at a time in them, else you spend hundreds just to look the part.
If you want to keep your feet warm in the wet then these at £21 do the job very well.
When it isn't raining and you don't need to go on the foredeck in a F5-6 then deck shoes will suffice.
If you want to keep your feet warm in the wet then these at £21 do the job very well.
When it isn't raining and you don't need to go on the foredeck in a F5-6 then deck shoes will suffice.
Slow_boat
Well-Known Member
Another vote for Quayside. I've only had them one season (birthday present in May) but love them.
There again, I'm comparing them to various rubber boots I've been wearing for the past 30+years. Quayside goretex leather are as good as the best rubber wellies with sealskin socks.
There again, I'm comparing them to various rubber boots I've been wearing for the past 30+years. Quayside goretex leather are as good as the best rubber wellies with sealskin socks.
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
"When it isn't raining and you don't need to go on the foredeck in a F5-6 then deck shoes will suffice."
Boots = Warmth
Shoes = Coolth
Boots = Warmth
Shoes = Coolth
wotayottie
Well-Known Member
maybe I don't know what I'm missing, but I sail all winter wearing either my outdoor shoes (usual Clarks pasty shoes) or short rubber sailing wellies of the cheapest type I could find. Last set, admittedly those French ones, lasted from 1990 to 2007
I must admit that I have wondered about the bikers 12v heated waistcoats ever since I tried one on my last bike. My body core was so warm wearing that thing, I didnt notice any cold bits elsewhere. I certainly think I would go that route if I were doing long winter trips rather than 2 to 6 hour races.
I must admit that I have wondered about the bikers 12v heated waistcoats ever since I tried one on my last bike. My body core was so warm wearing that thing, I didnt notice any cold bits elsewhere. I certainly think I would go that route if I were doing long winter trips rather than 2 to 6 hour races.
snooks
Well-Known Member
£30 odd quid for some waterproof socks is a lot cheaper than £150+ for a new pair of pair of sailing boots mentioned in this thread.
And if there is nothing else wrong with them, i.e. they grip, they are warm (when not wet) etc. it seems a shame to throw them out. Just my thought on it all. When the soles go, so do the boots
Don't forget that a lot of the time I wear my boots it's not wet, just cold
Blue5
Well-Known Member
How right you are, wish they had put that warning on the box!!
AIDY
Well-Known Member
ARMCHAIRSAILOR = I'm supprised knowone has suggested a pair of slipper's from M and S, given your user name....
Vid
Well-Known Member
I have a pair of Dubarry Shamrocks (brown leather and blue fabric combination) and they're good apart from being a complete pain to put on and take off. They fit perfectly when on but there's something about the cut that makes it difficult to get my foot angled to get into the shoe part of the boot.
