The wellie market is weird! At one extreme they’re as cheap as chips (and invariably rubbish), while at the other end of the market they’re scaling £300, which in my opinion is quite insane for a pair of wellies. For me the trick is to find the middle ground, where the cost-to-quality ratio makes some sense.

I’ve found the perfect compromise in the past in the form of Sealand’s wellies for men, which have the build quality and warmth I require and retail around the much more palatable £150 mark.

Inspired by the Ariat boots listed below, I applied the same ‘middle ground’ logic to ladies’ wellies in the form of Ariat’s Burford Waterproof Rubber Boots. And I think I might be on to something. Although they haven’t been as heavily worn as the Ariats below, the build quality looks good with some stylish leather touches thrown in for good measure.

Ideal for any outdoorsy type, game shooter or woodland hunter, Ariat’s Burford wellies combine traditional styling with some quality features, including both zips and gussets, alongside an overall design that’s geared towards allday comfort courtesy of integrated shock absorbing soles.

They look the part, with tough reinforcement around key areas and 8.5mm of neoprene for extra warmth. It remains to be seen how they hold up moving forward. With one winter under their belts so far there have been no complaints from my other half, which is quite an endorsement as she’s a very fussy woman when it comes to footwear!zips and gusset make for a secure fit and the overall fix and finish is excellent. 

wellies
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KEY FEATURES  

  • ATS Pro technology for stability and comfort  
  • Waterproof  
  • Vulcanised rubber upper  
  • Adjustable leather strap closure  
  • Leather-trimmed top  
  • Shock-absorbing EVA midsole  
  • Duratread outsole with easy-off ‘heel kick’ feature
  • Contact Ariat.com