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Which Hunter Wellingtons for your chosen pursuit?

Hunter Wellingtons, wellies, welly, rubber boots, call them what you will, a Hunter Wellington Boot is as British as roast dinners, Shakespeare and rain soaked winter months. The distinctive Hunter logo, so elegantly put upon the front of the boot is a symbol for all to see; it shows you’ve got style, you’ve got grace and your down right refusal to let the weather get you down.

But what of the famous Hunter Wellingtons, the Hunter Classic, Hunter Original, Hunter Sovereign, Royal Hunter, Abernethy, Galloway and Huntress; what do all these names mean, and how can one Hunter Wellington boot really differ so much to another?

It is all down to the specific outdoor discipline that each Hunter Wellington is designed for. Some are more suited to the shooting field, whereas others are suited to remote pursuits and working/everyday life. For this reason please see below for an explanation of which Hunter Wellington boot is best suited to which outdoor pursuit.

Shooting

For a days shooting you need to have a comfortable boot that will keep you warm, dry, and stable on those slippery banks, and is wide enough to fit your thick shooting socks in. Well, luckily Hunter has created two Wellingtons for this exact purpose; the Hunter Sovereign and the Royal Hunter.

The Hunter Sovereign is a knee length rubber shooting boot, with a gusset and a full length waterproof side zip to aid easy donning and doffing before and after a hard days shooting. It is luxuriously lined with full grain leather and has a multi-layered insulating and shock absorbing cushioned footbed that is on a specially formed Goodyear welted commando outsole. The Hunter Sovereign is wide in the heel and sole to give the greatest stability possible.

The Royal Hunter is a knee length rubber shooting boot with half a gusset and a buckle to allow for an adjustable calf fit. It has sponge neoprene with polar fleece lining in the foot area, and full grain leather on the calf. It also features a multi layered insulating and shock absorbing cushioned footbed. Particular to the Royal Hunter is a choice of two different soles, the first being the same as the Sovereign – a Goodyear welted commando style sole – and the second is a styrene-studded outsole which is suited to grip on mossy slopes or grassy riverbanks. The styrene sole is crafted from high styrene resin and nickel-plated steel hammer-head studs.

The Royal Hunter is best suited to extreme weather conditions and rough terrain, and as such, it also has a welted replaceable outsole.

Remote Pursuits/Stalking

When you’re out stalking you never know what terrain you might come across, the length of time you are going to be out or the temperatures and weather climes you may encounter. For this reason there are two particular Hunter Wellingtons that are crafted precisely with this in mind; the Hunter Abernethy and the Hunter Galloway.

The Hunter Abernethy is a knee length waterproof rubber boot with a half gusset to allow for an adjustable calf fit. It is available in two different linings, either nylon or 5mm sponge neoprene (which is a warmer insulating fabric). Its footbed is cushioned and it has a reinforced step on a dual density sole. The Abernethy is a serious boot for heavy duty work and as such the two linings reflect particular uses and climes. For example if you are up in the Highlands of Scotland stalking then the warmth given from the neoprene lined Abernethy would be favourable; whereas if you are down in the south of England then the standard nylon lining should suffice. Either way, the Hunter Abernethy is a serious unisex boot.

The Hunter Galloway is a working/stalking knee length, waterproof rubber welly boot. It features a wider calf fitting and a choice of two linings dependent upon ones needs. You can either opt for a nylon lining or a 3mm sponge neoprene lining to keep you warm in those colder times and climes. The boot is on a cushioned footbed and has a reinforced step on a dual density sole which has multi directional lugs.

Both the Hunter Galloway and Abernethy make superb remote/stalking boots with lining options for both. However, with relation to the lining, the Abernethy has the option for 5mm sponge neoprene, whereas the Galloway only has 3mm. So if it’s a waterproof stalking boot you want in really cold conditions, then opt for the Abernethy as a matter of course.

Working/Everyday

There are four Hunter Wellingtons that really fit the bill for an everyday walking/working boot. These are the Hunter Original, Original Childrens, Classic and the ladies Huntress.

The Hunter Original, funnily enough is the original Hunter Wellington boot. As such it features all those canny waterproof features that one comes to expect from a Hunter rubber welly boot; a nylon lining, cushioned footbed, a standard calf fitting as well as the traditional calendered sole.

The Original Children’s is a child’s version of the adult Original with added security features such as a reflective logo and back strip. It is perfect for young puddle jumpers and will keep them warm and dry no matter how much they splash about.

The Hunter Classic is similar to that of the Original, but it has an option of a nylon or 3mm sponge neoprene lining for a warmer insulating feel. It has a cushioned footbed and also a reinforced step on a dual density sole with multi-directional lugs. The Classic is suited to harder, heavy duty work and with the sponge neoprene lining, cold work as well.

The Hunter Huntress is designed specifically for the ladies. It has a wider calf fitting than the Original boot and is slightly shorter, and has a nylon lining, cushioned footbed and traditional calendered soles.

Hunter Wellingtons at Dogwood London

Here at Dogwood London we are proud to associate ourselves with the renowned Hunter brand. We make it our job to offer only the best in products, service and ease of use, and it is for this reason that we stock the finest rubber welly boots the world has ever seen.

If you have read the above article and are still unsure of the best Hunter Wellington for you, please do not hesitate to get in contact and one of the Dogwood London team will be happy to assist you on your decision.

Call Dogwood London on 0845 30 10 365.