The problem with traditional wellies for walking has always been that whilst they are fine on soft muddy ground, the relatively thin soles start to get uncomfortable on hard, stony ground. The rigid sides also tend to flap about and rub, and your toes can squish against the ends when going down steep hills.
Fancier riding wellies with a sleeker fit are an improvement but are still not fun to walk on granite with. The other thing I found with riding wellies is that the soles tend to wear away quite fast on hard ground like tarmac which is particularly upsetting given their price.
The upshot of all this is that wellies are ok for shorter walks but I personally find over about 4 miles they can get start to a bit uncomfortable.
The new kid on the welly block is the neoprene hybrid - kind of half wetsuit, half welly. The snug flexible sides definitely solve the flapping around problem.
Mountain Warehouse produce one of the more affordable versions so we thought we'd give them a go. We've been using these on our muddy winter walks for a few months now so can share our thoughts.
Pros:
- Comfy. The cushioned sole is more like a walking boot that a welly
- Chunky sole that won't wear out in 5 minutes when walking on hard surfaces
- East enough to wash off - the neoprene repels mud as well as a normal welly
- Waterproof all the way up like a welly so an improvement on walking boots for stream wading
Cons:
- Not the same level of ankle support you get from walking boots
- More prone to being slashed by sharp stones than walking boots
- Not cheap compared to normal wellies but not expensive compared to riding wellies
- Question mark over longevity
Other thoughts: As with wetsuits, repairs to the neoprene part are possible using contact adhesive.
If you want to give them a go yourself, here's a list of the latest available on Amazon