Jack Pyke Ashcombe Wellies

At risk of stating the obvious, there’s a massive selection of outdoor footwear available, the main type being the walking or hiking boot, which by and large the hunting boot is a derivative of. However, the most traditional must be the Wellington Boot, as even today, especially when conditions dictate, they’re worn by many outdoorsmen and hunters of all disciplines. Simple because they’re the optimum choice if shooting in very muddy, wet or boggy conditions and for the airgun hunter they’re a recommended choice when operating around the farmyard and inside barns. Jack Pyke have long had a selection of Wellingtons available in their range of footwear, however they’ve now added three more to the roster. Here, I’m looking at the Ashcombe Gusseted and Ashcombe Zipped, as these are launched specifically to complement the clothing that comes under the same moniker. There is also the Ashcombe Neoprene Wellington, but this is a boot that I’ve yet to try but I’m sure it will eventually appear in our ‘product section at some point.

Rubber sole

The boots on test are closely related in both the materials used, these being: A 3mm thick Neoprene lining and what the company term a ‘High Grip’ rubber sole. They also feature removal lugs at the heel for ease of ‘exit’, and the quality of rubber used is durable, strong and has a hunter friendly matt finish, to prevent quarry alerting shine. First up, are the Ashcombe Gusseted, which are of a design that appeals to many, as they adjust to fit snuggly to the upper calf using the ABS buckled top strap. The ‘expanding’ gusset behind is of course waterproof. Thebuckle is easy to open, yet very secure when closed, so it won’t slip along the strap as you walk. That nicely brings us to the Ashcombe Zipped, which have a full-length waterproof side gusset, which fastens by a weather resistant YKK zip. The design of the ‘opening’ is such that when the heavy-duty zip is pulled up, both sides of the rubber ‘follow it up’ and small over-flaps cover and protect the closure from the elements and also keep mud and dirt from ‘clogging’ up the fastener. The ‘High’ Grip’ rubber sole has ridge shaped lugs under the instep, surrounded on all sides by large ‘chunky’ abstract shaped cleats.

Decision time

Obviously, which type to choose is not only a matter of personal choice but your physique because if you have ‘large’ calves’ then the Gusseted are the ones to go for but if the Zipped wellies suit then they’re less prone to snagging when moving through ‘tall’ undergrowth, due to the flush fit design of the side fastening. That only leaves me to say that I’m pleased to report that both Wellingtons feel flexible and comfortable when worn but are strong enough in build to be supportive in the key areas that is required of footwear such as this.