THE BEST WELLINGTONS EVER + OUTDOOR GEAR FOR WOMEN!

I purchased my first pair of Muck Boots (Men's Arctic Sport Tall Boots) for my Shetland trip with Oriole Birding in 2017 (last time I went on holiday) and they were extremely comfortable indeed, but because they were tall, they were a job to get on and off and aggravated my achilles tendon.

Since then, the Muck Boot Company have produced a boot with a Vibram sole – which I must admit I am always drawn by and never buy a pair of walking shoes without a Vibram sole. It was tempting enough to splash out! I took the risk of choosing a short version to make it quick to get the boots on and off and purchased the men's Arctic Ice AG Short Boots and I made an excellent choice indeed. I can get them on and off very quickly, no tugging around the ankle and they are super comfortable with two pairs of thin and appropriate boot socks. I am guessing it will be freezing and gales when I get to Fair Isle, so wanted to be well equipped. Much easier dealing with wet wellingtons than wet boots!

Some of you will of course wonder why I choose men's boots each time. Quite simply, most women's outdoor gear is rubbish and men's clothes and footwear is a far better fit. The women's Muck Boots are more fitted and tighter in order to look more feminine – why would you want tight boots to look good?!!! Maybe when you were 18, but not at my age!!! These boots look far better on than they do in the picture and I can highly recommend them. Choose a half size up for perfect comfort.

When you look at waterproof jackets for women in the general outdoor wear shops, they have less pockets than the men's coats! Why? Do women have less things to put in pockets? No, in fact if anything they need more pockets! Lots of girly coloured coats, hardly any in appropriate subtle colours for naturalists/birders. This then only leaves Country Innovations and Paramo if you are looking at the top ranges for birders attire and they are ALL in green. To be honest, I'm fed up with green and am love with black right now. Neither of these companies sell black coats with lots of pockets – surely there's an opening for somebody to make more trendy birder's coats, especially for the youngsters (like myself😆😉😅)!!! Birds really don't mind if you are wearing black – green for everyone is so boring! Which means, because I couldn't find my ideal black cloak with tons of pockets in Cambridge yesterday, that I will have no choice, but to follow the crowd and buy a GREEN Paramo coat this weekend – at least it has lots of pockets!