More often than not, we’re out with the huskies in the rain. It wasn’t until we bought our first husky that I owned my first pair of Hunter Wellies. Up until that point, I’d thought a welly was a welly. How wrong was I!

The basic hunter wellington boot is superb. Wears well and has a sculptured, snug fit that’s designed not to pull off in mud. I’m on my second pair, now in 13 years of ownership. My new pair have a vibram sole, giving me a little more grip and comfort. I used to almost exclusively race in my Hunters because it was either raining or we were racing on trails with the odd deep puddle or muddy sections. I could easily jog up hills with the hunters, as I used to prefer running with dry feet in ‘proper’ wellies over wet feet in trainers. There’s a huge difference between normal wellies and premium wellies. Things have changed since getting my superb inov8 fell running shoes, which I’ll rave about later.

The cheapest hunters are the Hunter Original, which they now do in a wide range of colours. I still prefer the green or navy blue. If you want something warmer or with a vibram sole, just check out the range. You’d be suprised at how much you can spend on a pair of wellies. One day I’d love to own a pair of leather wellies – although not that suitable for walking through mud and puddles.

The only downside to fitted wellies is they can be a challenge to get off, which is why we bought a few welly removers. They’re really cheap things that you stand on to help you effortlessly pull your boots off without bending over or straining.