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What shoes do you garden in, advice please?

(70 Posts)
25Avalon Mon 19-Jun-23 11:00:11

I’ve been wearing an old pair of Cotton Traders walking shoe/trainer to garden in. Yesterday one fell apart so into the bin☹️ Question is what do I wear now? I tried wellies but they made my feet sweat in this hot weather. I need something light,
Durable, and with strong soles as I dig a lot and the top of my spade cuts in.

Has anyone any ideas of what might suit please? I don’t like clogs or shoes with no backs. What do others wear?

Lisel Tue 19-Sept-23 23:40:46

I've been very pleased with this shoe. It's waterproof and stays on without being tight (due to the stretching fabric around the opening. It has a memory sole which is removable, comfortable but just a little annoying when you take them off and it bunches up. Small complaint though. I usually wear them without socks.

eddiecat78 Fri 01-Sept-23 13:12:55

Whatever I'm wearing at the time - which may explain why my slippers are occasionally muddy

HeavenLeigh Fri 01-Sept-23 12:53:56

I bought crocs for gardening so comfy and light

guzzler Fri 01-Sept-23 12:47:44

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Kim19 Wed 05-Jul-23 19:38:35

Can't imagine the wilderness my garden would turn into if I didn't do some digging. Maybe that's the idea.

AskAlice Wed 05-Jul-23 16:09:55

Lakeland Active clogs - cheaper than both Crocs or BackDoorShoes, but just as strong. They have a nice thick sole that is fine for digging. And they last for years!

I also have BackDoorShoes, but they were bought for me as a gift. They are very good too and have the advantage of an inside liner, and you can buy spare liners if they get very grubby.

25Avalon Mon 03-Jul-23 10:03:11

Hunter half height gardening wellies have a special strengthened pad on the sole specially for digging. They cost £70-80 however. I’m going to try Dunlop’s work version which probably aren’t as good but only cost £14. I’ll see how they go. Maybe put the Hunters on my Christmas list.

25Avalon Mon 26-Jun-23 16:17:15

Found an old pair of Cotton Traders walking shoes hardly worn. One planting session and the right shoe has come apart from the sole as per previous pair lol!

MayBee70 Thu 22-Jun-23 14:51:04

I live in Crics. Have them in lots of colours and try to stick to pink indoors and blue or black outside. But sometimes forget, look down and find I’ve tramped up the stairs wearing the dirty ones. I do have to be careful because of the amount of pigeon poo in my garden, especially if it’s been raining: I don’t want to tread it into the house. The great thing about Crocs is they’re non slip and you can just throw them in a bucket and give them a good clean. Some camping/sports shops sell them really cheap.

henetha Thu 22-Jun-23 10:47:01

Crocs. My gardening crocs are getting really old now, but they never seem to wear out. I've been online this morning looking for a new pair. They are so comfortable.

Whiff Thu 22-Jun-23 10:26:43

Ankle wellies when the grown is wet and an old pair of shoes that protect my whole foot. People forget it's all to easy to drop a tool on your foot or tread on a loose stone . Also if you mown the lawn you need good foot protection. Not flip flops or crocs . I remember years ago people cutting there feet with a mower and strimmers.

25Avalon Thu 22-Jun-23 08:27:56

Thanks for replies. Problem Is I don’t have a pair of old trainers at present and I am reluctant to ruin a new pair. Also I do need to dig. I have a large garden and plenty of weeds such as brambles, docks, grasses etc which do need digging out before they swamp everything. My trusty stainless steel ( anything else will get bent on the stones and heavy clay) spade needs a foot on it. A foot with a shoe that isn’t going to split under the pressure.

Ali23 Tue 20-Jun-23 22:08:12

Whenever I get a new pair of sketchers, my old pair become the next pair of garden shoes.

Reubenblue Tue 20-Jun-23 22:02:12

I wear a really comfy pair of all weather shoes from Muck Boots they were designed with the rhs. Seemed rather expensive at the time but already lasted a few years and still good as new.

Grayling1 Tue 20-Jun-23 21:49:03

Another Rieker wearer here! They are black with zips at the side which are always open so I can slip them off quickly when I have to nip in the back door. I am a bit of a "hasher" with a paint brush and they are very colourful - willow and dark green, red, orange, brown and white so far. I tend to overload the brush and quite often manage to have some interesting colours on the leaves of my plants!

HelterSkelter1 Tue 20-Jun-23 19:48:12

Very old Hotter lace ups which are one step away from being binned. Then they will be replaced by another pair of ancient ones.
I remember reading about a woman who gave talks to an audience and drove to events in her comfy gardening shoes. Sadly one day looked down mid speech to see she had forgotten to change into her smart shoes.

blossom14 Tue 20-Jun-23 19:25:58

Old deck shoes from last decade when we sailed with family.
If it rains still get stains from the dye in the uppers. I have to explain to my chiropodist when I end up with purple toes.

crazyH Tue 20-Jun-23 18:48:53

Just come in from the garden - my old flats from Clarks

Allsorts Tue 20-Jun-23 18:40:12

Old trainers.

Patsy70 Tue 20-Jun-23 18:37:21

Blackcat3

Crocs…..but beware if you have thorny hedges etc….stray thorny trimmings can go through the soles….ouch!

Crocs, wellies, old trainers, Muckboots, fleecy waterproof boots, depending on the weather. I agree, be careful of the thorns when wearing Crocs!

grandtanteJE65 Tue 20-Jun-23 18:35:55

My oldest worn out shoes or sandals, but generally in the summer I don't wear footwear outside, unless for tasks like digging.

CV2020 Tue 20-Jun-23 18:05:53

Currently I’m wearing Rieker flat sandals. I bought them last year and lived in them all summer for normal wear. They are really comfy so when the foot base covering started to wear I relegated them to the garden. I pop them in the washing machine as required. I bought two other pairs last year exactly the same. I have over the years relegated shoes that are past their best to garden wear. I find trainers to hot and sticky to wear in the summer.

4allweknow Tue 20-Jun-23 16:12:09

My well worn old flat walking type shoes.

DutchDoll Tue 20-Jun-23 16:07:44

Joules Wellibobs
or Crocs

merlotgran Tue 20-Jun-23 15:28:33

Is your garden a building site? 😮