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Dubarry boots - are they worth the money?

18 replies

Tailtwister · 10/11/2013 19:27

I saw someone wearing the most gorgeous pair of leather boots the other day and after a bit of research discovered they were Dubarry boots (Galway I think). After reeling from the shock of the price tag (£300!), I was wondering if they are really worth the money. Yes, they are certainly gorgeous, but are they the type of boot which lasts years and years?

So, Dubarry boot owners. What's the verdict? Have they been one of your best buys? How sturdy are they really and how long do they last? Also, what is the fit like? Do they come up big/small to your normal shoe size and do you have to size up if you want to use the furry sock things?

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EdithWeston · 10/11/2013 19:30

I've go a pair which use be on their 4th or 5th winter (can't remember exactly). The soles are beginning to go (weird split developing) and I think that might be the beginning of the end.

If they're the same build quality, I'd buy again.

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Tailtwister · 10/11/2013 19:35

That's interesting Edith. What kind of use were you putting them through?

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EdithWeston · 10/11/2013 19:39

Daily wear - including mud! Also including pavement bashing on the school run (probably quite hostile in wearing down the sole). I have worn them to ride, but only a few times.

I found them comfy, and true to size. I haven't tried furry sock things - they're very warm without them (even on cold, damp touch lines).

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Laska42 · 10/11/2013 19:55

Yup I have Dubarry Kildare , must be on their 4th winter now, still look great , still water proof, really warm best i've ever had especially in the snow .I dont ride , but live in the country and use them for muddy garden, woodland tracks ,walking etc. I also have their sailing boots ,and they are just the best for the job i think ..

BTW Edith im pretty sure that you can get them resoled and relined by Dubarry .. may be worth looking into i've known people send back sailing ones a few years old and they redo them link here

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Laska42 · 10/11/2013 20:02

bum shouldnt have looked at the Dubarry website ,,I now want this

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Alwayscheerful · 10/11/2013 20:07

I currently wear ariat because I have a high instep, can anyone recommend dubarrys for someone with a high instep?

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alwaysrunninginheels · 10/11/2013 20:14

I have a pair which are a no of years old. They are fab quality. Look as good now as when I bought them. Would highly recommend and would buy again. It's the only pair of flat footwear I own. Toasty warm feet in winter.

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TCOB · 10/11/2013 20:18

Yes and no...first pair split after a few months; just outside guarantee I tried to take them back to the Head Office who insisted the contract was with the agent I bought them from. However HO sent than for testing and found they were defective and sent me brand new pair last Christmas which are going strong, and looking lovelier and more worn-in every day! So I'm a huge fan now. Was helpful living near HO (just off A44 just outside Chipping Norton) as they are delightful. I live in the country and mine have taken a battering but they can and do cope!

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Freddiefrog · 10/11/2013 20:37

Yes.

I've got a pair, had them 5, getting on for 6 years.

I wear them every day for dog walking in the winter - miles on the beach/woods/park so they get a bit of battering and they're fine.

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Tailtwister · 10/11/2013 20:44

Thanks for all the feedback, much appreciated. It looks like they are worth the money then if they last around 5 years. Just have to decide on which colour now. I'm most drawn to the walnut...it's going to be a hard decision.

One last question. What kind of maintenance do they need? I presume they require some kind of treatment for the leather?

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Laska42 · 10/11/2013 21:57

Actually I wear mine quite hard. get em muddy, scrub em off and put a bit of polish on sometimes .. As they are goretex, they stay waterproof . I think they are pretty indestructible, and even though my sailing ones got a quite badly scratched jumping of a boat onto a concrete jetty at a while ago they are still water proof ,

.. Also I think they look ok a bit bashed (though they are incredibly hardy .. my Kildares are hardly marked despite also wearing them on the beach quite a lot .. )

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FreshLeticia · 10/11/2013 22:35

They need nikwax or Brasher wax or similar. Don't forget that they are pretty much leather wellies, so don't breathe as much as an ordinary boot - they have sealed waterproofing in the layers. That is why they are so expensive (and because they are the make to be seen in for the county set, so you are paying for the name).
There are many similar boots but much less expensive. eg Ryedale

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SpringyReframed · 11/11/2013 06:23

I had a pair for years, and bought them before they became a fashion item. I mucked out in them which is obviously very bad for the leather and generally mistreated them and they still survived. I did treat them with leather conditioner regularly.
When they finally did get a crack in them I sent them back to Dubarry in Ireland and they repaired them beautifully. They lasted another couple of years after that. They are definitely worth the money. I cant imagine copies would last the same or that you would get the same service for repair.

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Eastpoint · 11/11/2013 06:44

Mine are standing up well to daily winter wear, worn when it's cold or damp for about 2 hours a day for the last 2 1/2 years. They have outlasted my friend's Timberlands, her Joules' wellies, her pair of fleece lined Hunters & another pair of boots (she is now trying Hi-Tec).

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shopafrolic · 11/11/2013 12:40

Definitely worth the £££. The only boots that keep my feet warm in the freezing cold. Agree with FreshLeticia they do need waxing - we visit country shows a few times a year and there's usually someone demoing a wax product there who will wax them for you!
4 years on with daily dog walking across fields and mine are still going strong.

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Crutchlow35 · 11/11/2013 13:30

Mine are on their fourth winter and still look fantastic.

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LemonBreeland · 11/11/2013 14:14

I would say no, as you are paying for the goretex name. I have Ariat boots and they came highly recommended by the staff at my local outdoor shop. They all choose them over dubarry and say they will last a lifetime

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Tailtwister · 12/11/2013 09:41

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll definitely have a look at the Ariat books Lemon. I am swithering because I would be buying them mostly because I like the look of them and not because I have to have them for functionality IYSWIM. I have wellies and walking boots which I generally use for walking, so don't necessarily need them.

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