Best Gardening Boots

Spring has sprung, the sun is out, and the air is alive to the sound of lawnmowers – cylinder, electric, petrol and even robotic.

However, the mornings can still be cold and dewy and let’s be honest, a shower is never far away! 

‘Tis the season of the confused dresser – some still in coats, hats and gloves and others in shorts and t-shirts – neither looking particularly comfortable.

So, what to wear on your feet?

As ever, it comes down to 3 things – what are you doing? Where are you doing it? What are you doing it on? 

Gardening is a single word for a whole range of activities. For some it’s manicured lawns and delicate borders, whereas more and more are embracing the grow your own movement and have an allotment for peas, beans, brassicas, and potatoes.

Increasingly a garden is an extension of the home and is a space for relaxing, reading, eating, or just taking in the sights and sounds of nature. With a focus on lawns and borders, heavy footwear is less of a requirement. This is where our Muckster II boots for gardening collection comes in. 100% waterproof with a neoprene bootie construction and hand laid rubber overlays, the Muckster II gardening boot is an incredibly comfortable utility/ back door shoe. The outsole offers traction without carving up delicate planting and is available as a mid-height boot, ankle, and garden shoe formats. The collection is endorsed by the RHS and is the go-to range for many horticulturalists looking for an easy slip-on garden shoe to wear.

For the more industrial inclined – installing rockeries, landscaping, managing the allotment – heavier duty gardening footwear will be more appropriate. The Chore is our classic work boot collection benefitting from a steel shank (ideal for digging tools) and has a safety toe option - whether it’s steel toe cap boots or composite toe work boots you’re after. Whilst the Chore is more suited to firmer grounds, the Muckmaster is our work boot collection built for muddier conditions. A commercial-grade welly that has been serving farmers decades, the Muckmaster has been a mainstay of the Muck Boot portfolio for this reason. A lighter weight alternative tall boot is the Edgewater welly.

For those looking for a really lightweight and athletic option, the Outscape range is the ultimate choice for many garden activities. Affectionately called a sneaker boot, the Outscape combines sport shoe technology with our proprietary Muckskin upper, creating a shoe that is incredibly comfortable, durable and 100% waterproof. An external shank makes it “Shovel Ready”. And yet it is so much more than a shoe for gardening as its colour options and good looks make it an ideal partner for spring walks, damp days in the city and exploring the countryside. 

Of course, the options go much further and the Apex, Forager, Originals for example can also make great gardening shoes, so explore the full range online and in store and find the right gardening boot for you.

Our Top 5 Gardening Boot Picks

1. Muckster II Shoes

Best for keeping out unwanted soil, pebbles, and debris from going inside your shoes with its stretch-fit top-line binding.

2. Chore Work Boots

Best for heavy duty gardening work with layers of reinforcement around the heel and toe area. It also has a steel shank to protect your feet whilst digging and kicking down on garden tools.

3. Outscape Shoes

Best lightweight gardening shoe that is easy to slip on and off for nipping out to water the plants. A backdoor staple for when the grass is dewy and you don’t know soggy feet!

4. Muckster II Short Boots

Best for versatility; you can wear them rolled up to keep dirt at bay or rolled down for when the weather warms up.

5. Muckmaster Work Boots

Best for muddy grounds with its MS1 bobbed moulded outsole which improves stability in the muddiest conditions.