Review: Jileon Wide Calf Boots

A few months ago I was afforded the opportunity to review a pair of wide calf wellington boots from Jileon

Now as any dog owner knows, wellington boots are not something that are not confined to the winter months, especially in the UK where weather can range from sunshine in the morning to pouring rain in the afternoon, with of course the snow we are experiencing at present.  They are of course also perfect for festivals where the mud is an ever present feature.

For me however, wellington boots are an essential to walk this little snow angel.

Now I said that I received these boots a few months ago and you may wonder why it has taken me so long to review.  The thing is with wellington boots is that you need time to make sure that they are right for you.  Are they comfortable?  Are they going to rub?  Do they support your ankles? Do they help you walk in mud, snow etc?

None of these questions can be answered with a single wearing. 

What I would recommend with these wellington boots from Jileon is to size down.  I am a size 6 and they were too big for me, even with wellington boot socks.  So for an accurate review I gifted these boots to my sister who is a size 7; and they fitted her perfectly.

 This was probably a bonus to this review to be honest as I can be a little "tippy toes" in adverse weather conditions whereas my sister takes her dogs out every day, tracking through mud, snow, streams; everywhere basically.

I asked her to wear the boots and give me an accurate reflection of what she experienced while wearing them.  Her thoughts were that they were supremely comfortable, a good fit on the ankle and had great traction.   All basically that you can ask from a wellington boot.

These are wide calf boots but there is also a belt buckle facility at the top which allows you to tighten/loosen depending on the clothing that you are wearing.  

Jileon offer boots at both the standard and wide fitting.  They also offer different wide fittings at the calf, from below calf. wide and extra wide.  They also offer usage options whether you want occasional use, to regular and hard wearing.

From both my trying them on and my sister using them on a regular basis I can confirm that the wide on the calf fitting is very accurate and the adjustable buckle at the top comes in very handy.  

I would not hesitate to recommend these wellington boots to someone else, just with the advice to size down in your shoe size in order to get the perfect fit.

*This item was gifted to me but all opinions are my own

Battle Royale - Me versus the Weather

Dear Weather,

We have had our differences you and I over the years.  Many battles have been fought and lost between us.

 

You produced snow and ice, I counteracted with ice cleats.  You blew gale force winds, I found hair styles that would stay in place, or hats to cover them.  You dropped the temperature to below freezing, I piled on the scarves, gloves and stylish, where possible, warm clothing.

 

Today though, I admit defeat.  I've had it.  The season turns to Summer next week and yet there is still snow on the ground, it's freezing cold and icy winds are all around. 

 

The game of fashion versus the weather has been playing now for so long that I can barely remember wearing sandals.  The thought of going outside without hat, scarf, gloves, warm coat and multiple layers is completely foreign to me.

 

You have beaten me down to the point I have reached today which is having straw like hair which looks like I did battle with a hedge, wearing ugly pants that look horrendous on my ass and dry skin on my face which no amount of foundation seems to be fixing.

 

You have RUINED me.

 

So here I am weather saying "Well done, you have won.  You are the more superior and you cannot be beaten."

 

Now please, pretty please, can you bring back us back warmth and sunshine?

Love

Vicky

Bambi Learns to Walk

As I have mentioned in a recent post, I'm the human Bambi on ice.  Find the smallest patch of ice on the ground and you can guarantee that I will find it, slip on it and usually fall on my ass.  It's quite irritating and very embarrassing.

I'm the girl you see clinging to the wall or anything sturdy to keep me upright, even when most others are walking normally and not slipping.  If there was an Olympic medal in most likely to slip over even in the most unlikely of circumstances, I would win gold.

This year though, it was time to regain the outdoors.  I have purchased a pair of ice cleats for my shoes and have decided to do a review on them, purely for the fact that until someone told me about them last year, I wasn't aware that they even existed.

Made of rubber, designed to attach to the front and back of your shoe

They are a lot sharper than I'd anticipated
but I guess they need to be

Spikes at the front and back of your shoe

Ignore the filing cabinets!

Once on they are barely noticeable

I bought these from a local sports shop for £10.00 although I have seen different varieties of them online from £5.00 all the way up to £30.00.  

When someone suggested me buying them, having explained what they were I have to admit that I wasn't overly optimistic.  How would they work, could I balance on them, would I really be able to work without looking like an idiot..... The only way I was going to to find out was to try.

I first used them yesterday.  I walked out of the bus station, encountered the snow and ice patches and decided to have a go.  

Firstly, find something that you can balance against when putting them on.  Although the rubber on each end was very easy to attach to my boots, I couldn't have balanced properly without using a wall to lean against.  I did get a few looks I will admit as everyone else was happily walking along in their boots, but sod them, I need industrial help.

After a few metres of walking in them, not sure how to shift my balance and with no confidence that I wouldn't slip whatsoever, I began to realise that they do actually work.  I'll clarify that, THEY BLOODY WORK!!!!!

There I was, after years and years of shuffling on snow, falling over and getting a million funny looks as I battled with the weather, I could walk!  I even found myself purposely going for the more icy patches just to test them, and was able to walk over anything.

Anyone who is reading this and has been the same over Winters as I have, practically disabled by the weather, I urge you, buy them.  

Snow is Falling

Cold weather isn't all bad.  Cozying up in front of the fire, warm soft clothes, comfortable layers.  Cold weather isn't all bad, if I could stay inside the house that is.  Outside brings snow, ice, freezing cold standing at the bus stop, falling frequently on my ass and feeling generally petrified.

I know why I'm scared of snow.    I'm aware in the telling of the story that it is amusing, but it wasn't funny at the time and is the only explanation I have for the fear I feel now.   You are allowed to laugh at it though ;) 

When I was around 6 I walking with my mum along a street covered with snow, snow like it used to, very very deep.  We had both been visiting my grandma and we were on my street making our way back to our house when I disappeared.

Did I disapparate like in the Harry Potter books?  No, I fell down a manhole.  Yes, ok, haha.  This was in the 1980's, before the "Health & Safety" culture got going.  Some workmen had obviously been doing something with the manhole and had it left it uncovered for whatever reason.  With the heavy snow you couldn't see any difference and no signs had been erected.   So little Vicky disappeared, luckily managing to grab hold of the pavement so I could drag myself back up.

Telling the story always gets a laugh, but the truth of it is that since then I have always been frightened of snow, with ice being added to the fear over the years on the grounds that I am the human Bambi on ice, clumsy and unable to keep my balance.

One of my (many I admit) pet peeves are people that wish for the snow.  Why???? You get maybe one day, at best, where throwing snowballs for an hour is fun, the rest of the time you are miserable, wet, cold, slipping and in my case, falling over, a lot.

When people talk about what they would do if they won the lottery, the same thing is always at the top of my list, move to a country where it DOESN'T BLOODY SNOW!

Tell me, please, how is this fun???