Gumboots 

All About Gumboots

The Duke fought in soft calfskin boots, known as Hessians, before the invention of the rubber boot, and is famous in history for winning the Battle of Waterloo. These had a small heel, were around calf height and had tassels. In the early 1800s, the Duke instructed his shoemaker in St James's, London, to modify the Hessian footwear to increase its adaptability. The boot was raised to knee height for better protection, the tassel was removed and the leather was oiled for better weather resistance. The Hessian boot was modified to make it suitable for casual evening wear as well as combat. So even in its earliest form, the gumboot was a classic everyday boot!

People admired this adaptability and the new Wellington boot quickly gained popularity and became a favourite of the aristocracy. 

To make natural rubber malleable, Charles Goodyear (of Goodyear tyres) developed the sulphur vulcanisation process in 1852.  The American industrialist Hiram Hutchinson was then granted a licence to use the process. Hutchinson brought the process back to France, where he set up a factory to make rubber Wellington boots. As you might expect, rubber wellies quickly replaced wooden clogs as the footwear of choice for the local farmers who had previously worked in them.

Best Material for Gumboots:

The ideal material for gumboots is natural rubber, although PVC substitutes are often well made and long lasting. Natural rubber has the advantage of conforming to your foot and leg and is cooler to wear.

Different Types of Gumboots

The most popular gumboots in the food industry are made from polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

PVC wellingtons are often less expensive than PU wellingtons, although there are drawbacks.

Here are some of the main differences:

• PVC boots weigh much more than PU boots. This means that up to 1kg of extra weight is carried with each step, increasing fatigue.
• The lifespan of PVC gumboots is generally 1/3 that of PU. This means they need to be replaced three times as often.
• PVC gumboots are even worse for the environment. PVC, more commonly known as vinyl, is harmful to the environment both during production and after disposal.
• They also contribute significantly more to landfill due to their shorter lifespan and heavier weight.
• By choosing to use PVC gumboots, a typical 200-employee food processing plant could add up to 1 tonne of landfill waste.

Only in cases where the gumboots are only worn for a short period of time before being discarded would PVC gumboots be a more economical and suitable option.

This could be the case if there is no cleaning and disinfection programme for re-issuing gumboots to temporary or seasonal workers who will only be using them for a few weeks or months at a time.

Use of Gumboots

1. PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST THINGS THAT COULD FALL: These boots will come in handy if you work in manufacturing, construction or mining. Accidents can happen in these workplaces, but if you're wearing the right rubber boots, you won't have to worry about your feet. Some rubber boots can be fitted with steel toecaps for extra protection. 
2. REDUCES FALLS, SLIPS AND TRIPS : Due to the muddy conditions, working in the construction and mining industries can be challenging. Gumboots reduce the risk of slips and falls because they have special soles that provide grip in the worst weather conditions. 
3.  AVOID FATIGUE : The best solutions for a more comfortable and effective working environment are rubber-sole gumboots. The added comfort of these safety rubber boots will help during long office shifts.
4. PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST BURNS : Working with abrasive materials such as acids, chemicals and even cement is likely to result in burns. Burns are prevented by the effective barrier that rubber safety footwear provides between the feet and potentially harmful substances. 
5. PROTECTION AGAINST HIGH TEMPERATURE: When working in hot conditions, such as in mining and industry, rubber boots are a necessity. The rubber soles of gumboots can withstand temperatures of up to 300 degrees Celsius without melting, bending or buckling. 
6.  YOUR FEET WILL BE KEPT WARM BY GUMBOOTS: Because these boots offer protection from cold waves, you can wear them in winter or when the seasons change. You can buy a decent pair of gumboots with a good insulation system. This is why these boots are so popular.
7. DRY YOUR FEET: One of the main purposes of rubber boots is to keep your feet safe and dry. However, rubber boots are truly waterproof footwear that can function in a weak stream and keep your feet completely dry. You can discover a variety of safety footwear that make this claim. This is why they are so popular during the rainy season. 
8. GUMBOOTS: Gumboots are often worn during the rainy season, but not only. Contrary to what you may think, these boots provide much greater access. Gumboots can be worn in muddy entrances, full swales, streams, shallow ponds and many other places where regular shoes won't do. 

Best Manufacturers of Gumboots

Below mentioned are the top manufacturers of gumboots:

• Hillson Century 
• Norwin Gumboots 
• Fortune Footwear Atlantic Gumboots
• Duckback Gumboots Grey Sole Shoes
• Elephant Century Safety Gumboots
• DARIT Men's Waterproof Durable Rubber Outdoor Gumboots