I have to admit that I didn’t think these boots would stand the test. I mean, when boots meet fishing there’s only two possible outcomes: they’ve got to be rubber or neoprene, haven’t they? We don’t want wet feet in our business. Don’t get me wrong; these Dubarry boots look great – knee-length, trendy two-tone (dark brown and mahogany) tanned leather, gusseted zippered sides and a retaining stud at the top of the calf, but I was pretty sure that a pair of brown leather wellies simply wouldn’t hold water, or at least keep water out. So I went wading in them, I launched boats in them, and I paddled in streams in them. I defied them to get my feet wet.

Dry as a bone, I was; even after hours of wading up to my shins.

Dubarry boots have their origins in the hand-stitched moccasins of west of Ireland and these skills have lived on. These boots are not only stylish, they are also functional. On top of that you can throw in warm and extremely comfortable – it’s an attractive package: the wellington meets the carpet slipper.

What’s the secret? First and foremost, the whole boot is lined with Goretex, lending it the waterproof, breathable attributes. The gusseted side is as waterproof as the rest of the boot. The leather is of high quality – these boots mould well to the calves and seem far lighter than ordinary wellingtons. The tread on the sole is deep and offers secure footing in mud and on grass, the only failing I can see is that, like wellingtons, there’s not an awful lot of ankle support.

At £265 these are an expensive outlay, but they are a quality product that should last many years. It’s about time someone came up with comfortable, waterproof alternative to the rubber wellie that is suitable for wearing in boats, or for river and stillwater fishing where wading is not necessary.