Grub’s Bearline 8.5 Boots
2025 has been an odd year here in the UK - a proper summer with major droughts and fires - yet, in what seems to be within a few days, the temperature dropped and I’m swapping t.shirts, shorts and flip flops for jeans, jumpers and wellies!
And that’s where my new pair of GRUB’s BEARLINE 8.5 boots come in.
If you’re the sort of person who thinks soggy socks are character building, you can stop reading now. For the rest of us sensible folk, these boots are built to keep your feet warm, dry, and comfy from the minute you put them on ‘til the moment you finally give up for the day.
The secret weapon is their 8.5mm INSUFOAM-ULTRA – basically, a full 360° duvet for your feet, only less embarrassing to wear in public. Whether you’re trudging through icy puddles, wet fields, or just nipping out to put the bins out in a frost, your toes will be smugly toasty.
The outer shell is made from DURAPRENE, which is a posh way of saying “tougher than old boots.” Combine that with FOOTFRAME underfoot support and you’ve got a pair of wellies that actually feel like they’ve been designed for feet, not fence posts.
Up front, there’s HARD-TOE protection, so if you accidentally boot a rock, gatepost, or drop a large D-shackle during a recovery, your toes will survive to tell the tale.
Underneath, the BEARPAW sole is made from dry rubber, textured to mimic the grip of a bear’s paw – though thankfully without the smell, sharp teeth and bad attitude. That means less slipping, sliding, and undignified flailing around in mud and ice.
Inside, there’s ULTRA-BOUNCE cushioning, which soaks up the jolts of stomping across rough ground and keeps you going all day without feeling like your heels have been attacked by a hammer.
And if you like your numbers: these boots have a comfort rating from a balmy +10°C down to a proper toe-numbing -40°C. In other words, they'll see you through a dog walk in drizzle, a day's shooting in sleet, or a week of pretending you're on some Arctic expedition when you're really just stuck on the M62 in January.
So, what are they like to live with?
For the last month or so I’ve worn them pretty much every day on Lilly’s walks, chopping firewood, wandering aimlessly on beaches and in woods taking photographs, and of course green-laning.
They’ve been on pavements, wet grass, slippery mud and through streams - roughly 12k steps a day which, so far, is around 720,000 steps equating to roughly 352 miles. Through it all, they've been comfortable, grippy, flexible, and supportive. Not a single complaint from me.
I haven’t just worn them sporadically throughout the day either, there’s been numerous days when I’ve worn them for 12 hours straight, and that includes driving. Again, zero complaints.
What about breathability?
Sweaty feet in wellies are grim. A decent lining or breathable membrane makes all the difference on a long walk, not to mention some good quality socks. My go-to socks are from Darn Tough, in case you’re interested.
Size and fitting
I’m size 11, and after ordering 11s I was initially a bit worried they wouldn’t fit with medium to thick socks, but they’re spot on.
Grip
Apart from waterproofness and comfort- which they excel at, the next important aspect of a pair of wellies is grip, and so far I’ve no complaints. I’ve climbed slippery slopes - mud, wet grass, loose stone, and the BEARPAW cleats simply dig in to provide exceptional traction.
Another way of looking at it is, imagine you’re Usain Bolt at the starting blocks. The starting pistol is fired and the soles of your feet dig into the ground as you power forward - only much, much slower! That’s how I’ve been testing the Bearlines, trying my best to induce slip.
Something else I really appreciate about them is the way they flex and mould their way over tree roots and stones. Again, imagine lowering the pressure of your tyres to 15psi to gain more traction - this means not only do you gain a bigger footprint, but you also you get the flexibility to conform over obstacles, that’s what it feels like wearing these Grub’s Bearlines.
I’ve only had them for three months, and they’ve not had a taste of a proper northern winter yet - no snow, ice or frost, but so far, they've not put a foot wrong (see what I did there?).
Website: https://www.grubswarehouse.com/product-page/bearline-8-5-green
Price: £129.95