I recently found a beautiful pair of Hunter Tour rain boots on sale on Black Friday (Similar pair on Zappo's: Hunter Tour) and thought I would share my experiences with Hunter boots. Unfortunately, this isn't the first pair of Hunter boots I've bought. The first pair I bought didn't work out for me for a variety of reasons I’ll mention below so I ended up giving them to one of my roommates. The good news is I love my new pair - which makes me excited to wear them for the rainy Chicago weekend forecast!
Style:
Overall, I love the style of all Hunter boots! Hunter has really made your average clunky, heavy rubber rain boot functional and fashion friendly. I love adding pops of color to my outfits (especially since I live in the lovely snowy, cold Midwest) and Hunter has a huge selection of colors to choose from. Red is one of my absolute favorite colors so I got the beautiful matte red color. Since I have longer legs, mid length boots don't work too well for me. I feel like they awkwardly cut off my leg in a strange place, so I try to stick with either really short booties or tall riding-esque boots. While I think the short Hunters are adorable, the tall hunters really suit my body type and clothing choices better.
Comfort & Size:
The first pair of Hunter boots I owned were the glossy red original boots. While they were absolutely beautiful in every way, I could not go anywhere without them rubbing against the backs of my heels. Every time I wore them I’d always end up with blisters no matter how many pairs of socks I wore. Given that I was a student at the time, I probably walked more than your average person would but I was hoping for a pair of boots that would be comfortable especially since I needed them on those messy winter days! Since they were so uncomfortable for me, I ended up wearing them very rarely and ultimately gave them away since they were getting almost no use in my closet.
That’s why I was so excited about the new pair of Hunters I bought this past Black Friday. While they aren’t the glossy style that I originally owned, they look equally as cute in the matte style. On top of that the new pair is the Packable Tour style which makes it so easy to store and pack on trips. A side benefit is that this pair is also so much more comfortable because the material of the boots is thinner and more flexible.
Price:
I bought my first pair of Hunters on Zappos.com for the full $150 price tag but got the second pair for a steal at $87 at Nordstrom Rack! If you're in the market for Hunter boots (and not too picky about the specific color/style of boot) I would highly suggest checking out Nordstrom Rack. While their selection is more limited, you're much more likely to find a good deal. In addition, the Hunter website itself (www.us.hunterboots.com) also has some great deals in its sale section for select colors and styles.
Functionality:
While I haven't had my new pair of boots for very long, I've worn it through a smattering of slush and rain successfully. The rubber material on the original style Hunter boots is much thicker and sturdier than the material of the packable Tour Hunter boots so they may not last as long as the original style but that's kind of the trade you make in creating something that's more portable vs. sturdy. In general, however, Hunters are not particularly warm so it's best to wear them with warm socks or invest in a pair of welly socks. I'm still looking for the perfect pair of welly socks as well - there are so many styles to choose from!
I'm in love with my new Hunter boots and so excited that I got them at such a deal price as well. I promise Hunter boots are worth the investment if you're looking for a functional rain boot that's stylish and goes with almost any fall or winter outfit (: