Barbour Bede Wellies Review
Stylish Wellington Boots for Men & Women
The Barbour Bede wellies are a classic looking wellington boot. They are more suited for the fashion conscious customer, who would wear the boots around town or for short walks in the countryside, like walking the dog or gardening. The boots come in three colours and are available for men and women.
Value for Money
Build Quality
Comfort
Warmth
Style
Barbour Bede Wellington Boot Review
Date of review Sept 2021 by Richard
OVERALL RATING
3.7/5
Our Verdict
| WHAT WE LIKE | WHAT WE DON’T LIKE |
| + Stylish wellies | – Not suitable for wide calves |
| + Good alternative to Hunter Originals | – Quality could be better |
| + Kick spur (help take boots off) | |
| + Good traction | |
| + Barbour branding |
Barbour is a classic British country clothing company. They are known all over the world for their famous wax jackets. They’re not so well known for wellington boots. In this review, we will see if the Bede wellies are worthy of the Barbour name.
Barbour Bede Wellington Boots: Features
- Adjustable side buckle (really only for appearance)
- Inside material: Tartan cotton lining
- Outside material: Natural rubber
- Fit Type: True to size
- Heel Type: Block, 1cm tall
- 100% Waterproof
- Kick spur (easy to take boots off)
- 3 colours available: Black, Green and Navy
- Matt finish
- Sizes: Men UK6 to UK12 – Women UK3 to UK9
Style and Look of Barbour Bede Boots
The Barbour Bede wellies have a traditional wellington boots look about them. Barbour has done very little to the design to make them look different from your typical classic wellie. Even the colours have been limited to the traditional green, black and navy. The only design stamp that Barbour has given the boots is the tartan lining, which is a signature of the Barbour wax jackets
It is that traditional look that makes these Barbour wellies so popular. When you physically see the boots, they look smart, and there isn’t really anything to dislike.
The boots look very similar to the Hunter Originals, which is no bad thing. The fact they also cost considerably less makes them a great alternative to the Hunter boots.
Are Barbour Bede Boots Comfortable to Wear
We feel that Bede wellies have primarily been designed as fashion wellington boots and not as practical work boots. When wearing the boots for short walks or pottering around the garden, they offer a good level of comfort. We didn’t find any part of the boot rubbing and there was a reasonable amount of support and flexibility around the ankle.
However, When taking the boots on a long walk (3 miles plus) we found they just didn’t offer enough support and comfort to make the walk a pleasure. This is primarily because the boots don’t have an especially good shock absorbing sole and the support required for a long walk simply isn’t there. Feet become sweaty and tired.
When compared to boots like the Aigle Parcours 2 ISO, which are specifically designed for all-day comfort, the Barbour Bede boots just don’t compare.
How warm are the Barbour Bede boots
The Barbour Bede boots only have a cotton lining, which is not designed to keep feet warm. Without an insulating layer (like neoprene or fleece lining) feet will feel cold. The boots also only have a fairly basic sole, allowing the cold to come up from the ground into the boot.
Wearing thick socks will undoubtedly help keep feet warmer, but don’t expect your feet to be warm in freezing conditions. The boots are really only suitable for milder weather conditions.
If you’re after boots for cold weather, take a look at our wellies for winter buyers guide
What is a Wellie Kick Spur
The Barbour Bede wellington boots have a feature called a 'Kick Spur'. The kick spur is located on the back of the heel on each boot and helps to take boots off. This is a very simple feature but is actually very useful, especially if you don't have a boot jack.
Quality of Bede Boots
The boots appear to be built to a reasonable standard. The rubber is a bit thin, so we can see that wearing and possibly splitting in a relatively short time.
There are reports of the insole slipping inside the boot and customers having to replace it with a new 3rd party insole.
Final Thoughts: Barbour Bede Boots
The Barbour Bede wellies are good looking and work well as basic boot. They’ll keep your feet dry in wet conditions and as long as you don’t plan on wearing them all day long, they’re reasonably comfortable.
As mentioned earlier in the review, the build quality is ok and will probably be fine for the majority of people who buy these boots for fashion purposes rather than as practical ‘working’ wellington boots.
BEST SELLING BARBOUR BEDE BOOTS
Last update on 2024-04-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Questions and Answers: Barbour Bede Boots
Are Barbour wellies waterproof?
Yes, Barbour wellies are 100% waterproof. You can be confident walking in the rain and through puddles that your feet will remain dry.
Are Barbour wellies better than Hunter boots?
The Barbour Bede boots are an excellent alternative to Hunter Original Tall boots. In our reviews, we found that the Barbour wellies are better than the Hunter boots.
Does Barbour make wellington boots?
Barbour is best known for wax jackets, but they also manufacture a small range of wellington boots for both men and women.
Is Barbour a posh brand?
The company has been established for many years and, in the past, has had a reputation of being a posh brand, partly due to the royal family wearing harbour jackets. Today Barbour is considered more of a luxury brand available to everyone, not just the rich.
Are Barbour wellies unisex?
No, The boots are different for men and women. The women’s boot is slimmer fitting and has a smoother finish than the men’s boot. The sizing is also different, with the women’s boots available in 3 to 9 and the men’s boots 6 to 12
What is the width of the bede boot? Are they suitable for wide calves?
The width of the boots varies according to the foot size. A men’s size 9 boot has a circumference \ width of 17 inches \ 43.5 cm. This makes the boots suitable for ‘normal’ to larger-sized calves. The buckle on the boots does not allow the width to be changed.
A women’s size 6 boot has a circumference of approximately 14.9 inches \ 38 cm. The women’s version of the bede boots is slim-fitting and unsuitable for wide calves.
What height are the Barbour Bede boots
The men’s boots are approximately 40cm from the bottom of the foot to the top of the shaft. The women’s boots are approximately 38cm from the bottom of the foot to the top of the shaft. For the boots to fit correctly, the top of the shaft should be at least several centimetres below the knee.
Do Barbour Bede wellies come in half sizes?
Like nearly all wellies the Bede boots are not available in half sizes. If your shoe size is normally a half size, then the general rule is to go the next size up.
Richard Cutts
I've been working with rubber boots (aka rain boots, wellies) in one way or another, since 2009. So, i've seen a lot of wellington boots in my time. I create most of the content for the website, which i hope you find useful.
Wellieboots.com NEWSLETTER
Sign up to get the latest reviews, news, tips and where to get the best wellie deals!
You will only get emails from wellieboots.com (no 3rd parties)
We generally send one email per month
