Wellington boot

Wellies ( North German also: galoshes or Kaloschen ) are wade - up knee-high, waterproof boots with a relatively wide shaft tube, which are originally manufactured from rubber, today also made ​​of thermoplastics.

Demarcation

Rubber footwear in general is not one of the rubber boots. To include for example, riding boots, rubber boots, and probably still under technical aspects of the shoe rubber boots, but are commonly referred to as linguistically riding boots or rubber riding boots, or boots and not as rubber boots. Waders and galoshes ( rubber overshoes ) are also seen shoe technically no more rubber boots.

Material

Higher quality rubber boots are still made ​​of genuine natural rubber or rubber mixtures with high proportions rubber because some rubber- specific material properties of plastics can be achieved only partially. Rubber boots on basis of natural rubber are true ( depending on color ) somewhat more susceptible to UV radiation and certain chemicals, but do not change the essential characteristic of flexibility and strength at normal temperature fluctuations. Overall, they are significantly more flexible than boots made of plastics ( nearly always PVC, rarely others such as thermoplastic polyurethane ). Also offer high quality rubber boots soles of other materials and other equipment details such as lacing, undressing, etc.

History

Even the indigenous people of South America introduced a primitive form of rubber boots ago by impregnating substances or shoes in plant sap. This led to a limited network of latex substance and at the same time a certain shelf life was reached.

In Europe, water- resistant boots found ( and other garments ) rubber based initially not very interested. With large heat the boots stuck too much, and in cold weather they were brittle. It was not until 1840 Charles Goodyear accidentally discovered that plastic rubber, mixed with sulfur and soot and vulcanized by heating, is permanently elastic and no longer adhesive, found rubber products and rubber boots thus their sales. Previously, such B.The rural population in their work on the farm and field largely dependent on clogs -. Too at British Army soldiers in trench warfare in Flanders found rubber boots from 1915 soon in great demand (ditches in the rain ).

The American Hiram Hutchinson bought by Charles Goodyear a license for the manufacture of rubber boots. In 1853 he founded in France, a factory producing rubber boots, he saw a good market in the then predominantly rural Europe. He sold his product under the brand name of A l' Aigle ( Eagle) as a tribute to the American emblem. The company Hutchinson exists to this day. The brand name was shortened over the years to AIGLE. The company, headquartered in France still produces high quality rubber boots for work and leisure.

Henry Lee Norris moved in 1855 from America to Scotland, again with the aim to establish a factory for rubber boots. A year later in Edinburgh took the North British Rubber Company on its operation. Around 100 years later, in the winter of 1955, the company presented a then novel, green wellies, as the original Hunter boot is (Hunter was the supplier of the British royal family ) announced today.

In 1927 the Frenchman M. Claude Chamot also had to produce the idea of ​​rubber boots. He chose as a brand name Le Chameau ( camel ) in allusion to the nickname he had as a child. Also this company provides up today manufactures high-quality rubber boots.

Around the same time, other companies began in Europe in the production of rubber boots, for example, Phoenix AG in Hamburg and Semperit in Austria. Both companies still exist today, the production of rubber boots, however, have now ceased and specializes in technical rubber products for industrial use. One of the two oldest German manufacturers of rubber boots include Elbit in Wittenberg and Romika headquartered in Trier.

For decades, rubber boots the preferred footwear in wet weather, as normal shoes were usually equipped with leather soles that easily soften in the rain. In the 1980s, however, rubber boots came in the leisure and sports out of fashion because they were replaced by waterproof shoes with Gore- Tex and other synthetic materials. Only in the late 1990s, rubber boots, first by the country fashion, fashionable again. After the early 2000s, numerous celebrities at various events occurring in rubber boots, they were in the years 2005 to 2008 a fashionable accessory that increasingly became widespread. Especially for women currently offer numerous fashion labels colored and patterned models.

Production of rubber boots

In the production of waterproof boots, there are several methods:

Production by hand

The traditional production by hand the cut cloth-like natural rubber material is applied by hand and pressed onto an aluminum strips. Then the prefabricated from up to 35 individual parts is vulcanized rubber boots in a hot air oven at about 140 ° C. By manufacturing by hand, it is also possible to use different types of rubber for sole, insole, heel, and upper reinforcements, which allows a comfortable fit. Also this can most modern sports shoe technology integrated into the rubber boots or be taken into account fashionable and special anatomical claims. Manufactured in manual work rubber boots are often expensive.

Semi-automatic production

Another method is the production in molds. While a split mold is used, which presses the still soft rubber on the strips and is opened after the vulcanizing. The as -made rubber boots can be seen on the visible parting line of the mold, which is like a middle seam visible on the finished boot. Rubber boots made- are inexpensive yet rugged and are primarily used as work boots.

Fully automatic production

Rubber boots on plastic base are largely automatically produced by injection molding. This produces large quantities are cheaper to build. The thermoplastic material is injected with hot pressure in the separable form. After cooling the finished boot is removed from the opened mold. These rubber boots have a visible parting line.

Application

Rubber boots are completely waterproof and have become established in many areas. As rain protection and fashion items they are worn to work and casual wear, especially where it comes to waterproof and easy to clean footwear.

Rubber boots as footwear in the wet season are offered in accordance with colorful printed presentation as a fashion footwear for ladies. There are versions with different high heels in different colors and styles, for example, Western boots.

Outside of high mountains in central and northern Europe, rubber boots made ​​of natural rubber frequent footwear for hunters. Even with dogs and horse owners often have found this distribution. These are distinguished from PVC boots made by significantly higher wearing comfort. In order to make possible year round use, there are natural rubber boots with warm lining and neoprene or Outlast.

In agriculture, especially in the livestock farming, especially boots made of polyurethane ( PU boots ) are used, since these are manure resistant, unlike natural rubber boots over a longer time.

Care

Rubber boots are very easy to clean. Heavy soiling can be easily rinsed off with water and mild soapy water. The surface is maintained with glycerine, which one beigibt the wash water or undiluted rubbing. Glycerin protects the rubber against brittleness. Silicone oil refreshes the surface and also prevents the premature aging of the rubber, which is due to the action of UV light and fatty substances from the biological environment. ( For example, there are fat- resistant boot by butchers from neoprene. ) Most brands have special rubber conditioner on offer. Rubber boots are stored cleaned, dry, protected from light and cool.