I’ll admit it- I’m usually not one to invest in quality gardening shoes. I just use whatever ratty pair I happen to have around to do my garden or yard work. And that’s when I end up with blisters, dirt-covered feet, wet socks, getting poked in the toes with thistle thorns, or slipping around in the mud. It’s not a great strategy!

So when Muck Boots reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in testing a pair of their Original Ankle Boots, I was happy to say yes. And after trying out them for several weeks over the challenging season of late winter/early spring in the Midwest, I’m ready to give my firsthand Muck Boots review.

Are Muck Boots worth it? In my opinion, yes- I find them to be very versatile and I’ve been very impressed with their construction, comfort, and style. In this post, I’ll go over the specifics of what I like about Muck Boots and what kinds of conditions I’ve worn them in.

Let’s get started!

Muck Boots Review: My Tests and Opinions

I was looking at a few criteria for assessing how well I felt these boots performed:

1. Construction: Are they made well from durable, high-quality materials?
2. Comfort: What kinds of activities can I do, and how do my feet feel during and after?
3. Style: Do I like the look of the boots?

Here’s what I tested and what I thought:

1. What’s the Construction Like?

The Muck Boot Company has been producing high-quality waterproof footwear since 1999. They have a huge selection of styles for men, women, and children, including clogs, standard shoes, short boots, tall boots, and steel-toe work boots.

In this post, I’m specifically reviewing the Women’s Original Ankle Boots. Here are some of the key features at a glance:

• Heel Height: 1 3/4 inches
• Calf Circumference: 12.5 inches
• Waterproofing: 100% waterproof with rubber-sealed neoprene upper and full rubber outsole
• Temperature Range: 65 degrees Fahrenheit to sub-freezing
• Sole Tread: Aggressive
• Interior and Cushioning: Antimicrobial footbed with a memory foam layer and breathable 3D Airmesh liner

The boot’s upper is made from soft, stretchy neoprene, which I think conforms comfortably to my foot.

Neoprene is naturally waterproof, and the seam between the boot’s upper and outsole is sealed with a strip of rubber.

One thing I really appreciate is the slip-on design. I don’t like messing around with shoestrings if I can help it, so I love being able to quickly slip my boots on and off and get on with my life. But do be aware that it’s not a hands-free slip-on design- I have to hold on to the loop at the back to slide my heel in. But it only takes a second to do, and I can easily slip them off hands-free.

The outsoles are made from sturdy rubber, and the tread pattern has deep tread that gives you extra grip in mud or snow. Here’s what the treat looked like after wearing the boots many times:

As far as the boot’s interior, the fabric is smooth and has a breathable weave to keep your feet from getting overly sweaty. Muck Boots also included an odor-fighting antimicrobial treatment.

In my opinion, these boots have a nice amount of cushioning. I like the balance between the soft material and the firmness of the internal memory foam midsole layer. There is no built-in arch support, which I haven’t found to be a problem. But you may want to add an arch support insole if you have pre-existing foot issues.

I also appreciate the wide toe box- I feel like my toes have plenty of room to move as needed with no constriction or pinching.

NOTE: These boots are ideal for any routine work you’ll want to do around the yard or garden. But there’s no significant ankle support and the calf fit is a little loose, so I suggest a sturdier pair of landscaping work boots with a steel toe if you have a large project to tackle.

2. Are They Comfortable?

I think these boots are incredibly comfortable, and I’ve been slipping them on for pretty much any reason:

• Running kitchen scraps out to the compost bin
• Walking around the neighborhood in light snow
• Making a quick trip to the store
• Walking out to visit with a neighbor
• Spring clean-up in the yard
• Pulling out a scraggly bush
• Setting up new garden beds
• Routine planting/watering

When we had some late-season snow and slush, it was the perfect opportunity to test the warmth and waterproof claims. So I wore my boots outside walking on a 45-degree F day for about 1.5 miles.

I splashed through plenty of puddles and walked over snowy patches, and my feet stayed perfectly comfortable, toasty, and dry over the hour or so that I was outdoors.

But although my feet were comfortable the whole time I was out, I definitely had some thigh/calf muscle soreness the next couple of days. Apparently, walking for such a long distance in these boots meant I was working muscles I usually don’t! So I can’t say that these are great walking boots, but that’s really not their intended purpose anyway.

Although these boots can keep your feet warm in light snow, they aren’t designed to be deep-winter boots. If that’s what you’re looking for, there are plenty of cold-weather Muck Boots to check out.

And since I live in the Midwest where the spring weather is erratic, to say the least, we also had a stretch of 70+ degrees F days. I worked on pulling out a large bush and setting up new raised beds on a few of these warm days, and I had no problems with my feet getting overheated or feeling stuffy in the warmth.

I’ve seen some people ask if you can wear these boots without socks in hot weather. I suppose you could, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The interior is quite breathable, so I never had any problems with my feet overheating in socks. If you want a pair of garden shoes you can wear without socks, check out the Muckster Lite.

3. How Do They Look?

I’ve not only been impressed with how these boots feel and work, I really like the way they look. And I’m not the only one- I’ve received compliments on them more than once.

Muck Boots offers the Original Ankle Boot in lots of colors with different decorative panels. The ones I chose are the Grey color option, and they have a botanical-print panel that I really love.

I’ve been wearing my boots with jeans since it’s still a bit chilly in the spring, but I think they would also be great with leggings or even shorts.

The Women’s Orignal Ankle Boots also come in several other colors with coordinating decorative panels, and there are also other ankle-length styles with slightly different details and designs. If you’d like to see them all, here’s a link to the ankle boot options.

Bottom Line: Are Muck Boots Worth It?

After testing the Original Ankle Boots for several weeks in various situations and conditions, I’ve found them to be the perfect shoes for doing my regular work in the yard and garden, keeping my feet dry and warm in chilly weather, and even making a quick trip to the store. I’ve found these boots to be very comfortable and well-made.

I am very pleased with these boots and feel good recommending them for working in a home garden and doing routine lawn care tasks.

While the boots themselves are a bit of an investment, I’ve noticed that Muck Boots offers sales frequently, and as of the publishing of this post, shipping is free on all orders $75+ to the contiguous U.S. So there are some ways to save a little cash and still get an awesome pair of boots that should last you for years.

Final Thoughts

I hope you’ve found this Muck Boots review helpful, and now I’d love to hear from you! I put these boots through as many tests as I could, but do you have any more questions I didn’t cover in the post? I’d be happy to answer anything I can to help you, so please feel free to share in the comments!