The Original Muck Boot Company Chore Classic Mid - Women's Review

The Chore Classic boot is a bit cumbersome in our opinion — the rubber is dense, and the soles are thick. If you don't mind the bulk and weight, they are actually a great pair of rain boots to have around. Dependable on the coldest of days, they are decently comfortable, given the right fit, and come in a fun color scheme.

Performance Comparison

These boots are well made and ready to work.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Weather Protection

With a shaft height of 11.75 inches for the size we tested, protection against the elements is quite high even with a relatively wide circumference of 14.5 inches. While not as tall as the most classic wellies around, the shaft of the Chore Classic is fully waterproof all the way to the brim. During our creek test, wading through the water was easily and confidently done. At first, we were curious as to whether water would leak into the boot where the rubber ends and the neoprene begins. But the neoprene didn't soak in any water whatsoever for us, keeping everything cozy and dry. Even when walking through snow, the neoprene insulates well against the cold.

While not the most flexible when it comes to the rubber, they function well for the casual have-tos.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Comfort

We've determined that the overall comfort for this pair could benefit from some fine-tuning. On the one hand, the neoprene inner is soft, cozy, and shaped to fit more like a sock. And on the other, the footbox is rather small, the rubber is stiff, and the boots themselves weigh a hefty 3.8 lbs for a size 7. All-day wear isn't as practical as we would like, being that wearing them around feels like you're wearing clunky platform boots. We also feel that they run small in size; our size 7 had our feet feeling tight, and we had to wear thin socks to fit into them at all. The shaft narrows down around the ankles, which helps mitigate heel slippage into near nonexistence (amazing!), but it also makes it difficult to push your foot into the boot. To sum everything up, there are quite a lot of pros and cons to many of these aspects of comfort, unfortunately, yielding a "just-average" performance.

The tread is very pronounced and bulky but not as tactile as you would think.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Traction

A factor for effective traction, in our opinion, is the degree of sensitivity the boot allows for without compromising comfort. Due to the rather stiff footbox and the thickness of the sole, we found it difficult to navigate wet river rocks in a delicate manner. Traction in snowy/icy conditions also wasn't as spectacular as we were hoping for during our tests. Best suited for flatter environments, the traction of the Chore Classicis still above average in performance, but simply not the best we've experienced.

The neoprene insulates very well and the boots did okay to not slip on the frozen deck.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Warmth

This metric is where these boots truly shine. The neoprene acts as an incredible insulating material, keeping feet toasty in 15-degree weather with snow on the ground. The neoprene quality also regulates temperature well enough to where we didn't rapidly overheat when temperatures were in the 50's and 60's. Granted, you can't really leave them on all day without expecting sweaty feet, no matter what the weather is like. We appreciate this design for those who live in colder climates, as having an insulated waterproof boot like this grants some versatility even during the winter.

We didn't notice the temperature of the water at all during our creek test. Plus, the print adds some neat flare.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Style

The bold raspberry color and veggie print on the neoprene of the version we tested is fun and feminine. The design seems to speak to its intended purpose: gardening, yard work, and casual farm chores. But because of the bright colors, we think it can also fit in around town well enough (maybe just a mountain town). Otherwise, the neoprene and matte rubber isn't as versatile as other classic rain boots with glossy sheens and accessory buckles.

A closer look at the veggie print design.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Fit

We found out the hard way that sizing up is best with this model, especially if you're a half-size. The cinch at the ankle is a little tight and can make putting on and pulling off the boot difficult. We were generally able to deal with the smaller size, but there is no way you can wear thick socks this way. Thus, if you want thick socks (though the insulation might deter you), or if you use your own insoles, sizing up is highly recommended.

Value

Despite some drawbacks in sizing and weight, we do think this boot is well made. They are designed to be durable for work in the yard, hence the amount of dense rubber surrounding the lower part of the boot. If you can get over how heavy they are (and find the perfect size), they are nonetheless a great buy with above-average performance and, thus, value. This model is made in China and comes in whole sizes 5-11.

Conclusion

With the fit being a main factor in comfort, we think spending the extra effort to determine the right size is worth it, as long as you don't mind how much the Muck Chore Classic Mid weighs. With above-average warmth, style, and traction, they really are a fine pair, and they will definitely keep you dry for all those soggy chores.

A great pair to have around when it's very cold, even without rain.

Photo: Sara Aranda