I am not sure that mowing the rugged grasslands of my Scottish Highlands garden; digging and landscaping; and tramping about my local woodlands are exactly what the brand Grubs had in mind for their new boots collection called Bromley, but certainly they have been an asset to me during my trials and testing.
As detailed above, I have been wearing the Bromleys for all kinds of hard and dirty work, as well as some local walks, and I have found them comfortable, robust, waterproof and grippy.
While researching the origins of the boots, I discovered that the boots were actually inspired by Bromley Cross, a leafy suburb on the edge of the English town of Bolton, in Lancashire, some 30 minutes’ drive from the city of Manchester.
Apparently, Bromley Cross is “Grubs®️country”, and the “western reaches of the Rossendale upland, surrounded by the bleak and windswept moors” have provided inspiration for the brand’s boots.
Further still, I read that the Bromley collection of boots have been “designed for mums walking their kids to the local primary school, the commuters waiting at the bus stop and train station for their daily commute into the city and just daily wear”.
It’s a boot that can “take all the bad weather … yet have enough style and comfort to wear with that full-length duvet jacket and not look out of place on the wet, cold pavements of Manchester and beyond”.
Hmmmm, so perhaps I haven’t been wearing the boots for their intended use but I have still been pleasantly surprised by them. I’ll tell you more in due course but, first, the features.
Grubs Bromley 4.0 boots details:
4mm INSUFOAM ULTRA PATH outsole
Chelsea style
DURAPRENE™ rubber upper
Neoprene lined
Rollin-Gait™ technology
Vibram® Rgs Hiker™ Outsole
Temperature range: +20ºC to -20ºC
Size: UK4 to UK8 (I have the UK8)
Colours: Sage, Sea and Indigo
Price: £49.99 to £75.95
My thoughts: Grubs Bromley 4.0 boots
First things first, I am not a fan of features that are written in capitals and don’t really make much sense. For example, what is INSUFOAM ULTRA PATH outsole? What is DURAPRENE™ rubber? I prefer features tat are very easy to understand at a glance. But that is just a small point and it’s the wearing and use that is more important.
As I have detailed above, I have been putting the Grubs’ Bromleys through their paces. I have been using them for gardening, local walking and I have worn them to the pub with jeans. Most of my testing has been in the summer and autumn so I have not worn them on really cold days but I can tell that they offer good warmth and insulation.
We have had some rain in Scotland over the summer, so I have been able to test them in the wet and while walking through wet grass and vegetation. I can confirm they are very waterproof.
They are also very comfortable. I have had to add an extra insole inside because I have flat and narrow feet and these boots are made for more “normal” width feet. The width and volume of the boots are much more suited to what I would call and average foot. The extra insole helps to keep the boots snugly on my feet, otherwise they would feel to voluminous and also slip off my ankles.
Walking in the boots feels good because of the outsole cushioning and I find them fairly grippy. They are not as grippy as my hiking boots and trail running shoes, but for general domestic use they are fine.
The boots are not lightweight, though. Don’t expect top put them on an suddenly feel light-footed. I think the boots need to be a bit heavier to offer durability, waterproofing and, importantly for winter, insulation. They do offer good warmth in a waterproof wellington boot-style design.
I also question the temperature range of +20C to -20C. I think the boots wold feel far to warm and heavy for temperatures up to 20C and I think there would need to be more insulation to keep feet warm in -20C. But somewhere in the middle might be just about right, say -5C to 10C.
I like the look of the boots. They are like smart short wellies but with a Chelsea boot styling. They are probably a bit too smart for my gardening tasks but ideal for going to the pub.
I don’t do any commuting and I don’t have kids at school so I can’t comment on their suitability for these sorts of trips but I can imagine they would be a good choice on a wet or snowy day when you need to walk streets in towns and cities.
Another advantage of the design is the Bromleys boots are very easy to slip on and off. There is no need to bend over to tie laces etc.
They are not overly pricey and, strangely, you can buy a pair from Charliesa lot cheaper than the Grubs website.
Overall, the Grubs Bromleys are a nice design and a good boot for general wear in wet, snowy or cold weather. maybe, something to consider for late autumn and winter.