The Original, the shoe the whole brand rests on, is a vulcanised rubber boot made in essentially the same pattern since 1956. Vulcanising means the rubber is bonded rather than glued, which is why these last through years of standing water and why they are heavy. The tall shaft is the part that divides people, since it is genuinely useful in a field and slightly theatrical on a pavement. Gloss and matte finishes read completely differently, with gloss closer to the original agricultural object and matte closer to a fashion boot. The Glastonbury festival did more for this brand in the 2000s than any campaign, which is a real and slightly absurd piece of history.

The short shapes are where the brand has grown and where most people should start. A waterproof Chelsea is the one Hunter shoes silhouette that passes as a normal boot, which is the whole argument for it. Clogs and waterproof sneakers push further from the origin and closer to what people actually need on a wet commute. Quilted finishes add visual texture to what is otherwise an unbroken expanse of rubber, which is the perennial design problem here. None of these breathe, which is the honest limitation of the entire category.

Rubber shoes have no give, so sizing is more important here than in almost any other footwear. Take a half size up and wear a real sock, because the shaft width is fixed and the calf is where most returns come from. The tall Original is the better object and the Chelsea is the better purchase for anyone not walking through a field. Rubber blooms a white film over time, which is normal and wipes off, so do not treat it as a defect. Store them upright and out of direct heat and a pair will genuinely last a decade.