BACK IN 1984, when the world was young and I was the fresh-faced editor of a fishing magazine, I was sent a pair of boots to review. They were called Bridgedale Dryboots and were proper lace-up hiking boots, with a reinforced under-arch steel shank for optimum toughness but, unlike just about every other pair of boots I’ve ever owned, they were totally waterproof, because they were made of rubber.
The trouble with rubber is that it doesn’t breathe, which usually means there’s nowhere for perspiration to escape to, so you end up with wet feet anyway. Think sweaty wellies.
But in the case of the Dryboots, a thick anti-sweat jersey-cotton padded lining absorbed the moisture and made them extra-comfortable, with extra padding around the ankles and under the soles. They…