Much loved by farmers, gardeners, dog walkers and horsey types alike, The Original Muck Boot Company is best-known for its wellington boots – tall, moss-coloured, rather posh-looking wellies that are billed as “100% muckproof”. Bring on the mud is virtually the brand’s strapline.

But now the company appears to be dipping its toes into the broader hiking and outdoors market, with the release of the Apex Lace Up boot. It is described as a “high-performance sport boot built on an innovative platform for high endurance outdoor pursuits”. It’s 100% waterproof, according to the brand’s marketing blurb, with a breathable mesh lining to provide “elite protection, flexibility, and moisture management”. The laces feature durable metal hardware, including speed hooks; there’s a neoprene collar at the ankle designed to add comfort; and the lugged rubber outsole has been engineered for good traction over “rocky, cold and wet ground – and of course the muck”.