Cozy bed, kanda bhajiyas, and a cup of chai (or hot chocolate, if you’re like me)
Is there a better way to spend a rainy day? (The right answer is no)
But you have to step out of the house sometime, right?
This post is for those times.
Let’s be honest – most functional rainy footwear tosses style right out of the window and straight into a puddle of muddy water! And it’s extra challenging if you live in India, because most online “waterproof” guides aren’t written with the Indian rains in mind
The best men’s shoes for the Indian monsoon are:
- durable
- low maintenance
- waterproof / water-resistant
- readily available online or in stores
Based on these criteria, here are my top picks for rain friendly shoes available in India
1) Bata All Weather Chukka Boots
When it comes to walking in the rain, nothing beats a good pair of boots.
Hear me out: Regular shoes are fine, but even if they have a waterproof upper, the combination of wind + rain hitting your ankles means that water will get into your shoes. But, the entire idea behind rainy footwear is to keep your feet dry, right?
Enter – The Bata All-Weather Boot!
Find them online on the Bata website
In my pursuit of rain footwear, these boots have been my most useful buy
Price:
4999/- INR
It’s expensive, yes, but it’ll last you for quite a while. I’ve been using mine for the third monsoon now.
Pros:
- They’re black, which means that they’ll go with just about any colour of pants.
- They’re made of Faux leather, which means that you don’t have to worry about the rains ruining them.
- And, they’re designed to look like chukka boots, which makes them minimal enough to be worn formally as well!
…
Hold on, Vicky! Aren’t Chukka boots casual?
Yes, they are (and I’m proud of you for pointing that out)
But remember that you’ll be wearing these boots “in the rains”. For those purposes, wearing them with dress pants is okay.
Even if you’re wearing a suit (which is probably not wise to wear in the rains), you can always carry a change of proper dress shoes and change into them at your destination
…
Cons:
- These shoes look a little bulky. It’s is not a deal breaker, but worth pointing out
- They run slightly larger. I’d recommend you can try out the boots for size before buying them (or otherwise, check if you can return them later)
I bought them in my usual size, but they feel a little loose even when fully laced up.
Where to find them:
- You can buy these boots from your nearest Bata store. That’s how I got them
- They’re also available on the Bata website (and come in brown too)
Other options:
These are a great option for casual wear, but I couldn’t find them online. Your best bet is to look for them at your nearest Bata stores
also available at Myntra
These are not waterproof, but water resistant
2) Bata Rubber Penny Drivers
While the thought of wearing rubber shoes on your feet might not sound appealing (think: gumboots), these penny drivers from Bata actually look pretty good
Price:
599/- INR
Cheapest rain shoes I’ve found!
Pros:
- They’re made out of rubber.
You know what that means? Fully waterproof (wohoo!) - Good casual option. I wear it for short trips to the market, while running small errands around the house, and also to the gym
Cons:
- These shoes cannot be worn sockless – the rubber gives shoebites!
Wearing them with no-show socks helps. - They are also stiff, because of the rubber. If you have wide feet, try one size bigger
Where to find them:
- You can find these shoes at your nearest Bata store, or online on Amazon and Flipkart
- They are also available in blue and brown
Other options:
not available online
There are also some PU leather options that are better looking, but not waterproof (only water-resistant)
3) Decathlon WaterResist Walking Shoes
Just because it’s raining outside doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your fitness goals.
For rain friendly sports shoes, Decathlon should be your stop!
With over 1500 stores in 49 countries, Decathlon is one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the world. You will find all kinds of sports specialty goods here, including an impressive collection of waterproof and rainy shoes.
These water-resistant shoes are perfect for a rainy walk to the park, or the gym
Price:
2999/- INR
Pros:
- They’re lightweight
- They’re budget-friendly. It’s hard to find good sports shoes at this price – the water resistance is a bonus!
- Decathlon has a lot of stores throughout India so these should be readily available no matter where you live
Cons:
- Decathlon advertises these as ‘walking’ shoes, so they are not very ideal for running. Short jogs will be okay
- Only water-resistant and not waterproof. There are waterproof shoes in other categories, and I was expecting the same with walking shoes as well. Sadly that’s not the case
Where to find them:
- You can find these shoes at your nearest Decathlon store, or online on the Decathlon website
Other options:
Decathlon has many waterproof hiking shoes in its collection.
I’d personally recommend this blue and tan NH150 model
Find them online here
It is cheap.
And you can use it as a casual boot option.
(Yes, I mean it. It’s the monsoon! Rules change a little when you’re trying to navigate around puddles on a daily basis 😀 )
4) Skechers Equalizer 4.0 Trail Running Shoes
Looking to splurge a little? Then go for these waterproof trail running shoes by Skechers
They’re…
Well, they’re Skechers. You’ve heard of them 🙂
Price:
6499/- INR
(Whoooops.. now you know why they’re number 4 on this list)
Pros:
- They’re clearly waterproof. It’s even written on the shoe.
- These trail running shoes are all-terrian so you can wear them for all kinds of outdoor activities – be it a hike, jog, walk, or a trek.
Cons:
- They are comparitively expensive to other rain friendly shoe options
Where to find them:
Other options:
5) Hush Puppies
Hush Puppies provides a 12-month waterproof guarantee for their waterproof formal shoes. The terms do not cover zippers, eyelets, and elastics, but for any issues with leather, you can raise a claim
Price:
9000/- INR
Pros:
- Perfect for rainproof formal shoes
Cons:
- Very expensive. At this price range, I’d expect Blake Stitched or Goodyear welted soles at the very least, and with some info about the leather that’s used. But Hush Puppies gives us none of that.
The only reason I’ve kept them here is because there are no other waterproof dress shoe alternatives.. Go for these only if you really need them - These are not available online. I’ve tried getting in touch with Hush Puppies about it, but so far there has been no response
Where to find them:
- at your nearest Hush Puppies store
Other options:
None
In my pursuit of stylish rain footwear, I checked out other brands too, but they didn’t make the cut as they had no appropriate options –
- Colombia sportswear (has waterproof running shoes, but too expensive)
- Woodland (limited waterproof options)
- Aldo
- Steve Madden
- Vans
- Adidas
- Nike
- Puma
- Mochi
What are your thoughts on this list?
Are there any brands that I missed? Let me know in the comments 🙂