Sinking feelings come in stages. There’s scrambling for gig tickets only to see they’ve sold out when you get to the front of the virtual queue. Landing the middle seat of a long-haul flight. An undesirable triumph in a national election. And stepping into an expectedly deep puddle. In brand new boots.

Of all those examples, the puddle may be on the lesser end of the day-ruining scale, but it’s no less unfortunate. Done at the start of the day, and you’ve no choice but to squelch around in soggy socks (who goes out with spares?) and hope you don’t develop trench foot by the time you get home. If you’re ‘lucky’ enough to have engaged in this mishap when you get home, you’ve still got an evening of stinking out the house by trying to air them on the radiator or windowsill lying ahead. A first-world problem it may be, but woe is still very much you.

Living in the UK means implicitly understanding that rain comes with the meteorological parcel. Dark clouds are always lurking, so the onus is on us to find ways to battle them - or at least ensure clothes survive the downpour.

Waterproofing outerwear is one way to ensure clothes stand up against the elements, but for top-to-toe defence, it’s wise to invest in a waterproof spray for boots too.

If your boots already come with a Gore-Tex membrane or another waterproof layer, you're home and dry - there's no need to waterproof them. If they don't, a boot waterproof spray can dramatically increase their longevity, making them more durable, and breathable and helping to boost protection against stains. A barrier against moisture can also make your boots much more comfortable, keeping ankles and feet dry.