A necessity? Another important step towards becoming local, after getting wet in the rain, eating Labskaus and taking a harbour boat trip on the HVV ferry?

I have held out for almost ten years, most likely because of my Siberian roots making me more used to searching for warm winter shoes rather than rubber boots. We don’t get as much rainy weather there as in Hamburg. But I do believe, if you don’t own rubber boots already, when you move to this city, you will arrive at that point. One day, possibly a day when huge flakes of wet snow are dropping rapidly from the sky, you will wake up, go outside, take a few steps and know, now. Either you splash through, get wet and DEAL with it (whether complaining or nonchalantly is up to you), or you get the proper EQUIPMENT and stay dry!