Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Time for new boots

On Monday's hike, I was able to ascertain unequivocally that my hiking boots have begun to leak. They had been doing this for a couple of trips now, and I treated them liberally with boot sealer, but it was obvious after walking through some streams and across the snow fields that I could not deny what was happening. These boots have been waterproof and wonderful for almost two years now, so I headed down to REI (where I purchase most of my outdoor gear) to find out why my wonderful old friends are no longer keeping out the wet.

Well, it turns out that the instructions to care for my new pair have given me the answer: neglect, pure and simple. These wonderful German boots are still in pretty good shape, except for one little problem: the hard rubber on the front has begun to pull away from the leather. There is a reason for this, I realize. Leaving your wet boots in the trunk of the car to dry out until next week is NOT the best way to care for them. Lowa, the boot manufacturer, says this:
Good footwear deserves good care. The footwear will repay the time and effort invested by remaining comfortable, water repellent and -- above all -- regular care and attention will increase the lifespan of the product considerably. Leather is a natural material with valuable natural attributes. However, even leather is subject to a certain aging process. For this reason, regular care and maintenance is a must.
For some reason, at the end of most of my hikes, my trusty shoes (which never let my feet get wet) would remain covered with mud and dirt and allowed to dry in peace. There is a specific warning against this: "Never leave footwear to dry next to a heat source, or or in the trunk of a car. Wet leather "burns" (becomes brittle and shrinks) very easily." Although I have only practiced this procedure for two years, my shoes finally began to leak. The informative person at the store told me it was possible to take them to a shoe repair shop and see if they might be able to bond the rubber to the leather once again.

But I knew that the boots had served me well, and that the fault lay not at the feet, so to speak, of the product, but at my own negligence. I decided to donate my old boots to the Salvation Army and let another person, who might not put them through quite as much stress as I do, get some wear out of them. And I will treat this new pair with much more respect and see how much longer they will last!

It's hard to believe that the shoes in the picture above are exactly the same, with only a hundred-plus hikes to separate them, a few times having been treated with water repellent stuff, and many days spent coated with all the mud and gunk from the hikes. Just a typical example:
I think leaving them in the trunk of my car coated with this particular mud might have been what pushed them over the edge. They've never been the same. From now on, I will rinse them off in the bathtub before I call the hike finished. After this particular excursion, I probably should have gotten into the shower completely dressed, and rinsed each piece of clothing before taking it off. Lesson learned!
:-)

19 comments:

  1. 'These boots were made for walking ...'
    Awinspiring shot of the mud. You ask a lot of your boots, but no more than you ask of yourself. Hope the new ones treat you as kindly as your intend to treat them.

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  2. Oh so essential - good hiking boots. I have been through a few pairs myself, spent mostly in the canyons of Utah. Love the photo of them in mud. That's what boots are made for. You sure know how to wring the most living out of life. Very cool.

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  3. I guess you did learn an important lesson. I hate to say it, but I'm sure I'd do the same thing. Discipline when it comes to taking care of my shoes is not at the top of my list. I think you were lucky to find a new pair exactly like the old ones. I have such a hard time finding boots to fit.

    Happy hiking in those new boots.

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  4. good boots are good friends...you spend enough time in them you def need some good ones...good on your for donating as well...

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  5. Well better to find out now than two years into a new pair. I'm sure they'll serve you very well from here on in.

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  6. Oh gosh, both pairs of my boots ALWAYS went into the trunk after use! They have been sitting in my kitchen waiting for the car repairs (one more part and I am mobile again, hoping my brains return as well.....). I have polished both pairs, sprayed them with sealer, and can't wait to get into the woods! From now on I will bring them in the house to dry completely. Too much like old friends. We are in the heat wave that traveled EAST, luckily I hitched a ride to the shore and am now, at 1:38 am, waiting for the curious back bear to retreat to the woods from whence he came so that I may slide on the humidity out into the pool to cool off. He looks familiar and I'm not taking any chances! ;}

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  7. Good idea to buy new boots. David's podiatrist told him to buy new shoes EVERY YEAR.

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  8. It looks as though they have severed you well, even though you didn't return the favor. :) I'm a little rough on shoes/boots too.

    But I do have to agree with the last comment somewhat. After two years, and many miles, you probably need a new pair anyhow, it is better for your feet and knees.

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  9. You not only bring us along on adventures, you teach us things, too. ;)

    Glad you have some new boots that will keep your feet dry. And now these should last longer than two years...lol! :)

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  10. Who trims your toenails?

    They must grow like the devil...

    Mom used to insist I take care of my shoes as she wasn't going to be a-buying more.

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  11. I would have been tempted to bronze boots that had so many miles on them. I like leather in lots of products and it is good to know it is so forgiving if given recommended treatments. The new boots look great. May they last many miles.

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  12. That's an impressive transformation, thanks not only to mud but all the miles you've logged. I want to see what the new ones look like two years from now. Perhaps this is a good message to all of us about how we should care for everything, including our own bodies!

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  13. Given the number of miles you put on your boots, I'd say you got good life out of those, even with the neglect. The new ones are impressive looking. I hope they take you many wonderful places for many years to come.

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  14. Oh my, I can see it's a hard life being your boots. Good luck to the new ones.

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  15. Thanks, friend, for not mentioning your two new hikers who couldn't quite keep up with you amazing people! Hike with a bunch of fellow old folks? Piece of cake ... NOT! I thought I was in pretty good shape for pushing seventy, but my eyes were opened to see you guys trekking up that mountain at such a clip. Thanks for your wonderful hospitality and especially the sweeps, Mike and Fred who so patiently encouraged us to "set our own pace.' You will see me again some day, after I train and practice! I am setting some new goals, because I have been inspired.
    I didn't see any 'Old Goats' on Goat Mountain.

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  16. With all of my foot problems, I don't think I could just go buy a pair ofboots that would not hurt. I'm strictly a sneaker hiker.

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  17. Hm-m. I've been treating my boots pretty poorly, as I also have let them dry out in the car, or the garage, then just knocked the mud off for the next go around. And, the last time I was in the rain, I noticed they weren't keeping my feet completely dry, as they did when they were new, way too many years ago! I think I'll treat myself to a new pair when I get back to hiking again. Thanks for the info!

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  18. Well, live and learn, right? I'm sure this new pair will take care of you for the next few hundred hikes! It's good to know what to avoid because I don't take great care of my shoes either. Of course, I also don't hike so it probably evens out:)

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  19. I was thrilled to see that my ten-year-old boots had legitimately worn out. I started hiking when I was 50. Imagine, wearing out a pair of boots!

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