Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation

Those ol' Heavy Boots

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • Those ol' Heavy Boots

      Once again, I've tossed a pair of hiking shoes that were barely two years old with minimal use and not many trail miles. Say what you will about modern gear and the modern materials and technology, the one thing that I miss is durability and ease of repair. I miss being able to care for an off the shelf pair of boots -- or any gear -- and getting easily, many serviceable years and being able to have kit competently repaired.
      Of course I talk to myself... sometimes I need expert advice.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Tuckahoe ().

    • I'm of two minds.

      I never seem to get more than 400-600 miles out of a pair of trail runners. That short lifespan means I'll burn through them in a matter of months. I put at least 15-20 miles a week on them in town, to say nothing of hiking.

      Still, they're surely lighter and more comfortable to hike in than my much-missed and lamented Pivettas.

      If I wanted to, I could spring for Limmer boots, and I'm sure that they'd perform just about as my Pivettas did. (I'm sure they wouldn't be made of dinosaur hide any more. ;)) Even at that, I hear that the Limmer lightweights perform about like any other lightweight leather boot on the market. The Limmer standard boots are bombproof and last approximately forever, but they're correspondingly heavy, take approximately forever to break in, and are really built for traditionalist backpacking and mountaineering, rather than today's lightweight backpacking style.

      So, I'll perhaps look back wistfully to the days when men were men, packs weighed 65 pounds, and all the gear lasted for decades and was field-maintainable. Then I'll be thankful for comfy trail runners that let me be a wimp (rather than breaking in my feet to the big clunky leather boots and sucking it up like a man), tote a pack that's a third the weight of the old ones, and pay the price of occasionally having to trash a piece of gear.

      Life is full of tradeoffs.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • AnotherKevin wrote:



      If I wanted to, I could spring for Limmer boots, and I'm sure that they'd perform just about as my Pivettas did. (I'm sure they wouldn't be made of dinosaur hide any more. ;)) Even at that, I hear that the Limmer lightweights perform about like any other lightweight leather boot on the market. The Limmer standard boots are bombproof and last approximately forever, but they're correspondingly heavy, take approximately forever to break in, and are really built for traditionalist backpacking and mountaineering, rather than today's lightweight backpacking style.
      in this months backpacker mag they said that limmers (the custom ones we think of first) start at $750 and currently have an 18 month wait.

      the lightweight ones are premade and probably no better or worse than anything else of similar quality.
      2,000 miler

    • i experimented with some fila gear that costco had at a great price and won't buy again.

      a pair of trail runners cost $20 but only lasted 200 miles before the sole wore thru. same spot on both shoes. the cost per mile isn't bad, but i'd be afraid of taking them on a hike of any duration.

      i threw away several hiking shirts that were ready to be retired when i saw fila running shirts for $9. these things snag if you so much as brush against something and already look worn out. these will be retired as yard working shorts this spring when costco has running shirts of higher quality available.
      2,000 miler

    • When I stopped wearing boots for hiking I had an almost new pair of Vasque Clarrion boots.
      I switched to shoes (forget the model name) made by Oboz.
      I use the boots around the house for select jobs but am in the Oboz almost all day, everyday, even to work in.
      Because I wear them all the time I have no idea how many trail miles they last.

      As for repairing kit, that's down right un-American.
      You're supposed to throw it away and buy new.
      That keeps the money moving and gives the economy the appearance of doing well.
      If we all were saving our hard earned dollars the economy, as we know it, would be drastically different.
      I won't tell you I've been living with a hole in the floor of our tent, that I will get fixed, for fear of being accused of being a horder. :)

    • LIhikers wrote:

      When I stopped wearing boots for hiking I had an almost new pair of Vasque Clarrion boots.
      I switched to shoes (forget the model name) made by Oboz.
      I use the boots around the house for select jobs but am in the Oboz almost all day, everyday, even to work in.
      Because I wear them all the time I have no idea how many trail miles they last.

      As for repairing kit, that's down right un-American.
      You're supposed to throw it away and buy new.
      That keeps the money moving and gives the economy the appearance of doing well.
      If we all were saving our hard earned dollars the economy, as we know it, would be drastically different.
      I won't tell you I've been living with a hole in the floor of our tent, that I will get fixed, for fear of being accused of being a horder. :)
      Obox Sawtooths? I have a pair. They are similar to Keens but the toebox is not as wide and the soles are harder/stiffer. Its a good hiking shoe. Good protection for your toes and bottom of feet.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • For what it's worth, I've had very good luck with my Skarpa boots(on the left i the photo). They're going on five years of moderate use and will probably be replaced this spring or fall because they are no longer waterproof.
      Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.