How many seasons you guys getting out of your boots?

buckwalleye

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
246
I know there's a ton of variables in answering this question. Obviously a guy putting miles and miles on their boots aren't going to hold up as long as a guy that goes out a few weekends a year. I'm curious to know how these high dollar boots hold up season after season. I have a hard time dropping $300-$400+ on boots and only get 2 seasons out of them (with, say, moderate use...). So all you guys with crispi, lowa, kenetreks, schnees, etc., how many seasons you got under them with what kind of use?
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,529
Location
Colorado Springs
In 2013 I bought a pair of Zamberlan Dakotas for $89 on clearance, normally $290. They've been the best archery season elk hunting boots I've had on my feet. In 2013, 2014, and 2015 I hunted the same unit in Colorado and hunted 22, 22, and 20 days pretty much identical hunting each season. In 2015 I used my GPS to track all my miles for the first time, it was almost 220 miles for the 20 days. So I figure I had at least 600 miles those three seasons plus another 100 each for 2016 and 2017, so 800+ miles.

I'm the kind of guy that will wear something until it is falling off me, but these boots are still holding up well. No holes, no tears, still have support, and the soles are still decent. I like these so much that I picked up a pair of their 10" Dakotas for $113. And as usual they discontinued them, but that's why they were cheap.
 

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Grunt-N-Gobble

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 19, 2013
Messages
105
I have a pair of cabelas meindls, the ones made in Germany, that are at least 5yrs old and still going strong. Been to colorado once in them and i turkey and deer hunt in them all the time. I treat them a couple times a year with obenofus (sp)? plus the tread is still good. Theyve been good boots.
 

Ross

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,674
Location
Liberty Lake, WA
Between 2-4 yrs on average Being out hitting the mountains 8-9 months a year..a good pair of boots goes a long ways in keeping your feet comfortable...I grew up using inexpensive boots and as I have aged it has become more important to have good boots to go out multiple days in a row.money well spent
 

frankrb3

WKR
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
529
Location
SW Montana
I bought a pair of kennetrek hard scrabbles on feb 9th 2016. Had to have them resoled and reranded in August of 2017. The rand is already starting to separate again and there are some splits in the leather. I condition them several times a year with their wax. I wear them almost daily and have worked in the mountains the last two summers and will be working in the mountains again this summer. They’ve done well considering the abuse they’ve taken but I did expect more durability.
 

Ross

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,674
Location
Liberty Lake, WA
For the rand on all my boots the first thing I do is apply freesole it has helped tremendously for a small price to help longevity on the rand seems like the rand is the first thing to fail on most of my boots
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,810
Location
Colorado
Another happy Meindl user here, bought mine back in 2006, and still use the same pair. I have used them every time I go out to the woods. I have at least 1000 miles on these boots.
 

CorbLand

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
6,567
I bought a pair of zamberlins a coupe years ago. I don’t get to spend as much time in the woods as some people do but I would imagine I am around the 150 mile range on them. They still look fantastic, soles a great, rand is awesome. I have been very happy with them over the last two years.

Before my zamberlins, I always bought cheaper boots. Danners, Merrill’s, etc. most would last about 1.5 years and then they were done.


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Joined
Jun 4, 2017
Messages
427
Most soles are made by Vibram, and most waterproofing is done with Gortex. For me the soles last a year, and the waterproof last about 8 months. Most European made hiking boots stitching last a year with me. By then they smell bad enough to get rid of anyhow. I try to avoid boots with stitching in the area that flexes when I squat down on my toes. And of course anything made in China or Indonesia is out of the question. I wear my boots everyday for construction a long with all my outdoor activities. I’m getting ready to replace my Crispi’s that I bought last year at this time. I figured I would try them since they were being marketed hard to hunters. They haven’t performed any better than boots that I’ve paid $100 less for.


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JP100

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
1,227
Location
South Island New Zealand
I generally get about a year to 18 months from a pair of boots regardless of brand. That's about 3 months full time use guiding, and then extra scouting/hunting etc.

Rands usually go first, then often the lining around the heel area, then the soles.

I get longer out of boots now as i am not hunting as much.

They are a big cost every year and i am yet to find a long term solution.

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tom338

FNG
Joined
Aug 27, 2015
Messages
81
I put 3 years of hunting plus many miles of training with a pack on my original pair of Kenetrek Mountain extreme uninsulated. The only reason I don't have them is my feet grew. Did not know but when you get older (I'm 60 now) it's possible your feet will grow. I could not figure out why my feet hurt in my good boots. New pair a size larger took care of that problem. I put at least 125-200 miles training in a ski hill plus hunting every year for 3 years. I did wear out the heals because I walked to many miles on a hard surface, don't do that anymore. Sent them in and for 175 they resoled them, new laces and insoles, no break in needed
 

topher89

WKR
Joined
Oct 27, 2012
Messages
815
Location
Colorado
Now that I am running two pairs of boots (insulated and non-insulated), I am getting 2-3 years out of the boots. It seems like two years for the non-insulated and more like 3 for the insulated. That makes sense to me considering the non-insulated get worn more like 8 months a year and the insulated more like 4 months.
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Messages
711
Location
NV
Geez those things are beat! Lol! I’m only getting 2-3 years out of my boots. Although I’ve always wore danner until last fall when I got some Kennetreks. The Rand is starting to come off those though so not sure how much longer I’ll be wearing them.
 
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