I have a pair of Lowa GTX Hi uninsulated hunting boots that I take up to the mountains except in the late season and winter time. This will be my fourth or fifth season using them. They really have been great boots and I was very happy when I first bought them and started wearing them.
They're still good boots but I've noticed recently that I'm getting a little foot movement in them these days. I can feel my heel move around a little, especially when I'm side-hilling or just on terrain in general. I have noticed the padding in them is a little packed down, so I'm sure that's at least partly to blame for the heel movement. Also I've noticed the color change significantly from when I bought them. They're now much lighter in color.
They're the first pair of nice, high-end boots I've owned so I don't have a baseline here to know if this is just expected after several years of good use (100-200 miles per season). It's not crazy to think this is just age of the boot showing through, but I suppose I expected a boot that cost upwards of $400 to last me, well, forever.
I'm suspecting I must have gone wrong somewhere with the boot care and just wondering if there are thoughts on this, so that I can correct mistakes and not spend $400 on boots every few seasons.
1) I know for a fact that for the first season or two I did not remove the insole at the end of every day of use to speed up moisture release.
2) At one point I washed them with warm soapy water because the instructions that come with the Lowa active cream say to do so, but I wonder if I might used too much soap? It was at this point the color changed. I did immediately apply a generous layer of active cream after cleaning them up.
3) I tend to lace my boots very tightly, even when they're brand new and very supportive.
Just good boots getting old? User error? Combination? I suppose I should throw out there though I don't believe so; Lowa sucks?
They're still good boots but I've noticed recently that I'm getting a little foot movement in them these days. I can feel my heel move around a little, especially when I'm side-hilling or just on terrain in general. I have noticed the padding in them is a little packed down, so I'm sure that's at least partly to blame for the heel movement. Also I've noticed the color change significantly from when I bought them. They're now much lighter in color.
They're the first pair of nice, high-end boots I've owned so I don't have a baseline here to know if this is just expected after several years of good use (100-200 miles per season). It's not crazy to think this is just age of the boot showing through, but I suppose I expected a boot that cost upwards of $400 to last me, well, forever.
I'm suspecting I must have gone wrong somewhere with the boot care and just wondering if there are thoughts on this, so that I can correct mistakes and not spend $400 on boots every few seasons.
1) I know for a fact that for the first season or two I did not remove the insole at the end of every day of use to speed up moisture release.
2) At one point I washed them with warm soapy water because the instructions that come with the Lowa active cream say to do so, but I wonder if I might used too much soap? It was at this point the color changed. I did immediately apply a generous layer of active cream after cleaning them up.
3) I tend to lace my boots very tightly, even when they're brand new and very supportive.
Just good boots getting old? User error? Combination? I suppose I should throw out there though I don't believe so; Lowa sucks?