How Long Should Good Boots Last?

Doc Holliday

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
Jun 15, 2016
Messages
2,616
What are some stories out there of how long you have had a pair of quality leather boots? Have you gotten them resoled and if so, how often? How many years have you had them? How many miles or hunting seasons?

There are going to be some folks who live and work in them every day for months on end, and others who just go on a "hunting trip" once or twice a year and the rest of time time they sit in a closet. Would like to hear from both and everyone in between
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,528
Location
Colorado Springs
I've been using my Zamberlan Dakota's for the past 8 elk seasons, so 1000+ miles on them and after this season I'm going to have them resoled. They could probably use it now, but I tend to push the envelope to get every last bit out of stuff.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
Messages
2,233
Location
Missouri
I got just shy of 8 years out of a pair of Asolo Pumoris averaging (conservative estimate) 100 miles per year, half of which came from a week of desert hiking each spring and the other half from a week of elk hunting each fall. The soles suddenly began peeling away at the heel last year, which I later learned was due to hydrolysis of the polyurethane midsole. Apparently this is a well known and virtually inevitable mode of failure that boot makers generally just accept as a necessary evil. Per the article linked below, hydrolysis sets in around 6-7 years after manufacture, which lines up pretty well with the timing of my midsole failure. I'm considering having my Asolos re-soled, but I went ahead and picked up a new pair of Hanwag Alaskas anyway.
 

thewileyone

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 3, 2018
Messages
174
So the life expectancy of my boots varies. I usually get at least 3-5 years. I do not get them resoled. I go into sharp rocky country and the leather gets some cuts and alike so I figure the money saved by resoling leather boots with thin spots is just not worth the savings. But that's just me and my opinion. I really like my Crispi's, they are serving me well. I clean them and put leather conditioner on them so they stay in good shape.
 

LeftyWilbury

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 6, 2014
Messages
270
Location
Western Montana
Had a pair of Danner's, possibly Raptors, that lasted 7+ hunting seasons and finally blew out the gore-tex and tore the cordura working a summer in Alaska. Cabelas gave me some credit for them and I replaced them with a pair of Danner Trophy as they're all leather. But they're also heavy, and more insulated...aanndd I was in the Danner store in Portland, OR (always a mistake) seeing about getting some Danner hiking boots re-worked that had the gore-tex die and then I saw a pair of Raptors on special so I've had a pair of those again for 4 or 5 years now. I put maybe 30-50 miles through snow on the Trophy's each season and then 30-70 miles on the Raptors, with hiking and hunting. Condition them regularly. I'm not scaling peaks looking for sheep but I've been known to wander aimlessly over some mountains with a gun and a pack on.

Both the Raptor and the Trophy are US made and expensive enough I'd pay to get them reconditioned at the tune of $200+ but I don't expect to get to that point anytime soon. And if and when that point comes, I might just buy a new boot. Danners fit my feet well and I"m ok with spending the money to buy their US made stuff.
 
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