RESOLE MY BOOTS

[FIGHT ON]

Just about a year ago after hiking in running shoes in the snow I decided to buy a pair of hiking boots so I could put crampons on them for my Mt. Whitiney hike. I got Montrail Torre GTX because the guy at rei said that was the one to get. They are great but I really didn't compare any other shoes with it. The soles are starting to wear down so I wondered how much it would cost to resole them. When I looked at the bottom I couldn't figure out how they could resole them. There is no continuous line from heel to toe and thought maybe they take the heel and part under the toe in two parts to do it.
So I go to rei yesterday and ask the guy in the shoe dept how much it woulc cost. He said they can't be resoled for the same reason I noticed. No clear line of separation from sole to boot. He said they are disposable once they wear down. I am shocked. $160 for shoes you just throw away? I had ran into people doing the PCT and they were wearing light weight trail shoes that looked like running shoes and they said they throw them away when they wear down but boots? So I left and went home and got on line to talk to a live rei rep. She said I would have to send the shoes in so they could see if they could be resoled. Sounded crazy. One guy says they can't and she doesn't know. So I kept asking and she finally told me they have to send it to were they get them done to make sure. So I go what if they can't I just wasted shipping money, where are you going to send them? Finally she told me davepagecobbler.com and I sent them an email. He said that they do. I replied and told them what the rep at the store said and wanted to know if he was sure that they do. He replied that they have about 60 pair at his location right now ready to be done and then he went nuts. Wanted to know what store told me that and the reps name etc. My boots are perfect and really feel great. Do any of you guys get your shoes/ boots resoled? or do you just get new ones when they wear out? Thanks. FIGHT ON

[simonov]

A pet peeve of mine. You basically can't find sewn welts in stores anymore. Everything is cemented and cemented can't be resoled, so it appears.

About ten years ago my wife bought a very nice set of Asolo off trail boots with a shank and top grain uppers. She only ever used them about four or five times, and last November the soles on both boots fell off at the end of a Mt San Jacinto climb. I have taken them to several people, including a boot specialist in Orange, and they all said there is nothing that can be done. The uppers are in almost perfect condition. What a waste.

So I told her to buy another pair while she was in France visiting her family. I specified a shank and a sewn welt. She bought another pair of Asolos and when she brought them home I didn't see a sewn welt. Maybe it does have a sewn welt, but I can't tell as the midsole is rubber cemented to the upper (I realize it might just be rubber over the sewn welt to keep out water). I have no way of knowing, and suspect that when these soles wear out or fall off it will be time to toss the boots again. It's crazy.

I bought my boots in 1982, for $80 (a lot for a 20-year-old) and expected them to last a lifetime. They originally had a Norwegian welt, but now after two resoles they seem to have an American welt. No big deal, they can still be resoled again. I SnoSeal them all the time, so the top-grain leather uppers are in great shape. I see no reason ever to part with them. If something fatal ever happens to them, I will have to spend $250-$400 to replace them with an equivalent pair.

I think you are probably out of luck, as your boots probably have cemented welts and so can't be repaired. If you are as outraged as you sound, maybe you need to bite the bullet for your next pair and get something like this. Make the next pair of off-trail boots you buy the last pair as well.

As for trail boots, however, I really sort of do regard them as disposable. I bought a pair of lightweight non-waterproof Merrells last year for $80 (what a coincidence), they are like super-comfy trail sneaks. I use them on local conditioning hikes as well as lower-elevation day hikes such as Mt Santiago.

But for backpacking and hiking on rocks or snow, I wear the twice-resoled Vasques I bought in 1982.

[Hikin_Jim]

I've still got my ca. 1976 Lowa boots with Norweigian welts. I know I've resoled them, but I'm not sure how many times. Gotta be at least twice.

Problem with the all leather Norweigian boots is that they're pretty heavy, but dang do they last. Mine from the 70's are still in good shape, but then again I don't wear them all that much anymore because they're heavy.

Wheeler and Wilson in Bishop, CA, had, at least at one time, a good reputation for resoling boots. I don't know if they're still in business or if they still have a good reputation. I do know that the shop changed hands at one point and that the shop was still there I believe when I did some snow camping up that way last year.

[FIGHT ON]

Them some mean lookin boots there simonov. Those look obvious for resoling. Looks like crampons would have a hard time slipping off compared to my Montrails too. The guy at the repair place is sounding pretty sure theyp can be done. I bet they melt off the rubber on the sides and then they can take the whole thing off in one piece. Maybe ill just stop by a Zinkies and ask the guy in there what he thinks. Still does not make sense to me that they would be disposable. FIGHT ON

[Kevin]

Dave Page is arguably the best cobbler in the country. He also does warranty work for REI. If he says your make & model of boot can be resoled, then I would take his word for it.

I tend to buy either traditional Norwegian welt hiking boots, or throw-aways like Tecnica or HiTec. Dave Page has resoled my high-end boots 4 times IIRC, and the soles come back with a better than factory insole. Top notch work. Raichles fit me well, and I have 2 pairs of their SA model.

His web site will give you costs, as it depends somewhat on what, if anything else you need done to the boots. Typically a resole runs about $70 plus shipping, and turnaround is 2-3 weeks in my experience.

Dave Page has an interesting background - he was an academic first and taught history on the university level. Remember when Nova went in search of Mallory's body? They asked Dave Page to review the boots and clothing to help verify that the body they found was, in all likelihood Mallory's. He's a man of many talents.

Edit - with all due respect to simonov - I'm quite sure some cemented boots can be repaired/resoled.

[FIGHT ON]

Kevin. He sounded like he knew his stuff. What first surprised me was that he wanted to know the store and the salesperson. He was pretty mad. Then I started to realize, rei may want you to just throw them away and buy another pair, more money. The longer it takes to wear out the longer it takes to buy new ones. Same goes for Montrail I'm guessing. I WANT THE TRUTH! FIGHT ON.

[MooseTracks]

Wilson's in Bishop no longer resoles boots, but they gave me the number for Dave Page. I have a few pairs of Asolo's I'm going to send at some point. I was really bummed to have the soles on my new Asolos from last July wear down within two months. For as much as they cost, I would expect bombproof!

800-252-1229

Good luck!

-L

[Hikin_Jim]

Dave Page has resoled my high-end boots 4 times IIRC ...

OK, that abbreviation, IIRC, shows up once in a while. What the dickens does it mean? Usually I can get it from the context, but I'm clueless on this one and I've seen it 3 or 4 times now.

Sign me:
Abbreviated in the Angeles

[HikeUp]

If I recall correctly.

[Hikin_Jim]

Ah! Thank you. That one is actually quite useful.