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Post by leadbelly on Nov 22, 2022 7:05:06 GMT -8
during my fall boot greasing [two pair of leather hiking boots, one pair of low hiking shoes, and a pair of venerable LL Bean boots], I noted the laces on my hiking boots were worn in spots, which will happen for boots with metal hardware. rather than go to a local outdoors store or the online equivalent, i decided to search for laces and found this company: www.pisgahrangeltd.com/ The site appealed to me because the laces aren't overly expensive; the ends are metal, rather than plastic (every have those plastic ends disintegrate? it's a pain if the boot has some eyelets or closed hooks); you can customize the length; and they have a really nice selection of colors. for $10 for most pair and free shipping, that's not bad at all. oh, and they claim to offer a lifetime guarantee, so they appear to stand behind the durability of their laces. i have no association with the site; i appreciated and had not realized there were custom options for laces. |
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rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,667 
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Post by rebeccad on Nov 22, 2022 8:14:16 GMT -8
I have to admit that i seldom have boots that outlast the laces anymore, but i love the customizable option, as one whose scrawny feet mean laces are often much too long.
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Post by leadbelly on Dec 2, 2022 9:36:50 GMT -8
The boots in question were purchased in '05 and '06. The earlier, heavier ones were resoled a few years ago.
I had started hiking in a pair of Salomon Quest 4s because they work with my most recent custom orthotics, but I then put the orthotics into the leather boots & wore them until they stretched a little to fit the volume of the orthotics. Putting it in perspective, our youngest child, in her 2d year of college is 2 and 3 years older than the boots. these are, I think, the third set of laces for each boot. I still wear the Salomons sometimes.
disposable boots are usually lighter weight and more breathable, but something usually fails after a few years - gore tex booty gets worn out/compromised, nylon fabric gets torn, softer midsoles get compacted and eventually provide little cushioning, sole treads wear a little faster.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Dec 2, 2022 9:55:47 GMT -8
I also suspect the big uptick in the use of microspikes has to do with the trend to far softer soled disposable boots.
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Post by leadbelly on Dec 5, 2022 10:42:18 GMT -8
I think there are many reasons people have moved toward boots with glued soles/midsoles. The microspikes I use (Kahtoola) fit equally well on Limmers or the Salomon boots I wear, and because the leather boots only have a partial shank, i can't use step-in crampons with them...but I need crampons for the winter hiking I do, though it has been harder to coordinate winter trips with my usual crew lately, all working too hard. Glued sole/softer midsole boots are lighter-weight. They tend to be less expensive, though the delta isn't so great these days. Many have virtually no break-in. EVA and polyurethane midsoles tend to be more forgiving. Waterproofing requires less attention when they have a waterproof/breathable membrane.
They are, indeed, disposable. EVA and polyurethane midsoles get compacted and don't absorb as much shock, I usually get 250-500 miles out of them. Also, whether it's a function of friction or stretching, waterproof/breathable membranes usually fail for me after roughly the same amount of mileage. It's not so much a matter of the sole, the leather/fabric, stitching or glue - those tend to wear quite well unless the sole is a softer, higher-friction rubber.
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reuben
Trail Wise!
Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
Posts: 11,148 
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Post by reuben on Dec 5, 2022 13:28:47 GMT -8
Back in time, probably before we spent time in the wilderness after the Great Failed Migration, there were some laces which were tough and pretty popular, though I never bought any. Maybe Rhino Laces?
Anyone remember?
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