New boots 10 days out?

[blueridge]

Spent the spring and summer breaking in my hunting boots for NM wilderness area elk hunt. Put about 50 easy hiking miles in them, then the past month I've been wearing them on my every other morning hike (2-4 miles, 1200' elevation gain). The beginning of this week I noticed the toe box is starting to pull away from the sole. Barely lifting, it will come up 1/2" and can see about 1.5" back. Thinking there's no way in hell I can break another pair in that fast, I epoxied the heck out of them and taped them up overnight. Gave them a test run the next morning and it seems to be holding. But then I started noticing other places around the sole-lower connection where separation is just starting.

I leave in 10 days. Do I put epoxy all around the sole and hope they can last the week? Or go to my local store (central VA), buy a temporary cheaper pair (Irish Setter, Danner, and Redwing are about it), break them in as much as possible in the remaining time, and shop for long term nicer mountain boot when I get back? What would you do?

 

[brymoore]

What are the boots you have?

I wouldn’t hesitate taking Lowa Tibet’s on a hunt out of the box. No long term breaking in necessary.

 

[RockinU]

I’m in the same boat, breaking in new boots with 12 days to go. I just cut my training weight in half and am pounding miles into them, trying to get at least 7 or 8 a day in without tearing my feet up. 2 days in and so far so good. Not sure I’d go to the mountain with a boot I was worried about coming apart.

 

[MThuntr]

toss the crappy boots you have been wearing and attempting to fix and get new boots immediately from a reputable company (Lowa, Crispi, Zamberlan, Hanwag, Kenetrek, Meindl, Hoffman, Lathrop&Sons, etc). Wear them immediately and as much as possible before your hunt. My personal experience is Danner, Irish Setter, and similar boots are junk and are a waste of time.

 

[JEL]

toss the crappy boots you have been wearing and attempting to fix and get new boots immediately from a reputable company (Lowa, Crispi, Zamberlan, Hanwag, Kenetrek, Meindl, Hoffman, Lathrop&Sons, etc). Wear them immediately and as much as possible before your hunt. My personal experience is Danner, Irish Setter, and similar boots are junk and are a waste of time.

This. I finally came to this conclusion a couple years ago. That said, my Kenetreks break in very quickly for me or at least don't bother my feet even right out of the box.

 

[JLS]

I break in new boots by wearing them hunting. Take some Leukotape if you’re concerned about blisters.

 

[blueridge]

Thanks for advice, fellas. That was my gut feeling as well, but I was trying/wanting real hard not to have yet Another package show up.

My delimma is that in central VA there aren't a lot of options to go try these brands on. What Field & Stream or Cabella's carry is about it, and if I order online I don't have time to send them back if they don't fit right.

Anyway, I had been looking at some Meindl's and ended up giving them a call. They don't have any stores around here with them, but the guy I spoke with was exceptional as far as customer service. The outgoing orders don't leave for another hour and he said he would personally call his warehouse guy and make sure they made it out today. If they make it by Tuesday, I should be able to get 15-20 miles in them before I head out.

Thanks again!

 

[MThuntr]

nice. I have a pair of Meindls that eventually died due to neglect though i still wear them for work. If it helps I've found Meindl boots to be true to size.

 

[brymoore]

I buy boots online without trying them. Do you need know your bout size?

 

[devon deer]

What are the boots you have?

I wouldn’t hesitate taking Lowa Tibet’s on a hunt out of the box. No long term breaking in necessary.

I have ditched the Meindl's fed up with them leaking after little use, the Bhutan and Burma, the latter was a great boot, lasted almost 10 years, 3 pairs of Bhutan in 4 years, crap.
I have just taken delivery of Lowa hunters, looks like a good boot to me.

Hunter GTX Evo Extreme-Antique Brown | LOWA Boots USA

www.lowaboots.com

Cheers
Richard