Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Freshening up some old school Xtratuff boots

Friends:

I trust the day finds you well, and your spirits up.

I have a set of older Xtratuff boots (pre-chinese) that is getting a little long in the tooth. I love these boots: they have done exceptionally well for me in Alaska, as well as on offshore fishing boats on the east and west coasts. So want to keep them around a little longer.

The fabric, while still flexible, is stiffening up. What might a person put on them to freshen them up a little and keep them in the game?

Thanks in advance!

Pre-Chinese? I mean, that's like a pre-64 Winny

The fabric? Assume you are referring to the rubber?

I don't know of anything to "restore" the rubber, usally they start cracking or separating where the sole wraps around and is attached.

I quit buying xtuffs when the went to china.

I am on my second pair of lacrosse, they fit good and are slightly taller. Probably still made in china? Maybe Vietnam?

Before xtuffs went to China they were 100 bucks a copy. Price stayed the same, certainly they lowered their cost but neglected to pass that on to the customer.

If they are "rubber" a silicone based product may work to help give you a couple of more years of use.

I used to wear xtratuffs like runners. I tried Armourall on them a few times. Big Chief waders too. I don't know if it really does much, but I feel like I'm taking a stand. Aquaseal and Freesole will stick to cuts and tears but in my experience once they started to crack up they are on the way out. I gave up after one pair of Chinese ones. Kind of like Carharrts. I think only the rivetted ones are 'assembled in America'. I'm wearing a particular muck boot now, with a sole like the Big Chief. They don't track too much mud.

The OP is talking about the fabric that is adhered to the inside of the boot so your socks are not in direct contact with the rubber. I go thru a pair about every other year, so I've never rehabbed the inside of the boots. I'm trying a pair Grundens now for a change of pace. They are more of a deck boot than a beach/woods boot. Walking on barnacle encrusted rocks tears up rubber boots pretty darn quick. I run Alpha Burleys for regular hunting and Hoffmans rubber logging boots w/ carbide tipped caulks for the steep slippery stuff.

Actually I was thinking the rubber outside part on the "uppers", not the inside fabric which I thought was all one piece anyway, apologies for any confusion.

That said, these boots are unbelievably good - and comfortable - on slippery mossy rocks such as on beaches in Alaska. As good as it gets. Awesome boot.

They also do great on a deck full of tuna blood and sardine scales off SoCal and Baja, but that's a different story. LOL

If I can get another year or two out of them, I'll do whatever the needful is cuz the old ones ain't coming back!

And yes MM: pre-Chinese is the Xtratuff equivalent of the Pre-64. No doubt. Good synapses my man!

The older ones are neoprene. Anything designed to repair neoprene should work

I think the poor QC of the early Chinee boots has been fixed - at least mostly. My pair bought 4-5 years ago seem to be holding up about as well as the old USA models.

Anyone else?

Agreed.

I bought two pair of US made ones when they said they were going to China. Wore those out on about a year and a half average per pair. Was living on POW at the time so wore them damned near every day. First pair of Chinese I bought didn't last 3 months.

Last pair of Chinese tuffs have lasted longer than the average for the US ones. I imagine a bad pair slips in on occasion but I think they've had it fixed for awhile now.

Wish they were still made here but most things arent anymore it seems and I like dry feet so I still buy them.

Agreed. The new ones are as good as the old US-made models. I still wish they were US made though.