Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Need Boot Advice Please !!

When are you going to use your new boots?

Will you have enough time to 'break them in' if need be? And not when wearing them for the first time?



Many "leather" boots today are indeed leather but heavily impregnated with whatever chemicals or 'rubberization' or water-proofing that makes them so special ..... Also many boots have GoreTex or cordura booties (or similar) sewn into them for waterproofing and warmth .....

However years ago I learned when breaking in leather boots to stand in a tub of warm water until they were thoroughly soaked - through and through, and then wearing them until they were dry. But maybe someone else here knows a better way to break in new boots?

The current Herman boots are chinese made junk! Wal Mart Watch And avoid Rocky boots, they use defective rubber from china too.

"Getting To The Bottom Of Some Defective Boots
March 30, 2007

When Greg Dowd was growing up, there were only two brands of work boots he would buy: Timberland and Herman Survivors. Usually he bought the Timberland because they were cheaper, but both were great for hunting, working the farms or building houses.

Last year he went to Wal-Mart in North Windham and bought a pair of the Survivors, expecting to be wearing inexpensive but comfortable, safe and well-made boots.

Despite taking good care of the boots, which cost about $49, Dowd soon started noticing chunks of the soles breaking off. He figured it was simply a defective pair and thought he could just take it back to the store and get another.

Dowd, 49, of Mansfield, was about to learn a little about the largest company in the world and how he is affected by the global economy.

For 122 years, anyone who bought a pair of Herman Survivor boots could be assured of two things: They would pay top dollar, but it would be for a product that would last for years, even under grueling conditions.

All that changed in 2001 when Wal-Mart bought Herman Survivors from a private company. The owners had previously refused Wal-Mart's overtures to let it carry the boots, so Wal-Mart made an offer that Anthony DiPaolo, the CEO of Herman Survivors, couldn't say no to.

Until then, the boots had mostly been made in the U.S. and Poland, sometimes in China, but only with U.S.-made materials, DiPaolo said Thursday in a telephone interview from his offices in Dedham, Mass. He now runs Work 'N Gear, a workers apparel chain.

When his company made the boots, he said, it sold them for $80 to $180 a pair, a lot of money in the 1980s and '90s. Now Wal-Mart sells them for a fraction of that price.

But, he noted, you are not getting the same boot.

"The difference is staggering," he said.

Nor are customers getting the same service. No question about that, said Dowd, who had expected his boots to last at least a year through hard wear on an eastern Connecticut farm where he works.

After noticing the soles falling apart, Dowd went back to Wal-Mart, thinking it was a one-of-a-kind defect. Sorry, he was told, the 30-day warranty was over. So he asked who manufactures the boots, hoping to get redress there. The clerk had no idea.

So Dowd wrote a three-page letter to the Watchdog asking for help. The first thing I did was to go on the Internet and type in "Herman Survivors Reviews." (Here's what I got.) There I learned that Wal-Mart now owns Herman Survivors and that they are made in China.

Although some reviewers were pleased with the boots they bought over the past few years, many others had the same experience as Dowd.

"Thank god for duct tape," wrote one reviewer. Another one said the boots started falling apart 10 days after purchase.

I gave Wal-Mart all week to give a response to this column.

Despite daily phone calls to their "public relations" department, all I got by Thursday's deadline was a lame response.

"We have had no major issue" with the boots, said Tara Raddohl, who suggested that dissatisfied customers should first go back to their local Wal-Mart stores.

If that doesn't help, she said, they should call 800-WAL-MART.

So, I asked naively, does that mean you will do something to improve the boots and give refunds?

"We will listen to our customers," was the reply, as I kept badgering her.

Dowd will be happy to hear that, as he continues to wear his defective boots because he needs to make them last for a year.

"It's a shame" what happened to Herman Survivors, DiPaolo said.

It's also a shame what happened to the hundreds of workers who made those legendary shoes in Massachusetts, Maine and Missouri. But we get what we pay for."



Myself I would go with some upper height Meindls, Lowas, Kenetreks or Schnees while making sure they fit properly. I don't care for low to mid ankle height boots for late season hunting, would much prefer something at least 10".

MtnHtr

You lost me at Walmart....

I just had a pair of rockys resoled after 17 years. The sole literally split in layers and fell off, the chineese guy at the shoe repair called them "Junky Chineese shoes."

I put vibram lowers on the repaired pair, but will look for more quality in the next pair.

Wesco makes a heck of a good all leather boot. It's popular with the West Coast logging/woodland fire fighting crews. I don't know if they make a pac boot. Wescos, Whites and Hoffmans are all tough enough you could probably pass them on to your kids if you take even halfway decent care of them.

The very best socks you can get are SmartWool. No blisters, ever! They are available in all styles and thickness. I have never had socks that wear so long as do SmartWool. I wear them with cowboy boots, leather lace up work boots and with Sorel snow packs. Here's the site:

http://www.sockcompany.com/

You will not be sorry.

wow, I did not expect such a large response, but thanks to you all. Its all been very good information. I am off to Whites next week, but am going to Cabela's as well and try some of Meidles (sp?)...thanks again guys !

For 25 plus years I wore one brand of boots that WAS made in the U.S.A.(Pacific NW)and after getting wet feet with new boots several times discovered they are now assembled in CHINA. Conclusion....If you want dry feet stay away from boots made in China. grin

You are quite right about so called all leather boots made these days. That, I'm sure, is why I can see or feel no difference in them today vs. the synthetic versions of the same boot.
The ones I use, Asolos, happen to fit my feet perfectly. They may not do so for others.
I have no break in period with them. That doesn't mean I do a 14 mile, high altitude hike with them on the first outing, but, on the other hand, never have a problem with doing 4-5 miles in steep terrain with a heavy pack when brand new either. Good quality boots, properly fitted, should be good from the get go. With quality socks, never any blisters or sores.
One other thing I have learned. Hunting boots should have some flex in the sole. It's pretty rare that we need boots designed for hard core mountaineering. Those with rigid soles. E

There are so many good boots out there today and you don't necessairly have to buy those high dollare boots, in fact most of those high dollar boots are a rip off for suckers that put a dollar value on everything they own...

If I am hunting in snow then out come the Sorrels or my new Kennetrek saddle boots..otherwise I buy my boots at Sportsman Whse, mostly use Georgia boots or Double H boots, they are inexpensive and outwear the high dollar boots two to one..I live in cold country and am horsback much of the time and I walk a lot in the snow, the above have worked well for me...

Danner, Sharptail GTX..Not an insulated boot but get one size bigger and Smartwool socks..extremely waterproof longlasting and made right here in the, what once was the good old USA.
Shnees= product from china, assembled in America same as Kennetrek..Meindls would be my next choice but made in China and germany..Irish Setter Elk Trackers, made in China but a damn fine boot. If you are an American buy American products whenever you can sometimes tough to do no doubt.

Early season/bowhunting I wear Merrells. Rest of the time I wear Kennetreks or Schnee's. I wear Whites for work.

Strick9 a lot of the Danner products are made off shore now. Even the sneaker like Pronghorn.
Danner makes and stands behind their product.

I get around 7 years out of a pair of Thorlos, 2-3 out of SmartWool. The thorlos get worn 1 day a week, 9 months a year.