> Tough and resilient material that can be maintained and repaired
> Can be waterproofed (most nowadays come with a waterproof membrane)
> Better support and insulation, more protective
> With love can last a lifetime
I get that the entire world's military is out there killing farmers in the desert but why is nobody here talking about polishable leather? Yet there's multiple threads asking about synthetic Lowas that'll tear out in 3 years.
>Why are leather boots not a thing anymore
I wear leather boots for work if I'm on a job site, so do several of the techs and the other engineers. Dumbass.
I'm just asking, chill out. I wear WURTH high-top Pegasus shoes with toe steel at work. And they're like new after a year.
topkek
newbie
Its because beginners ask a lot of questions about boots and their feet are soft and squishy. Meaning they can't wear real boots and don't want to learn or thoughen up their feet.
>why are leather boots not a thing anymore?
they're not, most hiking boots have leather uppers.
if you mean full leather boots inside and out, its because everyone would rather hike on polyurethane and eva foam midsoles. they're more comfortable have no break in and are more waterproof.
the boots we make today are way better in every regard except the environmental impact. being able to re sole the same boot upper 4 or 5 times is a lot greener.
its a valid reason to want them, but on every other metric PU and EVA boots are just better.
>Tough and resilient material that can be maintained and repaired
it doesn't really matter how durable the upper of the boot is anymore because you can't really re sole foam midsole boots. they last long enough to do a thru hike in. very few people hike more than about 3000 miles at once.
rubber and foam make an amazing boot mid-sole, but they both have limited life spans from the repeated compressions they endure during their life.
full leather is what i would want in a work boot but not a hiking boot.
>Can be waterproofed (most nowadays come with a waterproof membrane)
a full leather boot can get pretty waterproof, but never as waterproof as something with a cemented or vulcanized mid.
>Its because beginners ask a lot of questions about boots and their feet are soft and squishy. Meaning they can't wear real boots and don't want to learn or thoughen up their feet.
that's what you would think if you're a greenhorn beginner. but its actually the exact opposite. experienced backcountry hikers and mountaineers are only seen in modern boots. you would have to go back to the 1930's before world war 2 and before anything over 7000 meters was ever summited to find any noteworthy mountaineers wearing a full leather boot.
full leather boots are more associated with workwear. there are PrepHole activities you'd want one for. they're a good choice if you're on a fire crew or logging.
what kind of leather boot can be re-used? is there any tell? or can any leather boot be re-soled
Generally, look for boots with thick leather insoles that also have leather welts and rubber or leather midsoles. These kinds can usually be taken apart, remade and reused for a very long time. If it is a glued sole, or a molded sole with foam, then you generally can’t have them for 20+years. Molded sole boots that are made of rubber like old stock US Panama Boots will last forever, and can be repaired. Go pick and choose what you need, and always consider costs. For example, if you got a pair of old German Bundeswehr boots with the PVC outsoles, you can simply have them repaired for less than $30 if you buy the soles and glue yourself. Old European military surplus are good choices, but try and get them quickly due to the money laundering operation in Ukraine.
Find a brand that advertises resoling. Redwings comes to mind first as a big mid tier option. But find one that fits your feet, that's key.
Expect to pay $300 at least for quality.
>just as durable
>added abrasion protection
Lol what shit tier leather boots did you buy, were they cheaper than your sneakers?
Even in the union, contractors aren't required to supply personal clothing.
Unironically watch rose anvil videos to see how shoes are put together. Nick's boot company does build videos that show you all the steps of making an old school top of the line boot. There are some glued on soles that can be redone like crepe/rubber wedge sole boots with proper stitching on the rest of the boot. Example Jim green rangers, the wedge sole options from redwing, thorogood, Carolina, etc.
They don't fall apart fast enough to be profitable for the manufacturers.
>I speak for everyone
>Writes a book
You have a bad case of Dunning Kruger and zero concept of brevity.
Go
Back
>Hobnail boots
JFC you morons are thick like flies
Say it with me:
It isn't profitable to manufacture durable footwear.
You're conflating design improvements with cheap manufacture/non durable vs. expensive manufacture/durable
like to put things in perspective for you about how dumb and wrong your post is: plimsoll shoes (like converse or pf flyers) were seen by the mountaineering community as a significant technical improvement to hobnail and leather boots and felt soled climbing shoes. people were doing summits unheard of in leather boots with baseball and tennis sneakers. learn some history before talking about beginners this and that.
because everyone on this board ia doing summits you fricking moron
This guy is right. For many noobs when they see someone averaging 25-30 miles/day with regular boots and equipment, It's like a normie seeing someone at the gym deadlift 400lbs. They won't think its possible or call him a poser or other vindictive shit. It triggers their ego defense mechanisms. Naturally few of them will ever grow out of their sneaker phase or know what the real upsides and downsides of full boots are. You can see it in this thread even.
>experienced backcountry hikers and mountaineers are only seen in modern boots
whats a modern boot for you? Pic rel is a regular modern leather+goretex hiking / mountain / hunting boot. Perfectly fine boot except I'm not using goretex in the summer much. Mountain guides in my area just wear regular non-goretex all leather boots when guiding groups unless they go on glaciers, and in the flatlands or taiga high thin lightweight all leather boots are standard.
Those look good. I'm usually rocking a lowa recce that I've worn for about the last 10 years and have done some pretty serious miles. But also probably more often lately gumboots that usually last me about 2 years before they get a hole and I could patch it but they're a lot simpler and cheaper so I tend to just get a new pair. There's plenty of modern boots that use leather, and they will last longer than other kinds of outers in my experience, if as you say you take care of them.
Leatherguys, I have some work redwings that double for bushwhack boots. Had the stitching on the bottom of the tongue tear out today while conditioning them.
How repairable is this, can I DIY it cheaply or does it need to be sent to a cobbler/service?
Very repairable. Why not have a cobbler do it? it won't be more than $20.
I have a few good year welted boots I use for work but they all have some kind of PU midsole and vibram outer. One has nails that don't do anything or get in the way.
I don't see any reason why someone would use an actual 80 year old boot design. Even Nick's or White's are not comparable to 80 year old boots. They are modern. Even 100 years ago rubber outsoles were common if not it was because of material shortages (during WW2).
theres un ironically anons on here who shill hobnails
I put screws in these soles to fix my walking gait. It’s very nice being able to mess up various floor surfaces.
>boots
>indoors
>not even a rock in the tread
>thinks magic nails will fix gait
>just a chore to be around
What you need is an ass kicking
easily repaired, i know a cobbler in the uk who'd do it for £5 to £10.
It's a major fluke
>or thoughen up their feet
having to cut your toes off from frostbite makes your feet weaker not stronger. that's what vitale invented the modern hiking boot to avoid and it's rather good at it.
Anon, OP is not doing anything near that. They're just hiking.
Ah, another thread by a fatherless idiot OP who uses uncomfortable footwear to prove to himself how manly he is. It positively reeks of insecurity in here.
>It positively reeks of insecurity in here.
look at yourself.
Today's synthetic materials are designed to begin breaking down almost immediately. Modern boots are durable insofar as the materials used to create them are.
Leather, on the other hand, is a 'living' material. As long as it's cared for, it can survive for 20+ years.
So in summary, if you're content with buying new boots every couple years, go with modern. If you are more interested in a pair of boots that could last you 20+ years (as a bug-out or apocalyptic shoe kek) then go leather.
>Leather, on the other hand, is a 'living' material. As long as it's cared for, it can survive for 20+ years
More than that. I've got a 50 year old saddle that's perfectly fine
>whats a modern boot for you?
any boot with an eva foam or injected polyurethane midsole and a lugged rubber outsole. it doesn't have anything to do with the upper and if it has a gore tex liner or not. a modern boot can use a leather upper, membrane lined leather upper, synthetic mesh upper, canvas upper, membrane lined canvas upper, or any mix of the above and be a modern boot.
old timey boots used leather midsoles, leather outsoles, with hobnails driven through them. they suck dick. there's a case to be made for leather midsoles still, its what you want for workwear because it lasts and can be repaired.
>old timey boots used leather midsoles, leather outsoles, with hobnails driven through them. they suck dick
and they cut 100 degree slopes with scythes those buttholes
>its what you want for workwear because it lasts and can be repaired.
???
If your employer is too cheap to replace your equipment when its broken you need to quit.
Like most things now, people want cheap dog shit
Spend 450 bucks on a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extremes and a tub of their boot wax, wear them for 5 years, have them re-soled and get another 3 or 4 years out of them of HARD USE. Full leather , goretex membrane, rocker toe sole, wax waterproofs the weather .
Best boot ive ever had by FAR
they are
I got some old surplus ones. Suspect they're harder to find because they're more durable, hidden under the pretence of enviromentalism
What's funny is these version of the Bundeswehr boots are notoriously short lasting due to the crumbling soles. Very comfy boots but zero longevity.
Well I just picked one off Google images. You don't really give a nice pair of boots to a fella you're sending to die huh? Besides, armies have cobblers.
Some armies you can get your hands on good boots. I left army with 5 free pairs of boots kek. But one of those was a complete feet eater (that I did basic in) and another was more like a sneaker disguised as a boot. Got some special issue ones and traded for some others.
>Besides, armies have cobblers
Those boots can't be worked on by a cobbler. The midsoles disintegrate
You're conflicting two boots here, the Kampfstiefel 2000 (pic) and the Kampfstiefel 2007 (OP pic).
The Kampfstiefel 2000 are the ones with crumbling midsoles, but they can be resoled by any cobbler.
The Kampfstiefel 2007 fixed the crumbling midsole problem but can't be resoled.
I have both. The ks2000 are welted on. I've had them resoled two times already. The ks2007 in OP crumble over time. You can even confirm this with Varusteleka reviews, or by even taking a look at the picture you posted vs OP's which has an irreplaceable sole.
The 2000s and earlier models are better for longevity. I do prefer the 2007 for comfort, but after two pairs in as many years I'm done buying them. There's no guarantee how long they've sat in storage before hitting the surplus store. I still have one pair hanging around of the 07 I could post an image of, but pictures are a dime a dozen on bushcraft forums.
Midsole hydrolysis impacts very new, i.e. mid to current 2000s boots, but not early German ks models.
Tl;dr : the 2000 models are better because, no matter what problems your specific model has with the sole it can be easily changed by a cobbler. Not the case for the 2007.
I have both too, a resoled KS2000 and had two pairs of KS2007, on both the sole ripped at the seam after about 2 years. Never had crumbling midsoles though.
Such a shame, they were the most comfortable boots I'd ever had.
Also wish online stores would list the width in addition to just the length.
why not get another pair of them?
Call me a b***h or whatever, i dont care.
Im a neverserved, never wore these in that context.
I got interested in the idea of not having to replace my boots every ~2 years and instead have them last longer or resole them if need be.
So i got a pair of Kampfstiefel 2000, as they are cheap and pleantiful here (Germany).
To preface this, i can normally hike comfortably 25-30km with a light to medium pack and if i push it go up to 35-40km.
I am completely trashed with these boots after ~15km, they are way too heavy.
I normally use loads of milsurp, because i am a poorgay (backpack, snivelgear, cooking equipment etc.), but this really doesnt seem to be worth it for me.
For a work application, where i dont walk that much, or use a vehicle i can see their value, beeing robust and waterproof.
>inb4 my legs are too weak
maybe,
but even then im preatty shure i could just walk further in modern hiking boots
Also their fit is rally fricking weird, they fit well in terms of lenght, but are way to high, allowing my heel to move up and down, never had this with any hiking boot before.
This is not supposed to be an argument against , milsurp/heavy gear, but an extra 0,5kg per boot really fricks my legs way more, than an extra 1kg on my pack ever would.
bitch
I can hike 25km in my Meindl Army Pros (which are even heavier) just fine.
Hikes in the mountains with over 1000m of elevation gain too.
There's no denying heavier boots are more cumbersome to hike in though.
Also your complaint about the fit is totally valid, even with different widths its one last fits all so if your feet aren't like the last you're fricked.
weigh the boots in question and post weights. most of my milsurp boots are about 1kg per boot.
Synthetic shit is cheaper to mass-produce. Corporate interests and quality don't go together.
Never heard of RedWings?
garbo Tbh
>let me just go ahead and voice my pleb tier opinion like it matters
kek
leather with glued on plastic, traction
you're useless. I would say lirk mor but you're 12.
> u r 12
fricking zinger there champ, this guy is just full of knowledge boys
I've had leather boots last 10 years of regular use. With regular maintenance of course, and the sole got worn smooth flat from use, but it was still thick enough for me to carve new tread into it with a knife (I just did a basic XXXXXX pattern about 1/4" deep across the bottoms, nothing fancy) and then that held up for another while until the sole came loose entirely, around the toe
Because as much as it pains boomers on PrepHole synthetic materials are more comfortable, lighter, have better water resistance, can be just as durable and offer added protection against abrasion.
And the problem with boots is always the soles that falls apart far earlier than the upper so it's a non issue and leads us to the question of why don't we see stitchdown synthetic boots.
>why don't we see stitchdown synthetic boots
Synthetic boots for any but tropical climates need goretex to be waterproof and breathable. The goretex usually breaks before the sole and cannot be replaced by any means, so there's really no point in being able to replace the sole.
picrel looks like it's tear out in a year. My experience has been that your feet will freeze in synthetics and that once they start tearing it doesn't pay off fixing them. I haven't had leather tear or get cut yet. And yes I also consider the envorimental aspect when I choose shoes.
>picrel looks like it's tear out in a year
Looks are deceiving, those are made of reinforced kevlar with a merino wool sock like inner layer.
>Lol what shit tier leather
All leather are shit tier by default, you scrap them against a rock, specially if wet, and they easily get deep cuts.
>you scrap them against a rock, specially if wet, and they easily get deep cuts.
no they fricking don't.
there are different grades of leather quality, and different leather form different animals has different resilience.
t. wet leather boot scraper.
Cope.
t. 25+ mile hiking days on rocky terrain
Have some OC.
i don't think you understand what cope is. you are coping with your shit quality leather.
i can tell you are totally unbiased
Yes I am.
shoe companies need to stop doing those thin style eyelets like that. some youtuber tested them last week and if you pull on the shoe lace the same way you'd cut a piece of bailing rope on those eyelets they break in under 20 passes. normal sneaker eyelets survive like 200-300.
>Why are leather boots not a thing anymore?
They are a thing you fricking weirdo.
my most recent boot purchase was some all leather scarpas. comfiest and most expensive boots i ever bought.
1/3
2
2/3
normally i wear these
korean army boots with swiss leather gaiters. served me well for >5 years but let in water badly now after many repairs and much abuse. still good for dry conditions.
3/3
here's my work boots, all leather, bought about 2 or 3 years ago. after being used day in, day out, they started to break apart after one year because it was shit chinese leather and a LOT of use.
replaced them with some similar apache brand boots, also doing very well. both benefited hugely from a soft innersole.
pro tip: treat your leather with mink oil. nothing makes it more supple and stops it from cracking better. get mink oil on your boots ASAP after buying, then bees wax. re-oil and re-wax after serious use.
> With love can last a lifetime
one question though, is "love" another word for "not using them at all"?
i guarantee i can trash any pair of boots you give me in 2 years, just doing my normal sporadic hiking and climbing. that includes but is not limited to:
sharp thorns
water
mud
bogs
sharp rocks
regular rocks
gravel
accidentally kicking a big rock
clay
scrambling up rocks
show me the boot that survives all this for >2 years and i will buy it. need timestamped proof of those 2 years passing.
these are the german army bw boots, theyre some of the best
They suck. The midsole disintegrates.
Peak nu-out
i have these boots they are pretty good
>I get that the entire world's military is out there killing farmers in the desert but why is nobody here talking about polishable leather?
We don't need or want to discuss our leather boots, because we've owned them for 5-20+ years and what's there to discuss?
What gets discussed are the petroleum byproduct chemical foam shoes that come out in funky new shapes and colors every single year. That's because they only last that long, and corpos like it that way. They like selling you shit you'll just have to buy again in a few years.
I'm actually the most massive trailrunner fanboy on this board and not a die-hard boot fascist, but when it's not the middle of the warm season out then it's time for some real footwear. I do love my cancer foam corpo cleats during hot weather.
Not the OP but I think I see what he's getting at and I have the same question. No one's denying that modern hiking boots are better, the question is how much worse leather really is.
I would be willing to compromise hiking quality somewhat for the self-reliance and longevity aspect of it. I love the idea of buying one pair of boots, and having them last for years and years of use and abuse doing maintenance and repair on them myself vs. spending several hundred bucks every year on the latest and greatest hiking boots. Especially with kind of a prepper mindset, that way you're no longer reliant on the world supply chain and shoe industry if the economy collapses or the bombs fall or whatever and you don't have access to that anymore.
So the real questions are:
>How much worse is hiking using leather boots (old-school ones, just stitched together leather and a rubber sole, no foam or synthetic materials included) vs. modern boots?
and
>How much maintenance can someone do without cobbler's tools and training? Could you easily learn from Youtube how to repair seams and even re-sole the boot yourself?
>With love can last a lifetime
That's a reason. Why would you sell boots to a person once or twice in a lifetime if you can also do it 20 times?
The leather on these boots is good, the rest is meh
That's a decent boot for hiking though.
Are all these boots threads what passes for a raid by /b/ these days?
newbies, newbies everywhere.
I see plenty of ripped and discarded synthetic shoes along the sides of trails, but I've never seen a discarded leather boot in several decades. I'm sure the newer technology allows for a more comfortable shoe, but at the end of the day I'd rather not be stranded in the wilderness barefoot.
>I see plenty of ripped and discarded synthetic shoes along the sides of trails
See, this is just sad. There is a reason why the US Army and Marines don't run around in combat in trail runners. They have the cash to replace them. They have the industry to make them cheap domestically. But there is a reason that everyone runs around in deserts with a boot and not a shoe.
Bros I'm starting to take the bootpill. The confidence they give you when threading over all kinds of nasty vegetation and rocky terrain is pretty great.
I still prefer trainers for wet rock because you can feel the ground better and move faster but for terrain that you can't even see where you're putting your feet on I gotta go with boots now and it's even about muh ankle protection against rolling ankles because I've never had that problem with sneakers but goddamn against thorns, bumping your feet against sharp rocks and all of that boots take the W.