Relative Something

Good boots have become a priority for me outdoors on our property. If boots never wore out, I would be set, but the heavy use I subject them to tends to damage a boot’s ability to perform as desired. Waterproof features rarely hold up against repeated exposure to abuse and aftermarket sprays to reclaim the protection hold up even less. If the sole doesn’t separate from the upper then constant flexing will crack and tear across the width, just behind the toes.

Since I am stepping in and out of my boots frequently throughout the day, I usually avoid laces. My previous favorites were an insulated (for winter) and a non-insulated (summer) mid-height slip-on from North Face. They no longer make the version I love, which I bought twice online in the past, so I decided to start over from scratch and search for a replacement.

Shopping for a different kind of boot made me nervous about getting a good fit if I order online. Searching by images, several times the boots that caught my eye were made by Georgia Boots. I checked for a retailer that carried them and up popped Tractor Supply, my new favorite farm store.

Unfortunately, my store in Prescott, WI didn’t stock the slip-on I was hoping to check out. The only boots they had that closely matched what I was looking for were lace-ups. Two things led me toward my latest prized pair. I found something in my size marked down on the Clearance shelf and the top two lace catches were hook-type. (An added bonus was being able to have steel toe protection.)

Long ago I figured out a method to avoid always tying laces on boots with hooks. I get them snugged up and knot the laces, then simply unhook the top two catches without untying the knots when I step out of the boots. The next time I put on my boots, I simply reverse the procedure by stepping into the boot and twisting the already-tied laces over the upper hooks. Bing. Bang. Boom.

In picking my new Georgia Boots, I was hoping my old hook-loop lace securing technique would still prove functional. The gamble paid off. My quick-release laces are working grand. It broke my heart to so quickly subject my new boots to the worst mud of the season, but they have performed magnificently from the start.

They no longer look like new but my Georgia Boots are a wonderful replacement for my old cracked favorites from North Face.

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