Posts Tagged ‘work boots’
Boot Salvage
In April of 2023, I posted about new work boots I found on clearance that ended up working out pretty slick for my purposes. One thing that no boot seems to be able to do for me is last very long under my heavy use. These were a pair from Georgia Boot that were waterproof and had a steel toe, which helps reduce risk when I’m wandering around in close contact with the horses.
Much sooner than I was happy with, threads gave out on the side seams. I kept wearing them anyway, and soon, the waterproof feature was lost. I really don’t like leaky boots causing wet socks. I stopped wearing them after buying a pull-on waterproof alternative that has already lasted longer than I imagined possible. It’s got me starting to think about what I should do next.
The old Georgia Boot pair seemed to have a lot of life left in them if it weren’t for the sewed seams blowing out. I’ve decided to look into repair. First, I checked to see what a new pair would cost to help me decide if the expense of repair made sense.
I found a place just a half-hour away in Stillwater that had an online presence and invited requests for quotes. After filling out their form and attaching photos, I explained my situation and pointed out that the cost of a new pair was $99.99. In today’s economy, I have no idea how a pair of these boots can be made for less than a hundred bucks.
The response came back in only a couple of hours, “We should be able to sew them up.”
It’s kind of a vague quote, but I think I’m going to go for it. They did ask that I give them a quick scrub before bringing them in because the dirt gets into their sewing machine. I didn’t point out it was probably more manure than dirt.
The repairs won’t be able to reclaim the waterproof feature, but for now, I’ve still got the cheap ones for wet conditions. I’m thinking I can extend the life of both pairs if I alternate between the two depending on conditions. There is also a large dose of satisfaction for delaying the old boots entering the waste stream. I’ll have to decide what the dollar value of that benefit is worth to me.
I just hope the cost of repairs doesn’t approach $90. I’ll be seeking a more precise estimate when dropping the boots off and talking to someone in person. Of course, I will also feel good about contributing to a local small business, so that weighs in their favor in making my final decision.
When I checked on the cost of a new pair at the Georgia Boot website, I did notice my exact size wasn’t available, but a half-size larger was. I’m thinking I could make that work if I end up needing to resort to that.
Stay tuned. The resolution of this boot salvage drama will not be reached until the next time I’m headed toward the vicinity of Stillwater. Until then, the freshly scrubbed old boots are being stored in my car, awaiting the day.
.
.
Good Boots
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.
.
.
Temporary Reprieve
Yesterday morning’s wintery start was a bitter pill to swallow but the afternoon arrived with just enough sunshine to make the snow nothing but a memory.
We get a day or two of reprieve from a threat of more snow until the chances go up again by Friday. Ooh, I can’t wait… said no one ever about more snow in April.
Last week I pulled the inserts out of my insulated work boots and transferred them to my non-insulated boots. I didn’t switch them back just because of one little snowstorm and wore my summer boots to feed the horses at the start of the day. It proved to me how well my insulated boots work in keeping my feet warm. It didn’t take long for me to get cold feet in the non-insulated boots.
If you look closely at the fence in the image above there are clues of a spring project that is high on my priority list. The fence in the foreground is leaning from what I fear may be the weight of horses leaning into it to scratch their itches. In the board fence near Light in the distance, there is a high post that needs to get pounded down. Actually, there are a lot of posts that deserve to be pounded down. They get pushed up by the freezing and thawing cycle.
I’d love to have the ease of simply pressing on the posts with the weight of the loader bucket on the diesel tractor but the ground is too soft for driving that heavy machine around. It would do more damage than good. That leaves the task of hand-pounding with the tool I customized for just this purpose. All I need is a yardstick, a step ladder, and a spotter to read the pounding progress on the ruler.
As long as the post keeps moving, I keep pounding until we reach a target height. If it stops moving beneath my pounding, I need to save my energy and not waste effort that isn’t producing results. Some posts have moved easily in the past and others not so much.
Upper body workout ahead. Arms day is a-comin’.
It’s a great feeling when fence posts are all re-seated before the ground dries out and becomes rock hard again. Not that different from how it feels to have growing things trimmed and shaped prior to the spring growth spurts.
Everything in its time.
.
.
Relative Something 