Annual leaky boots
Another year, another pair of waterproof boots
to be replaced. And each time, I start out with firm plans to make my
new footware last longer. I'll only wear them in the muddiest parts of
the farm, I promise. I'll definitely steer clear of briars and will wear
the leaky pair instead if water isn't going to rise higher than my
ankles.
Then I get lazy. Boots
like this are so easy to pull on and off when you just need to dance
through the muddy yard to pick some supper lettuce. Might as well wear
them while doing my chores so I don't track in as much muck. And who
knows when I might be called upon to wade across the creek.
Then, three hundred or
six hundred or a thousand miles later, it's winter again and my boots
have once again sprung a leak just when I need them most. Which is when
my mother-in-law comes through and buys me new boots for Christmas even
though I'd considered putting off the purchase for another month or two.
Thanks, Rose Nell! My feet are dry and, this time, I'm really going to
be careful so they'll go the distance. Except....
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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.
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Anna, I LOVE my Muckboots. I wear them so much my grandchildren refer to them as "grandma boots". But I find after many, many pairs, that their life expectancy (or rather, their water-proof life expectancy), is almost exactly one year. Don't mind, though. They're warm, comfortable, and the winter versions have great traction.
Julie --- Now I feel better. At least I'm not the only one who goes through a pair of boots a year!
wewally --- I keep meaning to do use the old boots all summer...and then I forget. I can never seem to get the repairs to hold for even a week, though. Probably because mine always spring leaks at spots where the boot bend a lot.
Deb --- Maybe that's the solution. Get the cheapest, uninsulated kind and then I won't wear them so much. But these are so comfortable I can hike in them....
The leather boots that I use for motorcycling generally last me until the rubber soles wear out. Typically 4-5 years, I'd say.
They do require regular (more than once a year
) cleaning and maintenance with grease or wax.
Of course my boots don't see as much muck as yours, but they see a fair bit of water at highway speeds.