I cannot take my boots off

[Stedds]

Since I have finished my Camino I haven't been able to separate myself from my boots. They have become part and parcel of me now. Complete with new laces and a few holes they hold character and are super comfortable.

Before I pictured myself throwing them away as they show obvious signs of wear and tear and now they couldn't be nearer to me. I wear them to work, around town, in the house. Maybe I haven't yet unloaded from the Camino fully, after all it was my life for 2 months. Not to mention all the planning and thinking before hand that was involved for around a year.

I would like to know if anyone else has similar experiences - post Camino.


Ultreia!!

Eddie

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I've still got my pair of walking shoes from 2008 that walked 1500km+, though they are now pretty much consigned to the laundry only to be brought out for gardening and lawnmowing. But my pair from last year started showing serious signs of wear after about ten days walking of the seven weeks that I did. I was told by a German man about then that I needed to get a new pair. However, they lasted me- just- to Santiago- I think they had some kind of miracle/angel glue keeping them together. But I discarded them in the bin once I had reached the Cathedral...
Margaret

 

[Icacos]

Ha Ha …… funny you should ask, Shedds!!! Yes, I am still quite attached to my boots, tho’ not to the extent you are. I wear my boots at the slightest excuse and, with the approaching winter I will wear them even more often – since they are so incredibly comfortable, warm and water resistant. Just today I wore them for an ‘urban hike’ of 2-1/2 hours when I went to babysit my grandson. En route, I even stopped for a ‘second breakfast’ at a coffee shop along the way, à la Camino, but that just was NOT the same ….. there were no other peregrinos there and café con leche y tostada was not on the menu. Oh, well.

But it is not just my boots that I am attached to ….. it’s my Camino clothes …. my pants and jacket, even my socks! They are all perfect for walking, which I do often and with layering it all works in all kinds of weather. For long walks, I still put Vaseline on my feet! I can put everything I need in my Camino pants and jacket pockets and, with a pack on my back I still have my hands free. The only Camino item that I haven’t worn (I DO have my limits) is my Altus poncho – walking around the City in that contraption is something I will NOT do . I’m crazy, but not THAT crazy. So, when it rains I resort to my umbrella.

Now, I am facing a dilemma …..You see, when I went on Camino earlier this year, it was the first time I had traveled with everything in a backpack; it was a completely new experience for me, but I learned to love it. Now, this coming January I expect to make a 'tourist' visit to Ireland, and I am having a really hard time getting my head around taking a suitcase instead. I would love to take my backpack, but I just can’t figure how it is going to work ……..

 

[KinkyOne]

Agree with @MendiWalker about "taking off". I still have my old boots that were worn out in 8 years of mountaineering and 1000+kms on CF. Sometimes when the weather is not wet I even put them on and go for a hike. With almost cut laces, holes that sucks moist in them, ripped and all... I have new pair of boots though. Simply can't get rid of them oldies

 

[Annie Little]

Agree with @MendiWalker about "taking off". I still have my old boots that were worn out in 8 years of mountaineering and 1000+kms on CF. Sometimes when the weather is not wet I even put them on and go for a hike. With almost cut laces, holes that sucks moist in them, ripped and all... I have new pair of boots though. Simply can't get rid of them oldies

KINKY I can see you are very attached to your boots …. Nice

 

[KinkyOne]

Hahaha, yes you could say that @Annie Little. I even took pictures of them didn't I
Now thinking of them just resting in the dark of the closet I decided to throw them away after my next Camino. Soon hopefully

Ultreia!

 

[Annie Little]

Hahaha, yes you could say that @Annie Little. I even took pictures of them didn't I
Now thinking of them just resting in the dark of the closet I decided to throw them away after my next Camino. Soon hopefully

Ultreia!

Soooo I just have to ask!!!! Is that why you called yourself KINKY !!! ….. hahaha… NOT that I am suggesting anything wrong with that

 

[KinkyOne]

Well, let's not go into this, we might steal this thread then

 

[Al the optimist]

My babies have worn down on the heels after 2000k. I have asked but the soles are not replaceable. I have been told that a good cobbler could "hot slice" the heels off and replace them to give another 500k. Sorry, I said - only 500? I suppose hat would be OK for a bit of pottering around. Anyway I cannot face the prospect of them being treated this way, and I am scared of the side effects they may suffer from such major surgery.

 

[Jennifer1959]

Currently lying on a bed in Finnesterre- WITH MY BOOTS ON - in serious Post Camino blues!
After days in a trance in Santiago, Finnesterre has become my Rehab centre as I keep trying to take these boots off.....

 

[t2andreo]

Al - Here in the States we have hiking boot resoling services that can replicate the process originally used to secure the molded outsole to your boots. After my CF in June I searched Google locally and located the firm.

The process was simple. I paid online with a credit card and shipped the bots to them. About two weeks later they returned with a factory specification sole and new insole (liner). The cost was USD 87 plus the slight postage to mail the boots to them. So, let's call it about 60 pounds all in. IN any event, if the uppers are still good and the boots are broken in, as mine were, this is a far more economical route than new boots.

By the way, I wear a size 47 (US 13) Keen Targhee II mid-height boot. Although I suffered from pre-existing heel calluses, I had not one blister on the entire CF. I walked from late April until the end of May and wore two pair of socks.

I took the liberty of going to www.google.co.uk and running this query: "hiking boot resoling uk" If you can do it, you will see that here are many services. Here is the full search link: https://www.google.co.uk/#q=hiking boot resoling uk

If you click on it, or copy the location in to an address bar on your browser, the results should just come up. You can drill down and refine them to locate a firm near to where you live.

I hope this helps you, or someone else.

 

[Al the optimist]

Thanks for your research. Unfortunately I have been told that my Lowe Wranglers cannot be resoled. BooHoo!

 

[pilgrim b]

Al, if they are Vibram soles you can get them done here in Yorkshire , you know how tight we are up here. Try Coxes in the Shambles York http://www.leathershop.co.uk/ I got another two years out of my beloveds before the uppers split.

 

[NCfishboy]

My boots were so wet and smelled so bad after 4 out of the last 5 days of walking in pooring down rain that I left them in the bus station in Santiago and just wore my Tevas for the travel home. They were never going to dry out before my flight home so I left them in Spain.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I vad my boots on for 3 days at my camino and had only used them about the same amount at home before the camino so I use them as early winter boots now. My sandals that I did all the walking in looks awful and the leather is torn in some places and the sole is wore down. I thought i would throw them away in Santiago but no. They came home with me and I still use them. Can't separate us now after what we accomplished together

 

[t2andreo]

Thanks for your research. Unfortunately I have been told that my Lowe Wranglers cannot be resoled. BooHoo!

Allan - Have you tried here? http://www.lancashiresportsrepairs.co.uk/walking_boot_repairs.htm

I found that sending an e-mail or calling direct can make a difference. The worst they can say is "no."

 

[Stedds]

Here's an update for you awesome pilgrims!

I went out and bought some more pairs of walking socks to wear over my normal socks when I wear my boots. I got them from Asda at the last minute and they proved to be extremely durable and reliable, better than the Quicksilver pair that withered away after a few weeks.

Another thing is I wear my lambswool baselayer as a standard top and when I don't wear that I have to wear my funky blue check shirt I got for €5.90 in a Chinese shop somewhere after Bilbao. This weekend I went out for a few beers in my town and stood out like a sore thumb but I was comfortable and super happy!!

Pilgrim for life ;-)


Ultreia,

Eddie

 

[annelise]

I still love my boots – and my camino clothes to boot (no pun intended! Ha …).

Regularly also wear my Icebreaker blouses – so nice and warm in a fairly cold climate (Denmark). And once when my son was around and felt cold, I lent him my Patagonia jacket. Believe me, it took me quite some effort (and half a year!) to get it back (big smiley). – and whenever he sees me in it, he will say "Mom, this is mine!"

annelise