I got my money’s worth...

[unclebilly]

Yesterday after the cow debacle got sorted, we went for a family hike in the Canadian Rockies up to Picklejar Lakes. It’s a 11.6 km (7.4 mile) hike round trip with 662 meters (2170’) of elevation gain.

I have some Raichle Kootenay 3 hiking boots that have served me well for 20 years and a newer pair of Kootenay 4 boots that I have hardly wore because they just don’t feel right.

I brought both pairs. In the parking lot, I put on one of each and walked around a bit and decided to go with my old ones...

They made it to the summit of the mountain above the lake (probably an extra 150m of elevation beyond the advertised 662m) before the sole ripped off the right boot and on the way back down to the lake, the other sole ripped off... I knew better and had premonitions of this happening... it was a wet feet kinda hike out with no traction done the muddy bits of the trail.

I got my money’s worth out of these boots and tried to stretch them a bit too far. They did the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island twice, the Chilcoot Trail from Dyea Alaska to Bennett, the Athabasca Trail in Jasper, they’ve been to Pinto Lake and to the tops of several mountains, the Centennial Pass loads of times, Ha-Ling (no longer called Chinaman’s Peak), lots of Snowshoeing trips and scrambles... I got my money’s worth but now it’s time to either man up and break in the new pair or buy something else...






What do you guys have that you have gotten your money’s worth out of and tried to milk it just a little bit too far?

[crustychief]

Loosing boot integrity on a hike can turn your life upside down.

[RSBob]

Owned a few Rachlie and they make good sturdy boots. You definitely got more miles out of yours by a long shot. The new lightweight boots just don’t last but sure are comfortable from the beginning.

Sounds like an epic hike with some tough climbing. Would love to do it. Any snow fields?

[flatbutt]

I has exactly the same situation with my hiking boots Billy, AND mine blew out in the Colorado Rockies.

I used one of those original cell phones that didn't flip open but rather slid open. That thing was so old that you could count the separate pixels on its' one inch screen. It was so old that when I finally upgraded it was with an iphone6!

I've also held on to girl friends a bit too long.

[unclebilly]

RSBob - there was a little bit of snow at the top of the treeline maybe a foot or so deep. It will be gone by the end of the weekend.

[Scott Douglas]

My Minnetonka moccasins.
Had 'em since high school days, maybe earlier than that, I can't remember now, I'm old.
Used only in the house for the most part.
Wife got me new ones for Christmas last year, but they just ain't the same.

[Zeke]

I have been known to wear boots and athletic shoes well beyond their time. I remember a pair of New Balance in the 80's that were mere rags when my wife allowed that they were on the verge of embarrassing.

That's subjective, of course.

I have a pair of Thorogood boots that have been resoled and won't stand up to another go round so I wear them for particularly dirty jobs, but man are they comfy. Like they were built right there on my feet. I have a new pair supposedly exactly the same except they aren't. The only sameness is the price.

Yes, I wear them until I can see sock where there is supposed to be shoe.

Bad thing about the hiking deal. Glad you made it back w/o any drama.

[RSBob]

Have some Lands End woolie slippers that are 35 years old and still going strong. Thought the new dog either ate or buried one and ordered new ones. Found out that Jaws, the Roomba, hid my old slipper on the inside bed post foot of the sleigh bed. Boxed up the new ones and back to the old.