I’ve used the identical pair of shoes virtually each day since my early 20s. I’ll be 35 in a couple of months. Like with most “excessive” stats, a pair of shoes that are 13+ years outdated blow the conventional expectation values out of the water; very similar to having the ability to retire in 5 years… or having greater than 2 web page views per weblog go to 
I don’t know what number of reheelings (resoling the heel solely) I’ve had performed on them. I misplaced rely round 8. I do know the complete sole has been changed as soon as as a result of I discovered a wonderful cobbler within the metropolis I stay in. Vibram Skywalk. Don’t get something much less.
The boots are Hanwag’s Grunten. They arrive in males’s and ladies’s. When you stay in Europe, you’re in luck. You will get them over most of Europe. I paid 1299 kroner for mine after I purchased them within the mid-late Nineties. At present they price 1799 kroner. I might take into account them a reasonably good inflation hedge. Higher than TIPS! Higher than the inventory market, it appears relying on which month you ask 
I’m critically contemplating shopping for one other 2 pairs. That ought to cowl me for all times. Hanwag sells these boots as the one pair of mountain climbing boots you’ll ever want. I determine that since I exploit them each day, I’ll most likely want a couple of pair throughout my lifetime, however in any other case, fairly shut.
I’ve taken these to many locations. From the highest of Mt. Fuji to Nevada’s desert to the practice stations of Europe. They’re mild sufficient to hike in however powerful sufficient for mild rock “climbing”. Proper within the candy spot when it comes to strolling. I solely want they’d make them in black. This could make it doable to “cross” for gown footwear in a (very) tight spot. It could additionally make it simpler to search out shoe polish in the fitting colour. Matching the present colour is close to not possible!
I’ve additionally misplaced monitor of how far I’ve walked in them with my strolling commutes and all that. Usually a pair of trainers can be anticipated to final 1000 km. Trendy mountain climbing boots are good for about 1500 km earlier than the liner will start to crack. These have gone no less than 10,000 km.
They’re double stitched full grain leather-based boots with a Norwegian welt. Because of this if get an excellent coat of shoe polish and leather-based fats on them, they’re as waterproof as fashionable boots with a tex-liner. The only real is definitely sewn on so in concept, your complete sole might be changed. Moreover, in contrast to glued soles or fashionable boots, the place the higher are a stitched mish-mash of nubuck and nylon, good boots have few seams, the place water can get in, when the work aside.
Truly, a couple of years in the past I had used them a lot that I had worn down among the liner on the heel. No drawback, I had a cobbler sew some leather-based on which rescued them from an early grave—hey, they have been solely about 10 years outdated on the time.
Through the years, I’ve been preserving my eye on Hanwag. Across the flip of the millennium it appeared like they have been scaling again on the Norwegian welts. Nonetheless, it appears to have made considerably of a comeback.
I don’t assume you will get Hanwag within the US. Nonetheless, you will get a pair which look equal: Merrell Wilderness. They price someplace north of $250 however they’re most likely value it. Additionally they clear up the colour drawback. Given a selection, I’d nonetheless take the Hanwag’s given their barely extra versatile utilization. The Merrell’s settle for crampons which ought to imply they’re barely stiffer. The Hanwag’s don’t. If anybody personal’s some Merrell’s I’d like to listen to your tackle how they’re on asphalt. We’re pondering of getting some for DW.
A observe on shopping for boots: Sizing boots is barely totally different than sizing footwear. What you must do is to put on your mountain climbing socks. I vastly want the 2 sock system over the technical brouhaha that has grow to be widespread over the previous 10 years. The inside sock shall be a skinny extremely sweat transporting sock. The outer sock is an absorbing wool sock with no seams. Now, get your socks (or sock) on and lace the boot midway up. Push the foot ahead within the boot. Now you must be capable of shove an index finger down behind your heel and the heel of the boot. It ought to match snugly with out wiggle-room. When you can’t get a finger in, the boot is just too small and also you’ll get blisters in your toes. When you can wiggle, it’s too massive and also you’ll get blisters in your heel.The reason being that once you stroll far, your foot flattens/swell, and so forth. and also you need to go away room for that. The socks will swell too.
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Initially posted 2010-08-15 11:16:34.
