Lost some good friends over the weekend.

[jackelope]

These things have been everywhere with me. Deer hunts, elk hunts, mountain goat hunts, to the top of Mt. Adams twice, hiking all over the Cascades and Blues, deer hunting in Idaho, you name it. Pretty much every animal I’ve killed in Washington and lots that others have killed, these guys have been along with me.  I can’t say the same for most of my other pieces of hunting gear. I was thinking about having them rebuilt before the blowout over the weekend but now I’m not sure if that’s even possible. I love these boots. I mean seriously ... they’ve been amazing. And I bought them in the bargain cave at Cabela’s probably 10 years ago for like $68 or something like that. Not sure what I’m going to do now.






Sayonara old friends.

[full choke]

https://meindlusa.com/

Make new memories!

[JimmyHoffa]

Finding a good pair of boots is like an OIL draw.   

[Bango skank]

These things have been everywhere with me. Deer hunts, elk hunts, mountain goat hunts, to the top of Mt. Adams twice, hiking all over the Cascades and Blues, deer hunting in Idaho, you name it. Pretty much every animal I’ve killed in Washington and lots that others have killed, these guys have been along with me.  I can’t say the same for most of my other pieces of hunting gear. I was thinking about having them rebuilt before the blowout over the weekend but now I’m not sure if that’s even possible. I love these boots. I mean seriously ... they’ve been amazing. And I bought them in the bargain cave at Cabela’s probably 10 years ago for like $68 or something like that. Not sure what I’m going to do now.






Sayonara old friends.

[Skyvalhunter]

Its about time to retire those stinky old things

[pianoman9701]

What kind of boots are they?

[Jpmiller]

It always makes me feel a little silly how bummed out I get retiring boots. Just had to put down a set of my own recently. Sorry for your loss.

[Henrydog]

Those look like Danner built but Cabelas branded.  I have a pair of Cableas branded Danner's I got 10 years of hard use out of. 

Hiking in the Clearwater's to fish my kid was behind me and yells "dad you lost something"  He was holding a Vibram sole.  That was a crappy hike out, but I will say those were the best boots at any price point I have owed.

[DeerThug]

Get some Shoe Goo.  You can easily repair that with no problem and get a few more years out of them.  You can get it at walmart of fredies - pretty much any place with a shoe dept..

I have a pair that are the same.  Fit my feet so well and have had multiple blow outs.  Just pull the seam back together, a big ole coat of Shoe Goo. let dry overnight and good to go...

[LDennis24]

Yeah, Danner's right? I have a pair also from the same period. Mine ended up blowing out on that vertical seem on the inside. It's a poor design for there to be a seem there because that's where your foot flexes. Other than that they were excellent boots, always warm enough for me and always water proof. They had a squeek to them for a time but it eventually wore away. I'm gonna try to repair them.

[jackelope]

They're Meindl Perfekt Hunters from Cabelas. Got to be 10 years old.

[boneaddict]

I loved those boots.  I probably still have some in my closet.  I had back to back pairs I couldn't get the squeek out, no matter how I greased em up.   I mostly used snowseal.   I finally switched to Kenetreks. 

What size are you

[LDennis24]

Danner must have tried copying them because they look similar. I even found mine in the bargain cave around the same time! Sucks when you can't find a good boot anymore because they want to keep "improving" them with new ultralight materials that don't last. Not sure anything will ever be better than good ole leather!

[coop2424]

I am nursing the same pair I bought at that sale!!’ I wish I would of bought about 10 pairs because like you they have been the best boots I have ever had.  I did find another boot that I think is about equal but not the same height which is taking some getting use to.

[Karl Blanchard]

My original pair of meindl Alaskans and then the replacement pair were amazing. Then they lightened them and they kinda sucked after that. You are definitely due for a pair of boots with actual tread on them 

[jackelope]

I am nursing the same pair I bought at that sale!!’ I wish I would of bought about 10 pairs because like you they have been the best boots I have ever had.  I did find another boot that I think is about equal but not the same height which is taking some getting use to.

I actually went looking through your early forum posts to see if I could figure out when we bought them.  I remember you saying something about that sale and I jumped on it as they had some size 13's.

[jackelope]

My original pair of meindl Alaskans and then the replacement pair were amazing. Then they lightened them and they kinda sucked after that. You are definitely due for a pair of boots with actual tread on them 

I was thinking about having them re-soled. Now I wonder if I could just get an overhaul. Fix the heel blowout, re-sole, etc. I should probably just get a new pair of boots...I'm assuming it's not the cost effective way to go rebuilding them.

[scotsman]

I also have an identical, 15 -20 year old pair of Cabelas perfekt that have been everywhere from deserts of New Mexico to 13,000 ft up in Co to local swamps. Great boots. . This year when preparing for elk in OR I was on a training hike when the sole just fell off. Going through the same disappointment you are now experiencing, I took the deceased boots to a shoe repair shop in tacoma. The crusty ‘ol shoe repairman said he has seen that a lot of times when the original pressure bond attaching the sole to the boot fails.

He had to special order new soles but now they are good for more miles than are left in me. The only issue was the new sole adhesive had a real strong smell that took a long time to go away. Get ‘em fixed!

[jackelope]

I also have an identical, 15 -20 year old pair of Cabelas perfekt that have been everywhere from deserts of New Mexico to 13,000 ft up in Co to local swamps. Great boots. . This year when preparing for elk in OR I was on a training hike when the sole just fell off. Going through the same disappointment you are now experiencing, I took the deceased boots to a shoe repair shop in tacoma. The crusty ‘ol shoe repairman said he has seen that a lot of times when the original pressure bond attaching the sole to the boot fails.

He had to special order new soles but now they are good for more miles than are left in me. The only issue was the new sole adhesive had a real strong smell that took a long time to go away. Get ‘em fixed!

Mind sharing what that ran to get done?

[fishngamereaper]

You guys are making me nervous. My meindls are 12-15 years old and just now getting broken in..

[Karl Blanchard]

Alright, how in the world are you guys getting so much life out of boots? I get two seasons max on all my boots before they have been reduced to street slicks 

[fishngamereaper]

Alright, how in the world are you guys getting so much life out of boots? I get two seasons max on all my boots before they have been reduced to street slicks 

I hunt like a ninja..

Honestly I don't know..they are just solid boots..God knows I beat the heck out them... although they don't see the woods till October..I use my Solomon's for early season..so they probably only get 200-300 miles a year give or take a 100.

[jackelope]

I put like a mile or 2 a year on mine.
 

Seriously, it's likely you're just putting 4 times as many miles on as I am. Maybe 8 times as many. They have been amazing boots. I don't hunt as much as a lot of guys do but I always wear these hiking too. It's probably fair to say I don't hike as much as I used to either, but 3+ years ago I was doing a lot of hiking and a lot more hunting than now.

[JimmyHoffa]

Alright, how in the world are you guys getting so much life out of boots? I get two seasons max on all my boots before they have been reduced to street slicks 

I think part of it might be terrain.  My boots and shoes that go into the high country get shaved and worn down quickly on the soles and maybe gouges on the leather.  The boots that are in the swampy, grassy alders and in the timber hold up in appearance but tend to leak from all the immersion.  When I get in the timber, there's so much rotted wood and moss it's like being on carpet.
Then there's the odd pair that just last for a while.  I had one pair from Cabela's that lasted about five years--hiked half the trails in the nearby national park, lots of high hunts, elk, winter predator hunts...they kept going.  Other than that pair I only get one good season out of boots, a few kind of make it into the second.

[TheStovePipeKid]

Make some fancy book ends.

[MonstroMuley]

Seattle: Dave Page Cobbler “The World’s Finest Mountain Boot Repair”

"The Best" IMHO - Near Fremont I believe … Mountaineers ship them boots from around the country ...
http://www.davepagecobbler.com/

[kselkhunter]

Seattle: Dave Page Cobbler “The World’s Finest Mountain Boot Repair”

"The Best" IMHO - Near Fremont I believe … Mountaineers ship them boots from around the country ...
http://www.davepagecobbler.com/

Great guy.  Zamberlan referred me over to him.   After putting a cut in my Zamberlan's after a decade of abuse and causing a leak, I called this guy.  Rather than have me potentially waste my money taking him the boots with no assurances it would be a "fix", he just told me over the phone how to fix them.   His idea worked.  Very thankful to him, and he'll get my boot repair business in the future.     

[boneaddict]

Alright, how in the world are you guys getting so much life out of boots? I get two seasons max on all my boots before they have been reduced to street slicks 

I got about 2 years each out of mine.   I didnt blame the boots.   I was pretty hard on them. 

[Buckhunter24]

I also had to retire a reliable pair of boots this week. Couldnt fix this blowout with an easy awl

[coop2424]

Alright, how in the world are you guys getting so much life out of boots? I get two seasons max on all my boots before they have been reduced to street slicks 

Karl I have a boot problem!!.  I have many pairs that I wear so they last longer.  Always have a pair or two ready to go if something goes wrong with my go to boots. 

[coop2424]

I am nursing the same pair I bought at that sale!!’ I wish I would of bought about 10 pairs because like you they have been the best boots I have ever had.  I did find another boot that I think is about equal but not the same height which is taking some getting use to.

I actually went looking through your early forum posts to see if I could figure out when we bought them.  I remember you saying something about that sale and I jumped on it as they had some size 13's.

I think it was either late 2008 or late 2009 when they were on clearance.

[Encore 280]

Have 'em bronzed or just retire them and hang 'em from your truck rear view mirror.

[jackelope]

Have 'em bronzed or just retire them and hang 'em from your truck rear view mirror.

I thought about hanging them from my mirror, but I wouldn’t be able to see much.  They’re pretty tall and I’m a size 13. Probably take up 1/3 of my windshield.

[huntnnw]

I have been thru at least 5 pairs of Meindls in last 8 years all have been junk

[huntnphool]

Finding a good pair of boots is like an OIL draw.   

 +1

 I recently sent in a 15+ year old set of Danners because they have been “that good”!

 They were like new when I received them!

 Good luck finding another set that serves you as well!

[BigGoonTuna]

Alright, how in the world are you guys getting so much life out of boots? I get two seasons max on all my boots before they have been reduced to street slicks 

i mostly hunt on the westside, ground's pretty soft.  i retired my 9 year old pair of danner hawks this season because they started leaking pretty bad last year, the bob soles(that many here say wear down too fast, lugs break off etc) are still like new.  however, the uppers are shredded from blackberry vines and underbrush.

[Karl Blanchard]

The varying terrain makes a lot of sense. Most everything I am hunting is pretty rocky stuff so it makes sense that the tread go more quickly. I tried some light hikers for the first time last year on my NV hunt. Not a great idea  soloman quest 4d's or whatever they are called. 6 days and they were smoked. That crap down there was no joke. Glad I don't hunt in stuff like that all the time because a guy would go broke buying boots

[Rainier10]

That’s a long run. My buddy just bought new boots this year after 8 years. I get a new set every year but use the last years set as well. I retire them after two years so every year I have one new pair and one one year old pair.

I use them a lot, I would say on average two weekends a month every month. Some months not at all and other months every weekend and some months two weeks straight.

Irish setter elk trackers are what fit me and work best.

Optics and boots are the two most important things you can spend money on in my opinion.

[7mmfan]

The varying terrain makes a lot of sense. Most everything I am hunting is pretty rocky stuff so it makes sense that the tread go more quickly. I tried some light hikers for the first time last year on my NV hunt. Not a great idea  soloman quest 4d's or whatever they are called. 6 days and they were smoked. That crap down there was no joke. Glad I don't hunt in stuff like that all the time because a guy would go broke buying boots

I picked up the same boots last year and I've been pleased as punch with them. I wasn't hunting rocky Nevada hell, but I covered a lot of nasty ground with them this year.

[Karl Blanchard]

The varying terrain makes a lot of sense. Most everything I am hunting is pretty rocky stuff so it makes sense that the tread go more quickly. I tried some light hikers for the first time last year on my NV hunt. Not a great idea  soloman quest 4d's or whatever they are called. 6 days and they were smoked. That crap down there was no joke. Glad I don't hunt in stuff like that all the time because a guy would go broke buying boots

I picked up the same boots last year and I've been pleased as punch with them. I wasn't hunting rocky Nevada hell, but I covered a lot of nasty ground with them this year.

i really liked them as well and picked up another pair after that hunt last year. I'm just more aware of where I take them now 

[KFhunter]

Have 'em bronzed or just retire them and hang 'em from your truck rear view mirror.

I thought about hanging them from my mirror, but I wouldn’t be able to see much.  They’re pretty tall and I’m a size 13. Probably take up 1/3 of my windshield.

don't ever hit the brakes 

[hunter399]

I've used old boot leather for a skull cap thing on horn before.If they where like whites boots that have real think leather ,knife sheath ,or or cut some leather in to strips and make a weaved little key chain thing .
Just look up thing you can make with leather.

[LDennis24]

Finding a good pair of boots is like an OIL draw.   

 +1

 I recently sent in a 15+ year old set of Danners because they have been “that good”!

 They were like new when I received them!

 Good luck finding another set that serves you as well!

Where did you send them?