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My $200 hiking boots died in 8 months on flat Ohio trails, and I want to know if I got a lemon or if break-in time is just a myth
Bought a pair of full grain leather boots in March, wore them maybe 40 times on easy trails around Columbus, and the sole started peeling off the toe by November. Part of me thinks I should have gone with the cheaper synthetic pair since I'm not doing anything serious, but the other part says a boot at that price should not fall apart that fast. Did I just get a bad batch or does everyone baby their leather boots way more than they admit? Trying to figure out if I should fight for a repair or just move on.
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kelly.parker4d ago
Sold leather boots to people for years and honestly the toe peeling at 8 months tells me more about how you stored and dried them than the brand. Leather is skin, and if you leave it caked in mud or bake it next to a heater or shove it in a hot car trunk, that glue and stitching gives up fast, no matter what you paid. Forty wears in Ohio mud and creek crossings is way harder on a boot than people think, so blaming the price tag alone feels like a stretch. A $200 boot is mid tier at best these days, not some buy it for life guarantee, and most folks who swear by theirs are rotating two pairs and conditioning them every few months. Your mileage may vary, but I would bet the boot is fine and the care routine is the real story here.
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