Penguin
10-02-2013, 11:39 AM
Sky asked for a post (boring or not) so here is a little something you folks might get a chuckle out of.
Way back in '97 when I first graduated from school at went to work at CAT I bought my very first pair of insulated boots. Prior to that I used my work boots as that was all I had and that was all I could afford really. But after spending a couple months catching up on all the various bills that had piled up in college I finally got a paycheck with no one's name on it. On the way home from work that evening I decided to finally buy a pair of really nice insulated hunting boots. Stopped at the local Red Wing dealer and checked things out.
After some measuring and hemming and hawwing the guy running the joint gave me the news: I wear a size 11 1/2 to 12 EEEE. A very rare size even back then (don't even think of trying to find that size now everyone makes EE and that is that). The good news? He happened to have a pair just that size that were old stock. The best Irish Setter boot and made in the US before they left for China. I tired them on was in heaven. Price? $235... in 1997 this was some serious cash especially for boots that had sat in the back of the store for years already.
Fast forward 13 years.
I am on top of a very big mountain after an hour hike in total darkness. I'm scraping off the leaves and getting ready to sit down on opening day of deer season. As my foot makes a final swath across my stand kicking the leaves off, feel a 'click' and then hear a splash in the leaves down the side of the mountain. Long story short the tread had left the building and I was on the slick midsole. Before I got back down the mountain in the very slick leaves I lost the other boot tread. Here's what they looked like after the hike back in:
1801
1802
Pretty bad shape. I ~loved~ these boots. Took excellent care of them. They fit better than any other boot I have owned. I was heartbroken. Tried to get several repair shops to resole them and literally got laughed at. I kept them though hoping that someone, somewhere would be able to get these things back in the game.
Finally heard of a guy named Dave Page in Seattle. Mountain climbers and hikers raved about this guy. I called him. He asked for pics. After seeing them he said no problem and I sent them in. Just got them back a week or two ago and you wouldn't believe what they look like now. He absolutely revived these boots and for under $70.
I am giddy with having my old friends back and will post a pic of them tonight when I get home. There you go, a boring story but the best I can come up with Sky. :)
Will
Way back in '97 when I first graduated from school at went to work at CAT I bought my very first pair of insulated boots. Prior to that I used my work boots as that was all I had and that was all I could afford really. But after spending a couple months catching up on all the various bills that had piled up in college I finally got a paycheck with no one's name on it. On the way home from work that evening I decided to finally buy a pair of really nice insulated hunting boots. Stopped at the local Red Wing dealer and checked things out.
After some measuring and hemming and hawwing the guy running the joint gave me the news: I wear a size 11 1/2 to 12 EEEE. A very rare size even back then (don't even think of trying to find that size now everyone makes EE and that is that). The good news? He happened to have a pair just that size that were old stock. The best Irish Setter boot and made in the US before they left for China. I tired them on was in heaven. Price? $235... in 1997 this was some serious cash especially for boots that had sat in the back of the store for years already.
Fast forward 13 years.
I am on top of a very big mountain after an hour hike in total darkness. I'm scraping off the leaves and getting ready to sit down on opening day of deer season. As my foot makes a final swath across my stand kicking the leaves off, feel a 'click' and then hear a splash in the leaves down the side of the mountain. Long story short the tread had left the building and I was on the slick midsole. Before I got back down the mountain in the very slick leaves I lost the other boot tread. Here's what they looked like after the hike back in:
1801
1802
Pretty bad shape. I ~loved~ these boots. Took excellent care of them. They fit better than any other boot I have owned. I was heartbroken. Tried to get several repair shops to resole them and literally got laughed at. I kept them though hoping that someone, somewhere would be able to get these things back in the game.
Finally heard of a guy named Dave Page in Seattle. Mountain climbers and hikers raved about this guy. I called him. He asked for pics. After seeing them he said no problem and I sent them in. Just got them back a week or two ago and you wouldn't believe what they look like now. He absolutely revived these boots and for under $70.
I am giddy with having my old friends back and will post a pic of them tonight when I get home. There you go, a boring story but the best I can come up with Sky. :)
Will