Year Of The Shoe (for me)

[AimlessWanderer]

Although I think it’s wise to protect your footwear investments, I have yet to treat/protect any of my latest suede acquisitions. Any spots thus far have been removed by a suede eraser and a suede brush.

Treating them gives you some protection and some piece of mind when the weather starts to turn on you.

Thanks Bob.

I've been giving it a little more thought, and I'm struggling to find a strong argument against treating them. In favour, there's being caught in a rain shower, spilled drinks (not necessarily mine) and occasional cooking mishaps. It's got to be worth spending the extra fiver.

 

[Doc4]

The Samuel Windsor Cumbria Boots are being an absolute bear to break in. Great boots, but I don't know how long before (or even if) they reach the level of comfort I need for my urban walkabouts.

It seems like there's a "rule" that shoes that fit comfortably right out of the box eventually become less comfortable, and those that are uncomfortable right out of the box eventually become very comfortable once they break in.

... of course, this assumes a proper fit in either case. Shoes that don't fit well won't be very comfortable.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

It seems like there's a "rule" that shoes that fit comfortably right out of the box eventually become less comfortable, and those that are uncomfortable right out of the box eventually become very comfortable once they break in.

... of course, this assumes a proper fit in either case. Shoes that don't fit well won't be very comfortable.

Was that "rule" written by someone trying to justify high end purchases?

It's certainly not something I've noticed. Different shoes need different amounts of time to bed in, for sure, but I've not found shoes with short (or zero) break in time to become less comfortable later.

That said, it may well apply to loafers, or pull on boots with no lacing, where there isn't the option to cinch up the slack as the leather "gives". Not the type of footwear I tend to buy though.

 

[Doc4]

Was that "rule" written by someone trying to justify high end purchases?

 

[AimlessWanderer]

So... that guy wore two entirely different boots on each foot...?

Firstly, I have owned one pair of Doc Martens in my life, and do agree that those soles wore out FAST! I think every pair of boots I have owned since, which probably all cost 1/4 or less the price of those, lasted WAY longer, be they work boot, hiking boot, or just a general wear boot. The same with similarly constructed shoes.

As to the becoming more uncomfortable theory, I haven't experienced that, or not that I can recall anyway. Maybe when the boots/shoes were on their last legs, yes. Not mid boot/shoe life or earlier though.

Maybe the Cumbria boots will eventually break in to a level where I can trudge a few miles in them. I still needed something more "ready to wear" in the meantime though. Will the Cotswold Slad boots last as long? Not sure. I only tend to wear them till the soles give out anyway, so it depends on the wear rate on both. I tend to buy a new pair for less than the price of a full resole anyway.

The uppers on the Cotswold Slad, are certainly not as durable as those on the Windsor Cumbria boot. They're a much thinner and more supple leather. However, they don't feel "weaker" than what I'd expect on a typical suede chukka type boot. Or to put it another way, I wouldn't expect the upper to fail before the sole has worn out.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

The Padders Terrain landed today.

These feel like they'll need a bit of breaking in, particularly on the heel, which like the Padders Lunar, is quite high. Not uncomfortably so, just noticeably so. Certainly a better sole for wet weather than the Lunar model, and they have a waterproof membrane in the construction too.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Clocked up the first mile in the Cotswold Slad boots today.



Very easy going, and comfortable. Not just the supple structure and cushioning, but the light weight. As comfortable as trainers, but more befitting the fat hairy cripple look, than something with athletic styling.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

As 2021 wound down to a close, so did my hunger for new and different shoes. Project complete. Lots on money spent over the year, but it was all a VERY worthwhile exercise.

I closed the year with:

6 pairs of assorted boots (from hiking to dressy)
5 pairs of deck type shoes
3 pairs of comfortable walking shoes (+ 2 pairs of the boots already counted)
3 pairs of slip-on casual shoes
and many pairs of smooth leather Oxford and Derby shoes, in both two-tone and single colour.

No trainers. None. Well, there's a pair of cupsole canvas shoes, but to my mind I equate those more as deck shoes, and they were counted accordingly. Oddly, I find owning no trainers to be strangely liberating...

The most worn will most certainly be the mile clockers and casual "about the house" shoes, and least worn will be the numerous "dress" shoes, but I'm fine with that. A few pairs of hard use shoes for living life, and a wider choice of pairs for expressing personality, as mood and circumstances dictate.

Yes, all dirt cheap bargains, but all promise great value for money per mile or hour of wear. In fact, I've probably become an even stronger believer in the "disposable" shoe, if indeed that's even possible. I know some of these will take decades to wear out, and others (sub £20 shoes) maybe just three to five years. Many of these won't be fully broken in for quite some time, though. I still own probably five pairs I couldn't yet wear comfortably for a whole day.

Several of the dressy shoes will become far more casual in use, as the years and miles take their toll. Indeed, they were bought with that in mind, and the inevitable stuffs and scrapes from the mobility disorders will be worn with pride, not shame.

It's been a fun shopping journey, but attention now turns to milking that value from all my purchases. I'm actually one of those people who gets more satisfaction from throwing away a tired old pair, and thinking how great they were, than opening the box on the new shiny pair. No more new stuff though. Not till I've had the satisfaction of making this year's shoes look old and knackered.

 

[Ted A]

I have enjoyed following your journey. Thank you for your posts

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I have enjoyed following your journey. Thank you for your posts

Thanks Ted

 

[johnniegold]

That’s one helluva ride right there. The “cheap bargains” (aka savvy purchases ) plus the huge rotation that you’ve created for yourself may double (or even triple) the normal lifetime of all those shoes which, if amortized over the years, will equate to much deeper discounts.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself….

Spoiler

Great job on this thread. Nicely done.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

That’s one helluva ride right there. The “cheap bargains” (aka savvy purchases ) plus the huge rotation that you’ve created for yourself may double (or even triple) the normal lifetime of all those shoes which, if amortized over the years, will equate to much deeper discounts.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself….

Spoiler

View attachment 1387567View attachment 1387568

Great job on this thread. Nicely done.

Thanks Bob!

It certainly has been quite a ride. A little excessive, but no real regrets. There's only two pairs I wouldn't have bought, if I'd done it all with the prior knowledge that I now have in hindsight. They're the two pairs with the dodgy colours, and I'll periodically repaint them and fun from them as eyecatching novelty shoes.

 

[Doc4]

I'm actually one of those people who gets more satisfaction from throwing away a tired old pair, and thinking how great they were, than opening the box on the new shiny pair. No more new stuff though.

@johnniegold

 

[johnniegold]

@johnniegold

View attachment 1389318

You got that right, sole brother.

Wait… it that the UPS truck?

 

[AimlessWanderer]

When I chucked out my old Karrimor hiking boots, and started on the next pair, it felt great. Mission accomplished. Damn good boots that gave me value well beyond their cost. I think they were the second or third pair to do that.

The Kappa trainers I gave my brother, felt more like mission aborted. Avenue closed. No more trainers for me, as I'll just not get value from them.

I still have a few pairs of shoes which I had before last year's spendfest, which I consider mid-life. Despite having all these new shoes, I keep defaulting back to those, knowing that "job well done" feeling is within reach in the next couple of years. Thereafter, it'll be a long hard slog with all this new stuff, before I'm back there again.

I find new beginnings, without satisfying endings, rather unfulfulling. Even with shoes. Every purchase is just the first step (pardon the pun), towards that final wearing, and thinking "Damn, they were good shoes" (or not).

Yes, I'm weird like that