My Zamberlan Hiking Boots
OK, so these boots are 24 years old. I bought these in 1991 and have done countless hikes(including British Columbia's West Coast Trail) and even used these as work boots on the odd occasion. I was, recently, thinking about buying a new pair of hiking boots but then thought I would bring my Zamberlan's to an old shoe repairman in town. I figured that I would give these boots a chance before giving up on them since they've served me so well for so long.
I'm glad I did. In fact, this old guy told me that there's more he could do when the boots wear down even more. So this is what I like about real craftsmanship. Good quality work and no unnecessary work. He was also of the same mind as me when it comes to waste. Why not refurbish an old item instead of running out and buying something new. Besides, new things are not always made with the same quality.
I bought these boots for about $300.00 back in 1991 and, at the time, that was a lot of money for me. My wife reminded me that we really couldn't afford them. I was supporting a wife and three kids at the time. But, looking back on it now, that $300.00 investment probably paid for itself 3 or 4 times over. I've known other hikers who have replaced their boots after only a few seasons of hiking.
Anyway, I can't say enough about these boots. Here's the result of my visit to the "Cobbler's Corner". I don't think i need to specifiy which photos represent the before and after shots:
Waste not, want not. A good example of reuse or recycling I guess. Nothing like really good quality leather. Italian made too.