I’ve used the identical pair of shoes nearly day-after-day since my early 20s. I’ll be 35 in a number of months. Like with most “excessive” stats, a pair of shoes that are 13+ years outdated blow the traditional expectation values out of the water; very like having the ability to retire in 5 years… or having greater than 2 web page views per weblog go to 
I don’t know what number of reheelings (resoling the heel solely) I’ve had performed on them. I misplaced rely round 8. I do know the total sole has been changed as soon as as a result of I discovered a superb cobbler within the metropolis I dwell in. Vibram Skywalk. Don’t get something much less.
The boots are Hanwag’s Grunten. They arrive in males’s and girls’s. If you happen to dwell in Europe, you might be in luck. You may get them over most of Europe. I paid 1299 kroner for mine once I purchased them within the mid-late Nineteen Nineties. At present they value 1799 kroner. I’d think about them a reasonably good inflation hedge. Higher than TIPS! Higher than the inventory market, it appears relying on which month you ask 
I’m critically contemplating shopping for one other 2 pairs. That ought to cowl me for all times. Hanwag sells these boots as the one pair of mountaineering boots you’ll ever want. I determine that since I exploit them day-after-day, I’ll most likely want multiple pair throughout my lifetime, however in any other case, fairly shut.
I’ve taken these to many locations. From the highest of Mt. Fuji to Nevada’s desert to the practice stations of Europe. They’re gentle sufficient to hike in however robust sufficient for gentle rock “climbing”. Proper within the candy spot by way of strolling. I solely want they’d make them in black. This may make it potential to “go” for gown sneakers in a (very) tight spot. It might additionally make it simpler to search out shoe polish in the proper coloration. Matching the present coloration is close to unimaginable!
I’ve additionally misplaced monitor of how far I’ve walked in them with my strolling commutes and all that. Usually a pair of trainers could be anticipated to final 1000 km. Fashionable mountaineering boots are good for about 1500 km earlier than the liner will start to crack. These have gone at the very least 10,000 km.
They’re double stitched full grain leather-based boots with a Norwegian welt. Because of this if get a great coat of shoe polish and leather-based fats on them, they’re as waterproof as fashionable boots with a tex-liner. The only real is definitely sewn on so in idea, the complete sole could possibly be changed. Moreover, not like glued soles or fashionable boots, the place the higher are a stitched mish-mash of nubuck and nylon, good boots have few seams, the place water can get in, when the work aside.
Really, a number of years in the past I had used them a lot that I had worn down among the liner on the heel. No downside, I had a cobbler sew some leather-based on which rescued them from an early grave—hey, they have been solely about 10 years outdated on the time.
Over time, I’ve been retaining my eye on Hanwag. Across the flip of the millennium it appeared like they have been scaling again on the Norwegian welts. Nevertheless, it appears to have made considerably of a comeback.
I don’t assume you will get Hanwag within the US. Nevertheless, you will get a pair which look equal: Merrell Wilderness. They value someplace north of $250 however they’re most likely value it. In addition they remedy the colour downside. Given a alternative, I’d nonetheless take the Hanwag’s given their barely extra versatile utilization. The Merrell’s settle for crampons which ought to imply they’re barely stiffer. The Hanwag’s don’t. If anybody personal’s some Merrell’s I’d like to listen to your tackle how they’re on asphalt. We’re pondering of getting some for DW.
A word on shopping for boots: Sizing boots is barely completely different than sizing sneakers. What you need to do is to put on your mountaineering socks. I vastly desire the 2 sock system over the technical brouhaha that has grow to be common over the previous 10 years. The interior sock might be a skinny extremely sweat transporting sock. The outer sock is an absorbing wool sock with no seams. Now, get your socks (or sock) on and lace the boot midway up. Push the foot ahead within the boot. Now you need to have the ability to shove an index finger down behind your heel and the heel of the boot. It ought to match snugly with out wiggle-room. If you happen to can’t get a finger in, the boot is simply too small and also you’ll get blisters in your toes. If you happen to can wiggle, it’s too giant and also you’ll get blisters in your heel.The reason being that whenever you stroll far, your foot flattens/swell, and so on. and also you need to depart room for that. The socks will swell too.
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Initially posted 2010-08-15 11:16:34.