Rant: My old hiking boots lasted 8 years, but these new ones fell apart in 8 months

I used to buy a pair of leather boots from a shop in Boulder and they would hold up for almost a decade of weekend trips. Last spring I grabbed a pair of those lightweight mesh ones everyone recommends and the sole started peeling after my third trip on the Pacific Crest Trail. Is it just me or did boot quality drop off a cliff after 2020?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sam1mo ago

Are you sure you didn't just abuse them on the PCT?

lee.diana1mo ago

Yeah @the_sam I actually used to think the same way honestly. I was one of those people who would tell my friends they probably just got a bad batch or didn't take care of them right. But then I bought a pair of those lightweight mesh boots that everyone was raving about and the sole literally started peeling away from the toe after maybe 40 miles on a local trail. I don't think it's just abuse because I treat them the same as my old leather pair and those are still going strong after 6 years. What brands are you looking at now for your next pair?