Upgrading walking/stalking boots

Hi all, thought I would share this project.

I have a well worn set of Meindl Dovre Extreme's and the unfortunate fact is most modern footwear is that by the time the boots are thoroughly broken in, your have probably worn down the sole/tread to the point that they no longer work quite as well as they used to. With resoling not an option anymore, I decided to look for alternatives and came across this article:

Pimp your Boots for winter | Hard Yards Hunting

I decided to give this a try on my boots as they are close to being two years old now. I also ordered some Superfeet Green Wide insoles to replace the worn out originals. It seems counter-intuitive to start cutting into something that you paid good money for but they do need to be trimmed for a good fit. You know it is correct when there is a slight 'slip' of the insole as you put the boot the boot on. Edges left slightly jagged to prevent the insole sliding laterally.
Untrimmed sole is on the right, trimmed on the far left.



After a trip to EvilBay I had a pack of Kold Kutters on the way. However, I decided to do more research in the meantime and found a few fly fishing forums. It turns out that using studs in your shoes for better grip in the water and on slippery rocks is commonplace in that world. Following a few close calls I decided to take the plunge and order some of the more expensive 'Supatrack 1100' studs to try out with the boots. They have tungsten carbide cores and supposedly last a lot longer, whilst the smaller size means they exert more downward pressure.



Unlike the Kold Kutters, the Supatrack studs don't just screw into the sole of your boot. They are designed like a worm drive and have quite a sharp edge. A special tool is required to firmly embed them into the rubber sole, but they certainly stay there. No glue required unlike the Kold Kutters which just screw in as normal with a hex bit socket.



I decided to use both studs, the larger Kold Kutters around the heel area and the smaller 1100 studs around the front of the sole. Unaltered and less worn Vibram sole shown for reference.



I really like the result. Even when walking on a hard stone surface there is very little 'surplus' noise when compared to the rubber sole alone. However, grip on rock is increased drastically as you are no longer relying on a worn rubber surface but a sharp metal to rock interface. As the article says I would not wear these indoors or on nice wooden deck (bonus funny NZ ad below).

 

[freid]

Nice one Caberlash. I can recommend the supatracs studs - I use them on felt sole wading boots and they provide great grip, but more importantly they don't wear out as quickly as all the other studs (which you'll probably find out in due course with the kold kutters!). Enjoying these threads on your kit that though use/rate.

 

[Freeforester]

The supafeet insoles are money well spent, most stockists will advise which are best for your particular foot profile, there are I think 4 different types, all colour coded.

Thanks for the steer re the studs too, just what we need here from November to May, looking onto them already

 

[Klenchblaize]

Not something we soft Southerners need worry about. Way to over-specified for our under-foot needs.

As an aside why didn't you trace around your old insoles with a felt tip before hacking at the new ones? You appear to have got neither the length nor toe profile particularly correct!

But guess I don't understand the need for 'slip' of the insoles when putting your foot into boot?

K

 

[User00040]

The supafeet insoles are money well spent, most stockists will advise which are best for your particular foot profile, there are I think 4 different types, all colour coded.

Thanks for the steer re the studs too, just what we need here from November to May, looking onto them already

Went with the green wide ones after reading their catalogue and checking sizes. Looked at the Superfeet insoles previously at an outdoor shop in Fort William, although it was on Black Friday sales the price I paid for two pairs online and delivered was only about £10 more than a single pair in the brick and mortar.

I would say get the Supatracks studs and don't look back. They make studs in the 1100 (smaller) & 3000 (bigger) size which use the same tool.

Take a look at this: http://www.waderstuds.com/files/Placement Pattern Guide.pdf

Having slid about quite a bit on icy roads around Wester Ross and Torridon this winter I will certainly be using these studs during winter. Possibly all the time depending how things go.

Not something we soft Southerners need worry about. Way to over-specified for our under-foot needs.

As an aside why didn't you trace around your old insoles with a felt tip before hacking at the new ones? You appear to have got neither the length nor toe profile particularly correct!

But guess I don't understand the need for 'slip' of the insoles when putting your foot into boot?

K

The insoles might look like someone hacked them up with a blunt knife (erm, this is actually what happened) but they fit the boot and my foot perfectly.

The Meindl 'footbeds' don't fit particularly well even when new. You will see that there is an imprint on the old ones where my foot actually was and the new shape reflects that better.

The best way is to trim round the foot and test fit in the boot. Both of us might wear a UK size 12 yet have very different feet, trimming the insoles reflects this.

The idea is to get the footbed to support and move very very slightly with the foot (back and forth) instead of a rigid insole where your foot rubs back and forth inside the boot (hence the wear).

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

Interesting thanks

 

[Pedro]

Studs, eh? All new to me. Maybe those boots Tommy's used to wear long ago had some good points after all. Apart from suddenly making parade grounds into ice rinks occasionally. Food for thought.

 

[User00040]

Studs, eh? All new to me. Maybe those boots Tommy's used to wear long ago had some good points after all. Apart from suddenly making parade grounds into ice rinks occasionally. Food for thought.

The Italian made Supatrack studs are very very good for slippery and rocky terrain. Only downside is that they make a reasonable amount of noise, not the best for stalking but fine otherwise.

 

[sgurrdamh]

Strathcaulidh deer count ecology folk all wear studs in the boots for forestry - I think for wet longs and such. Interesting to see how you get on on the hill.

used green supafeet for a good few years now. Excellent.

 

[McKenzie]

I agree about using insoles & now have a few pairs of the Supafeet ones in different boots. They make a huge difference to comfort for the day. I've also found that the Meindl boots have a very hard sole & I use a set of the slip-on grips when required after dislocating a finger a year ago from a slip. I have had soles replaced by a local cobbler on my short pair.

 

[Island]

The ability to easily resole is one of the advantages of Brandecosse boots I always thought.

 

[Kalahari]

Lancashire sports repairs ( LSR - Repairers of Outdoor Gear Footwear and Clothing ) will do resoling on most good walkking boots with original grade soles. Worth a phone call.

David.

 

[biffo]

Don’t they resolve Meindl Dovre Extreme anymore ??

 

[User00040]

Lancashire sports repairs ( LSR - Repairers of Outdoor Gear Footwear and Clothing ) will do resoling on most good walkking boots with original grade soles. Worth a phone call.

David.

Thanks, will keep in mind if need be.

Don’t they resolve Meindl Dovre Extreme anymore ??

They probably do, but why bother with a repair which will cost around £100 when you can get a new pair every year through work?

I see some people complain about boots and jackets leaking or having problems after 5 or so years. Truth be told if you are using them 'properly' a set is toast after a year, sometimes less.

Boots are expendable pieces of gear, but still worth getting the best you can. An injury will cost a lot more!

 

[bish789]

Do you remember Segs?

 

[biffo]

Thanks, will keep in mind if need be.



They probably do, but why bother with a repair which will cost around £100 when you can get a new pair every year through work?

I see some people complain about boots and jackets leaking or having problems after 5 or so years. Truth be told if you are using them 'properly' a set is toast after a year, sometimes less.

Boots are expendable pieces of gear, but still worth getting the best you can. An injury will cost a lot more!

Ah, I don’t get boots through work, so £100 for new soles vs £250 for replacement boots is a better option!

 

[Jim7]

Good job! Did you consider the Sorbothane insoles at all or just go straight for the superfeet?

 

[User00040]

Good job! Did you consider the Sorbothane insoles at all or just go straight for the superfeet?

Straight to the Superfeet Green, colleague had the Sorbothane and did not rate them.

Superfeet seem to do really well in the US market, had a discounted deal on two sets of wide ones so I jumped on it.

 

[User00040]

Update: Don't bother with the Kold Kutters, my poitioning of them was wrong (should not be below the heel) and they have worn down significantly.

The Suprtrack studs are much better, they create better point loading on otherwise slippery areas and much more durable. Not cheap and you have to buy the tool as well but saved many slips and trips already so worth it. Just a little noisy on hard surfaces.

 

[bogtrotter]

Caberslash just curious , but what is the difference between these studs and old style tackets? you say they are good on rock
but tackets or studs on boots while fine on.the hill if you had little rock but were absolutely lethal on rock.
Still have a pair of Hoggs hill shoes that I wear from.time to time but never wear them where there is much rock
Thats why I have survived this long without breaking me neck.