I bought a new pair of boots, that is, new to me, since I got them (CAN$10) at a thrift shop. They were obviously worn outside by someone, since there was mud clinging to the soles, but otherwise, they looked new. I needed winter boots this year, with more walking ahead.

These fit a little better than the last pair, too. They are narrower in the foot and not so funky-soled. The toe box is narrower, and this is a bit of a disadvantage since the last pair was square-toed and the feet got used to it. While they lace up the front, they also have a side zip and are lined with furry fabric. This means I don’t have to wear two pairs of socks all the time. The older boots were too wide, which meant I was always trying to keep my balance inside the boots, and this tired my feet quickly.

They are also Canadian-made, which I consider an advantage in quality, and I hope they last longer than the disappointing just-two-years-old-and-wearing-out last pair. (And they were thrift store, but almost new.) I can be very hard on footgear, since it has to see me through daily use that includes a lot of walking and off road trekking. And I don’t own more than one pair at a time, unless it is a pair totally different (sandals for summer, for instance). The former boots were losing stitching and leather integrity fast, and the sole was pulling away from the top, but they were obviously meant to be fashion accessories, not hard-wearing farmers’ boots. We recycled the boots by removing the shoelaces and putting them in my husband’s running shoes (his usual daily footwear) and cutting away the reusable parts of the leather. This left only a bit of worn leather and the composition soles to dispose of. I don’t know if the soles are recyclable, and right now, without a farm, I couldn’t find a viable use for rubber wedges cut from them. I’m not one to stockpile stuff I can’t use.

The leftover leather will go with fabric scraps in my big sewing box. Leather scraps have many uses, and are sometimes hard to come by when you need them. I use them for patches, extensions, and gate hinges or latches, as well as shims in spinning wheels or any low-tech device that needs a cushion somewhere. Since the leather doesn’t take up much room – not nearly as much as a pair of old shoes – I’m willing to keep it.

I have found on-line the boots of my dreams. They are made for Civil War re-enactors (of course) and come in at a good price of US$80, more or less. Maybe someday…and they will be the hundred-year boots to meet my frustrated longing for footwear that doesn’t wear out, separate, or stretch after a mere few thousand miles on my feet!