FOOTWEAR
1. FOOTWEAR SELECTION
Getting a good pair of outdoor capable boots these days is not as easy as going down to your local sporting goods store, at least for most of us. The exception, of course, is when your local sporting goods store is a Cabela's or a Bass Pro Shop.
With the transition of our buying habits to the internet, the reality now is that this is where you will find good information on footwear as well as a great selection. The bottom line is that your footwear should be the product of good research as well as information from others that do what you want to do.
For the many reasons which we will discuss on the net, your footwear is one of then most important pieces of equipment you carry. Recognition of this means that you need to do some home work and make sure that you are getting the best that your budget will allow. There is no comfortable way to speak the truth here, so I'll get it out now, without any sugar coating: DON'T BUY CHEAP!!! Quality boots will last longer, perform better, offer more protection, and be more comfortable. They will, of course, cost more.
2. SOURCES:
Here are a few sources I have discovered that offer a great selection and a place where you can get information which will allow you to make the right choices.
a. Cabela's -
http://www.cabelas.com/browse.cmd?categ ... ting+boots
b. Sportsman's Guide -
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/spor ... /cat101537
c. Bass Pro Shops -
http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/mens-hun ... ageSize:36&
d. Midway -
https://www.midwayusa.com/s?targetLocat ... PerPage=96
3. FOOTWEAR CARE
Leather boots are pretty rugged and water repellent just as they come from the factory, but with use, abrasion and age, they will benefit from some supplemental waterproofing. I have found Sno-Seal to be one of the very best products to keep your boots dry and able to still breathe. Here is what they say,
http://www.atsko.com/sno-seal-wax-8-oz-jar/:
Sno-Seal Original Beeswax Waterproofing protects leather from rain, sun, snow, and salt. Sno-Seal is also great for waxed cotton and tent seams. The beeswax formula dries to a solid wax that "stays put" in the surface of the leather so it lasts longer. Our competitors' greases, oil, and animal products are able to migrate through the leather till they clog all the pores. These waterproofing products fill the natural spaces that are supposed to absorb perspiration and insulate.
In addition, animal fats weaken and rot leather. The tannery worked hard to remove the fats and preserve the leather, so it's hard to imagine why you'd put it back on.
Sno-Seal will help you feel more comfortable in Gore-Tex® fabric lined boots because it allows the Gore-Tex® absorbed perspiration to escape out of the leather.
Not only will Sno-Seal keep you warm and dry, it will also help you from getting tired. A typical leather boot can soak up to a pound of water. That means you lift an additional 2,212 lbs. to walk one mile. Sno-Seal keeps the whole boot dry, warm and light.
- Sno-Seal.jpg (334.3 KiB) Viewed 4112 times
(I hope to make it to at least half the places this bike has been)