How To Repair Boots

credit: purplejavatroll

The most common boot breakdown is when two boot parts formerly joined split asunder. Blown stitching is one example - maybe in the welling that joins boot to to sole, or the stitching that joins fabric to leather - and an argument for buying boots with the fewest seams possible.

Once the seam starts to go, there isn’t much you can do in the field. For a fraying seam, try covering the area with a seam sealant, which might give the stitches a last gasp of life, at least for a while. If the seam splits, you can try holding it together with trusty old duct tape.

Another example is delaminating soles: that’s when the glue that holds the soles together gives out and the soles start peeling like banana skins. This is far more serious, because it can make walking dangerous if not, in severe cases, impossible. Delaminating boots can be held together with urethane-based glue, although the conditions most hikers find themselves in prevent the proper application (and therefore, best results).

The process is to wait until the boot is thoroughly dry, then sand the parts of the sole that need to be glued together. Apply an adhesive compound like barge cement or Shoo-Goo. Using duct tape as a “clamp” tape the repair together and allow it to cure for 48 hours.

If you can’t spend the time to do it right, the repair won’t last. But a slipshod glue job might be better than nothing. Held together with a  lot of duct tape (you’ll need to reapply it about every 15 miles) your boots might survive to the nearest cobbler without your breaking your neck.

Finally, clean your boots regularly and apply a leather treatment to them. Most manufactureers include care advice with their boots, and you should follow it. Using some compounds on some leathers can actually cause damage and may void your warranty.

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