I finally decided to replace my old boots. I wore the old ones for years and years and years and years, and got them repaired whenever the uppers started to pull away from the soles (which happened at least once a year), and cleaned them with spit and saddle soap. But the soles are totally worn out, so it was either pay a fortune to have them resoled or just buy a new pair.
So I got a pair of Danner Talus boots, from that link although they were very much cheaper (like, $40 cheaper) when I ordered them a few weeks ago. Damn, I'm glad I got them when I did.
I've now worn them on the trail twice to start breaking them in. I get boot bang on steep downhills (which makes me wonder if I should have gone up half a size, but they're really comfortable and fit well otherwise). They also rub my ankles to the point of bruising, although once they're broken in that'll probably stop.
What do en pointe ballerinas wear in their slippers to cushion their toes? Maybe I can get some of that stuff so my big toes won't get squooshed constantly. Seriously, today I only hiked 2.25 miles according to my cheap-ass pedometer, and when I got home and took my boots off, there was visible wear in the big toes of my brand new expensive wool-blend hiking socks. I'm going to be really pissed if I have to darn my socks after each hike.
Today was also the first time I wore a pack on the trail in years. I only do dayhiking these days, ever since my old dog died a few years ago. I don't like to camp alone and I doubt my cat would appreciate being press-ganged. Also, they don't make pet packs that fit cats.
The pack I wore today was my old leather backpack that I bought in college, um, twenty-odd years ago. Geez, I feel old. I thought it would work just fine since I wasn't exactly going far. Last week I carried a messenger bag with my water and snacks etc. in it (for a six-mile hike) which was comfortable in a way since it didn't make my back sweat, but my shoulder muscles were tight and achy when I got home. So I tried my old backpack.
Well, I'm going to have to invest in a real pack. I was wearing a cotton T-shirt and while it was only in the 70s, it was extremely humid since we'd just had a storm come through and it was still drizzling a bit. Before I'd gone a mile, the back of my shirt was soaked. Blech. Even if I'd been wearing a 'wicking material' shirt (that phrase always makes me snicker, I don't know why) I'd still have been miserable because the pack just did not breathe against my back. At all. Ugh. And now I remember why I don't carry this backpack anymore. Why do I still own it? It gets mildewed too easily too, even in the house.
But now that I've dropped so much money on my new boots, I can't bring myself to buy a pack just yet. Maybe I can get one of those ultra-light daypacks that loop over the shoulders with string. And maybe I could just wear boxers on my head and go "durp durp durp" while I hike.
No comments:
Post a Comment