My poor boots, can I fix them?

[sereneblue]

Hi all,
These are my 15 year old Meindl Desert Boots. I dont tend to wear them unless I end up somewhere appropriately harsh.

Got them out to pack for a little soiree around Sri Lanka, last month, heart broken to see the soles (no damage, great condition) have peeled right off the rest of the boot?!

Is it possible/worth sticking them back on....or is it time to say goodbye to them?

Warmest Regards
U

 

[TLM]

This is what tends to happen with cast urethane parts, there are a few variants: if the broken area feels a bit sticky there has been some depolymerisation and not much can be done. If it is dry and often slightly powdery it is fatigued and regluing with PU adhesive might stick if the broken layer is not very thick.

 

[Toddy]

I think those are dead.

You might ask a cobbler (shoe repair shop) if he could affix a new sole though. It's surprising sometimes what they can resurrect.

 

[TeeDee]

Some boots ARE made for walking.

Those.. They are now ready for waking.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Nope, there's nothing you can do once the PU midsoles are crumbling due to hydrolysis. Most modern boots now have a PU midsole & the best thing to do is to use the boots as often as you can & don't store them for long periods. Some boots though, can have the sole units replaced but on directly moulded soles such as on your desert boots, they were never designed to be repaired.

 

[lou1661]

May be worth asking Lancashire Sport Repairs they can repair most stuff, depends on how much you want to pay for the repair.

Louis

 

[johnnytheboy]

Sole saver in Perth are the best shoe refurbishment services in the UK, send them a message!

 

[HillBill]

Cobbler can likely help... Not a home fix unfortunately. Pretty sure there are places online that will be able to re sole them no probs too.

 

[Tengu]

Yes to Sole Savers!

They resoled my boots, and they are better than new.

Not cheap though.

Isnt it shameful that a product can deteriorate even in storage?

 

[sereneblue]

Thank you all. I will give a call to Sole Savers/Lancs Sport Shoe repairs (nearby), just in case theres a good solution.

I tried to extend their lifespan by using it only for the rare trips where suede is best used, seems to have backfired. I dont think I will spend too much on these.

I have 25 year old Matterhorns which are still soft and fully functional. They are Welted though, not glued.

Warmest Regards, all.
U

 

[HillBill]

Isnt it shameful that a product can deteriorate even in storage?

Materials have a shelf life so to speak. The Sun (UV rays) can degrade things over time that wind and weather can't touch. Every single thing that exists suffers from entropy. 2nd law of thermodynamics. Natural, man made...Everything has a life span. If you were born, put to bed and slept for 100 years, while being drip fed all the sustenance you need... You'd be dead before you awoke...Entropy!