Show me your Waffle Stompers

[twilight]

Just curious and just for fun. Been wondering if anyone still hikes in these any more. I've been hiking in my Raichles lately. I've gotten real tired of replacing boots where I have continuely worn out the toe area. Both my Raichels(1st photo) and Kastingers(2nd photo)are bombproof. Heavy son of guns though.


I know this thread really isn't for the lightweight hiker.

Twilight

3716637167

[Old Hiker]

No photos.

Timberland Chocurua. Fit right out of the box with no break-in time for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Timberland-15130-Chocurua-Trail-Brown/dp/B000VX6XZC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480121725&sr=8-2&keywords=mens+chocorua

[Traveler]

Though I have trail shoes, I still use the heavy boots in winter and in conditions where lighter footgear would not be appropriate. I have used Asolo 520s for years now without a problem. I treat the leather every 90 days religiously and they work exceptionally well in wet conditions. Yes, they are heavy and not for everyone, but they are bomb proof and withstand weather and terrain conditions I would never consider with a lesser boot or shoe.

I've not had a pair give out on me due to toe wear/scuff, though they can get pretty banged up, treating them regularly seems to help that. I have worn out the tread and found that if you get them to a good cobbler before the tread gets too worn, they can install a new factory sole. If you wait too long the original sole won't work well and a different sole is used that tends to make the boot a hair more narrow.

[rocketsocks]

My toe box's always wore out long before the tread was ready for retirement, at least on my work boots. I've used these glue-on rubber toe box covers that prolong the life two-fold...think I used to get em at dicks.

[Leo L.]

Just curious and just for fun. Been wondering if anyone still hikes in these any more. I've been hiking in my Raichles lately. I've gotten real tired of replacing boots where I have continuely worn out the toe area. Both my Raichels(1st photo) and Kastingers(2nd photo)are bombproof. Heavy son of guns though...

3716637167

I have a pair that is exactly between your two samples, looking like the Raichels, old and worn like the Kastingers (BTW, where did you get the Kastingers from? Made here around the corner?).
I cannot tell which make they are, all imprints are long gone, but I know that they are a bit small for me now, as my feet grew a tiny bit due to lots of walking/hiking.

I'm using this old boots mainly for heavy work in dirty environment, like logging, and every now and then for a winter mountain trip.
Will have to replace them sometimes as they start to fall apart in spots that are difficult to repair, next model will be heavy leather military boots.

[rafe]

Only time I wear them any more is around town in winter after a snowstorm or when there's slush everywhere.

[twilight]

Leo, truth be told I purchased both pairs of boots on EBay this past year. I have been hiking in the boots Old Hiker mentioned, but like stated earlier I destroy the front toe area of the boots eventually causing them to delaminate. I need to check out the things Rocketsocks mentioned and maybe I'll go back to them. But over the years I have spent so much money on hiking boots I could have funded a thru-hike. So, I decided to check out some vintage hiking boots, i.e. Waffle Stompers. I imagine both pairs are from the mid eighties? Not sure though. I got the Kastingers first and they fit fine, but I get a little toe soreness with a long day of hiking and the tongue of the boots drifts off to my outside ankles. The Raichles have become my go to hiking boot, now. I find them really comfortable and I like that they incorporate Velcro on the tongue that stops it from moving. Both boots show little to no cracking. I treat them regularly with mink oil and leather conditioner and I hope to have them for a long time to come.

On my last section, I met a northbound thru-hiker on the trail in MA. I had my Raichles on and his first words to me were, "Ah!!! Heavy boots! Made me laugh the rest of the week on the trail when I thought about that.

Twilight

[rocketsocks]

The ones I used were similar the these.

https://www.amazon.com/Boot-Saver-Guards-Boots-Protector/dp/B00B6RTYI0

[Sarcasm the elf]

These are my winter boots, all are waterproof or goretex. The scarpas are my usual winter backpacking boot around Connecticut, they are full leather/non mesh but fairly lighter than something like an Asolo, they pair well with a heavy wool sock, are very comfortable (to me) and are light enough that my feet don't overheat when hiking yet warm enough that my feet don't go totally numb if I'm hanging around camp for a little while in the single digits. The Sorels are used for much colder slogs or for more sedentary pursuits and are very warm but much heavier, I use them for snow shoeing and I'd grab them first if you asked me to do something subzero that wasn't overly challenging physically. The Salewas are primarily for ice climbing or for more technical stuff that I am only a novice at, they're more comfortable but less warm than a full plastic double boot.

Skarpa Kailash
Sorel Conquest
Salewa Pro Gaiter
37188

[kombiguy]

Here's mine. I'm breaking them in for an April departure.37209