If you’re a hiking fan, you’ve probably had a pair of all-time favorite hiking shoes. And most likely, you wore out the soles at some point and tried to replace them. The truth is that some hiking boots can be resoled, but most modern hiking boots, trail runners, and shoes cannot. You just have to throw them out.
The price of hiking shoes notwithstanding, it’s such a waste that manufacturers don’t pay more attention to the issue. If you’re sustainability-oriented, you’ll opt for hiking boots that can be resoled. Alternatively, you can try boots that you can use for a long time with proper maintenance.
If you decide to buy hiking boots that can be resoled, they need to have a durable upper half that can withstand sole replacements. For this to happen, you need suede, leather, or synthetic hiking boots from high-quality brands. Or those that manufacture hiking boots designed to be resoled.
If that is the case, you still need to maintain them properly. But what about Salomon hiking boots?
When it comes to Salomon hiking boots, most hikers report unpleasant experiences with repairing them. It seems to be rather difficult finding an adequate repair service. Even if you do, you’ll probably end up with Vibram soles instead of original Contagrip soles.
If you’re a fan of this globally popular brand, read this article to get more insight into the available options.
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Hiking Shoes
Hiking experts know that even the highest-quality boots have a short product life, sometimes as low as a couple of hundred miles. If you wear them often, soles may show signs of wear and tear, especially in the pressure zones. Holes and scratches may start developing and the very material may begin to crumble.
Ultimately, the soles can start to look rather dreary. And even when your soles start deteriorating, the upper can look quite intact. Instead of throwing them out and buying new ones, you should at least check the available repair options.
Footwear is undoubtedly the most important item in your hiking gear. Worn-out soles may make your hiking tour rather uncomfortable, but you should, at least, give them one more chance. How about repairing them?
Getting your hiking shoes repaired may save you a few bucks, especially when compared to the cost of buying new ones. Not only that this option saves you money, but it also means you’ll get the most out of your favorite mountaineering boots. Or you could keep on wearing them until they’re officially unusable. We don’t recommend the last option, as you wouldn’t want your boots to fall apart while you’re walking, especially if you are hiking in cold and rainy weather.
When Should You Repair Your Hiking Boots?
If you’re an avid hiker, you already know that soles wear out much faster than the upper of your boots. Once they’re worn to the point of making your boots unwearable, you know it’s time to get a new sole. However, this may be a tricky endeavor. Quite often signs of aging are not visible from the outside as wear and tear may start developing on the inside, too.
If you’re looking for the culprit – oftentimes it’s moisture. The term hydrolysis is used to describe the moisture-induced deterioration of the inside of the sole. You’ll definitely want to avoid this. More precisely, hydrolysis is the reason why proper maintenance, thorough drying, and adequate storing are critical.
Whether you’ll decide to resole your boots or not is a cost-driven issue. The cost of repair is dictated by the kind of shoes and what parts of the sole you need to replace. For example, repairing crampon-compatible mountaineering boots will be more expensive than repairing a pair of trekking boots. Repairing climbing shoes is usually the cheapest way to go.
Replacing the soles of your climbing shoes will cost you around $25-$70. A local cobbler may be the right person for this, but they typically lack expertise in mountaineering boots. If you want to get your high-quality hiking boots resoled, the cost may run around $50-$90 or even more. A hard pill to swallow, right? But it’s still way cheaper than getting a new pair of boots.
Finally, make sure your boots are waterproof before having them resoled. If they’re not, you should consider buying new boots instead. Of course, you won’t have this problem if you have full leather boots.
How Can You Repair Your Hiking Boots?
Generally, resoling hiking boots is rather simple. It’s about sanding down or removing the old, deteriorated sole and gluing the new one on. Nevertheless, it often turns out to be more difficult than this. Whatever the level of damage, you should leave it to professionals who are specialized in sole replacing.
- To make sure the work will be done by a professional, you can contact the retailer you bought the boots from. The retailer will then send them to the manufacturer and also handle the collection/shipment of the repaired shoes. You can also find the list of authorized dealers on manufacturers’ websites which simplifies the process.
- If this is not the option, you can send the boots to online repair service. This works for hiking/mountaineering boots and climbing shoes, but the process may be slow and a bit expensive.
- Your local cobbler may be a good address for show repair. It may be a shot in the dark, as most of them are not specialized in repairing this type of footwear. You may end up with another manufacturer’s sole and the brand’s original sole. All things considered, this may not be the safest option, but it’ll be fast and cheap.
- Test your own show-repair skills. You need to be aware that this option involves using adhesives, with relative (or no) success. The proof of this can be found in the fact that many hikers have been unsuccessful and have given up the repair.
In addition, things can get quite complicated if you need to replace other parts of the boot, like the midsole and heel wedge. You’ll probably lack the tools to do it and, most probably, you’ll lack the expertise. Conclusion – leave it to a pro.
Warranty Claim
If the sole of your hiking boots starts deteriorating and becomes unusable within the warranty period, there may be a defect in the design. This is why you can file a warranty claim. Certain retailers will do everything they can to help you with this. If your claim is justified, you are entitled to a replacement or a refund.
Should that be the case, you should only get the shoes repaired by an authorized professional. This is because improper repairs performed by unauthorized persons will make the warranty void. Even if your boots get returned to the retailer, they are more likely to exchange than repair. Most manufacturers have their warranty policies on their websites.
What Kind of Hiking Boots Can Be Repaired?
Whatever sources you research, you’ll find that boots with a cemented or double-stitched construction can be resoled. This is because these types of construction connect the insole, outsole, and other lower parts of the shoes in a specific way. Namely, they allow for a smooth, clean separation and replacement of the sole.
However, there are hiking boots that cannot be fully resoled. Such as boots with the so-called Strobel construction. The outsoles of these boots can only be sanded or glued. This is because the outsole is applied using injection moulding, which makes it troublesome to remove.
You can see this construction in softer and more flexible shoes. They typically have the seam that runs along the inside of the shoe between the upper and the insole. You can see it when you remove the footbed. If your boots have the cemented construction, the insole will be visible, but stitches won’t.
Salomon Hiking Boots
A good pair of hiking boots is a necessary component of any hiking trip or a backpacking route. They’ll keep your feet protected and stabilize your ankles. Salomon hiking boots have been recognized as reliable hiking footwear by many hikers and backpackers worldwide.
Models like the Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX have topped almost every “best hiking shoes” list online. These boots are lightweight, waterproof, and breathable and fit most feet unusually well. Although they might look too robust for a day hike, experts argue they are suitable for both backpacking and day hiking. This is because they provide unusual comfort and versatility for whatever level of activity.
If you opt for these boots, you’ll get all the crucial features you’ll need for a hiking trip. This includes adequate toe and heel protection, good traction and support, and a gusseted tongue. And waterproof and breathable materials. Due to an unusually wide toe box, Salomon hiking boots will most likely fit any foot shape.
But what about when the soles on your Salomon hiking boots start deteriorating?
Can You Actually Resole Salomon Hiking Boots?
Quality hiking boots are typically expected to last 500-1000 miles. It may seem a huge range, but the mileage largely depends on several factors. They include the terrain, your weight, the kind of boots, and whether you properly maintain them.
If you’re heavier, if you’re a high-mileage hiker, or don’t clean and dry your boots after hiking, your boots will be exposed to quicker wear and tear. There’s also the issue of the brand or kind of hiking boots.
When it comes to Salomon hiking boots, most hikers report unpleasant experiences with repairing them. Even with Salomon Quest 4D boots which are generally highly rated by many hikers. To begin with, there were signs of wear and tear even without much walking. The heels wore right down under 200 miles.
Most importantly, it seems to be rather difficult finding an adequate repair service. Even if you do, you’ll probably end up with Vibram soles instead of original Contagrip soles. At the price of around $70. Having Vibrams on their Salomon boots made them wonder whether it’d be better if they just bought new boots.
The Salomons are generally considered extremely comfortable, but for $230+, they are quite expensive. Especially when you cannot get them resoled.
To Sum Up
If you’re an experienced hiker, you surely have a favorite pair of high-quality boots. Moreover, you’ve probably experienced wear and tear of your boots’ soles. If you’re lucky, you can get your boots resoled by the manufacturer.
Nevertheless, this service may not be available with many manufacturers (except some high-end ones). The best you can get with other manufacturers is a replacement pair, provided your boots are still under warranty. Once the warranty expires, getting your boots resoled or replaced will be difficult, to put it mildly. Seems you won’t get a better deal with Salomons, as well.
