[MikeM]

Hi everyone.

I’ve come back from a great time on the eastern peaks of the Tararuas (and thanks Monique for organising). Sadly my poor right boot had a really bad time with the back part of its sole now being in tatters and the front part not looking great. We tried some ad-hoc repairs with strapping tape, and later with some stronger looking tape that’d been left in Tarn Ridge Hut on account of the door having a hole in it that needs taping, but sadly neither of these could hold up against the vicious stones of Girdlestone. I did still manage to bring back two entire boots, so I guess I can consider it as much of a successful failure as the Apollo 13 mission.

This is my fault for forgetting that stuff like that can continue to degrade when it’s in storage for a few years, but lesson received I guess.

Anyway, the top part of the boots still look good, or maybe they’re just as risky to rely on. Am I being an idiot to wonder if I can just get them re-soled at a reasonable price compared with buying something new? If so, is there a good shoe/boot repair place in town that anyone can recommend who’d know lots about how to repair and re-sole tramping boots really well so they can stand up to a typical thrashing between being cared for?

Thanks for any tips.

[harry]

I don’t know about in Wellington, but there was something in a recent FMC Bulletin (or whatever it’s called these days) about someone who had problems with the soles of their boots and had a good experience getting them resoled by a cobbler who regularly advertises in the Bulletin.  The cobbler guy lives down in the South Island somewhere, so I don’t know whether that is any use to you, but he seems to have agents in various centres where you can drop off boots. I can’t remember his name – check out some recent FMC bulletins.

Harry

[harry]

Cobbler Glenn is his name, and he has a website, but I can’t give you a link to it because this bloody forum for some recent won’t let me post links. But unfortunately he doesn’t seem to have an agent in Wellington – only in some South Island centres. But still, it might be an option worth pursuing. He seems to have a very good reputation.

There’s also a discussion thread on Reddit from a year ago discussing various cobblers in Wellington.

[MikeM]

Thanks for the speedy response, harry. I’ve found Cobbler Glenn online just now. As you’ve suggested it might be too far for me to bother with if I have figure out how to ship them. I might flick him an email though, just in case there is a Wellington agent that’s not listed on the website. I’m kind of hoping for a local place where I can just walk in and show them to someone, and rapidly (and accurately) be told if they can do a great repair job or if I’m wasting my time.

[Heather]

I recently got quotes to re-sole a pair of Asolo’s. One from a Mister Minit and the other from bag and boot repairers in Wellington Railway Station. Quotes fell between $100-$150. (I didn’t accept either quote. Currently not planning to get them re-soled.)

[MikeM]

Thanks heather. Yes I was doing some more ad-hoc research last night and the places that give an impression of being familiar with it sometimes even seem to have rates in excess of $200. Maybe worth it for a $600+ pair of boots that’ll definitely last as long as replacement soles but less so for something that probably only cost me on the order of $300 to begin with, albeit a while back.

I guess I’ll start doing the rounds for some shoe shopping to see what’s out there.

[Heather]

Hi Mike. I admit I went out and bought a replacement pair (when Bivouac’s next sale came along).

But I did consider a DIY job but unconsidered it fairly quickly. However, tonight I watched Alone Australia (Aotearoa) S2 E5 where Rick tries to fix his boots. Let’s see how that works out…

[Author]

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