Hiking Boot Toe/Heel Protection

I have a pair of Vasque Sundowners and I want to do a personal "repair" on the scuffed toe/heal areas. You know how a lot of hiking boots these days have rubber rands on those high rub areas? Well, I want to do the same on these boots.

I have done a cursory internet search and Mountaingear.com is the only site I’ve found (other than the Tuff Toe folks,,,seems a bit thick and it’s pricey ($20+sh and not sure if that would be enough for two boots…) that seem to have a couple of products that may work. (One is a Five-Ten "Stealth" rubber kit, and the other is a basic urethane-in-a-tube product)

I just wanted to put feelers out there to see if anyone else has any ideas or products that they've used, OR if you’ve used either of the ones I mentioned above. Look forward to hearing people's ideas/suggestions.

Just about any of the products like ShoeGoo will work. There are several brands available. Be sure you thoroughly clean the area you will apply the protective coat. Back in the days of using kletterschue for rock climbing (way befor the "sticky rubber" revolution), we used to coat the toes of our kletterschue with various compounds (including epoxy glues).

However, if you just clean your Vasques thoroughly after your backpacks and treat with the manufacturer-recommended leather treatment product, you will wear out the rest of the boot long before the toe or heel area wear through. And you could always learn to walk like an experienced hiker instead of like a "city walker". {;=D (pick up your feet and don't kick the rocks)

ShoeGoo hasn't hardly went up in price in 35 yrs. Great product tough to tear off when it starts to roll back after the fight just reapply.

Also consider boots with the old school welted soles, you know the ugly ones that stick out and are sewn on.

Please sign in to reply