The one time I met park rangers in Q they were wearing something similar to the Vietnam era GI boots, with larger drain holes near the arches.

Marten wrote on Aug 14^th, 2023 at 11:16pm:


I have been wearing these boots for another month while working at my cabin and all good to report. Used them some before the month long canoe trip too and so really have a lot of hard hours in them.

For shoe repair during a trip I also take zip ties and then punch holes through bottom of shoe and and heel so I can cinch them up tight. With some constructions once the heel lifts there is not much to goo back together. I noted that these 8 inch boot from Atlai slipped on and off easily. I have torn the heels off work boots at home while removing a stubborn fitting one.

  Jimbo,

  If your still looking at the Vietnam style jungle boots, you might want to compare them against ones still made by the contractor that made the original boots for Vietnam.

You'll notice a substantial difference in price.
That tells me one of two things. They are charging to much for the original re-make or the lower price ones are not up to the military standards they used for the military issue boot.

  If I were buying them, I'd order both, compare them and send back one.

  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Yeah, I use Shoe Goo all the time. It's good stuff.  If I had it with me, it might have gotten me through a few days of portaging.  In the long run, though, I don't think Shoe Goo would have saved those (alleged) Lalo boots. I believe those boots were Chinese knock-offs and I got suckered in.

Live & learn.  I'll never buy boots off of an Ebay discount source with no warranty again, that's for sure.

Jimbo   

Quote:


  I carry a tube of this in my pack repair kit.
I've used on work boots for years to extend the life.
Apply liberally and CLAMP overnight. Big flat rock would work on canoe trip. It will get the job done, maybe save a trip.

  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

  Once opened if you don't use it for long time it can dry out. I found a piece of Saran Wrap type plastic over the tip then screw the cap on solves that problem,

Marten wrote on Aug 15^th, 2023 at 6:16pm:


I can loan you a drill!  I felt confident I gave them a good testing and saw no give anywhere on the boots. I noted only 62 percent gave your proposed boot 5* on Amazon reviews. So many boots are blowing apart nowadays that it is hard to hit the trail with confidence. Better have a camp shoe that can step up if needed.

Marten,

I might consider them IF they had "drainage ports" AND, especially, IF they offered ANY kind of warranty at all.  When I click on the link to your earlier post, it indicates the boots are from an outlet and there is no guarantee.  I ran into extraordinarily poor luck with my last pair of boots, buying them from a low price provider with a poor return policy.

Jimbo   

I would go with my Atlai's at half the price and tested in true wet portage conditions. Miles of heavy pack laden rock and swamp to truly test them.

Jimbo wrote on Aug 15^th, 2023 at 4:12pm:


  I had a pair of the originals issued to me when I was in the Army 68-70 because I was set to go to Vietnam. Last minute orders came while home on leave and I ended up in Germany.

IF these boot are any where close to the originals, they would be a good buy. I wore mine for outdoor camping trips for years till they finally tore out.

Review said they were better for people with wide feet. The originals were like all the military boots in those days, a D width.

  If they'll hold up in the heat/humidity in Fla like they did in Vietnam, they'll hold-up to a canoe trip.

Of course with your footwear history Jimbo, they might meet their match?