About two weeks ago I was getting ready to hike the Ontario Pathway from Orleans to Stanley. I got out my hiking boots and as I was pulling the laces tight on the right boot, both of the little D-rings just below the ankle simutaneously detatched from my boot, ceased being d-rings and became decorative jingly things.
I was pretty mad because I just bought these boots from Eastern Mountain Sports about a year and a half ago. They are still in really good shape. They have lots of tread left. The body of the boot is not coming apart anywhere. The soles are still firmly attached. They had just gotten to the point where they were perfectly broken in. I didn’t abandon my last pair of boots until half of one of the soles fell of while I was climbing Crane mountain. I think those lasted me 4 or 5 years and they were cheap shoe-store hiking boots, not expensive outdoor-store hiking boots.
So I was mad but sort of forgot about it for while.
So yesterday I put on my boots to go for a walk after eating my awful Rice and Beans and as I pulled the laces tight on the left boot the matching D-rings on that side popped out. I yelled out a really angry swear so I’m glad none of my extended family were nearby.
So then Brian is telling me that EMS is not the esteemed brand I believe it to be. He tells me that he thinks that EMS is the GPC of outdoor sporting goods. I have always thought that EMS is good stuff generally, too expensive, but quality stuff. When our water filtration thingy broke when we were backpacking near Keene, the guy in the Lake Placid EMS store gave us a replacement tube for free. That was really great. I am a little mystified by the boots though. I guess I’ll try contacting EMS and see if they will fix them for me. I really don’t want to go boot shopping. It’s such a pain. I can never find any that fit just right and there’s no way I’ll get another pair well broken in by the time we go hiking this year. Especially since our first little trip is going to be the July 4 weekend.
We are going with friends so we probably won’t do all the hiking I’d like but… I’m going to do some even if I can’t lace up my boots perfectly.
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