Hiking 2012 – Take 2
I’m cursed when it comes to hiking boots.
Curse #1 – Last spring, when I started this new-fangled hobby of mine and had no gear whatsoever, I dug through piles of footwear at Goodwill and spied a pair of hiking boots. They were $7.00. The only problem was, they had a small hole. We also have a small budget. I hemmed and hawed while the store manager walked up and reassured me, “Wow, that is a really good deal. Ozark Trail is a very high-priced brand. You’re getting a steal.”
The local shoemaker agreed: “Yah. I fix. Great quality. Twelve dollar.”
Out $19.00, I researched Ozark Trail. $30 brand-new. At Wal-Mart.
Curse #2 – After using the pieces of crap (I mean, boots) for almost a year to justify the money I’d spent, I bought a new pair of Keen hiking boots from REI two weeks ago. They were definitely more than $19. Or $30. Put a hundred in front of the latter… and I was hyperventilating in the check-out line.
I could hardly wait to try them out on the trail, so I took them with me last weekend to Richland where Adriana’s basketball tournament was being held. And promptly left them in my hotel room closet upon our departure.
Now, my $130 hiking boots have cost me $154.00 because it was $24 to have them shipped here via FedEx. Erg.
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
5 thoughts on “Hiking 2012 – Take 2”
Leave a Reply
You let me know who that manager is, and I’ll give him the evil eye (and some calculus homework) next time I see him/her. Why pretend you know something about a brand if you don’t?
Coincidentally, I have two pairs of hikers, one from Goodwill and one from REI. I love them both, but I had to weed through a lot of junk to find a good pair at Goodwill.
If you spent a whole year hiking in bad shoes to justify $19, I can’t wait to see how long your keep your Keens to justify the $154. :)
Abel,
It was a woman and it was too long ago for me to remember. I was too busy exulting over my “great” purchase.
Both the Goodwill lady and the shoe repairman lied through their teeth to make a sale… I haven’t been back to either establishment. It’s a principle thing.
I could, however, drop the calculus homework off for the Goodwill lady if you want me to.
What can I say? I’m Dutch.
We’re on such a strict budget with Ken being out of work, I had to do a lot of talking to myself to buy those Keens. They sure are comfortable, though. That’s what put me over the edge to buy them.
Happy hiking!
P.S.
Abel,
I think I’ll bring the old crappy pair of Ozark Trails back to Goodwill and then spy on them for a few days to see if that same manager comes out and tries to pawn them off on the next unsuspecting customer.
I’ll come out yelling, “You don’t want those pieces of junk! She’s a LIAR.”
Good boots are an investment–much cheaper than a knee replacement later. (Maybe that will make my Dutch friend feel better).
And Dave got some added value on the Gore-Tex parka he took to Europe this summer. We were on the bus headed to Paris when he suddenly remembered it was still hanging in the closet in Beaune. It took a few Euros to have it shipped home…
Debbie,
I’m sure it was more than a few Euros. At least he got it back.
And your Dutch friend is feeling a little less guilty every day.