That聮s hilarious! Someone gave you a pair of antediluvian boots, and you聮d like to salvage them. I聮m trying to remember when I last saw a pair of the Trappeur boots; it was a long, long time ago. They聮re probably closer to 30 years old than 20.
Asolo Fugitive GTX boots
Fugitive GTX bootsPersonally, I聮d nail 聭em to a plank and hang them on the wall in my drawing room. They聮re antiques and should be treated as such. Whether they聮re even still wearable is hard to say. Leather shrinks a bit over time, and the toes curl. So that might be an issue. And I really doubt the stitching has all that much life left in it.
But you can try to breathe some life back into them. I聮d start with just a very small amount of mink oil or something else that聮s a little bit greasy. Work that in thoroughly and then just massage the daylights out of the leather. Over that, add a layer of Sno-Seal ($5 a can; atsko.com) and repeat the massaging process. I imagine the leather will drink all this right up. Then lace them on and don聮t do much but sit around聴wear them while reading or watching TV. Let the heat from your feet help shape the leather. Then try some hiking.
After that, I聮m sure you聮ll feel motivated to run out and buy a pair of Asolo Fugitive GTX boots ($170; asolo.com), with modern construction, excellent leather, and a Gore-Tex liner.
You聮ve seen our picks for 2007 Gear of the Year, and now the entire
国产吃瓜黑料 Summer Buyer聮s Guide is online. Check out this year聮s more than 400 must-have gear items, including hiking boots.