How long should walking boots last?

[steppemum]

So I got new walking boots for Christmas last year. I went in and chose them. I talked to the person for a while about what I needed. 1. waterproof 2. hard wearing for walking the dog.

I bought in Go Outdoors. They recommended a mid price pair with very tough soles as he said dog walkers tend to be hard wearing on soles as they do lots of miles.
They are leather uppers and had a tag on saying 'waterproof'
Being waterproof is veyr importnat as most days I walk through a lot of wet grass.

9 months on. I walk 5 km every day, and as I have been using an app I know I have wakled about 750km so far this year.
The soles are still in excellent condition, not worn, not cracked, loads of wear left in them.
The leather uppers are still in excellent condition, no cracks or splits, good supple leather, nicely worn in, but loads of wear left.
I regularly clean and wax them.

At first I ahd dry feet.
Now, every day, my feet are soaked. I have to remove the insole and stuff with newspaper every single day. I am only waking on wet grass, and the top of the boots hardly even gets wet.
The water seems to come in fromt he toe end on both boots.

I still have those leather tags that say 'waterproof!'

No visible cracks or problems.

I'm really fed up. One reason for buying these was to get dry feet. I had dry feet for 6 months, and now I have wet feet.

Surely if the boots are really and truly not worn out, a walking boot should last better than this? Less than a year?

What do you think?

I’d heard that boots last up to 1,000km but waterproofing went sooner than that. For a mid range price pair I think they sound about right. Is it possibly to attempt to re waterproof them? Either with a spray or something like dubbin (I think that’s what it’s called? I recall putting it on my boots as a teenager but have not had leather ones for years and years, I find them too heavy)

Thanks French. really 1,000km? Oh dear

They are rewaterproofed, when I said I reguarly clean and wax them, the wax is the same as dubbin (I remember that!) So basically they are re-waterproofed about once a month. It doesn't work though. I'm pretty sure the water is not coming in through the leather, it must be coming through the join to the sole, or through the sole (maybe there are cracks I can't see.)

I expected leather boots to last years

Fill one of the boot up with water and see where it leaks out (put some kitchen towel on the outside to detect easily).

Try returning them, see what they say.

That's a good idea Goat, I had thought if standing them in water to see if I could see where the water is coming in, but hadn't thought of doing it the other way round (stupid emoticon)

thought you might like an update.

I went back to Go Outdoors, wasn't going to push for a refund, but wanted to ask what the issue was etc.

Without a quibble they said - they have 1 year guarantee, we will refund or replace!

Then had a long chat.
if it says waterproof, it isn't it means waterproof for occasional use, not for daily soakings, regardless of how well waxed the boot is.

For proper waterproofing, you need goretex.
So I got my money back on wet boots, and bought new ones which are goretex. Apparently if these become not waterproof at ANY TIME (eg in 6 years) goretex will send them back to their factory and replace.

There consensus though was 800 miles for a midrange pair of boots (mine have done 800 km now) and one guy said he reckons one year for his as he walks his dog every day

Mine aren't remotely worn out though, probably because I walk on grass.

So, happy I got refund, not happy I've had to buy expensive boots!