Right after we moved from Bismarck to Minneapolis in the early 1970s, Don and I went shopping in an outdoor shop in Edina after Christmas. They were having a sale on hiking boots. I tried on a pair of grey suede boots from Italy that were not the most glamorously outdoorsy looking boots in the shop, but they fit like a dream and were by far the most comfortable boots I'd ever had on my feet. I forget precisely how much they cost, but they also were the most expensive things I'd ever had on my feet--to the point that, if they were still being manufactured today, I couldn't afford them.
I wore them all the time except probably on Sundays, if and when I went to Church, and later, after I went to work full time and segued into high heels, Peggy, a teenager at the time, asked if she could wear them. So she did...for a number of years until she left for the Navy, in fact. (On that day, when we dropped her off at the Naval recruiting center in Des Moines, we felt privately that the other recruits looked as if they were barely one step ahead of the law, and that Peggy was destined, if she stuck around long enough, to become an Admiral.) (She didn't, and she isn't, but she's got plenty of command all the same.)
Anyway, the boots have gone with me from hither to yon for about 35 years. If I want to wear them hiking again, they'll need re-soling--all those years on cement have worn the edges down a bit, and they'd lose their grip on the rocks--and the leather insides probably should be rebuilt, too. But one thing about a well made pair of shoes is just that: you can repair them so that they last a long time. There's a shop in Dupont Circle that specializes in repairing hiking boots. I may take them there when it warms up later.
I was surprised when I put them on again a couple of weeks ago when it got cold here. They are fabulous to walk in. They are lightweight yet sturdy, and they cradle my feet so well I actually feel a bit nimble trotting over the lumpy cobbled sidewalks here. Who knew?
Pivetta seems to be out of existence these days, but you can still find rave reviews for these boots on Google. There's even a couple of pairs on sale on eBay (none of which would be big enough for me, alas).
Most women have lots of shoes. Not me. I have fewer than a dozen pairs, about half of which are sneakers, but I have maybe the best boots around. God bless my boots!!
Comfortable footwear of any type is worth its weight in gold!!!! I had a really comfortable pair of casual shoes that I finally had to toss after wearing them about 10 years. I spent the next 3 years trying to find some like them. About 6 weeks ago I found them on eBay. I think I purred when I put them on.
ReplyDeleteOh My Good God! I can't believe you still have those boots! I loved those! I was so sure that you threw them out years ago. Tom wore them for a short while too, until his feet grew too big for them. That's the thing with great boots like that, the resident teenagers will pinch them from you. It is so nice to see them again. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteGreat boots!
ReplyDeleteI bought some green/brown canvas and suede hiking boots about 10 years ago when I went on a hike in Colorado... they fit like a glove and still do. I don't do much hiking but I wear them in the winter, they are so warm and waterproof in spite of the outers being made of canvas, the inside is sort of leathery, not sure if it's natural or man-made.
I wonder if they'll last for 35 years, like yours have???
kay: you are so right...there is absolutely nothing more wonderful than a good, comfortable pair of shoes. yeah...purring...that sounds about right.
ReplyDeletepeggy: yup, still got 'em. want me to put them in my will for you?
ex-shammy: interesting question, these are not the only hiking boots i've owned, but they're the only ones i still have. they've been in the mountains only a few times (in colorado).
I thought I'd stumbled on a Van Gogh...Your boots remind me of the pair of shoes I kept from the 70's, working shoes; the only hiking I did was to the office and back. They were the largest shoes in the city and mine were the biggest feet. Now they are upstairs in my closet. Someday maybe I'll wear them again.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe I'll sneak off with your hiking boots! Hmmmm...
anonymous:
ReplyDeletehow do you pronounce this "Van Gogh"??
you could try Keen shoes with wide front toebox and great arch support.
ReplyDeletebtw, today i used your last cartoon (with appropriate disclaimer) for its perfection in the notion of bloggers talking to one another.
heard about the march 19 action?
yours, naomi
naomi...i have some keen shoes--quite swell, but no match for pivettas.
ReplyDeletewhat is the march 19 action?? are you referring to the big annual blowout in cedar rapids's czech village? st. joseph's day, of course. time to watch the parade, eat red bread, and drink red beer!! (this follows very close on the heels of st patrick's day in cedar rapids when the natives also watch the parade but eat GREEN bread and drink GREEN beer.)
Ufda! as they say where i come from.
In 1976 I bought my first and only pair of Pivetta "8's". After 30 + years of backpacking, snow shoeing, rock climbing, cramponing, and major hiking, they are still a wonderful boot. Of course over the years I've had them resoled and re-gusseted.
ReplyDeleteIn my will, it states "thow the boots in the box with me."
Anonymous: "throw the boots in the box with me"
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I'm afraid my daughter would take them out, though. I have been thinking of having them re-lined, but they are still in great shape.
Went through one pair of these in the Santa Cruz Mountains and eastern Sierras, then bought another pair I haven't worn much lately.
ReplyDeleteStill have that 2nd pair though, and will try them this summer in Lassen.
They've got to be better than my pseudo-waterproof Gore-Tex Columbias.
I bought a pair of these too back in '86 or so. Marvelously comfortable. They need to be resoled of course. The Littleway split a bit on the side, but can be repaired. Great boot. Want to restore them for snowshoeing.
ReplyDeleteI had my Pivetta 8s rebuilt many years ago because the uppers were still in good shape. A good shoe repair shop can take apart the boots, replace outsoles, steel shank and midsole then reattach using Littleway construction - just like new; except most shoe repair shops can't sew thru two thick leather mid-soles like the factory did. The Muir Trail boots didn't use two layers of mid-sole so rebuilding should be no problem so long as you are able to find a shop that can handle Littleway construction. Keep the inside of the boots, which is leather, in good condition by using Lexol.
ReplyDeleteHappy trails.
It's really an informative and well described post.I bought a pair of these too back in '86 or so. Marvelously comfortable. I appreciate your topic for blogging. Thanks for sharing such a useful post.
ReplyDelete