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Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:43 pm
by Strider
So i need to buy a new summer mountaineering shoe.
dont have a lot of options around where i live ,so things come down to this:
http://www.rei.com/product/748161/raich ... boots-mens

Raichle All Degree Pro SL - a very good shoe but the thing is
1. Raichle has been sold to Mammut for like 5 years now
2. The shoe has been in the warehouse of the store since approx. 2009

there aren't any deformation on the sole and it looks very good and new.
i couldnt see no flaws on the conection area of the sole to the boot.

what say you?

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 2:14 pm
by ExcitableBoy
Raichle makes a solid boot, I would buy a pre Mammut one over a Mammut one any day. The question I would ask is are they crampon compatable and how long and stiff are the shanks? You would want at least a half shank, a three quarters shank would be better if you are planning on any steep snow or mild ice climbing.

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 2:32 pm
by Strider
Thanks ExcitableBoy, those questions will be asked and verified.

but i don't thing you got the point of my question.
ALL of the people i've aksed up until now told me to the the hell away from a boot that have spent so much time (4 years) in a store.
glue/rubber/sole issues wise..

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:29 pm
by MoapaPk
Strider wrote:Thanks ExcitableBoy, those questions will be asked and verified.

but i don't thing you got the point of my question.
ALL of the people i've aksed up until now told me to the the hell away from a boot that have spent so much time (4 years) in a store.
glue/rubber/sole issues wise..


I've got serviceable boots that date back to 1983. My closet probably has better temperature control than a warehouse.

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:33 pm
by ExcitableBoy
As long as the boot was stored properly they should be fine (i.e. away from heat, moisture, etc). I had a pair of quality leather mountaineering boots last for 28 seasons of HARD use. The steel shank finally broke through the midsole and poked my feet when I walked but the sole was well attached to the leather upper which was in remarkable shape. I also had a pair of excellent leather boots and had the soles peel cleanly away after I stuck them under the cab heater in my truck to dry them out after a wet couple of days approaching and depproaching in the Pickets.

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 5:45 pm
by Tonka
We've all had boots last 5 years while being used, I can't see how sitting on a shelf does much damage. I'd have no issues and you're probably getting a good deal.

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:53 pm
by dskoon
Tonka wrote:We've all had boots last 5 years while being used, I can't see how sitting on a shelf does much damage. I'd have no issues and you're probably getting a good deal.


Yep! ^^^

I've got some boots in my closet, virtually new condtion, Vasques, I think, that I picked up. . . over 5yrs. ago at a Rei used gear sale.
Excellent shape. Just saving them. . .

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:42 pm
by pvnisher
The temperature and humidity range a boot experiences on your foot is far more extreme than any warehouse. Especially humidity! Plus, it hasn't been flexed and deformed a million times, it's been sitting nice and pretty in a box.
If it fits and meets your requirements (cost, usage, weight, type), then I wouldn't let age stand in your way.
Don't be ageist. There are laws against that type of thing.

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 7:21 am
by Wastral
Last Raichle boots I bought fell apart in multitude of ways in under 100-200 miles depending on the boot in question. 2 pairs of boots as both my brother and I have the same foot type.

The many of the lace rings broke on the lower portion of the boot. The lace hooks broke out on ALL of the boots so one couldn't even lace up the upper section. The leather ripped on the toe on two of the boots under normal conditions. 3 out of the 4 boots had sole delaminations of the sole.

Biggest piles of crap ever, sorry don't remember their boot name, something GTX I think. My father's Raichles, completely different boot, after hundreds upon hundreds of miles are still going strong on the other hand.

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 2:44 pm
by Strider
Well Wastral i don't know what to do with that info :|

i think that there is no argument about the quality of Raichle boots, clearly you and your brother got a bad pair.

i was more interested in the damages of a long term warehouse storage of a mountaineering boot.
I have to say i'm very surprised about the answers here saying that i should buy it. that is not what i thought at all. i was more than ready to go to Europe and buy a pair of new boots ,couple of weeks before the climb and brake them in while i visit some friends. if things would come to that.

Re: Would you buy an "old" shoe?

PostPosted: Wed May 08, 2013 8:52 am
by Strider
ExcitableBoy wrote:Raichle makes a solid boot, I would buy a pre Mammut one over a Mammut one any day. The question I would ask is are they crampon compatable and how long and stiff are the shanks? You would want at least a half shank, a three quarters shank would be better if you are planning on any steep snow or mild ice climbing.


because it's such an old model it's really difficult for me to findinfo about the boot's shank, on the web. it does say on REI website - "Carbon midsole shanks create torsional rigidity for enhanced stability on uneven and rocky ground" but it does not state which lenght is the shank. how important is the lenght?

is anyone familiar with that Raichle model? (All degree PRO SL)
still having a hard time to decide whether to buy this boot because it's been sitting in the warehouse since 2009.