A rich man’s shoes.

“Put your money where your feet are.”  I’m not sure where I first heard this, but it has been good advice.    I hear of many hiking trips coming to a painful end due to foot injuries or blisters.  I have found that good fitting shoes and wool blend socks make it possible to hike many pain-free miles.

Besides comfort, a good reason to purchase good equipment is that manufacturers will tend to back their product if there is a problem.   The well-used pair pictured above have covered many miles including a trip through the Grand Canyon.   I liked these shoes so much that I purchased a second pair to use on my thru-hike of the Ozark Highlands Trail last winter.  That second pair of shoes made the trip beautifully.

I was set with two identical pairs of Oboz Firebrand shoes which allowed me to alternate and keep a dry pair ready to go on my daily morning hikes.

Many miles later, sections of the sole began to come loose on one of the newer shoes.  The shoes pictured here are my first pair still in use every day.   After submitting a warranty claim and picture to Oboz online, I was contacted by phone.  I’d entered my email incorrectly so they were calling to ensure they could send a package slip for me to ship my shoes with the loose soles to them.  I was impressed!

Today my new Oboz shoes arrived.  I’m glad to have two pairs of these shoes again and look forward to many more mostly-comfort-filled miles.

Looking closely at the well-worn soles of my original pair of Oboz, I was reminded of Emerson’s statement, “He is the richest man who pays the largest debt to his shoemaker.”  Investing in your feet is money well spent!

When you have worn out your shoes, the strength of the sole leather has passed into the fibre of your body. I measure your health by the number of shoes and hats and clothes you have worn out. He is the richest man who pays the largest debt to his shoemaker.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1851

New Oboz Firebrand shoes sitting next to my first pair that are still going strong.