Footwear that lasts
Tough times are ahead for many businesses, but Lastrite Footwear is match fit, having already survived the flood of cheap imports unleashed when import tariffs were dropped.
A favourite pair of boots is like your armchair, coat or baseball cap. When you get told they’re past their best your heart sinks.
Take my old boots, thrown into the rubbish by ‘Er indoors’. It was time to find a new pair.
That quest took me to Earthwalk, Palmerston North, which duly delivered size 11 slip-on boots with plain toes (my old feet dislike steel toe safety boots).
Three months on they seem well up to the job.
Fashioned from dark brown, high grade buffalo leather with a matte finish, the boots shrug off mud, dirt and other farm unmentionables. And if they get a bit scruffy or whiffy they can easily be washed off with the garden hose and placed on the boot drier overnight to bring them back into line.
They’re not the lightest boot on the market, and like any new boot they take a little breaking in. The elasticated inserts on each side took quite some effort to overcome when they were new. But now they are broken in, the tabs at the front and rear of the boot allow a good tug to get them on.
Designed in a wide fitting, the boots are extremely comfortable even during a long day. But they need a good pair of thick socks as the internal surface above the toes is a little rough.
Traction is good thanks to their composite sole with a deep, cleated profile that gives excellent two-foot drive. The tread looks much deeper than many more expensive brands so should ensure a long life. This is also likely because of the quality of the stitching. Out on the farm the boots inspire confidence, even in difficult terrain or when it’s a bit slippery underfoot.
So I have to say the missus’ decision to throw my old boots into the trash wasn’t such a bad idea.
