Leaky boots

[tracyprier]

Hi all

I have had a pair of Forma GT2 boots for 20 months. Recently the left boot started leaking like a sieve and on closer inspection both sole were coming away.

I took them back to Colemans who sent them back to forbes and davies who had them repaired.

Two days later on the way home this evening the left one started leaking again after only 5 minutes in tonights rain.

Is it reasonable for me to expect a $450 pair of boots to remain waterproof for longer than 20 months when they have only seen tarmac use, not been crashed in and been looked after?

When I first took them in to Colemans( who to be fair to them have been reasonable to deal with) they said that they were out of warranty and not top of the line boots, kind of intimating that it was to be expected.

I will ring Colemans tomorrow morning but I just wanted to bounce this off other riders. Surely a $450 pair of boots should stay waterproof for more than 20 months??

Appreciate input on this

Tracy

[YellowDog]

$450 is not cheap for a pair of boots. I use my boots everyday for around 7 hours. They wear out before they leak.

If they are out of warrantee, then you don't have a boot to stand on

Are you sure they are leaking and the rain isn't running down your leg through the top?

[tracyprier]

No, I can feel it coming in the left hand outside part, top of the boot is dry and covered with Spidi pants.

With regards warranty I looked up the consumer quarantees act and it talks about reasonable expectations of products.

If they were 2 1/2 years or more then I'd live with it but these aren't even two years old and aside from the leaking issue they are still in excellent condition with plenty of wear left.

Tracy

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$450 is not cheap for a pair of boots. I use my boots everyday for around 7 hours. They wear out before they leak.

If they are out of warrantee, then you don't have a boot to stand on

Are you sure they are leaking and the rain isn't running down your leg through the top?

[varminter]

$450 for boots, I'd want a bike too for that price. But then I'm cheap.

[dogsnbikes]

I wouldn't expect much waterproofing after 20mths but we all use our boots differently,what miles are on your boots.....

For me in 20mths I could run up 40-50'000ks others could do more and some people could be doing as little as 1000k really comes down to your useage and how you look after your boots ??

I use dubbing on my boots and find it works well and have one pair that have travelled 70'000k and have just started too leak and thats due too the sole coming apart......

But try Colemans again.....the worst that could happen is they say No

[pete376403]

D you put wax / Sno-seal / other waterproofing treatment on the seams?

[tracyprier]

yes I use a beeswax based paste I got from motomail. The right boot is fine, its just a left one.

[dogsnbikes]

I wouldn't expect much waterproofing after 20mths but we all use our boots differently,what miles are on your boots.....

For me in 20mths I could run up 40-50'000ks others could do more and some people could be doing as little as 1000k really comes down to your useage and how you look after your boots ??

I use dubbing on my boots and find it works well and have one pair that have travelled 70'000k and have just started too leak and thats due too the sole coming apart. and they cost $249.....

But try Colemans again.....the worst that could happen is they say No

[tracyprier]

I do about 15000k a year at present. I waterproof my boots fairly regularly.

If they were half knackered and worn out I wouldn't be bothered but they're not.

[pritch]

I have Sidi Gore-Tex boots and they are keeping the water out after about 20 months - more or or less.

The instructions that came with the boots warn against long toe nails, the latter apparently poke holes in the waterproof lining.

I wasn't in the habit of neglecting my toe nails but I am even more attentive now.

[SPP]

Mine started leaking after about 1 1/2 years as well (Gaerne Aquatech) but only if there's a lot of water about. I don't really look after them and they cost half as much but...

If it's really wet out, I use woolly socks and a plastic bag.

[ynot slow]

My Diadora boots were bad,my Gaerne are ok,but had them for 2 months or so.First pair were from lifestyle imports and for $150 at time were comfy(wore to work)and kept water out(severe rain)and still good when I replaced them(don't know why I did),so if you get a partial refund check them out,they're based out of Franklin.

[6ft5]

My Johhny Reb (Replica's) did well last saturday on the Remebrance Ride from Taupo to Rotorua in the pooring rain. Was boasting to other how dry they were. Wish had shut up... by the time I made it back to Taupo they were saturated with a swimming pool inside, both of them. I do regularly treat them with wax but to no avail. Well it was hozing down and perhaps some ran down from my Dririder rain suit, who can tell in the end

[mazz1972]

Leaky boots is a PET PEEVE of mine. I had Dririder Nordics ....yes bottom of the range (first boots) but I still wasn't expecting them to leak after a year and disintegrate after 18 months of just weekend leisure riding.

Motorcycle boots should "wear" well - most people probably don't walk as far in them as in a pair of shoes - would you expect two years of wear out of a pair of well used shoes?

I'd expect if you were wearing your boots nearly every day, then 2 years is probably a reasonable run?

About waterproofing boots....

We were told by a leather shop NOT to use dubbin or wax on leather boots or clothing as it will eventually rot the stitching if applied to it.

We now use Elephant Preserver - it nicely conditions our leather boots & gloves but seems to rub off the boots fairly quickly so I couldn't attest to it's "waterproofness".

From their write up "Excellent waterproofer for bike jackets and leathers......Waterproofs, softens, preserves and inhibits mildew and thread rot."

[slofox]

My Gaernes started to leak after about 30 months of total neglect and around 25000+ km - round the seam between sole and upper - left boot, where the gear change contact takes place.
I ran a bead of F2 round the seam and have had no problems since. Which is 8 months ago now. Worth a try maybe.

Oh and +1 for Elephant preserver. Easy to use and makes boots look sparkly and clean (briefly in my case). I reckon if it preserves elephants it ought to be OK for boots...