Dubarry Ultima.. a little local difficulty..

[saxonpirate]

I know these boots have been discussed in the past but I thought I'd share my little gripe with you guys concerning my pair..

Have any of you seen anything like the failure mine have managed. Ok, they're old boots, I bought them when I was feeling flush in the ninety's. They haven't really had a lot of wear though, and they were always babied. Well looked after indeed! I always avoided polishing the white sandwich section between the leather and sole so as to keep the look of the boot, but as is obvious in the photo's its this that has failed. Its only the stitching holding them together. I can quite honestly say that if I dropped them on a hard floor the rest of the composite would powder and I'd be hoovering it up.

So.. what to do? I'm pretty sure Dubarry won't want to know, even if they are the repairable stitched type. Seems a great shame as the leather and gortex innards are nigh on perfect, and apart from a little wear on the heals so are the soles..

 

[fredrussell]

I wonder if a decent cobbler might be worth a try, if indeed such people still exist. The goretex liner will complicate things, but many modern walking boots have the same and they can be resoled. First thing would be to ring Dubarry though - you never know.

 

[Gsailor]

What makes you think the manufacturer won’t be interested?

The older ones that can be repaired, used to go back for repair.

If no joy, repair yourself - I have had success with PU40 on hiking boots (so more toll upon the repair than a sailing boot should endure) from toolstation - a lot squirted into the central portion and then tidied up around the edges.

Would like to know what you decide and how it works out if you have time.

 

[ashtead]

I have a pair of these also with crumbling heels in wardrobe and still haven’t done anything to salvage-like yours uppers in goretext seem perfect any hardly worn.

 

[RupertW]

I have had that happen to two of my pairs. Most comically (to my wife) at the start of an unexpected overnight sail after an engine failure. First one sole fell off then about two hours later the other did leaving me in basic sailing shoes for a wet sail. I don’t do Dubarry any more.

 

[RivalRedwing]

ask these chaps?
Repairs for Dubarry Shoes and Boots | Dubarry Repairs

 

[Stemar]

I had exactly the same thing happen to me. I ditched Dubarry and got a pair of Orca Bay boots. I can't speak for their longevity, but they kept my feet dry on a very splashy Round the Island this year.

I won't be buying Dubarry again.

 

[Sandy]

I know these boots have been discussed in the past but I thought I'd share my little gripe with you guys concerning my pair..

Have any of you seen anything like the failure mine have managed. Ok, they're old boots, I bought them when I was feeling flush in the ninety's.

Was this the early or late 1990's?

To quote my late father, 'they don't owe you much'.

We work in an extreme environment and as a result things break/age quickly. When I was mountaineering seriously it was unusual for a pair of boots to last into their third year.

I'd give Conker Shoes in Totnes a call and see if they can help. I suggest them as they handmake boots and shoes.

 

[saxonpirate]

Thank you for the input guys.. its very much appreciated.. just maybe you don't always get what you've paid for eh!

 

[saxonpirate]

Was this the early or late 1990's?

To quote my late father, 'they don't owe you much'.

We work in an extreme environment and as a result things break/age quickly. When I was mountaineering seriously it was unusual for a pair of boots to last into their third year.

I'd give Conker Shoes in Totnes a call and see if they can help. I suggest them as they handmake boots and shoes.

To answer your first question.. late 1990s.

The thing is Sandy.. they do owe me! These boots have never seen an extreme environment in their lives.. in fact for 99% of their time they've been stowed in a drawer. Cosseted! I've had cheap rubber wellies last longer. I've had steel-toed work boots that I've worn continuously for five years or more, been seriously abused in all conditions, and they've still hung together. I paid around £130 for these boots in the late 90s from Bosuns Locker Chandlers /Falmouth, and at the time you could get a really good pair of of leather work boots for around £30/40.. there are no excuses I'm afraid. In all reality I just paid for a name.. Durbarry..

 

[WoodyP]

What's the point of buying expensive boots then not using them?
Not everything improves with age.

 

[saxonpirate]

What's the point of buying expensive boots then not using them?
Not everything improves with age.

How long have you got???

When I bought them I obviously intended using them, but like so many things in life.. things/plans change don't they, and my life, especially since the late 90s has been pretty 'fluid' to say the least..

As for "Not everything improves with age" I agree.. but feel now that if I'd put these boots to good use for a couple of years they'd have fallen apart anyway, simply because the composite they used between the uppers and sole was obviously not up to the job it was intended for.

 

[Stemar]

What's the point of buying expensive boots then not using them?
Not everything improves with age.

I bought the replacement boots with the RtI in mind, and was very glad to have them. They'll be on Jazzcat in case I need them, but I try not to go sailing in conditions when boots are needed - RtI excepted, of course, for as long as I'm fit enough.

 

[Sandy]

To answer your first question.. late 1990s.

The thing is Sandy.. they do owe me! These boots have never seen an extreme environment in their lives.. in fact for 99% of their time they've been stowed in a drawer. Cosseted! I've had cheap rubber wellies last longer. I've had steel-toed work boots that I've worn continuously for five years or more, been seriously abused in all conditions, and they've still hung together. I paid around £130 for these boots in the late 90s from Bosuns Locker Chandlers /Falmouth, and at the time you could get a really good pair of of leather work boots for around £30/40.. there are no excuses I'm afraid. In all reality I just paid for a name.. Durbarry..

We shall need to as they say in "The Rest is Politics" podcast, disagree agreeably. My favourite Loakes shoes are over 40 years old and have been resoled many times.

As I suggested give Conker a ring as they are makers not repairers. I have talked to them several times about making a sea boot but they say the market is to small as materials have moved on.

Personally, I have no idea why anybody ever wears leather boots at sea as salt water, given time, dissolves things. Getting leather to dry is a pain, my first pair of Koflach plastic mountaineering boots were a revelation. Sadly, my current pair of Musto sea boots are no longer made goodness knows what I'll get next. Saying that I only wear boots in winter or in high latitudes.

 

[saxonpirate]

We shall need to as they say in "The Rest is Politics" podcast, disagree agreeably. My favourite Loakes shoes are over 40 years old and have been resoled many times.

As I suggested give Conker a ring as they are makers not repairers. I have talked to them several times about making a sea boot but they say the market is to small as materials have moved on.

Personally, I have no idea why anybody ever wears leather boots at sea as salt water, given time, dissolves things. Getting leather to dry is a pain, my first pair of Koflach plastic mountaineering boots were a revelation. Sadly, my current pair of Musto sea boots are no longer made goodness knows what I'll get next. Saying that I only wear boots in winter or in high latitudes.

Sandy.. I pretty much agree with everything you say actually, and if I'm honest.. don't really know why I bought those boots in the first place. I'm a very practical outdoor bloke, so what ever possessed me I don't know. A moment of having too much cash in my pocket maybe.. haha

 

[ashtead]

The main issue I have with them is not when they are on but removal so hence usage is limited -a pair with a zip might solve this I guess or a wider top .

 

[saxonpirate]

The main issue I have with them is not when they are on but removal so hence usage is limited -a pair with a zip might solve this I guess or a wider top .

You make a good point.. I always found getting them off.. shall we say.. a little difficult..

 

[fredrussell]

I sort of see what Sandy is saying. If the foam had disintegrated in the space of a couple of years then Dubarry could be blamed for picking the wrong foam. But if they had used a foam that they expected to last, say, ten years they could be forgiven for thinking their boots would (usually) be resoled before foam died.

 

[saxonpirate]

I sort of see what Sandy is saying. If the foam had disintegrated in the space of a couple of years then Dubarry could be blamed for picking the wrong foam. But if they had used a foam that they expected to last, say, ten years they could be forgiven for thinking their boots would (usually) be resoled before foam died.

Oh.. I can see that Fred, and if the boots had had a normal working life in what can be a hostile environment I'd say fair enough, but that's far from the case, they spent the majority of their life in a dry drawer, not being effected by ultraviolet light which is the biggest killer of so many materials. I'm a guitarist, and if the boots were a guitar they'd be called a 'case queen'.. a guitar that's spent the best part of its life in a case under someone's bed, to emerge fifty years later absolutely immaculate..

I don't know of course, but maybe that composite filler/foam was never tested for longevity.. it was a relatively new material at the time and added to the overall visual effect of the boots so they went with it. Someone in the boatyard suggested filling the cavity with white sikaflex.. that might end up the fix yet.. haha

 

[fredrussell]

Funnily enough I have used sikaflex in a pair of trainer soles where foam had gone a bit. Worked well actually - trainer uppers died before the sika repair gave out.