OK, was about to order the boots when the store opened this morning and got a sick feeling in my stomach. i keep thinking of all of the rubber boots I have torn up over the years. tearing a $100 pair of boots on the 3rd time to wear them is bad enough, but tearing a $419 pair of boots would be, well, more than 4 time worse!

What sort of life can I expect from the leather lined Le Chameaus?

I have gaiters that I wear for alpine hunting and trekking, so I could wear those over the boots if I thought the going would particularly rough that day.

If I wore the boots 90-150 times a year, any idea how long they may last?

Thanks!

Marc

It all depends upon the type of terrain you are using them on.

In the UK, typically the majority of use comes from muddy wet fields in the south upto hill country up north/scotland.

The two main areas where they will come unstuck is on heather moorland and the other place I potentially cringe using them on is a clearfell area where it is easy to put an up turned root or such like through them.

It is horses for courses and if I am on heather I sometimes use my wellies but more than often will use walking boots instead.

I suppose in the UK we have the "ideal" environment and countryside for wellie boots which is why they are in use in every country household pretty much to one degree or another.

Not sure if that helps a great deal but I don't abuse mine but they get well used and in muddy fields you could use them 90-150 times a year for years without them failing you. My last pair as I say lasted 14 years with this type of useage.

$419 I thought only women would put ridiculously over priced stuff on thier feet because some other TV star did. Save that money for bullets, viagra, and cigars, and feel like a man again. You have these reservations because something inside you is screaming "This Is Crazy"!

quote:

Originally posted by smarterthanu:
$419 I thought only women would put ridiculously over priced stuff on thier feet because some other TV star did. Save that money for bullets, viagra, and cigars, and feel like a man again. You have these reservations because something inside you is screaming "This Is Crazy"!

You obviously have never worn a pair! The sucky part is that hardly any are around in the US, so the odds of you getting a chance to try them are pretty slim. They are basically one of the finest leather boots with a natural rubber coating.

I wore them while deer stalking in southern England. The first day there I was shocked when I saw my guide and her family all wore them. She said they all spend over 300 days a year in the field and good footwear is a must. Made sense to. My L.L. Bean leather/rubber boots got soaked the first day, so I had to borrow a pair of their Le Chameaus the next day. As soon as I put them on I realized why they commanded such a high price-because they are worth it! They have been $419 since I first saw them advertised in the US in 1999.

The ONLY reason I did not buy a pair when I got back from that first trip to the UK was because I know how hard I am on everything I own. I have torn 2 different pairs of hip boots the very first time I wore them. BUT...having just recovered from broken ankle surgery, I think I need to bite the bullet and buy a pair of boots that I think will be easiest on my feet.

...as noted earlier, with "normal" use (e.g., hiking on mild-to-flat grasslands, etc.), the boots should last many years...

...the soles are stout and thick and wear well...that said, the weak area is the intersection between the back of the heel and the sole...if you use the boots continuously in hilly - mountainous areas, the rubber will separate at this intersection over time (say, a few years)...

...your idea of using more rugged boots for aggressive terrain is good...

Marc,
I am far from easy on footwear, and Iswear by my Leather lined Chameaus,When i lived in UK I wore them continuousley for hunting, pheasant shooting for 2 or 3 yrs then I took them on for work, the only reason I did this was I liked them so much, I used to drive cattle trucks, and wore them for loading,unloading and washing the trucks out, and they do last, Now I am in NZ I don`t wear them as much, and the pair I got now are about 7/8 yrs old? and still going strong, just make sure you keep the zips clean, so they don`t get clogged up.
Buy them, you know you wont be disappointed.
Oh, I got someone bringing me a pair over at xmas,just in case I need a tidy pair in the future.

I'm a Le Chameau customer since years and routinely wear 2 models, according to weather :
- "Saint Hubert" model, leather lined ;
- model ?, neoprene lined + zipper.

My 1st pair of St. Hubert started showing cracks in the rubber after 5 years. I returned them and Le Chameau answered that these boots had a normal life span of 10 years. Considering mine only lived half as long, they offered to buy a new pair at half price, which I happily did.

quote:

I wore them while deer stalking in southern England. The first day there I was shocked when I saw my guide and her family all wore them. She said they all spend over 300 days a year in the field and good footwear is a must.

Like I said earlier in this post, it sounds like something a woman would blow stupid money on.

I bought a pair of Danner boots 13 years ago. They ain't pretty, they still don't leak, and they sure as heck didn't cost $419. In fact I wear a pair of boots almost every single day of the year. My African boots are a pair of Courtneys, my danners for mountian hunts, and my work boots are a pair of Wolverines. The work boots wear out about every three years and have to be replaced. All three together might cost $419. I guess the downside is no woman guides are commenting on how much they love my footwear.

Hey, that's great. I am really glad that you like your footwear. I have absolutley no idea why you feel the need to put down others with different likes and dislikes, but it's a free country so keep on doing it if that is what it takes to make you happy. I can assure you, your opinion of me has less than no bearing on my happiness.

I have had 3 pairs of the neoprene zipped models. Each pair lasts about 2 years of being used say 100 days a year.

They generally get a seperation where the sole meets the upper. If you have your receipt and packaging they replace them.

I am currently on a mixed pair (other one of each had that failure)

If worn enough you may suffer cracked heels etc. They do not offer much ankle support.

A much less stylish but much cheaper alternative is the Muckboot. High quality neoprene, clumpier looking, more comfortable than the neoprene Le Chameaus and about $75 or so.

I now wear lace up boots 90% of the time - more comfortable.

quote:

Hey, that's great. I am really glad that you like your footwear. I have absolutley no idea why you feel the need to put down others with different likes and dislikes, but it's a free country so keep on doing it if that is what it takes to make you happy. I can assure you, your opinion of me has less than no bearing on my happiness.

Did you not post here with hesitations of whether you should spend $419 on a pair of boots? DId you not want an opinion of whether you should buy these? Did I ever post an opinion of you personaly? I am not trying to run you down, and I had no opinion towards your "happiness" until that last post. Why would you ask for someones opinion about spending $419 and then bitch when they give it to you? Apparently logic has no bearing on your "happiness" either. Buy the boot for all I care, but don't whine when you get an opinion to the question you were to stupid to remember you asked. If you want someone to pat you on the bottom and tell you that you're making a great decision everytime you ask a question, just talk to the LeChameu sales rep for that. When you want real answers to real questions post them here.

quote:

Originally posted by smarterthanu:

quote:

Hey, that's great. I am really glad that you like your footwear. I have absolutley no idea why you feel the need to put down others with different likes and dislikes, but it's a free country so keep on doing it if that is what it takes to make you happy. I can assure you, your opinion of me has less than no bearing on my happiness.

Did you not post here with hesitations of whether you should spend $419 on a pair of boots? DId you not want an opinion of whether you should buy these? Did I ever post an opinion of you personaly? I am not trying to run you down, and I had no opinion towards your "happiness" until that last post. Why would you ask for someones opinion about spending $419 and then bitch when they give it to you? Apparently logic has no bearing on your "happiness" either. Buy the boot for all I care, but don't whine when you get an opinion to the question you were to stupid to remember you asked. If you want someone to pat you on the bottom and tell you that you're making a great decision everytime you ask a question, just talk to the LeChameu sales rep for that. When you want real answers to real questions post them here.

Well pal, seems your forum handle was well chosen......

I only have the cheaper rubber-neoprene type of Le Chameau. Here I use them mainly spring and summer as they are not what I want on when it gets cold out

They are a well constructed boot, I've got over 10 years on them and they are still holding their own. They cost me at that time on sale $100. They serve my purpose, if you are going to use a boot all year and get many years out of them then I could see paying that price. The bad thing about buying boots is after you get a great pair and wear them a few years and love them, you can't find that exact kind anymore. And they cost too much to buy 2 or 3 pairs right off the bat because you don't know how they are going to fit and wear Waidmannsheil, Dom.

I both own and sell the Le Chameaus, and I can attest to their comfort and long wear. They are my favorite boot for most wing shooting and I use them for big game hunting when it's raining. The soles are really sturdy, and the Chasseur is the most comfortable boot I've ever worn. PM me if you can't find your size, I've probably got them.

I'm on my 3rd pair since 1986 and I have never worn them out. I'm surprissed that nobody has mentioned that over time the rubber wll get very hard. I understand that this hardness problem will be minimised if you wash the boots with a mild deturgent after each use. I have been doing this to my current pair and so far so good. They are about 15 years old but they don't get the hard use the first two pairs did.

quote:

Originally posted by Akshooter:
I'm on my 3rd pair since 1986 and I have never worn them out. I'm surprissed that nobody has mentioned that over time the rubber wll get very hard. I understand that this hardness problem will be minimised if you wash the boots with a mild deturgent after each use. I have been doing this to my current pair and so far so good. They are about 15 years old but they don't get the hard use the first two pairs did.

Most of the new pairs come with a spray bottle of conditioner when you purchase them. Le Chameaux seems to be a little inconsistent on this, as they also sell the conditioner separately. This conditioner is supposed to eliminate the problems with hardness long term. I haven't had mine long enough to attest to this yet. Most comfortable boot ever. Marc, how do the boots fit? Mike

I have to admit I don't know exactly when I bought my Chameau boots. But surely they are more than ten years old.

I have not noticed that the rubber hardens, but you can see the surface breaking up a bit after some years. My boots are still waterproof, though.

I don't wash my boots (even less so with detergent) after every use. Supposedly, rubber boots benefit from getting wet from time to time, but whether this is simply hearsay, I don't know. Once a year, I apply silicone (either in spray format or the liquid form intended for auto rubber seal conservation) to the boots. So far, so good.

- mike

Sierra Trading Post has all the models from time to time.

Last year I got dad a pair (they didn't have my size) of the leather lined ones on discount for $120.

He lives in Wyoming, and they usually hang out in the garage (Wyoming is a tad dry, think Mongolia with Cowboys), but they have not dried out yet.

Check www.sierratradingpost.com they buy discounts from other companies, and then give you a deal. 2 weeks ago I got a microfiber Barbour winter jacket for $100, and it was also priced at $400.

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
Once a year, I apply silikon (either in spray format or the liquid form intended for auto rubber seal conservation) to the boots. So far, so good.- mike

ditto

I wondered...

They started advertising on TAA a couple shows back. Figured they were spendy, but good quality.
If you spend much time on horseback the Packer model Whites are hard to beat. Great ankle support. Most of the loggers here in the NW I have met wear them. Wear them out, send them back, they rebuild them at a reasonable cost.


Is there a website?

Rich

Another vote to Muckboots Avon

http://www.songofthepaddle.co....-Muck-Boots-a-Review

A pair of size 13/47s just sold on ebay for $260.

Of course I am cheap and I want them for $120 so I backed out.

Not a bad deal, 40% off.

Maybe I've been unlucky but I've had 2 pairs. Both gave up the ghost, the first at 2 years use and the second within a year. The leather dissolved on the first pair followed by heel separation - to the bin with them. The second pair failed in the heel area and went back to le Chameau. I wear hunting boots 4 times a week and expected better service and am still using a pair of backup Cats that must be 8 y/o now.
On a plus - they're super cumfy boots, the best I've ever worn.
Minus - made with inferior parts and weak as marshmellow.
Pity really...

another vote here for muck boots. ive had mine for about 5 years now. i have the arctic model i believe its called. they are solid black and very warm/comfy and i've yet to get cold feet in them granted it doesn't get down to zero here i have worn them in the 20's and had no problem. a friend has them also and reported that after sitting in a duck blind with water in the bottom of the blind and an outside temp right at freezing he was warm with them.

Chameaus are the best of the wellington boots IMHO. I got mine during the 2001 FMD outbreak after my Hunters disintegrated in the disinfectant chemicals used for disease control. I have worn them frequently year-round ever since and they have not let me down. The leather lining will wear out before the boots though.

There was an outcry in France two years ago when we discovered that Le Chameau funded the WWF

quote:

Originally posted by bobby van der Putten:
There was an outcry in France two years ago when we discovered that Le Chameau funded the WWF

WWF is one of the saner conservation organisations and they do accept role of trophy hunting in Africa.I know that you were writing about what happened than stating your opinion of them.

Best-
Locksley,R.

Hi Marc,

nice to see you here again!

Well, in my case I won´t spend any $ on rubber boots - all I have & need are good mountain boots - they are waterproof as well after aplying a few times SnoSeal wax...

All the best

Klaus

Here's my experience as an owner of Le Chemeau boots and as a dealer. Going into my 8th year in business, I've had only one complaint about the boots, period, and that came recently. I've sold dozens of pairs without a single return until Marcs unfortunate experience. In fact, I believe they are the best waterproof boot on the market, period. When it comes to comfort and durability, La Crosse cannot even come close. They are expensive, and you've got to decide if that meets your budget? Le Chameau also has a fantastic warranty, full replacement if you are not happy with their product. That speaks alot. Mike