The First Purchase: A Bust

I’ve had the same pair of multi-purpose hiking/winter boots for the past seven years. Now, for some, that might not be such a big deal...I mean, how often do most people throw on a pair of hiking boots? I guess I might be a little abnormal in that regard, as in the past seven years my boots got PLENTY of love. I bet they’d have some great stories if they could talk! They spent innumerable summers hiking through Michigan’s wilderness, leading children over grassy hills, through peaty forests, and into soggy wetlands. They spent a year in rural Ireland, exploring the potential for ecotourism on ancient heritage trails and bouncing on the occasional bog. They have carried heavy burdens as invasive species have been dragged out of forests, and bear a few burns and herbicide stains from those endeavors. They have gotten drenched on canoe trips throughout Illinois, and covered in sandy dust in the deserts of Arizona. They LAUGHED at the threat of mud puddles as they stomped through stalls full of horse manure and squelched through the muddy red afterbirth of sheep. Since they can’t speak, I think their story is best told by looking at the worn and (in places) non-existent treads, the holes and tears in their fabric, and the cracks in the soles…and I will politely refrain from describing their smell.

These boots have been my constant companion in nearly every experience I’ve had in nature for the better part of the past decade. Saying that I’m “attached to them” might be a bit of an understatement. And that is why you can believe me when I say, with a heavy heart, that I NEED a new pair of boots.

As many of you probably heard, Chicago was on the receiving end of 2+ feet of snow in less than a day two weeks ago. As I climbed over (and through) snowdrifts to get to my bus stop last week, I almost CRIED when I realized that my well-worn boots might as well be sandals. It’s not just that the boots needed a new coat of waterproofing. There was actually still-frozen snow sneaking in amidst my toes. I got to work and inspected my boots for the first time in a while, and realized that I could see THROUGH them in places! With weeks of snow still in the forecast, and recognizing my pedestrian lifestyle, I had to acknowledge that new boots were a necessity…and fast.

And so I have found my downfall as a consumer. I HATE shopping. As you can probably tell, I hold off on buying new things as long as humanly possible. But that means that I really don’t leave myself much time to make good consumer choices as every occasion to shop is a shopping emergency. In a city like Chicago, it’s VERY easy to realize in the morning that you need a pair of boots, hop online for 2 minutes to find the nearest hiking supply store, and have a new pair of boots in-hand before the day ends – crisis averted. However, with this assignment in mind, I recognized that this was not really an acceptable course of action – I needed to do some thorough research. And so, I spent 5+ hours that night trying to find a reliable source regarding environmentally conscious footwear purchases…mostly unsuccessfully. Here’s what I found/determined for myself:

1. Considering my checklist, reused boots should be my first plan of attack. However, as a gal with size 12 clodhoppers, Craigslist and eBay proved a bust. I didn’t hold out much hope for local thrift stores either. It’s hard enough to find my size NEW, let alone used. Bust.
2. Since I had to buy something new, could I buy it locally? Bust again. There are no Chicago-based hiking supply stores or manufacturers. It’s all big chains. The closest I could find was Bass Pro Shops, an outdoor supply store based in the Midwest.
3. OK, so what are the most environmentally responsible stores or brands out there? You would think this is a question that has most certainly been addressed by some non-profit or association out there, but, alas, the only “tools” I could find were intended for industry participants, not consumers. There were also supremely unhelpful lists without annotations. I found some websites (of unknown origin) that suggested some mail order options. I also researched some common brands, and found that North Face’s and Patagonia’s environmental missions (and associated actions) really resonated with me, and that Patagonia even had a boot made of recycled content. Columbia, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have an environmental mission and all of its manufacturing is based in China. Generally speaking, though, I found myself frustrated as I tried to use my critical thinking skills to blast through the greenwashing I found on just about every website.

Sigh. At the end of the day, I decided I needed to shop for boots in-person – this was not really a mail order activity given the urgency AND the fact that it is next to impossible to receive packages at my apartment (a major drawback of my current living situation). I decided that I would go to Bass Pro Shops where I could find a wide selection of shoes and was thus more likely to find something to fit my massive feet. While I was going armed with some brand ideas in mind, I hoped that, as a company with an outdoors focus (although some might question how that manifests itself), I might be able to find some employees who could intelligently answer my environmental questions.

And…I was sorely disappointed. Shoes are one of those things where they either fit or they don’t…and with my feet, that really limits my options. While I wanted to buy from Patagonia, the boot rubbed my ankle and was SO expensive (upwards of $200). When all was said and done, there were only two types of boots that were both in my budget and comfortable…and both were Merrell brand. While I love many of the organizations Merrell supports, their entire environmental ethic is focused on supporting other people’s good work…and not really doing any of their own in their manufacturing process. The boot I ended up buying was made in China and has no recycled content. I don’t feel good about my boot purchase, which is EXTRA disappointing because I tried SO HARD. But what could I have done in this situation? (That is not a rhetorical question – I’d love some insight.) I desperately needed some boots, it’s hard to find boots that are comfortable, and I am a low-income graduate student. I suppose that there is some solace to be found in the fact that I will take good care of these boots and wear them for many, many years…I’m not buying something disposable or on impulse. But, I certainly had hoped for a better outcome, ESPECIALLY after the time and effort I put into research.

One thing is for sure: this whole adventure was so painful that my hatred for shopping has been renewed. Barring another emergency, I don’t think I’ll have much cause to shop in the next several months…