The IHF/Viberg Hiker

[Giles]

It is actually our 11 year anniversary, so we are going to walk to a bar/restaurant and stagger back…..

[trail and arrow]

congrats!

[tmg]

Dammit G, that pic of your hikers may have pushed me over the edge! Wasn't going to get any more boots until the Boondockers next year, but when will this next run be available?

[twin]

Happy 11th anniversary to the two of you G&P

[Giles]

@tmg:

when will this next run be available?

March 2014

[Finn666]

shitty pics, but wtf right

better pic (review) is going to follow soon!…

[Snowy]

^I've been awaiting your pics and review (still am). Hope you've had a great holiday break.

[Finn666]

^ yes, actually i'm still enjoying the holiday break, thanks! so here you go mate

in advance, sry for the shitload of pics y'all, but i can't help it went with the same size as i'm wearing in all of my vibergs - UK9!

…comfortable straight out of the box! gonna clean'em and besides that, i'm thinking about dubbing them!
let's wait and see though...

[mclaincausey]

Love the boot.  I definitely would want smoothout uppers though for ease of cleaning.

[Giles]

Any other takers?  I need 2 more…..

[mclaincausey]

dumb question, I assume they couldn't flip the skin to make a smoothout right?

[Giles]

I'm not sure, technically it can be done of course, but whether that constitutes a separate build, I am not sure.  I will revert.

[JCar2666]

How bout done with a Vibram Christy Sole?

[Giles]

Won't happen I am afraid.

[Finn666]

for those that worry about cleaning the roughout.

…it's really an easy thing to do! just let the dirt try and brush it off...done!

[mclaincausey]

Yeah but the thing about letting mud dry on boots is that the grime works its way into the leather and acts as an internal abrasive. At least this is what happens with smoothout, you're never supposed to let mud dry on those. Perhaps roughout is somehow different, but I would think it has an even greater tendency for mud and grit to work its way into the leather.

[Finn666]

imo it's "just" dirt…if i can wipe it off and the shoe/boot looks like new again, i have to say that i really don't care.
gonna hit them with some coating spray soon. after that i may dubb'em with a coat of obenauf's lp!

[mclaincausey]

Mud has a tendency to wick moisture from leather when you let it dry, in addition to the aforementioned infiltration of grit. I never let mud dry on shoes. YMMV.

[Finn666]

dry mud is way easier to remove as wet mud…at least on roughout leather that is.
when on "normal" leather, i also remove it asap. since these hikers are made to take a serious beating (and i hope they'll receive one), i don't care too much about it! in the end they are just shoes mate

[Giles]

@mclaincausey:

dumb question, I assume they couldn't flip the skin to make a smoothout right?

Yes we can.  G