My Wolverine 1000 mile boots have been lovely up to now. You can read my initial review here. I have worn them quite a bit for daily use. They have been comfortable and have even gone on a few hikes. Hardly 1000 miles of walking. The leather upper is in fantastic shape.

But.

I glanced down and the sole is separating! I’m not quite sure how this could happen on such an expensive pair of boots. You would think this would NEVER happen on a pair of boots labeled “1000 Mile Boots.”

I emailed customer service so we’ll see what happens.

If you are wondering why they seem so white-ish it is because I just walked through some dusty sand.

Update: the email back from customer service.

Good morning TJ,

Thank you for your email regarding your Wolverines footwear.  Unfortunately, Leather outsoles do not typically last as long as a rubber outsole (especially on today’s modern surfaces). If the leather outsole gets soaked through, it will accelerate the breakdown of the material.  We do generally recommend that either taps, topey, or a rubber outsole be put on the boots to prolong the life of the sole.

At this time, we do not have a repair program for the footwear but do recommend a local cobbler.  The boots are a true welt construction so the repair is relatively easy.  Once you do have them resoled, please send me a copy of your receipt and we will be happy to reimburse you for half of your repair costs.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions !

Wolverine Consumer Relations

So it seems that if you truly want boots that will last 1000 miles you are going to need something else. Bummer. These are beautiful boots. It’s nice of them to pay at least half the cost. I think I’ll put Vibrams on.

When I asked what soles they recommend they responded with this…

Good morning,

We do not have a certain brand of rubber soles that we suggest, however typically shoe cobblers will have a selection of various rubber soles. You will find that a rubber sole will last longer than a leather sole since the leather soles will wear down much more quickly when exposed to wet/rainy conditions.

Thank you,

Wolverine Customer Relations

I’m a little sad that the leather welt sole has limited use and can’t handle water. Whatever. Everything has pros and cons.

Have you had any issues with your 1000 Mile Boots?