yip 175 Retired

yip 175 Retired, originally uploaded by Qathi.

I've been wearing these boots for about 10 years. I love them, they fit well, they're broken in beautifully, they're the only footwear I own that don't cause my feet to hurt with extended wear - they even got polished occasionally. I wore them with skirts and dresses as well as work clothes and casual wear (which are nearly the same thing). I wore them all year round and all around the world - they are waterproof, kevlar, abrasion resistant and oil resistant, have carbon fiber plates in the ankles and are perfectly bad-ass. I'm pretty sure they've saved my lower extremities from harm during the many perilous and precarious events I'm prone to engaging in. They are my boots.

Today one of the zipper pulls broke beyond repair. I can see no way of fixing without replacing the zipper (and I do have some inside knowledge of motorcycle boots). Perhaps it is possible, and I will look into it. I inquired about having them resoled a couple years ago and was consequently advised to replace them. I'm a woman who repairs rather than replaces, I don't believe in disposable. However materials and technology pertaining to motorcycle safety equipment has changed in the last 10 years, and it wouldn't be a disadvantage to upgrade. I'm bummed, but at least I wore them well.