On a holiday to Lord Howe Island, I took a pair of Scarpa boots in order to climb Mt Gower. They 'exploded'.
OK, not exactly exploded, but the results were similar. More disintegrated whilst I was walking on the beach two days before the climb. Of course I couldn't use them on Gower which was devastating. Fortunately I had bought running shoes and they proved adequate. Still, you spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of sturdy boots from a well-known manufacturer, you don't expect this:
What appears to have happened is that the foam that goes between the sole and the upper has simply disintegrated. When I stuck a finger in there to feel around, the foam was all powdery and had no strength. It was only the one boot, the other one was OK, but that's no consolation.
When I wrote an email of complaint to the manufacturer, they sent me back an email saying, "We can recommend a good cobbler, here in North America." Fat help that was. Of course the boots were out of warranty, as I'd had them since 2012-ish. They hadn't done more than a few weekend trips though. They were supposed to be for 'rugged rocky conditions" that you'd find in the mountains. Hah!
These boots have in interesting history. I bought them in Alice Springs, in the middle of a desert, of all places, after the Larapinta trail ruined my previous boots. I needed them then because I was coming back to Victoria to go snow camping the very next week. As it turned out, Larapinta trashed my feet as well as my boots, so I didn't go. These Scarpas sat in my cupboard for a few years, getting out just now and then for a winter hike. (Most of my winter outings are in ski boots of one sort or another) When the time came for them to shone on Lord Howe, I dragged them across the high seas and then they failed me badly. Even as lawn-mowing boots they failed me. I had written them off for hiking etc, hot-melt glued the sole back on and used them when I was cutting the lawn, but unfortunately I found recently that the foam had deteriorated even more so I gave up on them as boots and planted some succulents and a ceramic frog in them.
Sigh, I suppose I have to put Scarpa on my boots 'shit-list' now. Here it is so far:
Salomon -- returned for not being waterproof. Shop Did honour the warranty, after a bit of pressure from the Australian Goretex rep.
Scarpa -- foam between sole and upper disintegrated. NOT from wear.
Hi-tec -- From Aussie Disposals. Tried to return for not being waterproof. Shop didn't honour the warranty, nor did the manufacturer.
Oboz -- returned for not being waterproof. Shop Did honour the warranty. Three times I tried with replacements, three times they failed. Gave up. Got money back.