This may be common knowledge to some, but it was a bit of a revelation to me. My primary riding boots for the last 4 years was a pair of BMW Santiago’s. I wore these practically every day, and beyond a few scuffs, they appeared to have many more years of life. However, a recent, multi-hour rainy ride revealed a loss of waterproofing in my right boot. I figured it was time for a new pair, and braced my wallet for impact.
On a whim, I sent an e-mail to WL Gore customer service to see if there were any recommendations I could follow to restore water resistance. Their response was to have me send the boots to them for assessment. They quickly concluded that the waterproofing had failed, and authorized a replacement, free of charge. Basically, they asked me to identify a pair of boots that I wanted. A couple of days later, I received a new pair of Santiago’s (via Morton’s), delivered to my doorstep.
I guess I’m just not accustomed to vendors standing behind their product to this extent, especially a product that is subject to significant wear and tear. I have decided that any future waterproof gear I purchase will include Gore Tex.
Hope all is well.