I hope I’m not the only one who gets super attached to a good pair of boots. It’s easy to look down at your feet and feel connected to all of the places they take you blister-free and dry. A pair of shoes can either make or break your outdoor activities. The right boots will be your must-have on any adventure and last for years. But what happens when you start to realize your favorite piece of gear needs to be replaced?

1) Denial

Do you really need new boots? The ones you have still work. You and these shoes have trekked miles together. They help take you to your favorite places, and you have loved them through every stream, snowstorm, rainstorm, and muddy step of the way. You have an odd sentimental attachment to them. They are so cozy, so broken in…

2) False realization

Okay, I’ll admit they have rips on the side, the traction is gone, and there are some pieces falling off. But more miles in them won’t hurt, right?

3) Actual realization

Yup, my pinky toe is officially hanging out of these and a pointy rock just stabbed me. I also keep slipping more than normal – I guess that whole traction thing is important.

4) Wishful thinking

I browsed on Amazon for some new ones. But I won’t know until I actually see them, ya know? Maybe someday I can find another pair that will be this great AND not give me any blisters. A girl can dream.

5) Crackdown

The time has come. I am going to REI right now. Let’s all start praying now that I walk out with shoes and not 50 other things I didn’t plan on buying instead.

6) The search

There are SO MANY choices. I have tried about 7 pairs of boots on now, and these do not just “slip on” and “slip off”. I have walked approximately 50 laps around the perimeter of the shoe department and I am being a weirdo and running up and down stairs to make sure they don’t slip. Maybe I should just make mine last a little bit longer….

7) The light at the end of the tunnel

You put a pair on that just…fit. They hugged your foot in just the right way and the color is divine. You catch a glimpse of them in the mirror and can see them taking you up mountains. You run up the stairs again trying to prove them wrong, and they still feel great. Finally! You found them.

8) Getting Acquainted

You are out on the trail with your shiny new boots. You feel a bit of longing for your old ones as these ones have not broken in yet, but you are excited to test them out. It’s awkward at first and your feet feel very confined. But the more you walk, the better they feel. And then you say to yourself “I probably should have done this a long time ago”.