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Like you my first reaction would have been to say books but, yeah, it's not like there is no useless crap on my bookshelves either ;)
I think a good pair of shoes, for long walks, would be my choice.
I've bought a 300€ pair of hiking boots that were definitely a waste of money.
May I ask why was it a waste?
I mean was it 300€ spend on some fashion/designer brand that was nothing but a bad pair of shoes with a fancy name and price tag on it? Or were they a reputed brand, and had you any specific issue with the shoes themselves? If so, did you try to contact them to fix it? The brand I most often wear has a good customer support (and a fine return policy, if you would rather buy online)
Edit: like suggested in the other reply to your comment: the idea was to say that, all things being equal, spending money on a good (and, obviously, working) pair of shoes is a good idea.
I bought hiking boots that were stiff enough to support me in the high alpine while carrying heavy gear, traditionally welted so they can be resoled, made from leather cause I don't like GoreTex, from a reputable Bavarian bootmaker. Here's a pic
And I didn't realize what the weight and stiffness meant in practice.
Tried for an entire year to make it work, but every hike in those boots was miserable. Felt like having lead feet.
I eventually replaced them with trail running shoes, which were better suited for my purpose in every way.Tried for an entire year to make it work, but every hike in those boots was miserable.
Those kind of shoes do need some time to become comfortable to wear but a year? That's a long time, and showing a lot of patience. Hope they did not end-up hurting you.
Felt like having lead feet.
I know that feeling too. I had a painful experience with a pair a heavy duty hiking shoes similar to yours, once. After 2 weeks trying and failing to make them remotely comfortable/usable I ended up contacting the maker describing my issue as best as I could, we exchanged a little and they sent me a model a tad wider and half a size longer, that settled it for me. That said, like yours, they were heavy and stiff shoes and they remained so, but they also have done their job quite well every time I have needed them.
Also, one important thing to consider, at least for me, is the insoles one can put in their shoes. A few years ago, because of some health issue, I had to wear custom made orthopedic insoles. I was very skeptical at first but that was such a game changer, and so rapidly, my endurance skyrocketed. They're not cheap and it take me a week or so to have a new pair made, but I would not want to wear any shoes without them.
You've got to soak them with water, keep them filled, and then put your feet in and tie the laces, and wear them like that for an hour or two. The leather will form to your feet
Do you actually believe that after specifically seeking out leather boots and then trying to make it work for a year, I haven't tried that?
No see you need to wet the boots
lol
I'm pretty sure the idea is that you shouldn't avoid buying the best because of the cost. Not that you should buy the most expensive, because it's often not the best.
