I suffered the dreaded boot sole delamination recently.

It was on a trip to Pinnacles Hut in Coromandel Forest Park. A few minutes before it happened, while standing in a small stream to assist my daughter to the other side, I thought how brilliant these boots were. I’d done innumerable difficult trips in them – Stewart Island, Otago, Coromandel, Tongariro, the Tararua Range and more – and they’d offered support and surety of grip. 

Not five minutes later I heard a flapping noise and felt something knocking against my foot. “Oh-oh.” Sure enough, the sole was barely hanging on. 

A few minutes later, the delamination had spread to the other boot. 

I had newfound sympathy for all those readers who had shared similar tales of woe a few years ago when we looked into the problem of boots falling apart. 

Fortunately, mine came with a full-length fibreglass shank. I pulled off what remained of the boots’ outsoles and walked on the shank instead. Grip was less than ideal, but my feet remained relatively protected. I made it to the hut and managed to walk out in the boots the next day. 

If only I’d read our pre-departure winter gear checklist on p58 before setting out! I may have chosen different footwear.

Also, the cause of most boot delamination is prolonged periods of the footwear remaining unused. Something happens to the glue to make it come unstuck. I hadn’t used these boots for two years as I now favour lighter footwear. I had pulled them out of the cupboard on a whim, a sense of nostalgia perhaps. 

In the May issue, I explained that due to hefty increases in printing and postage costs we would need to review Wilderness pricing. 

You can see our new pricing below. I acknowledge that some readers may find the print subscription is now too dear. If so, switching to a website-only subscription is something to consider. You won’t have a physical copy of the magazine to hold in your hands but you will receive the same exclusive and get-me-outdoors content as found in the magazine. You’ll just be reading it on your device of choice. 

However, even with the increased pricing, a print subscription is heavily discounted and is the most economical way to receive Wilderness.

You are part of the Wilderness family; we never take your support for granted and we don’t want to lose you. We hope you will find this new pricing acceptable and if you have any questions about it, please drop me a line – my contact details can be found on this page.