Le Chameau mouflon plus boots.

[maty j 6]

I was looking for high boot for a while and wondering if I should try the lowa’s or danner’s. then found the le chameau mouflon plus’s. they seemed decent enough, plenty of recommendation and nice and high which is one of the main reasons I ended up settling on them. After much surfing the net and catalogues I dropped deako a pm off THL and he gave me the best price around so I ordered them ASAP off him.

 

The delivery company tried to deliver about 2 days after ordering so top marks from decoying.co.uk. one slight problem though the company couldn’t find a our house :laughbounce2: After another couple of days and phone calls they found us and delivered them to the neighbors while I was out with the dog. Good job I put the notice on the door or it could have been another day!!

 

When they arrived I couldn’t wait to get out and test them but first gave them a good coating in wax to help the leather last longer. Got my nikwax coated the boots and even got the hairdryer on it to make it really soak in to the leather. There was a few loose ends on the stitching which would have been nice to have them trimmed with the price you pay but its hardly going to go damaging them is it.

 

 

 

Next day I was out in them testing out what they were up to. First thoughts were great. Water just ran off them, this was no doubt the wax I had put on but it seemed good, exactly what you would expect from some boots costing nigh on 200 buff! The grip is excellent on them and still is to this day. At first the leather is a bit stiff but it soon wears in yet still gives plenty of ankle support which is great.

 

Couple of weeks passed and the water wasn’t running off anymore so a thorough cleaning was in order and another waxing up. All waxed up by next day they were back to normal water running off them as soon as it touched. There was a few scratches here and there but nothing to complain about.

 

Few months, few waxings and they were looking a bit rough. Many a scratch on the soft upper leather that Le Chameau put around the top of the boot along with a few all over but id heard they look bad but still keep going. Granted I wasn’t expecting them to go this quick but as long as they still performed I didn’t care what they looked like. One thing I did notice was when walking at pace over jagged ground or flat hard ground they give a bit a cramp in your calf muscle. Perhaps its just me that I fasten them too tight or whatever but they were a bit uncomfortable. Back onto softer grass or mud and they were fine but as I say on this type of ground there was definitely some cramping starting.

 

Few more months and I was arriving home with one slightly wet foot. Thinking it was abit odd just having one wet foot but never really put much thought in to it and put it down to sweat. Anyway crossing the river the other day I thought I could feel the water creeping in. Not flowing in just creeping as if there was a small hole somwere. Carried on a few more days and it was the same part of my foot getting wet. On closer inspection you could see the black rubber stuff Chameau use to cover the toe area and back around the boot was coming away from the leather!! Quite frankly I wasn’t happy. Would you be after spending that much money for 6 months use??

 

 

 

Anyway ive just been looking on the web for chameaus UK address to send them back to. They have a 1year guarantee so may aswell get my money back if they give me the option to, doubt if ill be having another pair now unless I absolutely have to. I wouldn’t mind if id have done a lot of work in them. Well actually I would of but all they have done is stomped a few rats, walked many a mile, crossed rivers and a bit of ferreting and whilst ferreting I wasn’t the one who was digging so god knows what thay would have been like I had of been. The sole was good and still has loads of life left in it but one has a leak so they may aswell go back. Anyway im back to stage one now hoping Chameu will give me my money back and then looking for some quality high boots.

cheers,

maty.

[Simoman 110]

Thats a lot of money on a duff pair of boots

[Hob&Jill 258]

Thank god you posted this I was saving for them

 

Think I will go with lowas, anyone use them?

[Clipper 207]

i was thinking about a pair of those, they look the part, ive had danners for 6 yrs just about past the best now , cost me 180 quid but over 6yrs aint much, so looks like another pair of danners will be coming soon

[jumby 11]

i have a pair of the high boots had them over a year been lamping ferreting digging and shooting mine are still ok

[Hob&Jill 258]

Not that Im going to buy these, but what are they like to get on and off?

 

I have never had high boots, just ankle boots and worry that they might be abit tough to get on?

[IanB 0]

I have the standard mouflons and can't fault them, the plus are a bit too high for my liking...sure if you contact le chameau they will replace them no probs....

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

H&J; See those 'clips' on the boots there? The utter Dogs B*llocks, mate! I can't personally speak for that make and I no longer wear High Leg boots anyway. But I wore high leg Doc Martens for years and they, of course, have lace holes, which made a twice daily, ritualistic chore of getting them on and off.

 

I've since taken to wearing lower boots and now insist on clips. With those things ye can lace on and remove ye boots with a few hand movements. I swear by them and simply wouldn't buy a laced boot ~ of any make ~ without them now

 

I trust that's what ye were asking about? Only I've always found - once the laces are off - most boots are much of a muchness getting off. Fabric lining helps that slide though

[Bosun11 537]

As Simo said Matty, thats a lot of dough for shite boots, i have seen these and other types whilst at shows over the years and mates have bought them, to be honest, I've never been impressed, all have complained that they are uncomfortable on the calfs on a long treck. Also the leather, IMO is not up to the job, 'giving' far to much, to soon, the shape of them boots for the time you have had them speaks volumes, yes boots should 'give' but after that ammout of time should never end up 'sloppy'.

I'm just of the opinion that its about what a company actually makes, Le Chameau, are a wellie manufacturer and from what I'm told are very good at it (too rich for my blood, an I hate wellies). They probably only got into boots as the company expanded on the sales of wellies. So for me i'd only buy their rubber specials! Same with any company, Adidas make training shoes, if I wanted a watch I wouldn't look there and so on......

 

Next time go for a reputed walking boot manufacturer, they are graded in 'seasons', (so are sleeping bags, tents etc). A four season boot is designed for winter an 'severe winter' conditions (these boots should take crampons), made not to give too much and totaly weather proof. if you are in the market again go to a good walkin/outdoor shop, ask which boots are for which 'season', check them all over by hand an eye, a top notch boot should come in at around £150.00.

 

Cheers

[Guest WILF]

Good thread because up to this point I had only heard good reports about these boots..........be interesting if you could post what reaction to get from the manufacturer.

Was just about to buy a pair as I have found them for £130..........may hang back

 

Just one other thing.......have people found that when you start to put various sprays and waxes on to boots it allways seems to lessen the life of some boots?

Edited July 12, 2007 by WILF

[maty j 6]

crampons feck me this its only wales you know yup, thanks for advice ill have a look for some 4 seasons boots on line and take it from there. thought it was only me that had problems with them as all the other stuff i heard was good, perhaps i just had a duff pair but after 6 month light use they go its not looking good, and neither is the state of them. wilf & chief once deko gets back to me and lets me know if he wants them back or gives me chameaus address and the matter is all cleared up ill post back letting you know how i got on. ive heard that there customer service is very good but these boots were suposed to be aswell...we'll see.

 

the clips are good, takes a while to do them up on a high boot but easy enough to do.

 

just browsing the net atm looking what i can buy as a replacemet (thats if they'll give me my money back). looking for something quite high, 10+ inch really. lloking at the lowa combat gtx or mega camp. anyone tried them or got any other recomendations?? clipper what model of danners were yours?? theres that many dont know were to begin with the exchange rate as it is (or was last time i checked) ordering from the america should be allright aslong as the prices arnt too high to start with.

cheers,

maty.

[waldini 0]

i have the le chameau yack the gore tex version of the mouflon and i love them on my second pair. only got another pair cos my first pair are 6 years old and abit scruffy.

[Guest WILF]

Ordered a pair yesterday........despite this review, everything else I have heard is good and got the last pair in a 9 at £128........we shall see

[maty j 6]

had a reply off deko and he said to send them bacl to him so thats all good. just giving it a few more days to see if i can get a reply from chameau in france before i post them off.

 

sounds a good price wilf. all id heard about them before was good but after this post i found a few had the same problem. good luck with them and let us know 6-12 month down the line what you think. dont forget to keep the receipt.....

cheers, maty.

[IanB 0]

Many of these treatments for leather can do more harm than good, a lot of manufacturers recommend just normal boot polish to nourish the leather....