I was charged by a wild pig in California once and I had no bacon grease on my Russells at all. I gotta tell ya, I would much rather be in a tree stand with a pound of fried bacon up wind of me for my next wild pig encounter. I was a little hairy.

It occurs to me I forgot the before picture of that old boot.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/bluetoon/rus2.jpg

How do you Russel fans keep the stitching that holds the moccasin sole to the main boot leather from wearing off? That stitching wouldn't last me a week in the heavy brush, especially around the toe. I rub aquaseal into all boot stitching to try to keep it from wearing off. Some heavy mountaineering boots USED to have shallow slits cut between the stitching holes so that the stitching was below the leather surface and not exposed where it would wear on the rocks. That worked very well.

Rich - I've never seen a pair wear out there but I suppose they do. Also, not all of them have the moccasin sole its an extra layer. My favorite pair doesn't have the moccasin sole at all. I only wish I could spend enough time afield to wear out a pair! Since my geology career ended, my boots no longer need to stand up to 'A'a, Scoria and pumice... just wheat stubble and sage brush which my Russels have done pretty well.