Broken In or Broken Down

I've got this pair of boots that I've worn very nearly every day for the past two or three years. Sure there have been the days I didn't wear shoes at all but most of the rest of the time I wore these boots.

Now they're really comfortable and well broken in. I do everything I can to maintain them from brushing them clean to treating them with SnoSeal a couple of times a year as needed. They're still going to go from broken in to broken down one of these days and they'll need to be replaced.

They've got Vibram soles which can be replaced and the leather's still in pretty good condition but how much longer are they going to resist the icy cold water I seem to find myself crossing this time of year?

So, the question is, how long can I make these boots last? And when should I think about getting a replacement to start breaking them in?

It's always a sad day when I have to retire a piece of gear but I think retiring a good pair of boots may be the saddest...

Thanks for reading,


B