Good cobbler in Auckland? And a whinge about Vivo Barefoot shoes

So I finally shelled out $470 for a fancy pair of Vivobarefoot boots (https://vivobarefoot.nz/collections/...41995466932375) after much review reading and research.
Not my top pick in colour, but that's all they had so OK.
Received them, and they seemed great.
Super good grip in the shitty clay mud where I am, kept my feet dry and warm, comfy, no complaints.
Then a couple days ago (about 2 weeks after getting them) I felt a pain in back of heel, and the leather inside has torn and bunched up.
Bugger!
Got in touch with the distributor in Aussie, sent them pics etc and they say yes, that's a genuine warranty issue.
Their solution?
Send the shoes back to us in Aus, they'll pay maximum $22 towards the cost.
But they don't have much in stock in my size, and the only other pair the same model is in a hideous grey colour with black and white soles, like a gangsta rapper crossed with a zebra.
No thanks I said, how about you pay me a partial refund and I'll get the them fixed locally myself?

They said yep, we'd rather do that than chuck them in the landfill.

They offered a maximum of $40 to cover the repair! $40 to repair $470 boots?

Alternatively I can send them back to them in Aus and they'll get them repaired over there and send back. But this will take "weeks", and no doubt they won't cover full postage costs back to Aus. Plus I've got no boots for weeks on end, and I use them every bloody day.
So anyway, now I'm going to find a good cobbler locally and get a quote to repair it, send it to them, and ask them to pay the full cost. It'll be more than $40 obviously!
If they don't agree, I'll complain to head office in London and ask them to send me a new pair.

Anyone know a cobbler in Auckland who's any good?
I don't fancy trying the key cutting joint down at the local mall

In Auckland, this guy is good.
Resoled my Meindl Island Pros for me when the crappy mid sole fell apart.
John Roberts Shoe Repair
52 East Coast Road, Milford,
Auckland 0620

If you're prepared to travel (or courier) this bloke is the best.
He does all Lowa NZ warranty work and is great to deal with.
Quality Shoe Repairs
559 Victoria Street,
Hamilton

PS: they don't look like real boots:cool:

BTW On your recommendation/reviews I bought a Tuatahi Trapper axe, what a great bit of kit:thumbsup:

Um NZ registered business?? The Consumers Guarantee Act will apply. I would be sending them back, most likely they will send you a a brand new pair

You should have bought these ones, better Color ;-)
https://vivobarefoot.nz/collections/...42422751953047

Yep the guy in hamilton is pretty good, I believe that is whom treck and travel uses.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mikee

Um NZ registered business?? The Consumers Guarantee Act will apply. I would be sending them back, most likely they will send you a a brand new pair

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Good luck with that.
Every pair of boots we have bought locally (Meindl & Lowa) have been repaired with costs incurred and comments like "cowshit destroys PU mid soles" (we are sheep & beef, not dairy)
Two pairs bought online overseas that had issues (rand started separating from the upper) have been replaced with no questions asked.

Reading the advertising blurb, you lost me after "Rewild your feet".....did the alarm bells not ring in your head?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by duckdog

In Auckland, this guy is good.
Resoled my Meindl Island Pros for me when the crappy mid sole fell apart.
John Roberts Shoe Repair
52 East Coast Road, Milford,
Auckland 0620

If you're prepared to travel (or courier) this bloke is the best.
He does all Lowa NZ warranty work and is great to deal with.
Quality Shoe Repairs
559 Victoria Street,
Hamilton

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Thanks! I'm on the north shore so not far from me. Will drop in there on Monday

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ranger 888

Reading the advertising blurb, you lost me after "Rewild your feet".....did the alarm bells not ring in your head?

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Yeah, I know, they look like yuppie shoes, but it's next to impossible to find barefoot shoes / boots with decent grippy lugs and the other features I want. Despite this minor fault, I still have high hopes they'll work out. The soles are Michelin rubber and stitched on not glued, uppers real leather, very comfortable and clearly a lot of thought has gone into the design and materials used to meet a gap in the market. Just unfortunate I got a pair with a fault

Quote:

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Originally Posted by duckdog

Good luck with that.
Every pair of boots we have bought locally (Meindl & Lowa) have been repaired with costs incurred and comments like "cowshit destroys PU mid soles" (we are sheep & beef, not dairy)
Two pairs bought online overseas that had issues (rand started separating from the upper) have been replaced with no questions asked.

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Yeah and at the stupid prices we have to pay any repairs should be fully covered including postage

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Friwi

You should have bought these ones, better Color ;-)
https://vivobarefoot.nz/collections/...42422751953047

Yep the guy in hamilton is pretty good, I believe that is whom treck and travel uses.

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Yes those are exactly what I would have bought, no stock in my size though. The green is actually not so bad, it tones down a bit now that they're getting used. Plus I actually like the lower style, I do a bit of uphill trail running which I think wouldn't be possible with the higher boots. If these ones work out, I was considering buying a pair of the boots as well for load carrying when no running is on the cards

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mikee

Um NZ registered business?? The Consumers Guarantee Act will apply. I would be sending them back, most likely they will send you a a brand new pair

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Aus business, seems like they are the Aus/ NZ distributor for the UK main company (who I will be complaining to next). They offered me a full refund (less the cost of sending them back above $22), but then I have no damn boots

Quote:

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Originally Posted by duckdog

PS: they don't look like real boots:cool:

BTW On your recommendation/reviews I bought a Tuatahi Trapper axe, what a great bit of kit:thumbsup:

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Yeah they do look a bit non-traditional, but so far work really well, I can't fault the performance in terms of comfort, grip, the level of water resistance I need, and quality of materials and design. This fault is actually very minor, the inner leather around the heel is very soft for comfort, but seems like stitching has pulled out and then when I put my foot in allowed it to tear. Glad you like the axe!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by duckdog

In Auckland, this guy is good.
Resoled my Meindl Island Pros for me when the crappy mid sole fell apart.
John Roberts Shoe Repair
52 East Coast Road, Milford,
Auckland 0620

If you're prepared to travel (or courier) this bloke is the best.
He does all Lowa NZ warranty work and is great to deal with.
Quality Shoe Repairs
559 Victoria Street,
Hamilton

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Maybe I'll send this bloke a pic of the damage and see what he thinks. Not much trouble to send to Hamilton, and I know plenty of people who drive through their regularly to drop off or pick up. Will get a quote from the Milford guy first anyway

I went to John Roberts in Milford, seems like a good guy. He says he can glue and restitch them for around $30.

Boots 'Made in Vietnam'.
Probably not my first choice as a boot making nation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Grey Kiwi

Boots 'Made in Vietnam'.
Probably not my first choice as a boot making nation.

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Yeah I used to think that way too, Asian made stuff I would always steer clear of. But I have actually changed my mind there over the years.

One of the best items I ever bought was a leather Tumi satchel, that I have carried every second I am outside the house (except bush), 365 days a year. For 14 years now. It is made in China, but designed etc in US or whatever. The quality of material and manufacture is superb. I will use it until I die, then leave it to one of my kids. It'll see them out too I believe.

I wear quite a bit of Helikon tex gear nowadays, and absolutely thrash it. Like daily wear 7 days a week, in all conditions, virtually never washed except chucked in a bucket of water sometimes. It's tough as. Designed in Poland, made in China, Vietnam etc. I can not fault it. And really well priced.

So although there is some shite out there, I don't just write off any gear that's made in Asia.
As for these boots, apart from that thread popping out, which I'm willing to accept as just one of those things ATM, they seem and feel like very high quality.
The leather quality is clearly top notch, the design is very clever with a lot of interesting features.

The soles are just amazing, truly. Michelin rubber, grippy like you wouldn't believe, in really shit conditions (slimy wet clay, steep, with tree roots and rocks mixed in.
I run in areas now, even wet, that I was pretty careful walking in previously in other boots / shoes.

Having done business with Chinese companies extensively in the last 20 years, buying a lot of different products in many different industries, I've learnt you get the quality you're willing to pay for.
You can commission and pay for the worst quality, or stuff that is up there with the very best from the EU / USA.
It all comes down to quality of materials, and manufacturing quality control.

I judge products nowadays more by the brand / features / after sales service / repairability, than country of manufacture.
And BTW Vivo Barefoot offer a 100-day full moneyback guarantee if size is wrong, and they have a full service repair / re-sole / re-sell shop in the UK (https://www.revivo.com/)
On this site they also sell at a discount shoes that people have returned under the size guarantee.

My wife and kids are going to London soon, and I'm buying them some of these boots to bring back.


I really love wearing them.