Beaver Sports in Fairbanks has twice gone over and above for me in my quest for good, subzero footware. I bought a pair of Ulu Boots there a couple years ago. The first year I wore them and they started cutting into my ankle. I brought them back in the Spring, showed them my scabbed up ankle and said, "I think a $200 pair of winter boots should last more than one season."
They agreed. They sent the boots back and got me new, free replacements. Awesome!
I love Ulu boots. They are the modern equivalent of mukluks. Made of sheepskin, they are incredibly warm and they look nice, too! The soles have excellent traction. My son doesn't have to say his mother wears Army boots.
The tall boots are very useful, because you never know when you are going to step into deep snow, and it's so nice to know you won't get a shoe-full of icy coldness. Getting snow in your shoes in Alaska can be life-threatening, at the least, you could lose your toes or foot, if you had no way to warm up. Changing a flat, or walking out of the ditch, should you end up there, is less scary with tall boots.
This year I need new shearling inserts for my boots, but Ulu has now gone out of business. This is a huge bummer. Their customer service is being dealt with by Merrell Shoes. Ulu's old website had a phone number for customer service so I called it, and after being transferred twice was told that yes, they had shearling inserts and each pair was $12. Good deal, I thought.
Until I heard what they wanted for shipping: $150. Hello? I wanted five pair of replacement inserts, (because who knows when I'd be able to get more) which totaled $60. It turns out that I was being charged $30 per pair for shipping, as if the inserts were being sent separately. This made no sense, I said. The young woman went and talked to someone and came back. Did I want to pay $145 total for the inserts and shipping? (She actually said the total would be $148--is Merrell math-impaired?) No. I would not. I told her that no one I know is ever going to buy their brand again if this is how they treated people in Alaska. She offered to "research it some more" and told me she'd call me back.
I hung up, wondering what the heck to do. I don't want to buy more new boots.
Then I remembered how Beaver Sports had helped me out before. They have accounts with many companies. I was betting Merrell wouldn't charge one of their retail accounts such outrageous shipping.
I gave them a call, and it turns out that the inserts cost five dollars, and the shipping will be around ten or fifteen dollars. HOOORAH! Way to go Beaver Sports!
Right now it's bouncing around between 5 and 35 degrees. By the time the inserts come it should be 0° or colder and I'll really need them. I can't wait!
