We have decided to start our holiday closure one day early. Last night it took over 3 hours for our employee to get home via Tri-Met, and also because I have caught a cold and need to take it easy. Christmas Eve is typically one of our slowest days of the year, because people are preoccupied with other things.
Usually this time of year the cold rain is pouring down in sheets and makes us wish we were someplace warm and dry. We’ve had some rain thus far, but gennerally it has been a pretty mild fall so far. As long as it is mild, you might want to consider washing and re-waterproofing your outerwear to restore their water shedding capabilities (DWR) so that you are ready for future downpours. We are well stocked with Nikwax Tech Wash and TX Direct Wash-In. Drop by our shop, pick up some Nikwax, and we’ll give you the lowdown on how to correctly clean and re-treat your garments (or go here for more info) so that the rain beads up and rolls off you just like it did when your jacket was new.
I’m sure you have heard this already (unless you live in a cave), but the cost of everything is increasing like crazy! On July 1st we saw large price increases on everything from the materials we use, to the building we rent. As a result we are forced to increase the prices we charge for repairs. The price increases on our services don’t mean that we are taking any more money home, it simply means that we can continue to pay our bills. In the fall of 08 and spring 09 we expect that you will see moderate to large price increases on new outdoor equipment at your local outdoor stores. Unfortunately, we can not wait that long to raise our prices because we use oil based raw materials to fix the gear that you bring us. These include things like glue, thread, fabric, and rubber. I have not had time to updated the prices (except for rock shoes & dry suits) on this site yet, but will be doing sosoon (I will update this post once prices are updated). If you are mailing items to us between now and when I update the site, expect the prices to be slightly higher than listed on the site. Until I get all the prices updated, please feel free to call us for current prices. We hope that you will stick with us and continue to use our services. Thanks, Matt
Last week my friend Jeff Mandel from Exit Shoes came by the shop after work and we made a do-it-yourself video on how to create an Xtracycle Snap-Deck pad. It’s basically a fabric slip cover over closed cell foam, with elastic straps to hold it onto the Xtracycle Snap-Deck. It provides a nice cushioned seat for a passenger to sit on the Xtracycle. Jeff and I both ride Xtracycle equipped bikes and I really like how they act as an open source platform for all kinds of modifications and accessories.
Materials: Fabric and/or leather for top, bottom and sidewall. Elastic, closed cell foam, contact cement and (optional) zipper. You can recycle jackets or outdoor type fabric and camping pads for closed cell foam.
Tools: Single edge razor blade or box knife, rotary cutters or scissors. A decent home sewing machine with a denim needle and heavy thread (especially if you are using thicker materials).
You are going to need some basic sewing skills and if you want to put in a zipper, it does not contain all the info really needed to face the zipper to match the material. We left that as an exercise for the viewer!
If you don’t have the skills or the time to do this project, you can buy a similar pad from the nice folks at Clever Cycles.
Over the years of owning Mountain Soles we have seen and repaired many interesting things. Often times we work with customers who are trying to get a piece of gear or footwear to do something that it was not meant or designed to do. This kind of modification or custom work usually doesn’t come cheap because we frequently have to do quite a bit talking and drawing with the customer or even build a prototype (or a few) to ensure that we translate their ideas into reality. This kind of creative thinking and working can take time but it can lead to some interesting results. Read the rest of this entry »
Scott Rulander kayaking on the Sandy River. Photo: Matt Menely
With rain on the horizon, the onset of whitewater season is here and the replacement of many gaskets on dry tops and suits at Mountain Soles is soon to follow. Here are a few tips to help make your latex gaskets last a little longer.Read the rest of this entry »
We frequently have customers come into our shop wanting to get an item repaired and look to us to solve problems that are beyondthe point of solving. As much as we’d like to, we cannot fix everything that walks in the door. All good things must come to an end eventually and sometimes we are the ones to tell people that it is the end of the road for their beloved boots or backpack or whatever.
“But can’t you just…” is a response that we occasionally hear from a customer when we tell them it is time to let go. Rather than patch something together knowing all to well that it is going to fall apart sooner than later, we’d rather shoot straight with someone and tell them that we cannot perform a decent repair and that “it is time to go shopping”. We’d much rather tell a customer the reality of their situation and have them come back to us for future repairs, than do what we refer to as a “quick and dirty” job for short term monetary gain, and then have them complaining to another potential customer about our poor quality. Being honest and doing good work for our customers pays and it’s the right thing to do. In turn our customers come back again and again. But more importantly they tell their friends and this is the best kind of complement that we can receive.
