Separating toe guards and rands. If the rand separates at the glue line, a permanent adhesive will stick the pieces back together. See Gear Works, August 1997 . Broken lace hooks or lost eyelets. Hot spots in otherwise well-fitting boots.
Cobblers use several techniques to stretch toe boxes and other areas to improve fit.
Cobblers can replace most soles on high-quality hiking and climbing boots. Can't Fix Damaged leather uppers. If the leather has worn thin or has abrasions covering more than a third of the upper, you should replace the boots. Worn soles on lightweight hikers. Resoling lightweight, inexpensive boots isn't cost effective.