UV’s definitely the main culprit, but coastal rain doesn’t help—especially if water sits around the base and finds its way under the boot. I’ve seen “lifetime” boots get brittle in just a few years on south-facing slopes. Stainless is solid, but yeah, unless you’re already up there, it’s a lot of extra work for most folks. Sometimes the cheap ones last just as long if you keep an eye on ’em.
UV’s definitely the main culprit, but coastal rain doesn’t help—especially if water sits around the base and finds its way under the boot. I’ve seen “lifetime” boots get brittle in just a few years on south-facing slopes.
That’s been my experience too, especially with those “lifetime” rubber boots. The sun just eats them up, and then you throw in salty air or heavy rain, and it’s game over way sooner than you’d expect. I’m on the coast too, and I swear, nothing lasts as long as it says on the box. South-facing slopes are brutal—my neighbor’s roof is only five years old and he’s already patched two boots.
I get what you’re saying about stainless being solid but kind of a pain unless you’re already up there. I tried swapping to stainless collars last year when I was redoing some flashing, but honestly, it was more work than I bargained for. Not sure it’s worth climbing up just for that unless you’re already replacing shingles or something.
Funny thing is, I’ve had some of those cheap black rubber ones last almost as long as the pricier “guaranteed” ones—like you said, if you keep an eye on them and catch cracks early, you can squeeze a few extra years out of them with some sealant or a quick patch job. It’s not glamorous but it works.
I do wonder sometimes if all this swapping out is really worth it unless you’re dealing with obvious leaks or visible damage. The hassle of getting up there every season isn’t nothing, especially if your roof’s steep or slippery. Maybe it makes more sense in places with wild weather swings, but here, I just check them every spring and after big storms.
One thing I will say: if you’re thinking about going greener or using recycled materials for boots or flashing, double check how they hold up to UV. Some of the “eco” options look good on paper but don’t always handle sun exposure well. Learned that one the hard way... had to replace a couple after only two summers.
Anyway, seems like there’s no magic bullet—just regular checks and a bit of luck with the weather.