How to - Selecting Boots

When selecting hiking boots, or any outdoor adventure gear and clothing, you should visit your local outfitter for the best advice on how to select items for use in your local area. This information is only a reference for you.

When you are hiking or backpacking, EVERYTHING is riding on your feet. Take care of them!

When you ask your local outfitter, "What is the best boot for my hiking needs?" - the first answer he or she should give is: The one that fits your foot the best. To determine which boot this will be, you should be ready to answer a number of important questions:

What is the primary purpose of the boot - day hiking, backpacking, both?
Where are you most likely to be hiking - local city park, back country in the national parks, Everest?
What is the terrain like in your usual hiking arena - dirt, old roadbed, rocky, wet?
What are you likely to be carrying- light load, medium load, heavy load?
How long are your hikes - afternoon, multi-day, multi-week?
Is a waterproof boot a requirement?
When is the last time you had your foot measured?

The answers to all of these questions have a direct affect on selecting the proper boot for your needs! So give some thought to these questions before you walk in to your local outfitter to make your purchase.

The matter of how you plan to use your hiking boots dictates the type of boot you will need.

Light duty hiking boots - usually low-tops (like beefy tennis shoes) and mid-tops (just over the ankle) - are good for light hiking. Light hiking usually includes day-hikes on easier trails on softer surfaces like dirt and old road beds.

Medium-duty hiking boots are stiffer and better protect your feet on rockier ground and/or when carrying more than your water, snacks and your jacket. Some medium duty boots are good for ultra-light and light backpacking - carrying less than 30 pounds.

Heavy-duty hiking boots are more for backpackers carrying a backpack of more than 30 pounds for multiple days on trails in the back country. Heavy Duty boots tend to be stiff-soled to better protect your feet from the rough terrain under a heavy load. And then there are the mountaineering boots - solid as a brick, usually plastic with hinged elements for bending at your ankles. Unless you consider hiking the Alps a "morning stroll", you won't need mountaineering boots.

REMEMBER - The rougher the terrain, and the heavier a load you are carrying, the stiffer you want your boots to be.

ALWAYS HAVE YOUR FEET MEASURED
BEFORE TRYING ON ANY BOOT!!!

Perhaps you've seen this - (or done this):

A man (or woman) walks into the outfitter and asks for a boot in size X. He says he's been a size X since high school. The man (or woman) is now age 28, or 36, or 55, or older.

You feet change over time. Gravity has its way! (stupid ol' gravity) Measure your feet!!!

When your outfitter can measure your feet and see the length, the width, the thickness, and the type of arch you have, your outfitter can best select a sampling of boots to try on your feet. Every boot manufacturer has a different pattern by which they make their boots. You may like the looks of a particular boot; but it may not fit your particular foot. What good are "cool-looking boots" if your feet are beat up and blistered? (And only 12 more miles to go - yippee!)

What you are looking for in fit - Heel, Arch, and Toes

Your heel should be held close in your boot. Too much slippage up and down leads to blisters.
Your arch should be well supported - not too much, not too little. Arch support should be comfortable.
Your toes should have wiggle room. Test them on a downhill slope! If they touch the front of your boot - too small! You do not want to be hiking downhill and have your toes crunching into the front of your boot - unless, of course, you like having your toenails torn off your toes and your toe knuckles being permanently damaged.

Have you ever gotten blisters on your heels? Have you ever gotten black and blue toes and toenails? Have you ever had pain in your arch (sometimes accompanied by pain in the knees and hips)? If any one of these has happened to you, your boots don't fit your feet. Measure your feet, and try on several pairs of boots.

Try out your new boots -

After you purchase your new boots, take them for a little test drive. Wear them around your house at the end of the day. Walk up and down stairs. Got access to a treadmill? Crank it up a few degrees and walk both up and down for a while. If there are any "hot spots" - potential blister points - exchange the boots for another pair.

About buying a waterproof boot -

Many boot manufacturers offer boots that are waterproof. Some boots have a waterproof liner built into the boot. Some boots have waterproofed leather. Consider the likely scenarios in which you are wearing your boots - muddy, rainy, lots of creek crossings, snow. Are your boots all leather? Do your boots have fabric on the sides and tongues? Does the waterproof construction allow your feet to "breathe"? Only you can decide what works for you.

Also, there are several after-market products that can make your boots more water-resistant. Several types of boot dressings not only protect the boot from water; but also conditions the leather to help your boots last longer. This helps boots both with, and without, a waterproof construction. Ask your outfitter for help in selecting one of these products for your boots.

About socks -

Socks should perform several functions:

Padding and comfort
Wick moisture away from your feet
Retain warmth in cold climates
Aid in releasing heat in warm climates

Most hiking socks are made with fabrics that perform most, if not all, of the functions listed. Materials used include polyester blends, merino wool blends and proprietary fabrics (usually synthetics) that wick away moisture from your feet, and dry quickly when washed out at your camp site. Merino wool blend socks have the added benefit of being less stinky. (Your sleeping bag, your tent-mate, and your mother will appreciate that.)

Sock Tip - When you arrive at your campsite, change socks immediately! This gives your tired feet nice dry, fluffy socks to make your feet happy after miles on the trail!

Happy Hiking!