How to use your hiking boots
To feel good in your hiking boots, avoid blisters and injuries and enjoy them for as long as possible, it is necessary to use them correctly. Let's see what you need to do to use your hiking boots properly.
It is not enough to choose the right pair of hiking boots, you must also ensure that they are used properly. As with everything, there is no point in taking the best if you don't know how to use them properly or if you neglect maintenance. Let's find out in this post how to properly use your hiking boots in just a few steps.
Putting on the most suitable pair of shoes
It is not impossible that you have several pairs of hiking boots in your wardrobe. If this is the case, before you set off, choose the pair that is best suited to the day's outing. For example, in the summer, for a simple walk on the plains, you might opt for hiking sandals or low-cut shoes. If you are going on a long hike in the mountains, you should choose high or at least mid-range boots to protect your ankle. If you plan to walk in the rain, water or snow, then make sure your shoes are waterproof, perhaps with a Gore-Tex® membrane. These are all things you need to consider before you leave home.
Choosing the right pair of socks
Once you have decided on the choice of footwear, it is important to choose the right pair of socks. If you don't have several pairs of hiking boots, you probably have several pairs of hiking socks. Let's assume that you only have socks that fit your foot, before you go out, you need to choose socks that are adapted to the shoes you have chosen if you have several, and also to the day's outing.
Thus, you should choose socks that are higher or lower depending on the height of the upper of your shoes, but also on the weather and the type of terrain. If you are about to undertake a long mountain hike on steep terrain with significant differences in altitude, then you absolutely must have socks with sufficient quality reinforcements, particularly in the heels and toes. The choice of material and thickness is also important and can vary depending on the outing and the temperature of the day. For example, if it is rather cold or you are likely to encounter areas of snow, then opt for thick socks with a certain percentage of Merino wool. If, on the other hand, you know that you are likely to sweat, because the day is hot or you are going on a particularly technical outing, then opt for synthetic fibres that wick away perspiration better or a mixture with a relatively low percentage of wool, with an intermediate thickness.
Only hike with well-laced shoes
It may seem trivial, but it is essential to tie your shoes properly before going hiking. This simple step is crucial to your comfort while walking, but also to your safety. Properly laced shoes are shoes that fit your foot perfectly, without exerting any pressure. This means that you need to ensure sufficient support, but still have room for flexibility and freedom, especially in the toes. Well-laced shoes must keep the tension acquired when lacing both the bottom and the top of the foot, and above all they must not come undone by themselves, at the risk of finding yourself with untied laces in the middle of a hike.
Regularly check the condition of your equipment
Too often neglected, shoes and socks are one of the first causes of comfort or discomfort when hiking, not to mention safety. It is essential to ensure that your equipment is in good condition. Regularly check the outsole of your shoes, it should not become slick over time, so make sure it sticks and grips as it did on day one. It can also happen that the sole becomes detached from the upper, so make sure you check this aspect too to avoid unpleasant surprises during your hike. You should know that it is often possible to work on the outsole, so don't hesitate to talk to your shoemaker, who will be able to glue it back on, reinforce it or even change it. In the same way, check the condition of the upper, which can be sensitive to abrasion, for example, and the condition of your laces and eyelets, as it would be annoying if they broke on the way out.
The same goes for your socks, which must always provide good support without compressing the foot and therefore not be too loose, as this can lead to creases that cause friction and blisters, or to go down to calf level, as this can expose the skin of your ankle directly to the shoe, creating a heating zone. This is also why your socks should not have holes in them. Also check that the reinforcement zones are in perfect condition, especially if you are about to go up or down steep hills.
Maintaining your hiking boots
Hiking boots in good condition are either brand new or have been well cared for. It is therefore important to take good care of your shoes and to maintain them regularly. After each outing, remove all traces of dirt and dust from your shoes, dry the soles, quickly clean the outside of your shoes, air them out and let them air dry completely before storing them in a dry place away from dust or sources of heat or direct light. Once in a while, give your shoes a more thorough cleaning, which includes cleaning the inside of your shoes and washing the soles. Finally, once to a maximum of four times a year, treat your shoes with a treatment specially adapted to their composition. For example, use a nourishing treatment if your shoes are made of full grain leather, nubuck or suede. There are also treatments designed to reactivate the water repellency of your synthetic shoes. These are all things that, combined with proper storage and use, will help prevent your shoes from ageing prematurely and keep them in good condition.