Choosing the best footwear for you can make or break a planned trip. Features and maintenance won't matter unless you purchase the right fit, which in turn will improve comfort and longevity.
This section covers:
Fit, Materials, Configuration & Uses , Care & Repair.
Doing the rounds? When visiting shops you will need your chosen socks, foot-beds / orthotics, your finger, plenty of time and an open mind. It’s a good idea to turn off your mobile phone. If your current boots have left you with blisters from the last trip, don't try new boots until your feet have healed. Nothing will feel comfortable otherwise.
Brands and shapes:
Although it’s a good starting point, don't get hung up on a brand that your friend has recommended. This is the root of many a blister, wasted time and money. Your feet are not the same as your friend's feet, not to forget your own left and right foot variations, which are normal. Some brands do follow a general shape formula and some manufacture for many foot shapes. This is known as the last. The country of origin doesn't always denote a specific last. Try them on. What is more important is finding brands that specialise in footwear specifically, where history, knowledge and consistency are usually better manifested in the product.
Initial Test:
Forget about (brand specific) foot measuring devices and sizing comparison charts. Your finger offers the best consistency between boots and shops, and you hopefully always have it on hand. Simply slide it behind your heel with your toes touching the end of your chosen boot, boot unlaced. Tight fit - too small. Wiggly finger space - too big. The resulting space around your toes, once the boot is laced correctly with your heel to the back, will allow for normal foot swelling, foot spread with a heavy pack and / or descending where your foot will creep forward without smashing the end of the boot. All going well, you will still have toe nails and skin at the journeys end.
Try-on variables:
Lacing most notably effects the fit, so if unsure ask for assistance. Lacing them too tight will make any boot feel uncomfortable, too loose and in the long term you'll wear the boot inner out (and your foot) and won't receive the benefits of the support they offer. Full leather boots become suppler as they warm up on your feet, therefore will require more time to gauge comfort. Swapping your current shoe footbed into the boot may help when breaking them in and during try on, simulating the eventual imprint your foot will leave inside a new boot. Boots will stretch in width (depending on stiffness and thickness of the materials), so consider future lacing adjustability.
Socks:
It’s very important to consider how much volume your favourite trekking socks will take up. Just like your clothing, think of them as your base layer, your mid sock as a mid temperature regulator and your boot as a shell. Liner socks are a great base layer option, wicking sweat away from your skin to keep your skin dry, not moist, soft and eventually blistered. They provide a smooth non-abrasive surface and fit tight, sliding on your textured trekking sock rather than your skin. A problem spot on your skin will show as a sore red area rather than a blister. Their main ingredient is polyester when used in hot climates (maximum wick-ability) and polypropylene in cold climates (insulation). A good trekking sock will be more or less padded depending on your personal needs and preference. Consider getting thicker socks if you intend using them in cold climates, on longer walks or with boots stiffer than you are used to. A combination of wool (temperature regulation) and synthetics (fast drying and durable) in the socks are best.
Gaiters:
These come in many forms incorporating materials such as canvas, cordura with a polyurethane or Gore-Tex membrane for waterproofing, cordura without water proofing for increased breathability and some are simply mesh for trail running. Sizing is done by putting them on with your chosen footwear. You don't want the top of the Gaiter in the crease behind your knee otherwise it will rub as you walk, so check the length. Consider the diameter when fitting it over the boot and your leg. Gaiters for mountaineering boots will be wider at the base for use with plastic or thicker leather boots, and many have an adjustment system around the top for your leg. Also, for demanding users, look for a beefier strap, attached usually with a buckle, that will secure the gaiter under your arch and a lace hook to attach it to the top of the boot. These are usually replaceable and last longer than cord or shoelaces.
After sale:
Don't wear your boots outside until you are completely happy with your purchase. Until such a time, try them on inside your home on the carpet (usually within 2 weeks you may return footwear, in the same condition as it was purchased, and exchange them or receive a refund if necessary). Trying your boots on in the evening, after a day of walking when your feet have swollen, is better than first thing on a cold morning.
Committed:
Now you have decided to do your usual training or weekend walk, don't expect instant results. Different footwear makes you walk differently and changes muscle use to varying degrees. If you have never had a full leather, stiffer soled, full height boot and wear a squidgy street shoe or runner regularly, then you'll have some readjusting to do. Change the lacing to suit the terrain if need be and take a second pair of shoes for the return walk just in case. Take a moderately loaded daypack on the second "boot walk" and build up to heavier loads if needed.
You will find symbols on the inside of boots, perhaps on a sticker, describing which materials are used; a diamond symbol for rubber, cross-hatching for fabric and a cowhide shape for leather. Additionally, ingredients may be on the box or sizing tag inside the boot's tongue.
Out-sole:
Compounds (hardness - stickiness) of rubber change with footwear and sole manufacturers. Most specific footwear manufacturers produce their own soles and also use external sole manufacturers, frequently Vibram. The later option will sometimes increase the durability and possibly the price of the boot, where the former will provide better grip through stickiness at less expense - although this is barely noticed on close inspection. Both own brand and external brand soles are capable of differing densities. You may find dual density soles on some of the softer footwear. Tread patterns are often very similar between own brand soles and Vibram soles, are usually self cleaning and have a heel that will act as a brake on descents. Aggressively lugged soles for rougher trails - these will wear out faster when used on paved surfaces i.e. when traveling. This is simply because there are less contact points receiving more friction. Thicker soles are heavier but will likely last longer. Most likely matched with a stiffer full leather boot. The stiffer the sole unit, with its combined pieces, the better the outsole will need to roll - this is called the "rocker" and will help to minimise heel lift and relax the foot, considerably increasing comfort and efficiency on a long journey or the dance floor. See "Mid-sole" below.
Mid-sole:
Polyurethane, Microporous and E.V.A. rubber are materials used for shock absorption and formed by either expansion or injection molding. The areas of the foot that receive the most impact will have visibly more material. In addition, for torsional rigidity and longitudinal flex, different mid-sole shanks or inserts are used. Traditionally steel was used but now more commonly heavy duty polymers and occasionally carbon fiber is used in trekking and mountaineering mid-soles, thinner plastics / polymers for the lighter mid-cut boots and hiking or approach shoes. Try flexing the chosen model with your hands. This will give you a basic pre-try on comparison between models in a chosen category. However, your feet will tell you more. The heavier your pack and more demanding your planned trip the stiffer the mid-sole will need to be.
Footbed:
Some boots require less shape from their footbeds due to a more molded supportive mid-sole and upper shell structure. They should be fairly easy to remove for drying or swapping. You might have a lower volume foot or troublesome arch requiring a replacement insole of your own choice. These should help to hold your arch and heel in place in the back of the boot, and relax your foot, without impairing footwear performance. Be aware that should you choose to use a stiff footbed with hard edges, such as many custom made orthotics, it may well cut through your boot's lining.
Lining:
2 main types exist - breathable and fast drying - Cambrelle, and durable with ultimate comfort as with leather (calf skin). Plan for the majority of uses but take into account the extremes - think of 2, 3 or 4 seasons of conditions. Any 4 season trekking boot will have a Gore-Tex (see "Gore-Tex" below) membrane between the lining and outer shell. Without it, a Cambrelle lined boot for example will dry faster and breath better in warmer conditions, and lets face it, sometimes wet boots are inevitable. These are recommended for 3 season use, as are leather lined boots. Leather lining will offer the best durability of any liner and the most comfort - it would be rare to find a blister if you had fitted them correctly and used suitable socks. The down side is that leather will take longer to dry, but if you are a fair weather hiker / bush walker then perfect.
Gore-Tex:
The inclusion of a Gore-Tex membrane will make footwear a little more expensive, but it is the industry standard and best available for waterproofing with breathability. Footwear manufacturers using Gore-Tex will have to adhere to the manufacturing guidelines as set out by WL Gore and Associates (Gore-Tex), which means, if they don't live up to expectations in terms of waterproofing, they may be sent back to Gore for a warranty / repair assessment. Otherwise, it means the boots are waterproof and breathable. The mambrane takes the form of a waterproof sock with very few seams which are sealed, like a waterproof shell jacket, usually with a wicking and breathable lining inside that again, like Cambrelle or similar. Don't forget to use boot waterproofing and other treatments, recommended for use with Gore-Tex, on the outside of the boot. The big hole in the top of the boot will let in water, sticks and stones etc (that wear or puncture holes through the membrane), which is why Gaiters are used. Sock materials that hold moisture, like cotton or pure wool, may also reduce the function of Gore-Tex.
Upper:
Fabric or Synthetic, Fabric and Leather, Suede Leather, Nubuk Leather, Anfibio Leather. The former is found on softer shoes and mid-cut boots for light hiking or travel. The latter can be found on full height boots with stiffer soles for 3 - 4 season hiking or mountaineering. Obviously the latter are harder wearing, offer more support, warmth and ease of cleaning. This leather is taken from the thickest part of the cow hide and is sometimes given a waterproofing and / or softening treatment. Fabrics are usually cordura similar or the same as many hiking packs, or a synthetic leather / pleather. Suede is the rough back side of leather, turned outwards on a boot so it won't show scratch marks from rocks etc. unlike smooth Anfibio leather. It may be thinner and more supple by a small degree and is often used for the leather panels with fabric and leather boots which regularly sit in the middle ground, - supportive full height boots with breathable, soft uppers. Nubuk leather, (normal leather with the smooth side shaved off) being thinner will breath better, flex more and is offered on boots with a variety of end uses. It will show less scratches although will eventually become shiny with waterproofing treatments. It accepts treatments better than other uppers. The upper should match the durability and stiffness of the sole unit - there would be no point in an Anfibio leather upper coupled with a thin flexible sole. Softer flexing panels in front of the ankle, and a soft tongue, should work with the "rocker" design of the sole unit to minimise heel lift.
Rand:
These may be found in the form of stitched, laminated or glued on rubber sections, most often just over the toe box and sometimes around an entire boot above the sole unit, 2 - 3 cm high. More randing is better for use on particularly rocky terrain where the leather would otherwise be cut and abraded. If you are heavy footed as previous footwear will show (note high wear areas), then more randing or anfibio leather would be a better choice. A rand may provide more waterproofing and insulation in an area that your gaiter doesn't cover.
boot:
fabric and leather shoes / mid-cut boots - fabric and leather full height boots - leather full height boots - anfibio leather full height boots with Gore-Tex
environment:
easy, flat, warm
or
hard, steep, cold.
task:
travel - light hiking - assisted trekking - trekking multi-day - trekking / mountaineering.
To give you one of the best examples of boot uses, lets look at a configuration incorporating some of the features talked about - a full height, fabric and suede, Gore-Tex lined boot with a stiffer sole. This is a popular choice for Kokoda trekkers as it provides the most support for its weight, whilst carrying a medium weight pack on multiple days over rough terrain. In a warm, wet and humid jungle environment breathability of a fabric upper is as important as maintaining a good level of waterproofing, hence a Gore-Tex membrane is favourable.
Use treatments recommended and designed to be used on the materials your boot is made from. Oil based products are not recommended. Before you apply any treatment, make sure the footwear is cleaned, with a light brush if necessary, and a damp cloth. Slightly damp leather or fabric will more readily absorb treatments be they water proofing or conditioning. Eyelets will need to be kept clean and dry to minimise the build up of rust.
Its as important not to over-treat footwear as it is to not over-saturate it with water when cleaning or during use. Excesses of either may reduce rather than increase their life. Re-treat when necessary or after severe use. Salt water will ruin any material as the salt crystallises when left to dry, the crystals in turn abrading / cutting away at the materials. Corrosion of eyelets or metal parts will also occur. Salt deposits within our own sweat can create these kinds of damage on a smaller scale, giving you another reason to make sure you clean and care for your footwear.
Drying footwear in a cool, dry place, with the footbed removed, out of direct sunlight and away from other heat sources (sun, fire or a heater) is the best way. Don't put paper inside the boots, drying will take longer. Wipe down the inside of the footwear first, if its needed, getting rid of sweat and any gravel or twigs, as they may puncture a Gore-Tex membrane or wear away at the lining.
Repair is best left to a professional. If in doubt, give us a call and we can refer you to the best business for the job.
Written by Jamie Anderson
