Archive-Name: uk/walking/boots
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UK.REC.WALKING Frequently Asked Questions (Boots)
Version 1.5 Last Updated Monday 30th December 2002
This FAQ contains material pertaining the acquisition
of boots designed for and appropriate for country and
hill walking.
THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT BOOTS
We often get questions along the lines of 'Which boot should
I buy ?'. There's no really hard and fast rules other than
you get what you pay for. Good boots do cost a lot of money
but you can avoid paying over the odds for your chosen pair
by shopping around for the best price. Without going into an
enormous amount of detail, here are some things that you
might consider.
Fit The fit of the boot is the most important factor in
considering a purchase. Boots made outside the UK
(especially Italy) are often a narrower fit than boots made
in the UK. Apparantly British people have wide feet so if
you try on a non-British boot and it's a bit of a squeeze
try and find a boot made in the UK. Regardless, try on as
many boots as you can in the price range you can afford as
no two boots will be the same anyway.
Size Most people will require a boot that is larger than
their normal shoesize. A good rule of thumb is, while
wearing a pair of socks that you intend wearing with your
boots, put your intended purchase on your foot *without*
lacing it up. Now push your foot forward so that your toes
touch the toe of the boot. If you can comfortably fit a
finger or thumb into the gap between your heel and the heel
of the boot then the boot is probably the right size. The
toe gap allows you to descend a slope while taking your body
weight on the instep of your foot rather than your toes.
Move your heel well into the heel cup of the boot and lace
it up, making sure that you're not lacing too tight. Walk
around the shop to see if the heel of your foot 'rises'
within the boot despite being laced up. A significantly
rising heel will probably blister on even the smallest walk
and the boots are unlikely to ever be comfortable. The
rising is caused through a combination of the stiffening of
the sole of the boot and too large an instep gap in the boot
cavity. The foot flexes away from the stiffened sole into
the instep gap causing the heel to rise. If you have already
bought a boot that permits too much movement consider
fitting it with a padded footbed to reduce the amount of
space in the boot. Extra socks may also help but the
footbeds will reduce the amount of vertical space in the
boot without affecting the other dimensions. If a footbed
uncomfortably restricts the space available in the toe of
the boot then consider using heel pads. Some insoles double
as a shock absorbing medium. Specific brands include
Sorbothane, Eagle Rock and Superfeet. The author's own
preference is for Sorbothane which has been found to be both
extremely comfortable and very long lasting.
Midsoles A midsole is piece of stiffened material, usually
nylon, that is incorprated in the sole of the boot. If you
intend doing a lot of hill walking then a boot with
stiffened midsole will help considerably in stopping your
feet from getting tired too quickly. Some boots have
significantly stiffened midsoles and these will also permit
the use of walking crampons if you are going to go winter
walking. If all you are going to do is low level walking
then a moderately stiffened midsole will probably prove
sufficient when something quite stiff will probably prove
uncomfortable.
Material Leather or Fabric ? Fabric was trendy for a while
but *most* people have found it to be less hard wearing and
reliable than leather. It's still pretty good for summer
walking though. If buying leather then boots made from a
single piece are less prone to leaks but are correspondingly
more expensive. Multi-piece boots, usually manufactured from
the off-cuts of single piece boots, need a bit more care but
are cheaper.
Seasons A 4 season boot is one that is designed for all-year-
round use but, in that it is suitable for winter walking, it
is likely to be too heavy and warm for comfortable summer
walking. A good 3 season boot will cope with non-extreme
winter walking and, if stiff enough, will take a walking
crampon while still being light enough to be comfortable in
all but the hottest weather.
Breathable linings Many manufacturers these days offer at
least one model of boot in thier range which incorporates a
breathable lining. The most common lining is Goretex but
there are others. Theoretically the lining permits the foot
to breathe while minimising the liklihood of wet feet. In
reality breathable linings offer minimal improvement on the
basic design of boots and make the care of the boot more
complex. All boot linings are prone to abrasion by the foot
and breathable linings are no different. The lining is thus
unlikely to remain intact physically for more than a
fraction of the potential lifetime of the boot structure. In
fabric boots the lining can become clogged with the fine
dust that penetrates the nylon shell or even by spray- based
boot care products. Also, breathable fabrics work through
vapour pressure differential. A waterlogged outer shell is
likely to have a much higher vapour pressure than the inside
of the boot causing water to migrate *into* the boot
eventually. Linings in leather boots are likely to be more
effective while they last but a well built and looked after
leather boot can offer all of the characteristics offered by
breathable liners while at the same time being infinitely
more robust. Many feel that it's a gimic aimed at parting
the unwary purchaser from thier readies but if the boot is
only intended only for occaisional, light use and is
unlikely to be used so heavily so as to threaten the
physical integrity of the liner then it may be worth the
added expense.
Service A good shop will let you try the boots on in the
shop and will invariably provide you with some walking socks
to use while doing so. They will let you pay for the boots
and take them home so that you can wear them around the
house for a couple of days. If they turn out to be really
uncomfortable then, as long as they have not been taken
outside the house or damaged in any way the shop should
either allow you to exchange them or give you your money or
a credit note back. Don't take our word for it though, check
with the shop before you buy.
Boot Care There is a wide range of footwear care products
that are designed to be used in conjunction with the usual
cleaning described below. Look for the following;
Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather (the original Nikwax)
Nikwax Aqueous Wax for Leather Nikwax Nubuck and Suede
Waterproofing Nikwax Fabric and Leather Waterproofing Nikwax
Footwear Cleaning Gel Nikwax Conditioner for Leather
(restores suppleness)
Grangers NT Footwear Protector (for all materials) Grangers
NT Footwear Conditioner (for leather) Grangers NT Footwear
Cleaner Grangers Footwear Proofer (Spray -for leather,
nubuck, suede and fabric) Grangers Footwear Conditioner
(Spray for nubuck and suede) Grangers Footwear Cleaner
(Spray) Grangers G-Wax Beeswax Proofing for all smooth
leathers (Spray or Wax) Grangers Leather Conditioner
Grangers G-Sport Waterproofer (Spray - for all materials)
Caring for leather boots: Some manufacturers these days coat
their boots with a hydrophobic substance which is an
effective repellent for water but which will eventually wear
off. The boot should be periodically cleaned in warm, clean
water and allowed to dry naturally ( as opposed to dry by
placing next to a heat source). Leather boots should *never*
be force-dried as it will encourage the leather to crack)
before applying one of a number of different
waterproofing/conditioning substances all of which have
their merits and demerits; Natural Wax (Dubbin) is readily
absorbed but may cause the leather to become overly pliable
with prolonged use. Synthetic Wax (eg. Nikwax) is best
applied with the fingers as the warmth makes it easier to
apply. Liquid Repellents ( eg. Liquid Nikwax ) are applied
with a brush and do not have to be 'forced' into the
stitching of the boot. Prolonged application of liquid
reppellent may also cause the leather to become overly
pliable. If your boots get really wet then you should stuff
them with newspaper to draw any water out of the liner while
the leather is drying. The newspaper should be replaced
periodically.
Caring for nubuck leather: Dried in a similar fashion to
ordinary leather boots but to clean, wash in warm, soapy (
non-detergent ) water with a soft brush. While still damp (
as opposed to wet or dry ) apply a liquid repellent like
Liquid Nikwax.
Caring for fabric boots: Care of fabric boots is pretty much
the same as for leather. If they are not waterproofed you
can use a water repellant such as Grainger's G-Sport, which
you simply spray on when the boots are clean and dry. You
need to apply a couple of coats and allow a few hours for
the boots to fully absorb it. The coating should be re-
applied as necessary, e.g., after you have washed and dried
the boots. To keep the boots clean, simply brush off any
excess mud, and then wash them in clean warm water. The best
way to dry them (as with leather boots) is to stuff them
with paper and leave them in a warm place. You can get away
with putting fabric boots next to a heat source to dry but
beware any leather or suede reinforcing patches. If the
boots are a fabric/suede mix, you can use a special brush to
revitalise the nap of the suede bits. You should do this
before applying any water repellant.
Socks It's logical to chuck in a short discussion about
socks when talking about buying boots. Unfortunately there's
loads of different ones and you can't really try them on and
take them back in the same way you can boots. It's unlikely
that you'll find your preferred sock the first time you buy.
It may take years which is a pain when these days walking
socks cost a pretty penny. As a general rule, modern,
cushioned walking socks are designed to be worn as a single
pair but if a single pair does not afford your feet either
the protection or the comfort that you require then consider
wearing a pair of thin inners underneath them. You can buy
sepcial inners, they'll be on the same shelf as the outers,
but these are expensive and you may just require a thin pair
of cotton sports socks. The theory is that the inner and the
outer will move relative to each other as you walk. This
significantly reduces the risk of abrasive blistering.
Beware, however. In hot weather this combination is likely
to cause excessive sweating which in itself can lead to
blistering. Reputable names in the sock manufacturing arena
include both Thorlo and Bridgedale. They are not cheap. You
get what you pay for.
And a final word Is it really a boot that you need ? There
is a presumption that if you are going out into the hills
then you should have a 'stout pair of walking boots' but the
experience of many people is that while there are many
circumstances in which boots are a must there are just as
many where they clearly are not the best thing that you
could have on your feet. Lugging around an extra Kilogram or
more on each foot on a dry, warm day is perhaps not the best
strategy when a pair of well-made, lightweight cross-
trainers or even walking sandals might well make the whole
experience even more enjoyable than it would be in boots.