breaking in leather boots

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:37:29 +0100, "ian"

ianandhelena@tiscaliDOTcoDOTuk said:

any favourite tips / can't-fail methods ?
my neebees just died so i splashed out on a pair of leather boots but would
like to avoid the usual crop of blisters if poss!

Depends, imho, on the quality of the leather and the timescale you
want to take to break them in; you could start wearing little and
often, perhaps just to the supermarket and back (useful tools to be
wearing when soemone runs up your achilles [again!] with their
trolley... why do they do that??). Polish them often to improve
suppleness of leather. gradually increase your mileage. More extreme
methods are available for a shorter breaking-in period... but with
more likelihood of pain (on your part, not the boots).

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

Wear them in the house instead of your slippers!

ian said:

any favourite tips / can't-fail methods ?
my neebees just died so i splashed out on a pair of leather boots but
would like to avoid the usual crop of blisters if poss!

If they fit properly (and the shop knew how to fit them to your feet *),
then they shouldn't need much breaking in. Wear sensible socks and just
walk. Be aware of pressures on your feet, and adjust lacing if they feel
either too tight or too lose during the walk.

I thought the late Chris Brasher had shown everyone over 20 years ago that
decent boots need not be heavy and uncomfortable clumping things requiring
years of break-in before they were usable.

* unfortunately, most shops I've been in don't have much of a clue about
boot fitting.

- Nigel

"NC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ian said:

any favourite tips / can't-fail methods ?
my neebees just died so i splashed out on a pair of leather boots but
would like to avoid the usual crop of blisters if poss!

If they fit properly (and the shop knew how to fit them to your feet *),
then they shouldn't need much breaking in. Wear sensible socks and just
walk. Be aware of pressures on your feet, and adjust lacing if they feel
either too tight or too lose during the walk.

I thought the late Chris Brasher had shown everyone over 20 years ago that
decent boots need not be heavy and uncomfortable clumping things requiring
years of break-in before they were usable.

* unfortunately, most shops I've been in don't have much of a clue about
boot fitting.

- Nigel

Apply surgical spirit to your feet. This toughens/hardens the skin thus
reducing the chance of blisters.

Michael Hobby said:

"NC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ian said:

any favourite tips / can't-fail methods ?
my neebees just died so i splashed out on a pair of leather boots
but would like to avoid the usual crop of blisters if poss!

If they fit properly (and the shop knew how to fit them to your feet
*), then they shouldn't need much breaking in. Wear sensible socks
and just walk. Be aware of pressures on your feet, and adjust lacing
if they feel either too tight or too lose during the walk.

I thought the late Chris Brasher had shown everyone over 20 years
ago that decent boots need not be heavy and uncomfortable clumping
things requiring years of break-in before they were usable.

* unfortunately, most shops I've been in don't have much of a clue
about boot fitting.

Quoted message said:

Apply surgical spirit to your feet. This toughens/hardens the skin
thus reducing the chance of blisters.

Another "pre Brasher" solution to a problem which should not exist if the
boots fit properly to begin with.

- Nigel

--
NC - Webmaster for http://www.2mm.org.uk/
Replies to newsgroup postings to the newsgroup please.

"NC" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Apply surgical spirit to your feet. This toughens/hardens the skin
thus reducing the chance of blisters.

Another "pre Brasher" solution to a problem which should not exist if the
boots fit properly to begin with.

- Nigel

True in theory but not always realistic. Some of us have strange feet which
no off-the shelf boot will fit perfectly. In the last 30 years half the
boots I've bought fitted well with some tweaking and packing, but the other
half never became problem free despite good fitting advice.

In my case it's stiffened crampon-compatible soles that cause me problems -
no Brashers in that market as far as I know.

Stuart

i seem to recall a method that involved soaking the boots in warm water
whilst wearing them and then............i can't remember what's next!

ian

<SteveO> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:37:29 +0100, "ian"

ianandhelena@tiscaliDOTcoDOTuk said:

any favourite tips / can't-fail methods ?
my neebees just died so i splashed out on a pair of leather boots but

would

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

like to avoid the usual crop of blisters if poss!

Depends, imho, on the quality of the leather and the timescale you
want to take to break them in; you could start wearing little and
often, perhaps just to the supermarket and back (useful tools to be
wearing when soemone runs up your achilles [again!] with their
trolley... why do they do that??). Polish them often to improve
suppleness of leather. gradually increase your mileage. More extreme
methods are available for a shorter breaking-in period... but with
more likelihood of pain (on your part, not the boots).

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

"ian" <ianandhelena@tiscaliDOTcoDOTuk> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i seem to recall a method that involved soaking the boots in warm water
whilst wearing them and then.........

walking through the worst bog you can find. wash the boots in warm water,
and apply a coat of dubbin, working it well into the leather.

ian <ianandhelena@tiscaliDOTcoDOTuk.?> wrote

Quoted message said:

i seem to recall a method that involved soaking the boots in warm water
whilst wearing them and then............i can't remember what's next!

ATTISHOOOO!

You get a code in our dose. ;-)
--
Gordon

Neatsfoot oil. There is no better way. Lots of it.

Get it in a saddlery (as in for horses) outlet.

"ian" <ianandhelena@tiscaliDOTcoDOTuk> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

any favourite tips / can't-fail methods ?
my neebees just died so i splashed out on a pair of leather boots but
would
like to avoid the usual crop of blisters if poss!

TIA
ian

On 13/9/04 7:37 am, in article [email hidden],

ian' ianandhelena@tiscaliDOTcoDOTuk said:

any favourite tips / can't-fail methods ?
my neebees just died so i splashed out on a pair of leather boots but would
like to avoid the usual crop of blisters if poss!

Quality boots that fit well shouldn't need much wearing in and shouldn't
lead to blisters. My Scarpa SLs are very firm leather but have never given
me a blister. Wear Smartwool socks (or other merino wool) and do a couple a
more gentle walks before you hit the more demanding hills.

--
Andy Howell
Birmingham, UK

I have a pair of Brasher super lights and they blistered my ankles the first
mile, What I did was squeezed and worked the boot around the heal until the
hard paper inserts were soft and malleable, after that no more blisters.
Best boot I have ever owned.

Stew