Scrubbing hiking boots

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

Quoted message said:

Hello everybody,
I just bought a new pair of walking boots and now, a few days later, I
figured out, that they are scrubbing just above my heel. I am wondering
what I can do about it? Will they fit, when I wear them a bit more
often? Should I buy a pair of hiking socks (now I'm using knitted
ones)?

This does happen occasionally, especially with heavy boots. The fit is the
most important (whether there is too much movement inside the boot). I had
this trouble with new 4-season boots which are heavy and unforgiving but
which were a correct fit. Until they eased a bit, I found using thin
silk-like undersocks under the knitted ones helped quite a bit.They are OK
now.

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Erdbaerchen said:

I just bought a new pair of walking boots and now, a few days later, I
figured out, that they are scrubbing just above my heel. I am wondering
what I can do about it? Will they fit, when I wear them a bit more
often? Should I buy a pair of hiking socks (now I'm using knitted
ones)?

Good socks are usually worth the investment IME. Good brands include
Thor Lo, Smartwool and Bridgedale (mine and my partner's preference).

But there's only so much they can do if a boot is rubbing. A good shop
should be able to alter the fit of the boots a little with a rubbing
bar. Though boots do change shape with time and breaking in, they
usually have to be basically right to start with so I wouldn't relay on
the rub just going away of its own accord.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On 10 Oct 2005 02:54:16 -0700, "Erdbaerchen" <[email hidden]> wrote:

| Hello everybody,
| I just bought a new pair of walking boots and now, a few days later, I
| figured out, that they are scrubbing just above my heel. I am wondering
| what I can do about it? Will they fit, when I wear them a bit more
| often? Should I buy a pair of hiking socks (now I'm using knitted
| ones)?

Wear them *intermittently* for a while longer. Breaking in boots takes
some time.

--
Dave Fawthrop <dave hyphenologist co uk>
The London suicide bombers killed innocent commuters.
Animal rights terrorists and activists kill innocent patients.

I have a similar problem with my boots but the other way round when I
bought them they were fantastically comfortable but after about 6
months I found they started to rub just above my heal. I had tried many
solutions including good quality hiking socks, two pairs of thin socks,
etc. I have finally found a solution which after recantlly doing 5 days
on the SWCP left my feet in pristine condition where as on previous
trips they have rubbed raw. It's a sock and sock liner in one, I
think they were called 1000 mile socks. IMO there fantastic - but I
guess you'll need to try different solutions and find what works for
you.

James
http://www.wheresthepath.com

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

Quoted message said:

Hello everybody,
I just bought a new pair of walking boots and now, a few days later, I
figured out, that they are scrubbing just above my heel. I am wondering
what I can do about it? Will they fit, when I wear them a bit more
often? Should I buy a pair of hiking socks (now I'm using knitted
ones)?

Have you checked the inside, is there any stitiching or seams at the rubing
point ????

My lasportiva 4 seasons boot was hurting the bone of my right heel. I thought
it was stitching/seam until one day in the shower I lined my ankles. My right heel
has a slightly protruding bone !

So a wee bit of squashing in my schools vice and that cured it.

I agree with other posters just wearing thin coolmax type socks under the
normal socks may work.

Nick

Nick

Nick (Scots) said:

My right heel has a slightly protruding bone !

So a wee bit of squashing in my schools vice and that cured it.

Squishing your heel in a vice?! That's a tad extreme isn't it?

Justin.

--
Justin C, by the sea.

Justin C bashed at the keyboard and came up with:

Quoted message said:

Nick (Scots) said:

My right heel has a slightly protruding bone !

So a wee bit of squashing in my schools vice and that cured it.

Squishing your heel in a vice?! That's a tad extreme isn't it?

Justin.

ouch

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

Quoted message said:

Hello everybody,
I just bought a new pair of walking boots and now, a few days later, I
figured out, that they are scrubbing just above my heel. I am wondering
what I can do about it? Will they fit, when I wear them a bit more
often? Should I buy a pair of hiking socks (now I'm using knitted
ones)?

I'm a big fan of the double-sock technique - a pair of thin Coolmax
liner-type socks under some thicker ones. They grip your skin and any
movement takes place between the liners and the outer socks rather than
between the socks and your skin.

I'm assuming you've checked that the laces are tight enough to stop any
undue movement (but not too tight)?

R.

Rudy Lacchin said:

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

Quoted message said:

Hello everybody,
I just bought a new pair of walking boots and now, a few days later, I
figured out, that they are scrubbing just above my heel. I am wondering
what I can do about it? Will they fit, when I wear them a bit more
often? Should I buy a pair of hiking socks (now I'm using knitted
ones)?

I'm a big fan of the double-sock technique - a pair of thin Coolmax
liner-type socks under some thicker ones. They grip your skin and any
movement takes place between the liners and the outer socks rather than
between the socks and your skin.

I'm assuming you've checked that the laces are tight enough to stop any
undue movement (but not too tight)?

R.

I've always used two pairs of socks in hiking boots, Thor-Lo inners,
often calf-length, to move with the foot and anonymous wool-mix outers,
short and turned down over the boot top, to move with the boot.
However, I wore the relevant socks when trying on boots before buying,
so they are sized correctly and wouldn't fit if I only wore one pair.
It works for me.

If your boots permit it, you could try lacing the lower section (the
"foot"😉 tighter than the "ankle" section.

I had a similar problem in a pair of Karrimor KSB's, and eventually
solved it by taking *out* the footbeds. The bit at the back of the boot
(heel counter?) where it turns in toward the ankle was just a little too
low and taking out the footbeds gave enough room to stop it rubbing my
heel and eliminate the problem.

Thank you for all the helpful answers. I think I will buy more adequate
socks.