Top 10 Tips for buying walking boots
Walking boots are probably the most important item you can buy as a regular walker, and as such probably one of the most expensive pieces of kit that you will purchase, so it is important that you get it right. You will need to ask yourself what type of walks will you be doing and what is your budget. For the first time buyer a cheaper pair may be of more benefit to you if its a one off hiking trip that you’re doing. That said, we have a saying in our house “Buy cheap, buy twice”. Years ago I purchased cheaper boots which basically lasted me one season, my last pair of boots were expensive and 5 years later are still going strong, so in the long run I have saved money by buying an expensive pair. I always do my research prior to buying anything, check the reviews, look for voucher codes etc, I managed to save over £80 on my last boot purchase, with price match offers, and voucher codes etc.
Most boots are made from either Leather or synthetic, there are plastic boots as well but they are for serious winter mountaineers. So your first decision to make is what material you want leather or synthetic. A lot of the synthetic ones state that they are waterproof, but over the years I have found that they are only actually waterproof for about 10 minutes. My preferred option would be leather, and provide that you look after them they will be waterproof for years. There are of course disadvantages to leather boots, they can be heavy and take a while to break in (shape to your feet)
Buy your boots from a company that offers a boot fitting service, they will generally point you in the right direction, but be mindful that occasionally they may try and palm you off with a model that isn’t selling well. Decent boot shops will have a little wooden bridge or simulated rock face to test your boots on, use these features and walk downhill in your boots, if your feet slide forwards and your toes touch the front then you need a different size. Always try your boots on, if they aren’t comfortable straight away, don’t buy them.
I broke my back years ago, and any slight slip can cause me instant pain, so I always look for a good aggressive sole to prevent slips and I also look for boots with good ankle support. Recently a colleague of mine was out for a walk in some synthetic boots with minimal ankle support, she slipped on some ice and broke her ankle in three places. I firmly believe had she purchased a good pair of leather walking boots then she wouldn’t have broken her ankle.
Fit the boots in the afternoon, this gives your feet time to swell up and ideally you should try boots on with the type of socks you usually wear. If you're buying boots for the first time, try them with a pair of medium thick walking socks. If you prefer walking with a thin sock and a thick one over the top then take them along to the shop.
As above a good pair of walking socks is essential, the 10,000 miles socks are decent, Sealskin waterproof socks may be more appropriate if you have purchased synthetic boots or trail shoes. My preferred option is Lorpan, they are without doubt the best walking socks that I have ever worn, expensive but still going strong after a few thousand miles.
Get the right fit, always try and get some boots that have a gap of about 1 - 2 cm between your toes and the front of the boot, this gives you some room for your feet to swell up and also for an extra layer of sock if required. If your boots have insoles, take them out of the boots and see where your toes are on the insole, you want that 1 -2 cm gap. Also make sure the width is correct, some people have thinner feet than others.
Keep your boots clean, this not only prolongs the life of the boots but it also helps prevent transfer of spores like Ash Dieback. Brush off any excess dirt, wash and treat any leather boots with beeswax, Nixwax or other waterproof dubbin. If your leather boots look dry, they made need some treatment before the leather starts cracking.
Always break your boots in, wear them around the house or work. The idea is to allow the boot to shape to your feet, in the army we had to stand in a warm bath to allow the leather to soften and shape to our feet, this was as we didn’t have much time to allow for the leather to bend. Always break them in before a long walk, I see loads of people turning up to do challenge walks such as the Yorkshire 3 Peaks with brand new boots and by the top of the first summit they have blisters.
If your boots get wet allow them to dry naturally if possible, I generally shove in some old crunched up newspaper to draw out as much moisture as possible, then after a few hours take out th newspaper and allow them to dry at room temperature. Putting them in front of a fire will cause leather boots to crack and synthetic ones to melt.
Use insoles to help protect your knees and lower back, I have a good thick pair of springy insoles which certainly take some of the pressure away from my joints. They can also be removed, washed and help keep your boots clean and fresh.
