by Ethel Smith

Created on: June 28, 2008

Having a decent yet comfortable pair of hiking boots is vital for your safety and the health of your feet. Whether you are a casual, occasional walker, or the type of person who regularly hikes quite a distance, the state of your feet is paramount. With ill fitting and inappropriate footwear your walking will not be enjoyable and may in fact be very painful or even dangerous. Obviously with all this in mind it is important to buy new boots well.

You will need sturdy, well made hiking boots but cost may also be a consideration. Try to try on as many pairs as required in the store in order to get a pair of boots that fit you well. Good boots should offer your foot and ankle some protection but the choice will be yours. If you have any foot problems it may be that you will have to buy boots with a lower ankle level, for example. Walk about the shop as much as possible when trying on this footwear. Also make sure that you are not trying the boots on after a long day on your feet when they may be swollen. Make sure that you are wearing the sort of socks that you will normally be wearing when hiking. With all of this in mind you should purchase a pair of good hiking boots that will soon be broken in.

Some good tips for breaking in new hiking boots are:-

When you take them out of the box bend and stretch the boots around a little.

Wear them in the home for short periods of time to adjust to the feel of them.

Do this with a good, thick, appropriate pair of socks on.

If they feel a little tight try wearing two pairs of socks whilst breaking them in at home.

Limit the length of time you are walking in your new boots for a week or two.

Try stretching and bending your feet in your boots.

When you are just breaking your boots in at home try leaving the laces loose as you are just sitting around.

Overall though I feel that the best advice is buy well. If you purchase well and the boots are a good fit the breaking in period of time should be minimal. Boots need to be in a good material that is designed to let your feet breathe a little. They need to be strong and weather proof.

New boots can cause untold problems to your feet which is a nightmare for a walker. It is often the case, particularly with new footwear, that by the time you are comfortable with them, and they with you, they are just about worn out. Take a little time to break your new hiking boots in and hopefully this will not be the case for you.

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