First off, have a look at your feet. Are they well maintained right now? Nails trimmed, clean and in good condition? If not, then you really have to get them up to par. Talk to your doctor if you have serious issues, but for the most part self maintenance is something that you should have been taught from an early age and is easy to keep up. Wash them daily, trim the nails and if you get pedicures make sure they don't remove too much callous. The callous is there to protect the tissue underneath. If you have really soft skin then you will be more prone to blisters. The opposite end of the spectrum is no good either, tree bark feet will split open and leave you at risk for infection just as easily as broken blisters. Soft leather like a fancy sports car seat is what you are after. Socks are your friends. Learn to wear socks to keep the skin from drying out and cracking.
When I served in the military it was actually a charge-able offence to let your feet become a problem. Weekly foot inspections were a part of life while in the field. Your feet are your most important piece of gear, treat them that way.
So now that your feet are in good condition, boots are probably the next most important piece of gear when you go out into the wild. Your feet are what will get you to where you want to go and they will get you back. Provided you take good care of them and protect them. So what boots do you get?
The steps to fitting boots:
1. Go walking. That's right. Before you go anywhere near a store looking for boots, go for a good walk. Spend at least an hour on your feet walking. Feet that have been sitting around without your weight on them are a different size than they will be later after walking. Wander the mall, walk the dog, play with the kids or a game of tennis. Do something to drive blood into your feet and spread out the bones. Don't over do it, you don't want swollen feet either. Just 'warmed up' feet.
2. Bring socks. For hiking or back country style expedition boots you will want to bring 2 pair. A brand new pair of sport socks that go up past your ankle, and a brand new pair of wool socks. Holy crap Tony, it's 35C outside, wool socks!? Yes. Wool socks. Put both the sport socks on and the wool socks over top. Now try on the boots.
3. Find your size. Every make and model of boot will fit differently. Get the clerk to help you measure your foot if you need to. You will want boots that fit snugly, but not tight. They should hug your feet through the 2 layers of socks. Do up the laces on both boots. Walk around the store in them. Spend some time squatting, bending, leaning and rolling sideways on your ankles. Check for support and for spots that seem to get sore. If something pokes, pinches or feels in any way uncomfortable, get a different boot. Don't be afraid to ask for a different pair in the same size and model. Not all boots are made by the same person or machine and boots from different boxes may fit slightly differently. Also don't be afraid to buy the left from one box and the right from another. You need your boots to fit and be comfortable. You may not find a good match at this store, try another until you are happy. Make this purchase as if you were going to spend 10x what they are priced at.
4. Break them in. All boots need to be broken in. Some boots may only need an hour or so, others especially heavy leather boots will need much more time. I'll assume you bought standard hikers like in the picture above. If you want to know how to break in heavy leather boots like combat boots, let me know and I'll write about that. By breaking in, I mean they need to conform to the shape of your foot. When you get the boots home, put them on (with both pairs of socks, even in the heat) and tie them up snugly. Now take the dog out for a 20 minute walk. Adjust the laces as needed as you go. The material in the boot will compress and form to your foot. when you get home, leave the boots on. Relax, let your feet and boots cool down before taking them off. A couple of walks like this and your boots should be good to go.
The big question I can see looming right now is why the 2 pairs of socks.
This is something I have learned over the years on long hikes and forced marches. The sport sock will get sweaty, and stick to your foot. The wool sock will compress and tend to adhere to the boot. Any rubbing that occurs will be between the fibers of the two pairs of socks rather than against your skin, causing blisters. The wool is also a good insulator and will help you regulate the temperature of your feet. I used this technique for years and I have never had cold feet or blisters to worry about.
Always deal with hot spots right away, BEFORE they turn into blisters. I have an issue with my left foot where I get a hot spot under the ball of the toe, but it comes from the bone rubbing on the interior tissue. It can cause me some problems, but a well broken in boot and insole helps me to keep that in check.
Hopefully you don't need custom orthotics but if you do, then have them made. Your feet are your feet, do what you have to do to get out and be comfortable.
The Trail Awaits!
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| The cutline heading west from Fullerton Loop Kananaskis, Alberta |
