CHAPTER SIX

Boots

Undoubtedly one of the most important pieces of gear in our arsenal, boots have a very direct effect on the comfort and success of any hiking trip. It sometimes takes years of trial and error to find a pair of boots that you fall in love with, and when that happens, you’ll do anything to keep them functioning, right?

In general, the heavier the boot, the longer it will last. If you opt for a $100 pair of super-light low-cut hikers, don’t expect them to last as long as a $250 pair of full-grain leather big boys, like those pictured at left. Like I said, the lighter the shoe, the more disposable it becomes. So while most of the fixes in this chapter pertain to boots that are meant to last several years or more, many of them can also be applied to light hikers, too.

Holes

Small holes are rare in all-leather models, but they do happen in high wear points—like toe creases (see below)—on fabric boots.

Clean the area well with rubbing alcohol (use a toothbrush to remove any grit from the creases). Then bust out the Seam Grip and plug the holes with a generous gob. Let cure overnight.

PRO FIX

Hiking boots are like cars: When the odometer hits so many miles, it’s time for retirement. But some things are worth fixing first.

• If the soles of your heavy-leather hikers are worn smooth, but the boot is otherwise in good shape, send them to a good cobbler for a sole replacement. I recommend Dave Page out of Seattle (davepagecobbler.com), and so do the majority of boot makers out there. Dave can resole your heavy-duty hikers or mountaineering boots for under $100.
• a lace hook pops off
• stitching blows out in a major way

This up-close shot of the toe crease area on an all-leather boot shows some serious neglect. If leather gets to this point, it’s time to go shopping.

Peeling Rands

If you spot a peeling rand, the key is to fix it up fast, before the whole sole starts to come away (see “Rebonding Soles”).

Step 1: Take a screwdriver or something with a similar profile and shape and gently clean any dirt or debris from the gap between boot and rand. (This allows for better adhesion.)

Step 2: Fill an irrigation syringe with Freesole, Shoe Goo, or Seam Grip. Squirt the adhesive into the gap.

Step 3: Tape the rand firmly in place, using a pencil to apply direct pressure to any problem spots. Let cure overnight.

REAL PEOPLE, REAL PROBLEMS: REBONDING SOLES: PART 1

Matt Vellone, of Boulder, Colorado, has traveled the world—from New Zealand to Alaska—in his eight-year-old leather Raichles. “They’ve taken a beating,” he says. “I had them resoled a few years back, but they delaminated a year ago in the North Cascades. I’ve yet to find another pair of boots that fit my feet so well, so I’d love to get them back on the trail.”

Matt Vellone poses with his boots at 13,000 feet along the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado.

The Fix: If the toe of your boot starts flapping, the adhesive that joins the sole to the upper has given out. This often happens because your boots were exposed to excessive heat (see “Drying Your Boots”). If you’re in the field, there’s not much you can do short of wrapping it with duct tape, but once home the fix is pretty simple and will let you get many more miles out of your boot. (Note: If the sole peels off cleanly like Matt’s—either in the toe or heel area—and you catch it quickly, it’s oh-so-simple. If you let it go for a while, or if the boot has multiple layers that get exposed once the sole has peeled, it gets slightly more complicated, but it’s still fixable—see Melanie’s story.)

Step 1: Wipe both surfaces—the inside of the rubber sole and the leather—down with rubbing alcohol. Fill the sole cavity with Freesole or Shoe Goo.

Step 2: Tape or clamp the sole securely in place. Let it cure overnight, or better yet, for forty-eight hours. (Note: Some adhesive will inevitably ooze out of the gap. Don’t worry about it—they’re hiking boots, not dress shoes!)

REAL PEOPLE, REAL PROBLEMS: REBONDING SOLES: PART 2

Melanie Robinson moved to Colorado in 2007 in search of open spaces and vertical gain. The first thing she bought when she arrived was her Asolo Stynger GTX boots. “They have hiked more miles of trail than I can count, climbed two 14ers, as well as many small peaks along the way,” she says. “I literally wore them every day until the soles gradually delaminated and I started tripping over myself with each step!”

Melanie Robinson taking a breather on the summit of Mount Muscoco in Colorado.

The Fix: This was a tricky one because the sole on these boots has multiple layers, all of which were exposed when the toe peeled away. This repair took a whole lot of Freesole and Seam Grip, but I eventually got this boot back in fighting shape. Here’s how:

Step 1: This boot is in a bad way. Not only has the sole peeled away, exposing the other materials in the boot, but some of the rubber has degraded away.

Step 2: Gently peel back the toe and clean out any dirt. Then liberally squirt Freesole onto both surfaces.

Step 3: Carefully marry the upper to the sole, making sure that the upper is neatly tucked inside the sole.

Step 4: To keep everything nice and tight while the adhesive cures—up to forty-eight hours—completely wrap the front of the boot with duct tape.

Restoring Worn Heels

Many people, because of their particular gait, experience undue wear in the heel area of a shoe or boot. This can be frustrating when the rest of the boot is still in great condition. But there is an easy way to restore your heels to maintain traction and keep your funky gait from getting worse. Here’s the scoop:

Step 1: Apply a piece of clear tape to the perimeter of the heel to make a dam. Squirt a generous amount of Freesole into the cavity.

Step 2: Use a plastic knife to gently feather the adhesive. Then set the boots perfectly level so the goo can spread evenly. Let it cure for forty-eight hours.

Step 3: Remove the tape and you have a brand-new heel.

Making a Toe Cap

Lots of leather boots come with rubber toe rands to protect the leather from abrasion in this vulnerable spot, but many don’t. If your boots fall into the latter category and your precious toes are getting scuffed, try this quick, effective solution: Build your own toe cap.

Step 1: Mark off the area you want to protect with a piece of tape.

Step 2: Lightly scuff up the toe area with sandpaper.

Step 3: Wipe your scuff job down with rubbing alcohol to remove any debris.

Step 4: Apply McNett Freesole to the top of the toe, and then use a foam brush, Popsicle stick, or even a toothpick to move the adhesive over the entire section. Don’t worry about evening it out; the Freesole will self-adjust into a nice smooth sheen.

Step 5: Remove the tape after about thirty minutes, then let your boots cure overnight.

Cleaning

There’s something very gratifying about giving your boots their own little spa day. You start off with dusty, dirt-encrusted clompers, and less than an hour later you have boots that look spanking new. Follow these easy steps any time your boots come home from a trip looking particularly thrashed.

Step 1: Fresh back from a grueling trip, your boots will look something like this: dusty, caked with muck, scuffed, and generally forlorn. Remove the laces (toss them in the washing machine or dishwasher), and wet the boots.

Step 2: Fill a bucket with about a half gallon of water and either a purpose-built boot cleaner like ReviveX Boot Cleaner Concentrate or a drop of mild dish soap. Scrub the boot aggressively with a medium stiff brush (a toothbrush also works). Then rinse under the faucet or with a hose. Let air-dry in the sun and proceed to waterproofing.

REMOVING PESKY SMELLS

Do you suffer from stinky boot syndrome? Do your tentmates gag when you remove them at the end of the day? It’s probably not the boot itself, but the sweat-soaked insole. Some tips for squelching the stench:

• During a trip remove the insoles each night so they can air-dry.
• Back home wash the inside of your boot with a mild dish soap and water (or use McNett Mirazyme, an enzyme-based odor eliminator). Pay special attention to the insole. Rinse in a 3:1 hot water–to–white vinegar solution.
• Stuff the boots with newspaper and turn them upside down to dry. Change newspaper as needed, until the boots are dry.

STINKY SANDALS?

It happens to the best of us. Fill a bucket with warm water and add the recommended dose of McNett Enzyme-Based odor Eliminator. Scrub the footbed and the straps with an old toothbrush, then let the sandals air-dry. Put your sandals in the freezer right between the ribeye steaks and the Fudgsicles and let them rest overnight. Come morning they should be fresh as, well, clean sandals.

Waterproofing

There are two kinds of boots out there: those that are waterproof and those that are not. To be truly waterproof a boot must have a membrane—like Gore-Tex—sandwiched inside the materials. Boots with membranes rarely, if ever, leak, even though many people swear that they do. They don’t. What’s really happening is that the boot’s original DWR (durable water repellent) has worn off, so the materials—whether it’s leather or fabric—get saturated. The inner membrane prevents the water from reaching your foot, but the damage is done: Your foot perceives the wetness (and coldness) outside the membrane, and it tells your brain “my foot is wet” even though it’s really not. The bottom line: Keep your boots well conditioned (see “Conditioning Leather Boots”) and regularly treat them with a waterproofer, and your feet will feel—and stay—dry.

How often should you waterproof your boots? It depends on how hard you use them. Any time you start to see water penetrate the material, that’s your signal. For heavy users this could be up to a couple times a season.

Conditioning Leather Boots

Leather is like skin: It needs periodic moisturizing or it will begin to dry out and crack like an old snake. All boots with leather (either full or partial) should be conditioned any time they start looking parched (you’ll notice the leather turning a lighter shade). Don’t wait for cracks or creases to form, because once they do, there’s no stopping them. There are many conditioning products out there, but personally I prefer Aquaseal Leather Waterproofing and Conditioner (aquaseal.com) because it’s a twofer: It saves me a step and does a great job at both tasks.

Whatever you do, don’t use mink oil or any other straight oil to condition your boots. It oversoftens the leather and causes it to lose its structural integrity, which is key to keeping your foot supported. The only exception: If you have a big burly pair of all-leather jobs that are resisting break-in, it’s okay to apply small amounts of mink oil to troublesome spots to beat the leather into submission. But use a small amount at a time and don’t overdo it.

Aquaseal is a cream, and leather considers it delicious. Apply several thin coats with your fingers and your leather will drink it up.

Drying Your Boots

Back when I was a rookie backpacker, I took a fabulous weeklong gear-testing trip to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming. On day one we crossed countless creeks and rivers, and my boots got alternately soaked and caked with mud. It was a cold night and had started to snow. I couldn’t bear the thought of wet leather boots the next morning, so I dried them by our blazing campfire. That morning my boots were nice and dry, all right. But they had also shrunk by about half a size, which I quickly determined after about half a mile of walking. Worse still, we had many more stream crossings that day, too, so my boots were quickly soaked again.

I ended the day (and suffered throughout the rest of the trip) with huge, quarter-size blisters rubbed raw on both heels.

What I should have done was dealt with it. Sometimes wet boots are a fact of hiking in beautiful places. I should have just removed the insoles, opened up the laces, and placed the boots inside the foot of my sleeping bag that night. They would have likely still been damp the next morning, but I’ll take damp over blisters any day.

Bottom line: Drying takes time. Don’t force it. Keep your boots clear of intense heat, which can also damage the glues that bond the boot together and lead to delaminating.

Sometimes there’s no avoiding soaked boots. The key is knowing how to dry them out properly, and patiently.

Splurge! When you’ve exhausted all efforts and it’s time to buy new boots, consider these features, as well as the pros and cons of each to help you make the best purchase. Also, be sure to try on as many brands as you can (with your hiking socks, not your dress socks!) to find the one that best jives with your foot shape. And check out my boot-fitting tips in “Boot Fitting 101.”

PICK THIS …	OR THAT
Low cut: Best for light and fast hikes on smooth terrain; no break-in required	High cut: Better ankle protection for gnarly territory and heavy loads
Waterproof : Membranes such as Gore-Tex, eVent, or OutDry keep you bone dry—but boost the price tag	Nonwaterproof: Best breathability for hot, dry environs and sweaty feet
Synthetic: Man-made “leathers,” polyester, and nylon materials reduce weight, are more breathable, and dry out faster when soaked (bonus: very low-maintenance)	Leather: Break-in time and periodic TLC required, but durable leathers reign supreme for big loads and tough terrain
Full-grain leather: Bomber durability and protection	Split-grain leather: Lighter, less expensive, and softer; requires less break-in time
Plastic/fabric lace hardware: Shaves a bit of weight, though it’s less durable; webbing eyelets prevent laces from slipping	Metal lace hardware: Laces slide easily through metal eyelets and ankle speed hooks, allowing quick adjustments for ascents and descents
Synthetic liners: Wick sweat and promote breathability	Leather liners: Lusciously mold to feet, but trap heat and dry slowly
Soft, sticky rubber soles: Flex allows a natural stride (especially when walking quickly); tacky rubber allows better smearing when scrambling	Hard, stiff rubber soles: Absorb shock on hard landings, protect the bottom of feet from bruising, and last longer
Shallow lugs: Shed mud effectively	Deep lugs: Better grip in mud and snow

Boot Fitting 101

Blisters, blackened toenails, sprained arches, bone spurs, plantar fasciitis: need any more convincing that the proper fit is vitally important? Read on.

FRAYING BOOT LACES?

Solve this annoying little problem in a matter of seconds. Just use your multitool to snip the laces below the fray, then char the ends to prevent further unraveling.

• Always try boots on at the end of the day, when your feet are slightly swollen, like they would be after a day of hiking.
• Wear your hiking socks, not your dress socks, which are too thin to give you an accurate idea of fit. Many new-generation hiking socks come with areas of differing thickness that can significantly alter boot fit as well.
• Ignore your preconceived notions about your foot. Our feet flatten out and expand as we age, so get your feet measured by a pro every time you buy.
• Use your true measurement as a starting point, but don’t get hung up on it. If you measure a 10, also try on a 9.5 and a 10.5 to see which one feels best.
• Walk around in your chosen candidates. You should feel little to no movement in the heel area. The boot should be snug through the midfoot and you should have plenty of toe-wiggling room.
• Kick your toe against a wall or column. The toes should barely graze (if at all) the front of the boot. If they do, that could spell trouble on a long descent.
• Consider upgrading insoles. Most boots come with flimsy footbeds that don’t offer much support. Aftermarket insoles (Superfeet and Sole are two of my favorite brands) provide much-needed arch support and a smooth heel pocket and can greatly improve the fit of your boot, especially if you have low-volume, narrow feet.
• For truly persistent problems you might need custom-molded orthotics. These rigid and often expensive ($150 and up) footbeds must be fitted by a podiatrist. To determine whether you might need orthotics, look at the wear patterns on the soles of your older shoes and boots. If they show extreme wear on the inner side of the soles (pronation) or the outer side (supination), then your ankles and arches probably need orthotic support.

Tips from the Field: Boots

• Pack camp shoes: Especially if you’re hiking in heavy, stiff boots, it’s a sweet luxury to slip into something more comfortable at the end of a 10-mile day. Consider down booties in cold weather, or flip-flops or Crocs in mild weather.
• Nip blisters in the bud: Don’t wait for a big gaping blister to form. As soon as you begin to feel a hot spot, stop, inspect your feet, and do something about it. Changing socks can help, and you can also apply duct or medical tape to the hot spot to prevent more friction.
• Relace your boots: Experiment with different lacing techniques (you’ll find lots of info at backpacker.com) to relieve pressure points at the tops of your feet or to better lock your heel into the boot’s pocket to prevent movement. Remember: Movement creates friction and friction leads to blisters.
• Boots leaking? If you’re on a trip and wishing you had forked over the extra dough for waterproof boots, there is a solution, albeit an imperfect one. Place a plastic bag (a large zip-top bag, a grocery bag, or even a cut-up black garbage bag) over each sock, then lace up your boots. The plastic will keep out the water, but your feet will get hot.

Don’t be afraid of a little mud. According to Leave No Trace principles (see Chapter 14), it’s always better to carefully make your way through a puddle than skirt around it and widen the trail.