Hiking Boot Care

Being an Outdoor Guide means that everyone asks you how to fix their stuff. Here are some tips and tricks that you can use!

Here are 4 good habits to adopt:

• Clean boots after every hike. A brush and some water are the basic tools.
• Remove insoles/inserts after a hike to permit the whole boot to dry.
• Do not expose boots to excessive heat; store them at room temperature.
• When water stops beading on boot uppers, add a waterproofing treatment to restore their water resistance.

Read on for details on how to ensure that your boots enjoy a long life and perform at their best.

When Hiking Boots Are New

• Keep the care instructions provided. Always follow the boot maker's maintenance advice.
• New hiking boots rarely require treatment out of the box. Reason: Nearly all boots are factory-treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish.
• Break in new hiking boots before attempting an extended trip.
• If a flex point of a leather boot is slow to break in, apply conditioner to that spot to make it more pliable.

After Any Hike: Clean Those Boots

Cleaning Tips

Be diligent in cleaning hiking boots. You say you're too tired after a hike to clean your boots? Then clean 'em the following day.

Why bother?

• With every flexing motion, particles of dirt, grit or sand can creep deeper into a boot's leather or fabric upper and grind away like sandpaper.
• Mud can suck moisture from leather as it dries, leaving leather less pliable and vulnerable to accelerated aging.
• Removable sock liners (found in some boots) or insoles are potentially machine washable. Check manufacturer instructions before attempting this. Always remove liners or insoles and let them air out.

Tip: Never put hiking footwear in a washing machine.

Use a brush to gently remove dust and dirt. Choose a specialized tool or an old vegetable brush or toothbrush. For maximum thoroughness, remove laces prior to cleaning. Add running water and a specialized boot cleaner, saddle soap or, if no other options exist, a mild dishwashing soap.

• Do not use bar soap or detergents; they typically contain surfactants that attract water; detergents may also include fabric brighteners that can leave residues.
• Mold on the boots? Brush in a mixture of 80% water and 20% vinegar.

If needed, wash off the outsole, too. A tread cleaner can extract stones and other stubborn gunk that plug your traction-boosting lugs. If mud is really caked on, soak the outsoles (not the uppers) in a shallow pan of water for several hours. Then hose away the sludge.

Drying Tips

• Allow boots to dry at a normal temperature. Rushing the process is unhealthy for boots, particularly leather boots.
• Remove insoles and let them air-dry separately from the boots.
• Do not place wet boots close to a heat source (fireplace, campfire, wood stove, radiator, heater, sunny windowsill, whatever). High heat:
• Weakens the adhesives used in modern footwear.
• Bakes the upper, which could turn the leather brittle or cause it to shrink and curl, which potentially could squeeze a boot's toe counter (a nylon reinforcement in toe), which would alter its fit.
• Recommended speed-drying method: Place boots (insoles removed, tongue propped open) in the path of a fan in a normal, room-temperature environment.
• No fan handy? Stuff a sheet or 2 of newspaper into each boot. Newsprint is a surprisingly decent moisture absorber. Change the paper each hour.
• Boots dry faster when positioned upside-down.
• Store boots in a place where temperatures are stable and normal. Do not store boots in attics, garages, car trunks or any unventilated spaces where heat can rapidly accumulate.

After Extended Use: Clean, Condition, Waterproof

Cleaner

Use a cleaner when preparing to apply waterproofing, or any time stubborn residue (dust, mud, grime) is visible on the upper.

Use a cleaner periodically. You always want to clean boots after a hike, but a simple brush-off or a rinse-and-wipe is usually sufficient. But if boots are muddy or really dusty, adding a footwear-specific cleaner will optimize your effort.

Tip: Always clean boots thoroughly before applying waterproofing.

Conditioner

Use a conditioner when full-grain leather boots appear dry or cracked. It can also be used if new footwear needs to be broken in quickly.

Use a conditioner judiciously. Healthy leather (like our own skin) functions best when moisturized. Yet too much conditioner can make boots too soft, reducing the support they provide on rugged terrain.

Do not use Mink Oil or similar oils better suited for logging/industrial boots; it over-softens dry-tanned leather used in hiking footwear.

Waterproofing

Use a waterproofing treatment when water does not speedily bead up and roll off a boot's surface, allowing water to sink into the exterior layer.

Use it as needed. The frequency depends on how hard you use your boots. It is not uncommon for serious trail hounds who do a lot of wet-weather hiking to apply waterproofing several times a year.

Article and others like it found at REI.com