Hiking Boot Care Guide

 

Hiking footwear is one of the most important choices you’ll make when building your outdoor wardrobe. Proper maintenance and regular care are essential for getting the most from your footwear, and ultimately from your adventures. With this in mind, we’ve created a hiking boot care guide to help you get the most out of your hiking boots prior to, during and after a hike. Shop our quality collection of hiking boot care products at the bottom of this article!

 

 

Hiking Boot Care Prior to Hiking

 

It’s important not to take your new footwear on long-duration walks and hikes immediately after purchase. Most footwear is good to go straight out of the box, however, some require a gradual break in period of a few days or longer, depending on the upper rigidity. You can do this by wearing them around the house for a few hours, or on your commute to the office - just be sure not to walk any long distances until they are properly broken in.

You can tell your hiking boots are broken in when they have no uncomfortable spots and feel moulded around your foot. It can also be a good idea to wear any activity-specific socks you may have and will use with the footwear during the break-in period. You might want to consider purchasing good quality hiking socks, such as Smartwool and Icebreaker, to help support your feet and prevent blisters. Custom footbed insoles like Superfeet can also help people with flatter feet by providing additional arch support.

 

Are Hiking Shoes Waterproof?


Before starting a hike or trek, it’s a good idea to check if your hiking boots are waterproof or not. Although our footwear has a factory-applied water-repellent treatment, it is recommended that you coat your footwear with a waterproof treatment before taking them on your first trip to maximise performance.

 

 

Caring for Hiking Boots During Activities

 

During your outings and trips always remove any rocks, dirt and sand from the inside of your boots. These foreign objects are not only annoying hitchhikers, but they can damage the waterproof lining of your footwear over time.

To begin your hiking boot care during a trip, remove your footwear, take out insoles and air your boots at night (or during extended stops). If your footwear gets muddy, you should always remove the mud as soon as possible. Allowing mud to dry on boots (especially leather) can draw moisture out of the leather, causing it to crack and hindering breathability.

If your boots are wet, do not dry them in front of a fire, in direct sun or in other direct heat sources. This can cause leather boots to split or shrink, and direct heat can also cause soles to split away from the boot uppers as the adhesive is damaged. If handy, stuff some newspaper or a cloth inside your boots to absorb any excess moisture. Consider taking footwear care products on extended trips to maximise the life of your hiking boots. Shop our full range of hiking boot care products below.

Top tip! Taking a lightweight pair of sandals or slippers on your hike allows you to give your feet a break at the campsite and provides you with more time to air your boots out.

 

 

How to Clean Hiking Boots After Use

 

When you return home from a hiking trip, follow the steps below to effectively clean your hiking boots and keep them in prime condition:

  1. Remove the laces and inner or custom insoles. Laces can be cleaned with warm water and checked for damage. Replace as needed with manufacturer lacing or similar length/style.
  2. Insoles can be cleaned with a hard-bristle nail brush and soapy water. Allow to air-dry away from direct heat.
  3. Remove mud/dirt from footwear using running water and brush. A nail brush is handy for reaching small nooks and the sole.
  4. Wipe the inside of the boots with a wet cloth to remove sweat and salt build-up and grime.
  5. Although mild soaps can be used, there are many specific footwear cleaning products available to ensure correct cleaning and maintenance of your footwear, that will not harm GORE-TEX or similar waterproof linings. We’d recommend Revivex Boot and Shoe Cleaner.

 

Once your footwear is clean, we recommend you apply a conditioning and/or waterproofing treatment to help keep your footwear in excellent condition and protect them from the elements on your next trip. Conditioning your boots will ensure that the outer material doesn’t dry out as this can lead to cracking and leaking. Liquid-based agents require the footwear to be damp and wax-based agents require the footwear to be dry.

 

Shop the following products for the best hiking boot care:

 

It’s important to periodically wear your boots to prevent them degrading in storage, as the chemistry of the glue requires regular use to maintain its flexibility and longevity. Make sure you wear your boots every few months to ensure the soles of your boots last for many, many adventures. 

 

 

Storage for Your Hiking Boots

 

Store your footwear in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area that’s out of the sun. This will help to increase the lifespan of your hiking boots so you can wear them on many adventures in the future.

 

 

Shop Hiking Boot Care

 

Shop our range of quality hiking boot care products below. If you have any questions about your footwear and how to care for them or need advice on warranty and/or repairs, please don’t hesitate to contact us or visit us in-store


Please keep your receipt in case you need to exchange your footwear, or should the need arise for warranty repair or replacement. We recommend you scan or copy your receipt now as it will fade over time. If your footwear came with instructions, please keep this information for future reference.

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  1. Gear Aid Suede Fabric Water Repellent
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    Fabric & Leather Proof Waterproofing
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    $9.95
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    Outdoor Flat Lace 160cm
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    All Purpose Support High Arch Inner Soles
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    $79.95
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    ComfortFIT Footbed
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    $29.95
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