| Key points
to look at when you are buying boots:
Make sure the leather uppers made in only one piece of leather.
Check that there is a high rubber-rand between the sole and the uppers.
The tongue has to be sewn all the way to the top of the ankle.
Soft, but supportive ankle guard.
Minimal amount of sewn seams.
The innerlayer should be de of Gortex to make the boots breathable.
The soles should have good grip on rock and grass.
Boots and other
footwear
Boots are perhaps the most vital piece of equipment for spending time
in the mountains. They should be comfortable, durable and waterproof
if you are going on extended multi-day hikes. If you are doing a shorter
trip or day hike it may be more comfortable to use a lighter nylon
boot or even a hiking/approach shoe.
Hiking footwear can basically
be divided up into 3 types:
Leather boots – for serious hiking, long distances and heavy
backpacks.
Nylon boots – less serious, shorter hikes and light backpacks.
Approach / hiking shoes - day hikes, light loads and approaches to
rock climbs.
Hiking boots today are
either made of leather or nylon or a combination of both types of
material. Some more expensive models have Gortex incorporated into
the uppers, making them almost fully waterproof.
Leather boots
Leather boots must be made of thick cowhide leather with double stitched
seams on good rubber soles such as those made by Vibram. How the upper
is joined to the sole (called welting) comes in two distinct forms.
The traditional way is by the upper being double stitched, flat onto
the last and the sole is then glued on underneath. In addition, it
may also be nailed or screwed on to add strength. This traditional
method works well, but does suffer from water working it’s way
through the stitching when wet conditions are experienced for a long
time.
The newer way of upper
to sole attachment, is by using a rubber rand around the edge of the
boot, which then holds all the components together as one. This is
both highly durable and more water resistant than traditional welting,
but does not allow the foot to breath so easily.
The upper and randing should
be the same width or slightly wider that the sole. This enables the
wearer to get a grip on smaller edges when walking on steep gradients,
a term known as “edging”.
Leather boots are also
more water resistant and stronger when the upper is made from a single
piece of leather. This design has fewer or no seams exposed on
the upper, making it a better design and far more durable than boots
made up of many pieces of leather. The tongue of a leather boot should
also be sewn all the way to the top of the ankle guard area.
Leather boots are usually
quite stiff and hard when new. It is therefore best to walk them in
over several kilometers prior to using them in the mountains.
If snow or prolonged rain
could be encountered on the walk or if heavy backpacks are to be carried
over rough ground, then full leather boots should be worn. Ankle or
full snow gaiters can also improve water resistance of boots.
Nylon boots
Nylon hiking boots are often more comfortable than leather and they
seldom need to be walked in prior to proper use. Due to all the stitching
used in these boots they are never fully waterproof even, when Gortex
has been used in the construction. Nylon boots tend to be “lighter”
and are best used for less serious hiking. They are very good when
doing easy low level hikes and where most of the walking will be on
good paths.
Approach shoes
These come in both nylon and leather design. They are lightweight
and comfortable and used for easy hiking and scrambling. Due to their
design they can give remarkable support and stability. Most often
they aren’t water resistant and should not be used for carrying
heavy loaded backpacks.
Care
All types of footwear should be washed after each trip. In the case
of all-nylon boots, ordinary soap can be used in combination with
warm water and a scrubbing brush. If there is Gortex in the upper
of either nylon or leather boots then follow the manufactures care
instructions and use Nikwax Footwear cleaning gel.
In the case of full leather
boots, wash off any excess mud and grit. Then wash the leather with
Nikwax Aqueous Wax or Nikwax Nubuck & Suede. Rinse and then dry
in a warm, dry area. When the leather is dry, treat it with a modern
type leather care product such as one of the leather care Nikwax products.
Again, if there is Gortex in the upper, follow the manufacturer’s
instructions and only use Nikwax. Ordinary soaps will degrade the
Gortex. |
