As with everything else, there are necessary steps to be followed to promote the longevity and high-quality of your product. Hiking boots are no exception to this rule. You need to observe proper manual and attentive regular care to your hiking boots if you wish to implore their use for an extended amount of time. The ways to successful accomplish this are listed below.
Slow Break-in
Do not speed your way through this process by looking for a home remedies or shortcuts. All of these will serve to deteriorate the quality of your hiking shoes eventually. The best way is to simply wear your boots around for a walk before actually embarking on your hiking trip. This will cause you to break into your boots without impeding their quality.
Cleaning
The most prioritized step in observing proper care towards your pair of hiking boots is cleaning them up, especially after a tedious venture in muddy terrain. Everything wears down, but by cleaning your boots, you guarantee that they will last longer, especially if they are a pair of high-quality boots.
The cleaning process involves removing debris from the surface. The boots must be turned upside down and banged to remove any dirt present inside them first. You can then tap and shake your boots to remove any remaining dirt on the outside of the boots. A sharp tool can then be used to dig out any hardened mud on any portions of your hiking boots.
If you boots have become wet due to the terrain or weather conditions, you should let them dry overnight outside the tent or cabin, granted no rain is expected. Leaving your boots to dry out in the sun is not a good idea as the leather will end up cracking. An additional precaution that will ease the process of drying your boots is by carrying many packs of socks and alternating between them, not allowing your boots to end up being completely wet. The repetition of these tasks before wearing your boots will prolong the lifetime of your hiking boots and maintain their high-quality look and performance.
Waterproofing
Apart from cleaning your hiking shoes, you can also fortify them with a waterproofing agent, designed to make it last longer even after being exposed to wetness. This is best done after your boots have been thoroughly cleaned up. It is vital to note how crucial this step is as leather inevitably gets ruined by being exposed to water.
To combat this, the waterproofing agent will need to be reapplied once in a while, using the saturation of the outer materials in rainy conditions as an indicator. Make sure the waterproofing agent is only applied as a thin layer otherwise you risk damaging the quality of your hiking boots.
Replacing Insoles
It is quite obvious that if you have embarked on a hiking trip while facing rainy and humid conditions, then your insoles are likely to have suffered irreversible damage. The only way to revive the well-matched quality of your hiking shoes at this point would be to replace your insoles. One of the best practices for hikers is changing their insoles after every single hiking trip. This will significantly affect the quality of your hiking shoes and prolong it since the damaged insoles will only work their way to damage other parts of your boots.
Keep Off Saltwater
A precautionary measure that cannot be overstated is the complete avoidance of saltwater. If you are crossing rivers on your hiking trips, then there is no issue whatsoever. However, when it comes to salty water, they will directly cause the metal eyelets on your boots to rust. Any exposure to such water must be followed with the quick rinsing of those portions to maintain the quality of your hiking shoes. This is because unlike other parts of your shoes which can be easily replaced, metal eyelets cannot.
Conclusion
These are the necessary steps required to be observed in the face of battling the causes of reducing the quality of your hiking shoes. If you follow these steps regularly, then you will not only prolong the lifetime of your shoes but maintain their high-quality output throughout, allowing yourself to enjoy the desired level of performance in your hiking trips.
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