How to Take Care of your Hiking Shoes
While the shoes that you have purchased for hiking will eventually wear down, there are a few tips that can help you increase its lifespan. Read this post to know five essential tips for taking care of your hiking boots or shoes. Hiking is not your standard walking or even running. When you hike, you regularly walk on challenging terrains, climb, jump, and do a lot of physical activities that put a lot of stress on your hiking boots too. While your boots will eventually wear down, with proper care and maintenance you can significantly increase their lifespan.
If you want the hiking boots or shoes to last longer, here are five expert tips that are sure to help-
1. Cleaning the Hiking Boots Start with first cleaning the shoes after you return from a hike. Even if you go on hikes regularly and would go for one soon, it is still crucial for you to clean the boots every time you get back. This is because the dirt, mud, and grime gets accumulated on your shoes and can significantly affect its waterproofing.
If you haven’t cleaned your boots for a long time and the boot has a lot of mud and dirt, its breathability too might have fallen considerably. To clean the boots, just take a sponge or a brush and some lukewarm water and clean it gently.
2. Dry the Boots Thoroughly Irrespective of whether or not you have cleaned your shoes, you should make sure that you dry it thoroughly before storing it. If you have not washed it with water, it might still have some moisture in the form of sweat or rainwater in it.
To dry the boots thoroughly, undo the laces and remove the insole. This will ensure that the shoes get dry faster. Note that storing damp or wet boots can promote the growth of mould. So, dry the shoes for at least 24 hours before storing them.
3. Repairing Once the shoes are dry, scrutinise them to check for signs of damage. Check the boots from the top, bottom, outside and inside to see if anything is damaged. If you see any damage, ensure that you get it repaired as quickly as possible.
Many of the damages can reduce the performance of the boots. Moreover, some of them can also be harmful to you. For instance, damages like the torn sole on the inside or lose stitch can result in blisters.
4. Some TLC Once the damages are repaired, its time for applying some products on your shoes. One of the most important ones is waterproofing grease or waterproofing spray. The goal with this step is to restore the water repellent properties of your hiking boots.
If you have leather hiking boots, you can find leather conditioners which you can apply to make the material water-resistant and more durable and flexible.
5. Storage Once all of this is done, its time for you to now store your hiking shoes. Make sure that you store your shoes in a properly ventilated and dry place. Never leave them in direct contact with the sun.
If you do not hike on a regular basis and are going to put them away for a long time, put silica gel or tea bags in the shoes to keep them free from odours arising from moisture.
Hiking Boots Maintenance Done Right If you want to make sure that your hiking boots continue to deliver the performance and comfort that you expect, there is no way but to give them proper care and attention. Follow the steps discussed above after each of your hikes, and you are sure to extend the life of your hiking boots considerably.