Tips for Choosing the Best Hiking Boots

No matter what your sport or pastime, choosing the right equipment is a critical part of the preparation. But when it comes to outdoor sports the equipment you choose is even more essential. When you are ten or twenty miles out on the trail you won’t have the luxury of re placing that failed equipment — you will have to make do with what you have.

That is why choosing the right hiking boots is such an essential part of hiking. Being out in the great outdoors can be a great deal of fun, but hiking boots that make your feet hurt or cause blisters are certainly not pleasant. The hiking boots you choose will have a profound impact on your enjoyment of your new hobby, so get off to a great start by choosing the very best hiking boots you can afford.

When it comes time to go boot shopping it is important to keep in mind that your shoe size may not be a reliable guide. Quality hiking boots are much different than ordinary shoes, and they may be sized quite differently. It is important to try on several sizes in order to determine which one represents your best fit.

As you try on each pair of hiking boots it is important to wear the same socks you will be wearing on the trail. Wearing socks that are thinner or thicker than what you will be wearing while hiking can change the feel of the boots and even cause you to buy the wrong size. The same is true of insoles or other inserts – if you will be wearing them on the trail be sure to wear them in the store. Recreating the hiking conditions as much as possible during your shopping trip will increase your chances of buying the right boot.