Today I will write about how to choose and take care of your hiking boots.

First of all, your feet are just your feet. This meaning our feet are individual, so it is important to choose a pair that suits just you. When choosing what type of boot, you will buy, you must decide for what purpose you will use them for. Is it mountaineering in high altitude, in cold climate or just hiking on trails? Is it important for you that the boot should manage very wet climate you should go for one with membrane. So, what is the advantage and disadvantage of membrane? To be honest, some membrane works better than others, but are seldom perfect and lose their function over time. If you will use the boots under longer period in cold climate, you should consider a boot without membrane. Because it will dry faster when it got wet. Ok, so now you have decided if you shall have membrane or not. Now you must decide how stable the boot shall be, and high or low shaft? The higher and often heavier a boot is the more stable and of course more expensive. Now you probably got a range of different brand to choose from. Next step now will be to check the fit. Number one will be volume, your ankles size will be crucial when choosing boot. If you got a low ankle, it is important to select a boot that will keep your feet in place. If not, your toes will slip forward in downhill terrain. The second is the length, try the boot with double pair of socks. Press you heal backwards, lacing the boot and walk around. You should be able to move your toes. A golden rule of thumb is to have 1cm before the toes…Width your feet should not moving around in the boot, and not sit to tight. Then you will get blisters. So, know you just must choose the one that suits best. 

(This boot with Gore-Tex lining you should use wax, and not grease)

When it comes shoe care it is a chapter of its own. Your new boots life-span will be affected of your ability to take care of them. Use a sponge and lukewarm water to remove dust and dirt from the boot. Remove the shoelace, clean the boot under there as well. If you have a boot with membrane you can use a toothbrush to clean it inside. If the membrane get dirty it will not work. Remove gravel from the sole and now the boot is clean. Now its time for new waterproofing. Here we use two different products; Wax or grease. Normally people do not know the difference of those twos, but that can makes a disaster. Never use grease on a membrane boot. This will go in under the surface and lock the membrane, so use the wax for these boots. If you have a nubuck boot and you don’t want to destroy the surface, you must use a Gore-Tex spray. But sooner o later you will need to use wax for those ones as well.

Today the workout contained 15k hiking and 1h at hte gym. 10×10 cal rowing and 10×10 push-ups. All under 10 min(09.32) So focus of the cardio…During the hike it started to rain. And I thaught there is a thin line between bad weather condtion and bad attitude condition:-)

Now we closing up the quiz, the price you can win is this:

The top of the day is 1768m and it is the highest peak in the Vasterbottens county.

See ya soon…