Boots are probably the most important item you will purchase.  Your feet will get you there…and back, hopefully without blisters, lost toenails, twisted ankles or an aching back.  Ranking up with the importance of boots are socks, which I will cover later on this page.

Unfortunately many people don't know how important their feet are until something goes wrong. That's a horrible time to find out, believe me! If your feet aren't happy, there's no way you will be either.

I can’t stress enough how important a good quality pair of boots is to your health and well being. For feet’s sake, do not skimp on your boots!  Having been a trekker in the Sahyadri mountains, I could tell you horror stories of how people have suffered with improper footwear.  In one instance, I treated someone wearing tennis shoes who had one foot completely covered by a single blister, top and bottom!   Many, many people have lost all ten toenails because they were wearing boots that were too small in the toe box or in the overall fit.  You can own the best pair of boots available, but if they don’t fit properly, your purchase was in vain. When looking to purchase boots, it is very wise to try them on late in the day since your feet swell, just as they will when you hike.  Also try the boots on with the socks you will be wearing.  Often the stores will have thick socks available to try on with the boots to assure a good fit.  One of the most common problems I have seen in working with the hiking public is that they wear boots that are too small. I found some wonderful, sound advice in Townsend’s book on how to find boots that fit properly.  Put your foot in the boot without tying the shoelace and slide your foot forward until it hits the front of the boot.  If you have one finger’s thickness of space at your heel, the boot fits properly.  If you have more room, the boot is too big, less room and the boot is too small.  Again, it is very important to find a good store with experienced help that can assist you in fitting your boots properly. 

There are many styles and models of boots to choose from; be sure to find a pair that meets your individual needs.  The amount support you require will vary with the length of trip, weight of your backpack, the weather, and the type of terrain you will be traversing; the more difficult the trip, the more support required.

Some important features to look for in boots are:

Because the human body is not perfectly symmetrical, your feet are bound to be slightly different sizes.  In some people this could amount to a half-size difference!   Be sure to fit the pair of boots to your larger foot.  You can always add socks to fill in the extra space, but there is nothing you can do to shrink your foot.   I have seen some very imaginative (or just terribly desperate!) people cut the top of their ill-fitting boots off just to give their toes breathing space so they could complete their hike.

Fortunately, many of the newer lightweight boots do not require the break-in time of the older, heavyweight leather boots.  Still, it is important to break your boots in, even if it’s just to make sure that the boots are comfortable before you take your trip.  Try them on some inclines and rough terrain.  Any problems early in the game will only be amplified on the trail, especially with the weight of a pack compounding problems.  I always tell people that it’s cheaper to get a new pair of boots than to go to the doctor to have a problem taken care of later. I f your feet feel good, so will you.

One tip I received from a reader sounds great to me. Use a pair of toe gel pads (made for ballet point shoes) to protect your toes on those long, relentless downhill hikes found in the Sahyadri mountains.

Once you have the boots, it’s important to care for them properly.  Clean them after your trips; waterproof them when necessary.  With care, good boots will provide years of enjoyment and comfort.  One thing I do every night of a hike before going to bed is to remove the insoles and stand them upright through the mouth of the boot.  This allows them to dry thoroughly, which keeps foot odor down.  

For boots to do their job well, the right socks are necessary.  Go to the store and you will find multitudes of socks to choose from.  The material and construction of your socks are very important considerations.  Cotton, Ragg wool, merino wool, acrylic, and polypropylene, are some of the materials used in socks.  They each have their strengths and weakness, which I will cover briefly here.