Choosing the best hiking boots are really important. Not only is your comfort at stake but your health is also a critical factor to keep in mind when choosing the best hiking boots for you.

How My Hiking Boots Got Me Into Trouble

Let me tell you a story. About 150 miles into my Pacific Crest Trail Section A thru C hike, I started to get a small pain on the ball of my left foot by my big toe. It soon spread to my left foot and started creeping across the width of foot. I really noticed it during the down hills and thought maybe I bruised my first metatarsal (the bones right behind your toes.) The more miles I hiked the more painful it became. I suffered through two more days of hiking until I made it to Idyllwild and was able to take a break.

I had planned on hiking another 140 miles to finish off Section B and Section C but it was apparent the boots I was wearing were not the best hiking boots for me. Because I was on vacation, I only had another two weeks until I went back to work. So I had to make the decision to get off the trail and let my foot heal. I was very disappointed.

Why Only the Best Hiking Boots are Important

If I would have bought the best hiking boots for me I would probably not have been in this predicament. Before my hike I had put a lot of emphasis on getting the big three (backpack, sleeping bag and shelter) right and having a limited budget, I neglected to get the right footwear.

I am not am amateur hiker either. I have been hiking since I was barely able to walk. It started with Volksmarches in Germany, family outdoor outings and the Boy Scouts to the United States Marine Corp Infantry. I have literally hiked in every clime and place and have the fallen arches and bad knees to prove it. I kicked my self in the rear for making this amateur mistake. It took over two weeks for the pain to go away and I still had discomfort for another month or so. I now think I probably broke a few of my metatarsal bones and I will never make this mistake again.

As you can see from my story, choosing the best hiking boots for you is critical if you want to continue hiking and this is what this website, Best Hiking Boots, is all about. Not only is it critical for long distance hikes but for short hikes too. Your long term health and hiking enjoyment is at stake. It is no fun not being able to enjoy hiking because of a stupid mistake of not wearing the best hiking boots. I hope you enjoy.

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Wearing the wrong hiking boots can cause all sorts of problems with your feet. When choosing the best hiking boots you need to pick a hiking boot that is the right size and shape for you. Keep reading to find out how.

Boot Fitting Tips

• Wear the right socks. When trying on hiking boots you need to wear the same socks you are going to wear out on the trail. Hiking socks are usually thicker then regular sport socks. If you try on  a pair of boots with regular socks then wear a thicker sock for hiking the added thickness may cause your boots to no longer fit correctly.
• Try on boots later in the day. Towards the end of a regular day your feet swell lightly. While hiking your feet swell to the same size in a very short time so you want to account for the added size.
• Use your shoe size as a guide only. There are many manufacturers out there and each one measures their hiking boots slightly different. Just because you wear a size with one manufacturer doesn’t mean you will wear the same size from all of them.

Getting the Correct Fit

The fit of a hiking boot depends on three factors, foot length, foot width and volume.

• Foot length is simply the length of your foot.
• Foot width is how wide the ball of your foot is.
• Finally volume refers to the amount of space your foot takes up from top to bottom inside of the hiking boot.

A hiking boot should fit snug around the foot while allowing you to wiggle you toes freely. You should not be able to feel your foot slip around inside of the boot. You also should not feel any pressure points anywhere on your foot. If you experience any of these factors try a different boot or manufacturer.

Comfort

• Comfort mostly depends on the fit of the boot. However, cushioning plays a supporting role when it comes to comfort. The ankle padding inside of the boot should fit snugly and cradle your ankle. This will prevent any excess movement that may cause chaffing and blisters on the ankle.
• The heal cup should also fit around your ankle and prevent it from sliding too much.
• The tongue of the hiking boot should be thickly padded to stop the lacing from cutting into the top of your foot.

I hope you found this article helpful in choosing the best hiking boots for your feet. Remember, if you choose a bad pair of boots you may have a painful hiking trip.