Are you shopping for mens walking boots? Hiking is one of America’s favorite past times, but if you don’t wear the right boots, the dogs will really be barking, if you know what I mean. Finding the right mens walking boots is essential for getting the most out of your hike, and for not limping the next day. To help you get started, we put together a list of tips to keep in mind while you visit shoe stores for mens walking boots:
Five Tips While Shopping for Mens Walking Boots
- Walk a Mile in Your Shoes
Okay, we don’t really mean walk a mile. We just tried to play on the “walk a mile in so-and-so’s shoes” idiom with out title. But, also walk a mile in your mens hiking boots if you feel inclined to!
The main point of our tip here is that you cannot know if you’ve found the adventure shoes until you’ve tried them on and walked around in them a bit. We know you can buy everything online, from toilet paper to heavy machinery. But hiking boots isn’t one of those things you should be buying online. You need to see them in person, try them out on your stems, and experience them, to know that they are right for you. - Throw Away the Size You Think You Are
You’ve worn a size 10 since Junior High, it’s easy to assume that your hiking boots need to be a size 10, right? Wrong. Every shoe manufacturer is a little different in their sizing equation. You might be able to rock a pair of Converses or high heel that are a little too tight or too loose because their version of your size runs a little large or small, but this is not the case with hiking boots. You’re going to be putting some serious miles on your hiking boots, in all sorts of terrain. You cannot afford to buy a pair that doesn’t fit you right because you assumed it was the size you always wear. To repeat ourselves, try them on, try them one, try them on. - Buy Snug Before Loose
When you were a kid, your parents used to buy you shoes that were two sizes too big “to give you room to grow.” In reality, this was super bad for your developing feet and your walking gate (but that’s an article for another day). The point is, don’t do this while you shop for hiking boots.Your shoes are going to be the most comfortable and provide the best support for you feet if they are snug as a bug in a rug.
While we’re on the subject, we’ll throw this little tip in for free: Go shopping for hiking boots at the end of the day. Most people don’t realize that the size of your feet in the morning are different than the size of your feet after you walk around for a while. This is because as you put some weight on your feet, your blood circulation increases, and they swell up a bit. In order to buy the shoes that fit the feet you’ll have during a hike, try them on after you’ve been on your feet all day. - Dress Your Feet for a Hike
When you try on hiking boots, treat your feet the way they’ll be on the days that you’re hiking. Wear the socks you’d wear if you were really hiking. If you have special insoles, bring them with you to the shoe store. Make sure the conditions in which you’re trying on your hiking boots are as closely aligned with those in which you’ll be actually hiking in. This will ensure that you find the best pair of boots, that will provide the greatest support during your trek. - Read Customer Reviews
So you find a pair of boots at the store that you love. They might cost a pretty penny, but this is worth it if you’re going to be a hiker for reals. However, you don’t want to spend the money on boots that are going to fall apart. Read reviews from other customers who have purchased the boots to ensure that they don’t fall apart quickly.
Do you have additional tips? Add them below!
