Breaking in Boots - question

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newknife

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Jul 6, 2008
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I wrote this on the boot thread but thought I'd start a new one to see what people says. I recently bought a pair of Zamberlan boots and am still breaking them in but getting some blisters. Here's what I wrote and my questions:

I'm still up in the air about them. The craftmanship is amazing. Like I said though I'm till trying to break them in. I've been hiking about 2.5 miles a few times a week up a 200 foot rock formation. Usually I carry about 50 lbs. So far I've been getting some blisters on my right foot. I'm not sure if it's because the boots are new or if I need new socks or a different sole insert. I don't have any wool socks but am planning on getting some thicker wools socks here in a couple days. Hoping that will make the difference.

So..are blisters from a full grain leather boot normal as you break it in? I was always under the impression that it was normal for a period of time. However I see other say that if you're getting blisters the boot is a wrong fit or something. What do you guys think?
 
Could be either you or the boot. Full leather 4 season boots can be quite a lot stiffer not only with the top of the boot but with the sole being designed to resist torsion. Boots like that usually get me on the heel if they're going to before they come good. The bit of pronation that is part of my walking style is readily accommodated by softer boots but heavy boots wont let me get away with that as easily. Blisters on the toe often arise from a poor fit especially when going down hill – if the boot is too tight it's usually obvious but too loose is just as bad. The boot stops when it strikes the ground and there's space enough inside for the foot to skid forward. Add to that that walking with load is different to walking without so an otherwise good boot can need slackening off with the laces if your hauling big loads.
 
Try wearing a thin pair of sock liners between your bare feet and a good quality pair of outer socks. I stay away from cotton socks, too much moisture retention from foot perspiration.
 
I couldn't guess if it's the fit or just stiff boots- how well do they fit?. Are they leather lined? I have in the past rubbed inside of the boot where it was rubbing with a smooth stone or polished stick. Unlikely to work with fabric linings.

In the mean time you can patch your foot with duct tape right over the hot spot. This can be bring quite an amazing amount of comfort; and is best applied when you first feel the friction. If it's much of a blister today ; removing the tape might mess you up so you may want to give it some time to heal enough so that removing the tape won't rip hide. Dt is better imho than moleskin or second skin-
 
They fit fairly well. I just feel the heel of my right food rubbing the side sometime. They are lined with gore-tex. I'm gonna try getting a thick wool sock and maybe some inserts. I've probably got at least 15 miles in them and the leather is starting to flex more...just have that one spot on my heel.
 
You say they fit "fairly well". How well is "fairly"? Does your toe rub against the end of the foot box? Is there space inside the boot that your foot is sliding around in? How tight are you lacing them? Did you get your foot sized before you bought them, by staff at the store? I've had Zamberlan boots. You are right, they are top notch boots and I found they really didn't require breaking in. They just fit "right" from the beginning.
 
Try some Thorlos boot socks
Click to expand...

And the liner socks. They make a world of difference in reducing friction. Mine are pure gold to me. Actually they have silver microfiber woven in for odor resistance. I bought a two pack and will get more soon.
 
My heavy-duty Montrail full grain leather boots took a good deal of breaking in to feel truly comfortable. I found that Superfeet insoles, good wool/synthetic socks with liners and trying different lacing techniques helped a great deal.

Take a look at this link and try out some of the different ways to make your boots work for you.

http://www.backpacker.com/gear/5245
 
I've had very little heel rub with my Zamberlan Viox boots so far - no hot spots or blisters. I am still experimenting with socks but lately I wear a coolmax liner w/ a pair of no-cushion Smartwool socks on the way up, and just a pair of medium weight Darn Tough socks on the way down - no liner. I've worn the Smartwool socks alone too and have been fine. I felt that the Viox was so well cushioned for my foot that thick socks were not needed.

Google "hiking boot lacing" and see if any of the lacing patterns tweak the fit of your boot to your liking. I prefer different tensions at different parts of the boot and surgeon's knots allow me to do this.

[EDIT] oops... the link in the post above shows some lacing tricks. My bad.:o
 
I learned in the Army that there are three main things that will give you blisters - boots, pack weight, distance. New unbroken in boots will give you blisters especially ones not lasted to your individual feet shape (this one is common sense). Hiking with weight will give you blisters, even with boots that you can walk many miles in with little or no weight. As soon as you start increasing the pack weight blister problems go up. The further you go the more blisters are a problem mainly due to heat and sweating.

I would be willing to bet if you cut your pack weight down your blister problems will be lower as you break in the boots. As they get more broken in, gradually increase the weight again. I would cut the weight down to 25lbs and see what happens.

It also may be the case that the particular boot you have is not lasted to your foot shape. Once I discovered what particular boot brands are shaped to my feet (Limmer and Lowa), I have never had a blister since even with brand new boots out of the box and lots of pack weight. I think this is the most common reason people have problems with blisters. Most people buy boots for the price or brand but not for if they are actually lasted to their particular foot shape. If you manage to figure out which brands are lasted for your feet shape, then you can usually take boots from the box to the trail and not have blisters (at least this is what I have found to be true for myself and my wife).

Zamberland is a very good boot, it just might not be a very good boot for you and the way your feet are shaped.

Most heel blisters are caused by heel slipage, which is either a result of the heel pocket being too big for your feet or the shank of the boot not being broken-in. If the heel pocket is too big, time for different boots as that issue will never go away. Zamberlands are Italian made, and most Italian brands have a fairly narrow/small heel pocket so that is probably not the issue. The heavier all-leather boots, typically have stiff shanks in them which are hard to bend when new. This stiffness causes your heel to slip in your walking stride since the boot is resisting bending at the sole. As they break-in this slowly goes away as the shank and leather develops a flex point which does not resist the flexing as much and then does not cause your heel to slip.
 
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Whenever I get new leather boots I fill them with hot water until they are completely soaked. I then wear them until they are dry. They are then form fitted to my feet and I have never gotten blisters from boots done this way.
Just my .02
 
protourist said:
Whenever I get new leather boots I fill them with hot water until they are completely soaked. I then wear them until they are dry. They are then form fitted to my feet and I have never gotten blisters from boots done this way.
Just my .02
Click to expand...

+1.

the water doesn't even need to be hot. i just fill them up, leave them overnight and squelch around in them the next day.

mind you, i wear thick socks and put some band-aids across the backs of my heels before beginning the squelch.
 
Zamberlans - are my failure at boots. I have had a pair for nearly 20 years that I keep tryign to break in - hurt myself give up.

The first time I wore them was for walking up the Jenolan Caves River. As there was not track we spent a lot of time in the river scaring more trout than I have seen in the rest of my life. They were fantastic and an absolute life saver when wading through stony and sandy creeks and over trackless hills (when the water was too deep to wade)!!

But ever since then every time I try to wear them I just hurt. I've tried to wear them dry, different chemicals .... I still have them I just can't bring myself to throw them away. Ever since then I have had my needs satified by lighter consutruction but surprisingly robust Timberland Eurohikers. I don't have to worry about snow though.

I hope you have better luck with the Zamberlans- thye are good boots
 
You don't break in boots, boots break in you.

I have a pair of redwings that will give me blisters everytime, unless I wear them on a daily basis and build up a callus. Otherwise, if I quit wearing them for a while then try to wear them again, blisters!
 
If you get blisters you can put tape over it and if you already had one form and break, i use the new skin and it helps a lot
 
Definitely normal, though you shouldn't neglect the blisters. Moleskin helps with the hot spots, and wool socks make a HUGE difference. I find that mid weight hikers are the least wear and tear on my feet-the thick ones can take up alot of space and make pressure spots worse. Taking a shower in them works too, the leather kinda shrinkwraps to your feet.
 
try wearing your boots to do light errands like going to store or auto shop. wear them to the movie etc. a little wearing daily will go a long way to acclimation. i wear new boots mowing the grass. these small uses will let you know if fit is wrong & you wo'nt beat yourself to death.
dennis
 
try wearing your boots to do light errands like going to store or auto shop. wear them to the movie etc. a little wearing daily will go a long way to acclimation. i wear new boots mowing the grass. these small uses will let you know if fit is wrong & you wo'nt beat yourself to death.
dennis
 
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