How to Break in Hiking Boots | Reduce Blisters and Hike Comfortably

Last updated on April 13th, 2021 at 10:56 pm

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When you decide to get into the world of hiking, one of the first things you may do is probably go on a shopping spree through every outdoor store in your neighborhood. The brand-new hiking pack and trekking poles may be exciting, but there’s one important part of your hiking gear that you don’t want to be fresh out of the box when you hit the trails: your hiking boots. Before you head out on your first hiking adventure, you need this guide to how to break in hiking boots.

Breaking hiking boots in is a simple process that should be done in the weeks before your first hiking outing. To put it simply, all you need to do is put on your hiking boots and live your life.

We will answer all of your questions about breaking in your boots here, so read on!

Get Steps in at Home

Get your FitBit charged up and get your walking playlist ready, because the first and foremost way to get your hiking boots broken in is to wear them around the house.

Wear Your Boots Around The House

Before you hit the muddy trails with your new boots, you should keep them in pristine condition in case they need returned. For that reason, wearing your boots for day-to-day activity around the house is the perfect way to identify any glaringly obvious discomfort in the shoes before they get dirty.

Trying on boots in the store usually doesn’t give you the same experience as wearing them at home. So, whether you’re doing laundry, vacuuming, or just relaxing with your feet up, keep your boots on to see how they feel when you’re comfortable.

Make Sure You Go Up and Down Stairs

Even when your new hiking boots feel comfortable during light house activity, problems with fit, size, and weight might sneak up on you when you put the boots to work. The extra stress and mobility of climbing and descending stairs can help you make sure that the boots are a good fit—while still keeping them in returnable condition.

Once you’ve decided that you’ve found the right boot, getting some steps in on the stairs help to relax the boot’s ankle and sole. That way, they aren’t so rigid when you hit the trails.

Put on Backpack To Add Weight Around the House

There is more you can do to simulate a hike before ever stepping outside. If you’ve been testing your boots out by trekking up and down the stairs take it a step further by throwing a back pack on.

When you hike, it isn’t uncommon to venture out with an extra 10 to 30 pounds of weight on you back; it’s important that you mimic this weight when breaking in your new boots, otherwise you may experience discomfort when putting a pack on for the first time.

Take These Boots Into the “Real World”

You should ease your new shoes into the outdoors; even if you’re feeling good about having broken them in by wearing them indoor first. Your new boots still might not be ready for rocky, unpredictable hiking trails.

Start With Less Difficult Terrain

You’re now ready to start wearing your boots outdoors, but it would be wise to start with less difficult terrain. Start by going for walks, hitting the bridal trails, or using an all-purpose trail.

This will be easier terrain, but will help your feet get used to the way your boots react to movement up and down hills. It will also provide more miles of walking to create a more comfortable boot over time.

Start With Lower Mileage

Short walks will be your friend when breaking in your new hiking boots; you don’t want to get a couple miles into a remote, wooded trail before realizing that your new shoes aren’t suitable or ready for long-term trekking. Sounds like a recipe for blisters to me.

As you begin to add mileage to your hikes, you may want to consider throwing a pair of tennis shoes or broken-in boots in your car or pack in case your new boots fell like they’re starting to cause blisters.

Once you’ve put some miles on your new boots in casual outdoor activity, you can start easing them into short hikes.

When breaking in your new boots, make sure to pick routes that are:

Moderate in difficulty
Looped from start to finish, and
Less than two miles in length to ease yourself into long distance hikes.

How Long Does it Take To Break in Hiking Boots?

When you come home with a new pair of hiking boots, you may be eager to bring them along on your weekend trek. However, the length of time that it will take to get your new shoes ready will depend on how much of the day you’re able to dedicate to breaking them in.

When wearing your boots for any length of time on a daily basis, and following the steps we mentioned above—from wearing them around the house, to adding a hiking pack for weight, to gradually moving from simple walks to hiking—we generally recommend allowing two to four weeks for breaking in the boots before you consider them officially ready for hiking.

Use Your Feet as a Guide For Adjustments

Your new boots may not feel super comfortable at first; don’t be alarmed, some initial discomfort is very normal.

As you spend more and more time in your new hiking boots, you may notice thickening of the skin on your feet in some areas—these areas, called calluses, are normal developments for people who do a lot of hiking, and these calluses act as a protector for your feet.

However, things like blisters and extreme discomfort in the boots even after a couple weeks of breaking them in may indicate a major change to cushioning or boot type is required. If this occurs, try out a variety of insole cushions, hiking socks, and other accessories to make wearing the boots more comfortable. If the discomfort continues, you may have picked the wrong size of or type for your feet.

Get Out There and Hike!

Follow the above steps and your new hiking boots should be ready to use!

Spending several weeks trekking up and down your stairs, going on light walks, and wandering around wearing a backpack may be frustrating. However, you will likely find that it is well worth the wait.

When your boots are comfortable on long, off-road hiking trips, you will be happy you spent time breaking them in.

What are you waiting for? Strap your new boots on and get started—the trails are waiting!

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Image Credit: Clint Budd |(https://www.flickr.com/photos/58827557@N06/) | Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)