Topic
Care, socks and repair
Breaking in, cleaning, reproofing, drying and resoling boots, plus the socks and insoles that go inside them.
Rinse mud off after each walk, dry boots slowly at room temperature with the insoles out and newspaper inside, never on a radiator. Reproof fabric with a spray and leather with a wax or cream made for it.
Good boots with a stitched or cemented sole can often be resoled by a specialist, which costs less than a new pair and keeps the broken-in upper.
Guides on this topic
- Walking boots leaking: finding and fixing the causeWet feet in waterproof boots: wetted-out leather, worn membranes, water over the cuff and sweat that looks like a leak. Simple tests and the fix for each cause.Fix
- Smelly walking boots: how to freshen themWhy walking boots start to smell and how to freshen them: washing insoles, full drying, rinsing the lining, merino socks and what not to put inside a membrane boot.Fix
- How to reproof walking bootsWax, wash-in and spray proofers for leather and fabric Gore-Tex walking boots, and the right order: clean, wet and treat, then dry slowly away from heat.How-to
- How to dry wet walking bootsNewspaper, removed insoles, airflow and low-heat boot dryers: how to dry walking boots quickly and why radiators and fires crack leather and lift soles.How-to
- How to clean walking boots after a muddy walkBrushing, rinsing and drying walking boots without heat, so peat, grit and salt do not wear leather, stitching and membranes. Steps for leather and fabric boots.How-to
- How to break in walking bootsA staged plan to break in walking boots, from wearing them at home to short walks to a full day, and how leather and fabric boots differ in the time they need.How-to
- How long do walking boots last?Typical lifespan of fabric and leather walking boots in miles and years, the wear signs on soles, midsoles, uppers and membranes, and how care extends it.Guide
- Hiking socks explained: merino, synthetic and thicknessCushion levels, merino and synthetic blends and liner socks explained, why walking socks beat everyday socks and how sock choice changes the fit of your boots.Guide
- Can you resole walking boots?Which walking boot constructions can be resoled, maker schemes and UK specialist cobblers, the signs a boot is worth resoling and when it is time to replace.Guide