| Your walking footwear is probably the most expensive and vital piece of equipment you will buy for walking, certainly in the early stages. |
| What's the best way to look after them so that you get the maximum comfort and mileage out of them? |
| Try to store your boots or shoes away from heat, cold, dust and mould to keep them at their best for longer. |
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| leather boots | Leather boots can be brushed off with a soft brush. Occasionally you will need to recondition them to maintain water repellency. Good outdoor stores will be able to recommend the right product for your boots. We don't recommend using silicon based sprays or pastes or regular shoe polish. Try to use water based waterproofing agents. |
After every walk, make sure you clean your footwear thoroughly. Use an old toothbrush to get small stones out of the soles, and just a little soap and a soft cloth on the shoe itself. Take the laces and inner soles out and wash them too. |
| | If you want to speed up the drying and keep the shape of your shoes, stuff them with dry newspaper to absorb moisture and remember to change the paper regularly. |
| If you have a campfire, warm a rounded stone in it, remove it from the heat and when it cools put it in your wet boot to help them dry. Make sure the stone is not too hot to handle BEFORE you put it in your boot. |
| Never apply artificial heat to your shoes to dry them out as this will damage the material. |
| I believe that the Good Lord gave us a finite number of heartbeats and I'm damned if I'm going to use up mine running up and down a street. Neil Armstrong on jogging. |
| GORETEX BOOTS | If your boots are Goretex, it is worth buying a conditioner or treatment designed especially for them. |
If your shoes are really dirty and smelly, and are made of fabric (Dunlop Volleys) rather than leather or Goretex, you might be able to restore their glory by putting them through the washing machine. Once they get old however this might destroy them for good. |
| If your laces look worn when you're cleaning them, get a new pair. Don't wait till they break on the trail. |
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