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Show immoN Wednesday, May 22, 1971 Boots, Boots, Boots. Early last summer Chad and I thought we would break in slowly on a short hike of about 3 miles in order to get our trail wind. hike ended up being a But, as only Chad can manage, the short marathon. I had just purchased a terrific (or so I thought) pair of walking shoes, labeled Italian Walking Shoes, and really thought I ' was ready to go. I mean, anything that had Pirelli soles had to be the 3-m- ile 10-mi- le best. The pitch of the hike involved about an uphill run for about7s of the first mile. After that, things evened out and the worst was about a incline all the way to the top of a small hilly mountain range, then across the ridge and down. By the time the first mile was over, Pirellis were in need of retreads, and my heels were in need of some new skin. Now, Chad is not the most gracious of hiking companions, so he loped, and I limped, up that beautiful trail. And I missed everything because all of my effort was concentrated on figuring out ingenious ways to lever weight off the inside of my left heel and the outside of my right ankle. Anyway, I really learned my lesson and spent the next week limping around some local camping equipment stores, searching for a pair of boots that would prevent for all time the reenactment of the Day of the Blister. Backpacking and trail hiking involve walking, the kind that involves making the logical transition from cement to dirt trail. Therefore, tennis shoes and old beaten up dress shoes will not make it. Crepe-sole- d work boots and waffle stompers are fine for some of the less rugged terrain around the local hills (I would, however, stay away from moccasins), but if you are into really getting off the beaten path, you will have to invest a little time and effort into searching out the right pair of boots for you. When you do go shopping, I dont think its a wise idea to wear too many socks. Most of the time in the summer months you will wear only one pair of good thick socks, and wearing more than one pair while trying on boots may conceal a pressure point while youre in the store ; later, when you hike in one pair of socks, your toes will tell. Dont pay size and preconceived size 4 medium any attention to the dress-sho- e you may have. Hiking boots are a little strange to get used to at first, and the sizes vary greatly from boot to boot. Try on many brands and sizes; also try on several price ranges, as most boots go from around you have a wide range to choose from. My experience has been that boots that feel uncomfortable from the beginning dont get any better with wear, and that those that feel good from the beginning usually always feel the same. Consider that hiking boots fit or should fit firm, but with no pressure points, they will feel heavier and stiffer than other footwear. Occasionally, you will find just the right boot in all ways, but it may have one pressure point. You can have this specific point stretched by .a process known as punching - great for providing needed bunion room. Other slight fitting problems might be alleviated by adding a cut, padded insole. The height of the boots you choose is fairly critical, as boots much higher than six to seven inches might rub your leg, and for some hikers, will practically constrain ankle bending. Gussets should fit snugly to prevent water from seeping in - no gaps permitted. Tongues should be especially at the top where you lean into them. A padded scree cuff is nice but not really necessary. Your boots have stiffer soles, as mentioned before, to prevent rocks or roots from bruising your feet. Determine the ruggedness of the terrain you will be traveling before choosing the weight of the boot you need. Leather uppers are heavier and stiffer so that you will not twist your ankle. Degree of stiffness is expressed in weight (pounds and ounces), so it is pretty easy to judge the amount corre ct for you. The welt on a hiking boot has about half the projection of the welt on a dress 85-degr- ee 45-degr- ee $25-$7- 0, well-padde- d, Page theyre worth . . 16 it! shoe, thereby being stiffer and safer as it bends less on a precarious foothold. Your boot should bend a little in the heel for comfort. Most medium-weighiking boots, and particularly, all heavy-weighiking boots will be leather-lineand some padded inside much the same way a ski boot is padded. A word of caution here: It is desirable if you plan to hike in cool temperatures, but in the summer, heat-line-d or padded boots are guaranteed to parboil your feet, especially if you wear heavy socks. Again, consider the type of walking you will be doing. Since you cant very well check the laces in your boots at the store, when you finally have found the pair for you (usually about the 15th store you visit), take them home and remove your boot laces. Place one lace around your still booted foot and pull on it, trying to deliberately break the lace. If it doesnt break, place it back onto your boot; but, it probably will break and should be replaced by a soft nylon lace about Vs inch thick. The laces used for ski boots are great if you can find them. Otherwise, most camping equipment stores have special laces you might look into. If you are a perfectionist about small things, you might cut these new laces to just the right length and then center them on your boots and secure them evenly on the bottom by tight square knots. Remember, if you do cut your new laces, to sear the ends since nylon has the nasty habit of raveling at the most inopportune time. Because your new boots will try to please, you be sure that you fit the tongue and laces each time until they fit naturally. Chad tried something that gave me an Excedrin Headache Number Five: He poured hot, actually very hot, water into the inside of his boots, drained out the excess and put two pairs of medium weight socks on, then laced the boots up securely and wore them until dry. I dont know how successful the fitting was, but he was very easy to hear coming the next few days - he sort of sloshed around. One thing for sure is that drying boots out by the fire or in front of a heater will very likely cause them to shrink or pucker, and ruin an otherwise good fit. Boots should be d at room temperature. While Im on the subject of wetness, we have found that waterproofing our boots has really been valuable. We use just plain Hubbards Shoe Grease, costs about 49c and works very well. Be sure that the entire exterior of your beautiful new boots, particularly into all seams and stitching, is thoroughly covered. When youre through with the exterior, be sure that the inside, same as the Then place your boots in a warm (not hot) room outside, is air-drand allow to It is also a good idea to waterproof your boots again after a long backpacking trip, or an unsteady one in which you have slipped into a stream. Four words. about the feet in the boots - be kind to them. When out on the trail, take the time to rinse off your feet everyday, legs also if you can. No waffle-weav- e socks; finely woven socks are so much nicer to feet. your Always take two or three pairs of socks, change every day and rinse the yester-sock- s out so that they will be clean and fresh the next morning. If you havent enough water for washing, will serve the same purpose. Break in your new boots in the house or on short walks with your dog or to the local supermarket. Dont do the same thing that I did, slowly increase the distance ofyour walks, and check any pressure spot with punching before you hit the trail. n Boots should last you an easy fifty thousand or five years, and I think in most cases, the latter will prove to be the most true. If any of yoti have any questions or insights of your own, I would love to hear them. Next week, well be talking about sleeping bags; is there anything special you would like to know? ht ht d, D-rin- gs air-drie- old-fashion- well-coate- d. y. air-dryi- ng well-chose- Jerri L. Ragland Gw ' FISHING GEAR Beanugjy spot remover. MAIN GARDEN SUPPLIES FURNITURE & HARDWARE Come see us for all your Spring clean-u- p and building supplies WEVE GOT IT ALL.' 551 MAIN STREET S r I I ! ,!! Closed Sunday and Wednesday THc American MCrou. The Coo Neighbor L ed |