Breaking in boots

[Tarp Man]

Meindls don't have to be $500. AJ Brooks sells a great boot (Island Pro) for about $400 including tax. The boot fitting session is worth 1/2 that, easily. I am in the market for new boots and will likely be getting into Meindls. Read the reviews. Short of a full custom boot, they are likely the best boots you buy, especially if you hike hard and in extreme terrain. For sure you cannot hike in those boots in their current condition. If you can, find an o.k. pair to get you through, but save up for the best.

[rocksteady]

Mine were purchased at a local Sports shop here in Cranbrook, $479 plus taxes, came to just under 550..

[BigSlapper]

I've had Meindls for 15 years ... 5 or 6 different pairs, all for different purposes. I swap between 3 of them regularily and have NEVER had a problem with any ... never one blister, never wet feat (Gore-tex) all have been custom fit and all feel like a comfortable pair of slippers. I wear Meindl socks exclusively ... these folks know how to make your feet happy!
Another great German boot is made by Lowa ... generally about $100 less for their hunting versions ... still a great boot (Lowa perhaps would be the BMW to the Meindl Mercedes)

[tikkat3]

who carries Lowa boots in the lower mainland Slapper?

[tikkat3]

So I bit the bullet and got a pair of Meindl Himalayas....they fit me like a glove. I bought a pair of gaiters with the boots and the total was 459$. Now I just gotta apply that wax to them and break them in...the dude at AJ Brooks said to not stand in the water with them then hike them dry, to just use the wax and hike with them. Honestly with the memory foam in them they feel like socks on my feet so I don't think it will take too much to break them in, even though they are pretty stiff.

I also looked at some Lowa boots at Europe Bound down the street, and they were OK as well but a little softer plus there was no gortex membrane in them like the himalayas..I'm pretty happy with the boots right now, but when I take them hiking I will find out for sure.

[threedhunter]

just a note to help prevent blisters. wear your ladies kneehighs. they are nylon, won slip off your foot but are themseles very slippery. if your boot does loosen you should not get a blister or hot spot.
as for skates, they should be steamed ,not soaked.use a kettle that doesn't shut off when it boils and invert the skate over the spout, with the insert/footbed removed, hold over steam till the rivets get hot, reinsert footbed, insert foot with kneehigh or sock, depending on if you skate barefoot or with socks, lace tight, do other skate the same.when both on, stand on plywood ,feet shoulder width apart and shift from left>right repeatedly till skates are cool.this can be done several times butmay not be needed more than 3/4 to rid pressure spots and mould to foot.canuklheads trainer told me they do this method for the pros.

[Casagrande]

just a note to help prevent blisters. wear your ladies kneehighs. they are nylon, won slip off your foot but are themseles very slippery. if your boot does loosen you should not get a blister or hot spot.
as for skates, they should be steamed ,not soaked.use a kettle that doesn't shut off when it boils and invert the skate over the spout, with the insert/footbed removed, hold over steam till the rivets get hot, reinsert footbed, insert foot with kneehigh or sock, depending on if you skate barefoot or with socks, lace tight, do other skate the same.when both on, stand on plywood ,feet shoulder width apart and shift from left>right repeatedly till skates are cool.this can be done several times butmay not be needed more than 3/4 to rid pressure spots and mould to foot.canuklheads trainer told me they do this method for the pros.

Maybe that's why they haven't won the Cup yet. Lots of different ways to skin a cat.

[huntwriter]

...what should I do?

For me the boots that hurt the most in the beginning always turn out to be the most comfortable ones in the end.

Here is an old trick we learned in the army (mountaineer corps). Get good quality leather boot grease. Massage the grease into the heel leather while at the same time pushing the leather in and on the back of the heel and on the sides. Repeat that treatment until the heel leather becomes soft and pliable.

All my hunting boots are Danner and Irish Setter and I never have never had a problem with the service they provide.

Good luck.

[tikkat3]

You won't believe this. I got the boots home, applied the first layer of sportwax and was going to take the dog out for a hike with them to break them in a bit, and when I was lacing them up one of the lace hooks popped off of the boot!!!

Anyways, I called AJ Brooks, and they are sending a fedex guy out to get the boots tomorrow morning, they are going to replace the hook and send them back to me via courier ASAP free. Great service!