{"id":4600,"date":"2017-09-04T06:48:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T13:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/forestcamping.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/01\/care-for-your-boots\/"},"modified":"2019-01-21T09:53:24","modified_gmt":"2019-01-21T16:53:24","slug":"hiking-boot-cares","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestcamping.com\/dow\/suzi\/hiking-boot-cares\/","title":{"rendered":"Care for your boots"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Camping<\/a>Quality hiking boots is an investment. I have long held the opinion that one should invest their money in quality hiking boots. \u00a0After investing that much cash in this essential piece of outdoor gear, one should take care of it. \u00a0Here are some tips from Dave Page, REI\u2019s go-to person for footwear repairs, and called \u201da Veteran Boot Doctor\u201d by Backpacker magazine.<\/p>\n

Clean your boats often.<\/h2>\n

Make scouring your boots a regular part of your post hike routine. Pages suggests, \u201cStick them under a spigot and scrub them with an old vegetable brush.\u201d It seems leftover grime eats away at the boot\u2019s fibers.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Air-dry boots upside-down in a cool place.<\/h2>\n

Speed up the drying by stuffing boots with crumpled newspaper, changing the paper as needed. NEVER use a hairdryer, oven or artificial heat source.<\/p>\n

Remove boot\u2019s insoles during cleaning and storage.<\/h2>\n

Pages explains, \u201cMost cushions have a lot of plastic in them and can retain moisture for weeks.\u201d Storing insoles separately halves drying time and reduces the growth of mold, fungus, and other sources of stink.<\/p>\n

Waterproof sparingly.<\/h2>\n

Excessive coatings of waterproofing products make boots impossible to repair. Whether your boots are made of leather, fabric or both, Page recommends applying one annual light layer of a quality waterproofing produce, then placing the boots in the sun for two hours.<\/p>\n

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