Breaking in boots

[wanderinstar]

addyb,
Bet folk could smell you coming from quite a way off

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

I bought a pair of lowa alpines last year and one of them squeaks really loudly when I wear them. HELP

Check the toe space for field mice

But seriously folks.........

Usually it's the tounge squeaking against the back of the bits the laces go through (any old cobblers out there care to share the proper name for that part ).

I've cured this in the past by taking the laces out and applying a liberal coat of boot polish (Kiwi of course) to the tounge and leaving it unpolished. Lace the boots up again and it lubricates the tounge and stops the squeaking. Worked for me.

 

[Pablo]

Pablo

I must admit I've always been wary of ordering footware online, for the obvious reason you cant check the fit, had you tried these boots before, or are you chancing it ?

BTW are those British sizes shown ?

Stephen

Yes Stephen. I know I'm chancing it and I would never have ordered on line if John Muirden at Unbeaten Tracks hadn't promised exchange or full refund if I wasn't satisfied. Great service. The boots are a half size bigger and only come in 1/2 sizes, therefore if you take a UK 8, an 8 1/2 should fit although I've found that they are a touch big.

Also being ex-military, I've done a fair bit of breaking in of boots, going back to the '70s when we were issued those dreadful DMS (Direct Moulded Sole) ankle boots that led to so much foot rot in the Falklands (can it really be 25 years ago this week :AR15firin )

I remember them well!! b*****dy aweful. Anyone remember ammo boots? I've still got my pair bulled up in the wardrobe. Gawd knows why! By the way also Used to live in Hindhead.
Pablo

 

[Mikey P]

Oh well, my twopennyworth is use lots of dubbin/oil/ledergris to nourish the leather and keep it supple; wear them at first a little bit each day, stretching the leather at the hotspots; and I always wear two pairs of socks - a thinner pair under the thicker pair and that seems to help avoid blisters.

 

[addyb]

addyb,
Bet folk could smell you coming from quite a way off

Nah, you just gotta remember to wash 'em out really really really well. It works, what can I say? I'd be willing to bet that if you went and talked to an old WW2 veteran, he'd probably agree with me.

I almost forgot to mention another method that I've used: Take a stiff wire brush to the leather of the boot. Scrape it down until it's somewhat greyish and then complete the process with either polish or leather dye.

Adam