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How To Pick Out The Best Hiking Boots? 

So you are here because you are looking for a pair of hiking boots. We all know that hiking boots are critical to your performance on your ways of trekking; however, picking out suitable boots can be difficult as there are various options of best hiking boots available on the market. Therefore, we are here to assist you in making the right purchase decision. Let's start with some tips for choosing boots. 

Read More: https://thekinglive.com/salomon-x-ultra-mid-2-gtx-hiking-boot.html 

Basic things one need to know to buy the right boots 

1. Styles 

- Light hiking boots: perfect for day hiking; 

- Mountaineering boots: suitable for tough terrains; 

- Backpacking boots: perfect or a multi-day trek. 

2. Materials 

- Synthetics: a mixture of nylon and polyester. Synthetics is light, dry fast but not water resistant; 

- Split-grain leather: half leather half synthetics. Split-grain leather is more durable than synthetics, breathable, weakly water resistant; 

- Full-grain leather: super durable, highly water resistant but heavy. 

3. Cuts 

- Low-cut: perfect for casual hiking; 

- Mid-cut: good at supporting ankle; 

- High-cut: provide extreme support for ankles, perfect for adventurous hikers. 

Our recommendations 

1. The best lightweight hiking boots 

The men’s and women’s SCARPA ZG Lite GTX is so far the best light hiking boots on the market. This pair of boots is not only lightweight (1.2 pounds) and flexible but also provides support and stability to protect your feet against all terrains. The boots feature a special ACTIVimpact Technology system that helps to absorb ground shock and protect your ankles and knees against stress. The boots are also waterproof so they will keep your feet dry and comfortable all the time. 

2. The best hiking boots for men 

Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX is considered good hiking boots for men thanks to its comfortability, stability, durability, and excellent water resistance. This pair of boots provides users with top-of-the-line performance and confidence in every step. The boots are built for hardcore hiking and built to last, they are also water resistant so they are suitable for trips where extra support is needed. However, the boots are on the heavier side as they weigh around 3.3 pounds. 

3. The best hiking boots for women 

Salomon X Ultra Mid 3 GTX is the best value hiking boots for women thanks to its lightweight (1.8 pounds only), breathability, supportiveness, and water resistance. With GORE-TEX® waterproof, the boots are totally fine under wet weather. The boots also feature injected EVA midsoles that give cushioning and support and maximize stability and motion control for users. 

How to keep my hiking boots for years? 

Even when you got the best hiking boots of all time, you still have to spend time taking care of them in order to reduce the need to replace them prematurely. So, here are some methods to keep your favorite hiking boots clean and look like new: 

1. Cleaning them properly 

Cleaning not only makes your boots look newer but also prevents them from breaking down: 

- When you are moving in a couple of dirty boots, dirt and sand creep deeper into their leather and fabric; 

- The mud stuck on your boots sucks moisture from leather so it will speed up the aging process. 

1.1 Cleaning tools 

So we know all agree that we should clean our boots regularly. To get ready for the cleaning process, you first need to prepare for some following tools: 

- A boot brush, but if you don’t have such kind of thing, a toothbrush is acceptable; 

- Boot cleaner or simply saddle soap and dishwashing water. 

Although it is advisable that you get the specialized tools designed for cleaning boots, don't take it seriously. Lots of people out there clean their top rated hiking boots with things they can find in their houses and so far it causes no harm to their boots. If there is something you need to pay attention to, then it is the cleaning technique and tips, not the tools. 

1.2 Cleaning technique 

We should start the cleaning from our boot uppers. Remove laces before cleaning then use the brush to remove all particles of dirt gently. You can make the process go smoothly by adding running water. 

After finishing the boot uppers, move to the outsoles. Although mud stuck in the outsoles does not damage your boots, remove them will prevent you from transporting dirt from one place to another. You can simply remove the dirt stuck by brushing vigorously. 

1.3 Some important tips 

- Pay attention to the materials, check for the right cleaning method for each different material; 

- Even if you are possessing the best waterproof hiking boots ever, never use detergent or bar soap as it will harm the waterproof membranes; 

- Never put them in the washing machine; 

- Rinse your boots thoroughly with clean water. 

2. Drying and Storage Tips 

Lots of hiking boot reviews mentioned that their boots can be kept for a long time not only because they are quality hiking boots and but also because they are stored in the right way. So we now take a look at how to dry and store your boots correctly: 

- Insoles and boots need to be separated to air dry; 

- Boots need to be dried in a place with normal temperature and low humidity; 

- Never use heater, fireplace or such kind of heat source; 

- Fan is acceptable; 

- Do not store your boots in garages, car trunks, or any hot places. 

3. Conditioning regularly 

All best rated hiking boots, if made from leather, need to be conditioned to maintain their value. Use a small amount of conditioner to cover the leather to make sure it is moisturized. Moisturized boots will prevent cracks to appear so they can stay new for a longer time. However, too much conditioner makes the boots too soft and lack of support. 

You Might Also Enjoy: Discover the Best Hiking Boots for Every Trail 

The bottom line 

Hopefully, after going through this post you can pick out your favorite hiking boots as well as getting enough information to keep your boots with you for years. Share this post if you like it. Also, do not forget to comment to let us know if there is anything you would like to know about hiking boots.