Bushwalk Australia

There has been a lot I like about my old very breathable boots, such as they are comfortable from day 1, they allow water to run out as fast as it runs in and they are light, but they dont last. I have worn out a pair of columbia's and keen's in pretty quick time. They don't even last 500-1000 km's before they start to fall apart so while in Melbourne on the weekend I lashed out on a pair of leather Zamberlans. They are a really thick and stiff leather but they look really well made so hopefully they will last.

But wearing them around Melbourne on the weekend I was getting some hot spots on my heals quite quick. I know they will require breaking in, unlike my past boots but I am a bit concerned about my feet in the meantime.

Any tips on breaking these boots in? I am heading to the hills for 3-5 days this week but I am hesitant to wear them in case they wreck my walk. I wear polypro liners under my socks so unlike what I was wearing around the streets of Melbourne I will have some better protection against blisters but the heal area seems to have a little bit of lift.

When I was trying on different sizes in the shop i went with a pair that was possibly half a size larger than what felt 'snug' in the shop as my feet tend swell when I walk. (like most people I guess)

I am wondering if this was the right thing to do. I have never owned a pair of leather boots before so I didn't know if they stretch or shrink? I have an opportunity to change them if I need to.

I was experimenting with the tightness of my laces to better lock the heal in place and I can hold the boot firm if I keep the laces tight but they felt rather tight around my lower leg. The boots are a high boot. Perhaps I just need time to break them in and I will get used to the high boot?

My past 'boot's' haven't been as high as these. I suffer some feet problems so I think my feet will like the extra support. I know it is a big step going from a soft, almost runner style hiking boot to a full leather. These are nice though, I don't want to come across as though they are terribly uncomfortable, they are not. But they do have a little bit of heal slop if I don't have the laces quite tight. In the past with my runner style boots I would leave the laces fairly loose.

So any help or advice in breaking these in or some advice on how I should be sizing them would be appreciated. Even a treatment to help soften the leather perhaps? Old wives tales? I know there is a lot of info on boots in this forum but nothing too specific about sizing and breaking in these very thick Zamberlans.

The traditional method is to soak your boots in hot water, put them on and then wear them for a day walk. This is what we used to do in the military with the terrible parade boots they used to give us.
Other than that my suggestions would be lots of sno-seal and have them laced up as tight as you can stand.
I have a rule on walks of asking people all the time how their feet feel. I annoy people with it, but the moment they tell me they are getting a hot spot I make them stop and tape it. It is so much easier to tape a hot spot than deal with a blister for the whole walk.

If you are having to lace them that tight to lock your heels in place, I really doubt they'll be comfortable over a long period of time. Generally any problems identified before you set out, only get worse once in the bush. If it were me I would exchange for a different size, or even a different boot altogether.

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Strider wrote:If you are having to lace them that tight to lock your heels in place, I really doubt they'll be comfortable over a long period of time. Generally any problems identified before you set out, only get worse once in the bush. If it were me I would exchange for a different size, or even a different boot altogether.

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I wouldn't say I have to overly tighten them to lock them in place but definitely tighter than I would wear my older runner style boots.

I tried a lot of boots on and these were the ones that instantly felt right for me so I am happy with the boots fit but I am not convinced I did the right thing by going half a size bigger than the 'snug' fitting size. These Zamberlans do have a good shaped inner that fits around my heal and ankle quite nicely but they will lift a bit in the heal if I have them as loose as I would my old boots.

Ill give the hot water method a run Scotty that might speed the process up a bit.

What model are they, Dan?

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Strider wrote:What model are they, Dan?

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They are Sella's. I got them for $299, reduced from some supposedly stupid price I really liked the build quality. I am sick of wasting money on $100-200 boots that dont last so hopefully these will see me out.

http://zamberlanusa.com/catalog/?lang=e ... 87&idcat=3

Do some googling for lacing techniques. It's pretty easy to lace in a way that leaves the bottom part laced as loose as you like and the top nice and tight to keep the heel in place.

You might want to wait a bit before wearing them on a multi-day walk. And when you do you should probably tape your heels before you even start walking.

Take a few pairs of socks of differing thickness on your hike too - you might need thicker or thinner depending on how much your feet swell. I wear thin socks in warmer weather not just for the heat, but because I know my feet will be bigger.

And if you really think you might have the wrong size then take them back. Did you buy them somewhere with knowledgeable/helpfull staff?

Thanks Drew. I am contemplating taking my old boots with me this week on a multi day as well as the new ones. I can leave some whiskey at home to counteract the extra weight

Yes the shop assistant was really good. He came across as though he knew his stuff and he 'looked' like a hiker if I can be judgmental

My old leather Scarpas nearly killed me when I first got them- I stupidly bought them not long before a trip to Nepal when I decided at the last minute that my old boots may fall apart. A friendly hiker would lace them up tight for me but I still got huge blisters. Competed gel band aids saved me. After that they were perfect & didn't have any trouble....

Treat the leather with Snoseal or Nikwax. The hot water method suggested is good to soften the leather but it will also shorten its life, so give the stuff a bit of TLC to make up for that.

Check out lacing techniques as suggested above. There is a method that involves using two knots, with a fiddly little crossover bit between the top eyelet and the first hooks. It locks the boot in place around the heel while allowing a much looser fit both below and above (if necessary).

If you don't already do so, consider using two pair of socks - a thin inner and a thicker outer. And make sure there are no wrinkles in the socks when you put them on.

As soon as you start to feel heat from potential blister points, stop and tape the area - or use the gel pads as suggested above.

Zamberlans are a very good boot, extremely well made and top quality materials. If you are comfortable in them they will turn out to be top value, particularly at that price. I wish my feet fit them.

Most comfortable boot I have ever worn.
First leather boot hey?

I kind of pity you younger lot.

Still, you are in good hands here.

On of my methods for new shoes or boots is to always get new socks as well. I find that new socks help reduce those hot-spots as well, and its a simple way to be sure that your old socks aren't the problem and that you can tackle one problem at a time. I also like neetsfoot oil for softening leather, they will stretch over time, and a leather treatment will help keep the leather in good shape. regardless of what you use, oil, wax or any of the leather "grease" products, use them often. every few months, and that will help with the longevity. I've got a pair of red-backs that were unused for two years, and simply dry-rotted because they were untreated.

Thanks everyone. I spent some time last night experimenting with some different ways to lace the boots and I think I have found a way to keep the boot from slipping on my heel but also not have to be uncomfortably tight.

I do wear a real thin polypro sock under my wool socks when I am walking, that method has kept me blister free to date. I am going to wear the new boots all day today as I mow lawns and build another veggie bed so Ill see how they go.

I just want to reiterate that they are not uncomfortable, they feel really nice. They have a beautiful soft inner leather and putting them on feels like slipping into a comfy bed with fresh sheets But I admit it was a shock going from wearing well worn almost trail runner type of boot one day and putting brand new thick leather full boot on the next.

of course, if they are too big, none of the methods would work. Why one would want to immerse a boot like that in water is beyond me.
the store in question has shoe fitting facilities. Perhaps using them, and buying the boot indicated would help?
But of course, there are as many opinions as compass degrees.
The only one of any value, is common sense.

aloftas wrote:Most comfortable boot I have ever worn.
First leather boot hey?

I kind of pity you younger lot.

Still, you are in good hands here.

younger lot! Id have to say I have had leather shoes/work boots in the past but nothing that I recall that was memorable in any way. When we were young we were so poor the only way we had leather boots was when the old cow would step on our foot when milking it.

I just weighed my new boots...ouch.... they are a full kilo heavier than my old boots.

Hi Dan,

I've got the same issue with my pair, for the first month I tried many different lacing ways and with the best method I still need to tie just next to pain, it helped but the heel area still rub a bit due to the stiff sole and thick leather. A friend introduced a pair of gel heel inserts to me and that's the best solution I can image, it slightly reduced the space between heel and insole, totally fix the problem. After breaking in the boot never given me any hot spot and have been comfortable like glove. My inserts is from Woolworth like this: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BEST-PRICE-S ... 2a482cc74e, you can find it in the first-aids stuff area.

PS don't use hot water method it would damage the treatment of the upper leather, use Nikwax conditioner if you want, but it's not necessary I think.

wildbird wrote:... use Nikwax conditioner if you want, but it's not necessary I think.

Boots in Tassie get wet. A lot. Constant wetting and drying weakens the leather and thus it wears out quicker. Treatment with Nikwax or Snoseal helps to mitigate that.
Leather's wonderful, but it does best if it's cared for properly.

Thanks North-north-west, I totally agree with you, I just meant that for shorting breaking in period it's not necessary to treat the leather . I use my boot pretty hard (sure less wet than Tassie) and lazy enough that only treat my boot once a year (before snow session), the outsole always worn out far before the upper leather start having problems, zamberlans are very very high quality leather.

If your heel is lifting, then I don't think "wearing in" (ie softening up the leather) is likely to prevent heel-lift. It sounds like a problem of fit to me. Either the wrong size or the wrong shape. The gel inserts that some people have suggested might help. Going down half a size might help. Lacing differently might help. But I don't thing wearing in the the answer to this one.

Wearing in can help in instances where the leather is too stiff. However, with Zamberlains (at least the ones I got) the leather is not super-stiff anyhow (as oposed to my old Scarpas which seriously did need wearing in). My leather Zamberlains did not need wearing in at all, and were fine from day 1.

Of course different people will have different experiences with different shoes. This is my my 2c worth.

I just threw out my 20 year old Scarpa leather boots which in the last ten years were only used for working around home.
These boots were great from the box and never gave me a problem that I can remember.
I tried on a new pair of Scarpa Delta GTX the other day and the heel slipped...the next size down was too small.
Anyway the store said take them home and try them inside for a few hours and return if no good.
A bit like you I could only stop the slip if I did them up really tight, so back they went...and I did have new socks.
They may have improved over time but who knows.

thicker inner sole, decrease overall dimensions rather than heel lift, tape heels before leaving. I'd question the need for such beefy clodhoppers but don't want you feeling bad.. Big thumbs up for their lighter leather boots (ie smaller models, leather thickness is the same, thicker than scarpa iirc, just a more supple treatment) ++ get something into the welt stitching, wax, dubbin ( I just use a lanolin spray these days)

wildbird wrote:
PS don't use hot water method it would damage the treatment of the upper leather, use Nikwax conditioner if you want, but it's not necessary I think.

If hot water damages the treatment of leather I would take the boot back to the shop and ask for a refund. Seriously boots get wet just about every time you wear them out in the bush. Most peoples hot water comes out of the tap at not much over 60C and even less these days if tempering valves are fitted. 60C will not damage any treatment in your boots.

The glue was what initially failed when MD introduced Zamberlans to TAS. They seem to have fixed that early but heat will still bring the sole undone, beware accelerated drying.. anyhow, can't see any reason to take them over 25-30c (if soaking is to be part of your method)?

Thanks for all the input. I have been wearing them all day while walking around non stop and I have no hot spots. I am using some different lacing techniques which allows me to tie them off in two different places and I am happy that I am not getting heal lift now. Maybe ever so slightly when I am cold but it doesn't take long for my feet to swell enough to eradicate any lift.

I am actually really liking the support and comfort now. If I was to be critical I can feel a slight pressure point just above my toes or about an inch above my toes but only on one foot at a time so its definitely a part of my lacing techniques I am trying or the tension of them.

Nuts wrote:thicker inner sole, decrease overall dimensions rather than heel lift, tape heels before leaving. I'd question the need for such beefy clodhoppers but don't want you feeling bad.. Big thumbs up for their lighter leather boots (ie smaller models, leather thickness is the same, thicker than scarpa iirc, just a more supple treatment) ++ get something into the welt stitching, wax, dubbin ( I just use a lanolin spray these days)

When I weighed them last night against my old boots I was starting to question the need for such a beefy boot too. It is the only thing that may make me go back to the lighter boots but I am hoping after a few days of long walks I won't really notice the extra weight and the longevity/quality will justify the purchase.

Scottyk wrote:

wildbird wrote:
PS don't use hot water method it would damage the treatment of the upper leather, use Nikwax conditioner if you want, but it's not necessary I think.

If hot water damages the treatment of leather I would take the boot back to the shop and ask for a refund. Seriously boots get wet just about every time you wear them out in the bush. Most peoples hot water comes out of the tap at not much over 60C and even less these days if tempering valves are fitted. 60C will not damage any treatment in your boots.

When I saw "hot water" the first thing came to my mind was the boiling kettle my misunderstood. As I know the leather for this model is waxy finish, the coating layer need to be broken before the leather itself soaked-in, to me it's sort of unnecessary loss.

Watch the pressure above the toes thing, that's initially what made me fit higher innersoles for a tighter.. fit, nasty place for a bruise!

Nuts wrote:Watch the pressure above the toes thing, that's initially what made me fit higher innersoles for a tighter.. fit, nasty place for a bruise!

Agreed. One of my former pairs of boots had a slight pressure point a bit above the toes. After a few hours of walking this became quite painful. The solution in my case was to keep the laces looser than I'd usually like. This would, of course, undo what you're trying to achieve.

They'll probably wear in nicely and the heel lift may disappear as the sole deforms ( the shank tends to get less stiff or bends to give the boot more 'rocker') after a time and the leather and nylon in the heel cup wears. I have heated boots ( in a waterproof bag in boiling water) and then worn them when hot to hasten the heel cup wearing in. This works if the heel cup is nylon and is a trick for army boots.
The extr length may come in handy as the boot goes through the wearing in process.
Bonus with these boots is they're the last one you'll need to buy as the sole is replaceable with the Norwegian welt. They're a good buy.

There is a facebook thingy about the best way to tie bootelaces & trust me ,it works 100%...It is by a young lady hiker, who knows her stuff & for the life of me,I cannot remember her site/name.....the idea is to leave the first four or five lacings fairly loose,to maintain upper circulation ,then tie a knot & from there up, have the lacings tighter,which gives a bit more ankle support & keeps the foot into the boot,causing less (supposedly) friction between boot & foot.........a bit of fiddling about with lace pressures etc, certainly worked for me , I walked 600ks in 8 weeks& not 1 blister... ....

Forgot something,I also always wear two pairs of socks,the inner one is a pair of ladies pants socks (about $2 from Coles) pulled up, they just about reach my knees,also good calf support & the outer sock is always woolen.....woks for me,, ...