Which walking boots are the best?

One of the questions we get asked most at Trailblazer Outdoors is “Which walking boots are best” the answer to this is not usually one the customer is expecting because we generally say “The one that fits the best”.

When we say fit, it is meant in two ways, the first way is how the walking boot will fit on the foot, because if it isn't right that they will not be comfortable and there is nothing worse than an uncomfortable walking boot as anyone who has had blisters or bruised toes will testify too, the second meaning of the word fit is, fit for purpose, so we will ask you are you going to Everest basecamp? Walking along local towpath down by your local canal? Are you venturing off the beaten track on tough mountainous terrain or are you just walking along the local footpaths and bridleways in your local area. Of course there's nothing to stop you buying a boot that could get to the summit of Everest and just walking along a local canal path or even buying a boot that is designed for lowland valley walking and then venturing off into the high mountains of the Himalayas, but as with most things in life is important to get the right tool for the job. The right walking boots will perform best in the environments they have been designed to perform in, this will give you the user a much more pleasurable experience and also help to prevent injuries including slips or turned ankles, so when it comes to walking boots fit is king.

At Trailblazer Outdoors we have a specialist boot fitting area upstairs away from the shop floor this calm environment gives our customers time to reflect on the walking boots the are trying on.

At Trailblazer Outdoors we generally measure the size of your feet, which is something most customers have not experienced since school. Before foot measuring takes place we will ask you to select a try on sock from our range of Bridgedale socks as this will alter the size of your foot. Measuring your feet may seem like a strange thing to do, however, feet change throughout your life, generally speaking feet get longer and often wider with age this is not a growth issue rather spreading out of your foot, as our feet are very basically a bag of bones, cartilage and tendons surrounded by skin, you would be amazed how many people are wearing the wrong sized shoes and walking boots.

Once we have measured your feet we can then start trying on boots that will actually perform well for you in your chosen environment. It is important when trying on walking boots not to get too hung up on the exact size of the boot as they vary tremendously from style to style and manufacturer to manufacturer, if possible we will get you to try on a half or a whole size above and below the one that was indicated when you were measured. Take time to try each walking boot on, walk around for a while try our incline board, which simulates going up and down a hill. This is very important as gravity will push your foot forward slightly and the last thing you want to experience is pressure on the ends of your toes, which can lead to bruising and even lost toe nails, again from our experience walkers will often buy boots that are too small for them leading to this and other problems. Throughout the trying on process we will continue to offer advice and helpful hints on subjects like lacing of boots and aftercare so please talk to our friendly and helpful staff. Remember to take your time, we are not in a rush you can take as long as you like to choose the right walking boots for you, we only want you to be happy customer and to really enjoy your purchase.

So remember when you're in the market for a new pair of walking boot; fit is king! Fit for the purpose and the fit on your foot, if you take these things into consideration and use our staff to guide you then you shouldn't go too far wrong.

We look forward to seeing you soon, and remember to ask for your FREE boot aftercare product when you buy your next set of walking boots or shoes from Trailblazer Outdoors!