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When buying boots, most people will go into a store, try on a pair that looks good, and if they feel comfortable they will buy them. That is what most people do, and that is why most people have problems with their boots at one time or another. There is more to purchasing a pair of boots than how they look and feel in the shop.

The first think you must consider is what your boots will be used for. Are they for walking or climbing? Are they for casual wear as a fashion accessory, or are they intended to keep your feet dry in bad weather. Are they for your children, and if so how quickly will your child’s feet grow? Boots designed for a particular use might not be suitable for any other. An example is climbing boots that are made very stiff so that they are solid when placed on a tiny mountain shelf, but not very good for normal walking due to a general lack of flexibility.
Walking boots, on the other hand, are made flexible and breathable so that they will not hurt your feet and give you blisters after a long trek. Boots designed for backpackers are made to handle heavier weights than normal everyday boots, and the soles can withstand more rugged terrain than normal sidewalks or pavements. They have more support in the ankle, whereas lightweight boots for general use are more flexible and designed more for looks and comfort than for practicality.

You should also consider the material that your boots are made from. Leather is still common, but the thickness and conditioning of the leather will affect their stiffness and comfort. Harder more durable leather might need to be ‘worn in’ to remove the initial stiffness and prevent chaffing and blisters, while the suppler leather of fashion boots provide instant comfort, but less durability and resistance to water and to scuffs. This is particularly true of full grain leathers that sometimes need a lot of breaking in before they can be worn for protracted periods.

Many styles of fashion boots are made from synthetic materials that have a high degree of waterproofing, but are less durable than leather boots. However, they can be made with a variety of finishes, and are popular where certain fashion finishes, such as a metallic or a false crocodile finish, are required.

Irrespective of the type of boot you are purchasing, they must be fitted correctly, and this means more than just ‘feeling comfortable’ in the store. The best time to shop for boots (or any form of footwear) is later in the day, after a period of walking around the shops looking for a pair that you like. That is when your feet are likely to be most swollen, and when fitting you should be looking for a good fit round the leg and ankle, but with plenty of room for your toes. If you can curl them up without abrasion, then the fit is right. About half an inch of space between your toes and the end of the boot is about right.

Pay particular attention to the width between the big and little toes. Not everybody’s feet are the same width, and if you feel any tightness or restriction at the sides of your toes where they meet the edge of the boot then you can develop blisters and bunions. You also need space between the joint of your toes and the top of the boot, and if this is not deep enough then you will develop blisters at the joints of your toes.

Most people try on only one boot, and then assume that both will fit. It is common for both feet to be of different sizes, so you must try on both boots. Walk about with them a little, and try walking upstairs. That will indicate if the bend at the toes is sufficient or if they are going to cut into the joint. You are better with a pair of boots slightly too large than too small. You can easily add inserts or wear thicker socks, but you can’t make a small pair larger.

Speaking of socks, make sure that when you go shopping you wear socks or stockings that relate to the use to which the boots will be put. If you are buying hiking boots, don’t wear thin socks, but wear proper hiking socks that you will be wearing when using the boots. Similarly, if your boots are fashion boots for winter, then wear the foot covering you would normally wear with them during the wet and cold winter months.

Although it is not generally necessary to break in a new pair of boots these days, many people find it better when they do. Once you get your new boots home you should wear them in the house for a few hours, and if they start to feel uncomfortable then return them to the shop and get a size or half a size larger. Sometimes as they soften your boots might actually expand and feel too big. Modern leather processing techniques should prevent this from happening, but you never know, and there again you should take the boots back to the store and try a slightly smaller pair.

Good quality boots generally come with instructions on how to clean them and how to care for them. If you look after them as you should then not only will they last longer, but they will remain comfortable throughout their life. Poor maintenance and bad treatment could cause them to harden up and lose their suppleness, and that will result in them also losing their comfortable fit. As leather hardens due to neglect, it becomes less able to flex with your foot and will start to abrade your skin and give rise to blisters.

If you keep in mind the use to which your boots are to be put, wear the correct footwear when trying them on, and have them fitted once your feet have swollen with normal daily walking, then the assistant should be able to make sure that your boots fit properly. If you keep in mind the critical areas of length, width and depth, and are able to walk in them without your feet rubbing hard against any of these areas, then your boots should be a good fit and last you well so long as you properly maintain them.

This applies as equally to fashionable crocodile boots as to their heavy climbing counterparts.

Keep one step ahead and march over to http://www.bootsatboot.com to know what’s what in footwear.