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Leather Hiking Boots Maintenance Tips

Hiking footwear is prone to extreme wear and tear and the key to long lasting gear is prompt and precise maintenance.

Here are a few pointers that will help keep your hiking boots tuned for optimum hassle free performance for a long time.

Daily Upkeep: Hiking boots are constantly in touch with mud and dirt which are abrasive and can inflict a lot of damage if left unattended. So, it’s essential that you clean the footwear after every hiking trip.

Other than the daily upkeep, it is extremely important to have a regular maintenance schedule for the hiking boots where you analyze it for minor damages and then correct them before they become major ones.

The frequency of your maintenance schedule is directly proportional to the difficulty of your hiking trails. A more seasoned and experienced hiker who often treads difficult hiking trails will require more frequent maintenance schedules as opposed to a beginner hiker who treads through easy trails.

Cleaning: You can clean fabric and leather hiking boots with mild soap and water. Avoid using excessive soap for leather boots as it deprives the leather of its natural oils.

Drying: It is extremely important that you dry the hiking boots completely before using them. The best way to do this is to dry it naturally. But if you live in an area where weather disallows the natural drying process, then use a dehumidifier to dry it. This will remove any hidden moisture in the hiking boots. Remember, moisture is the key to breeding unwanted elements like fungus and bacteria in your boots. Do not hold it over extreme heat to dry it as this will only age your boots faster and shrink the waterproof lining and leather making them loose the waterproofing properties.

Spick and Span: Now it’s time to brush off any dirt, mud or other elements off your hiking boots that may have refused to go while cleaning.

Condition: Lastly, you may use the conditioning or water repellant that can be purchased from all good hiking boot stores or websites such as newforestfootwear.com.

A lot of people use leather softening products on their hiking boots. This may make the boots more comfortable to the touch. But, the very purpose of using leather hiking boots is the support they provide and softeners defeat this purpose. So avoid using them while cleaning.

Newforestfootwear.com has a huge ensemble of premium leather hiking boots that are perfect for hikers of all ages and expertise levels. Log on today for some very insightful tips on hiking, hiking gear and more.

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