OK, we’ve covered the paramount importance of proper-fitting hiking shoes. Don’t buy them from a catalogue; go to a store and try them on! And when in doubt, get the bigger pair! We’ve also admitted that in the wilderness, even a pro can occasionally develop blisters under the right circumstance. But next to getting the proper fit, nothing is more important than breaking in your new boots prior to your guided backpacking tour in Yellowstone or elsewhere in the Mountain West. Or for that matter, anywhere that you might take a hike. “Break-in”, by the way, does not mean just wearing your new hikers around your living room. Or to your kid’s basketball game. Or to your monthly meeting with your parole officer. No, to break in a new pair of hiking shoes you need to wear them for miles, over uneven terrain, preferably on a real trail or bushwhack!
Of course, the heavier the boot, the more breaking-in you’ll need to do. Ultra-light hiking shoes or trail runners don’t need much, if any, break in. But leather and even most nylon or other fabric-type shoes usually do! Personally, I’ve had enough foot injuries over the years to require a sturdy pair of leather hikers. So when it’s time to replace the old with the new, I break them in for hours on backcountry trails before I even think about hoisting my guide pack. If you don’t have any back-country trails available, wear them dancing. Or running. Or running up and down a staircase. Use your imagination! Especially if you live in Kansas or Florida or anyplace with minimal topography, you’ll still need comfortable well-broken in boots when you hit the trail in Yellowstone. Don’t let sore feet ruin your wilderness experience!
And don’t let your experience be more about dealing with pain and discomfort that enjoying the fruits of being immersed in the magic of wild nature.
