Wet Boots Tougher on Feet????

[Periwinkle]

Okay, this may be a really stupid question, but bear with me please... Are wet boots tougher on your feet? I get the feeling this may be yet another moment where I have to smack myself upside the head, but before I retire my perfect sprung boots, I wanted to ask what y'all think.

Last weekend my boots leaked like the proverbial sieve after hiking over an hour in thunderstorms on a notoriously wet trail. They had been Nikwaxed in recent memory, but have a few cracks along the top bands (the worst plugged with Shoe-Goo.) They have never leaked that badly before. Unfortunately they aren't the kind that can readily be resoled.

Much to my displeasure, after six hours of hiking in little bootie pools, my feet felt like a cheese grater had been run across them, particularly along the insteps. The following day, I felt like my feet had been beaten with a baseball bat.

This is a first. Could the fact that I was hiking that long in wet boots be the problem, or is it just time to retire the old faithfuls and break in a new pair?

 

[sli74]

I find wet boots much harder on my feet but the question you may want to ask before investing in new boots is would new boots have gotten wet in the conditions you were hiking in and if the answer is yes then maybe you don't need new boots but drier weather

But, then again excuse for new gear is a good excuse !!!

sli74

 

[dentonfabrics]

Yes, wet boots are certainly tougher on your feet. Hiking with wet feet stuffed into wet boots are a sure way to develop blisters and there aint nothin' worse than that.

I'd think about getting some new boots.


bob

 

[Rick]

....This is a first. Could the fact that I was hiking that long in wet boots be the problem, or is it just time to retire the old faithfuls and break in a new pair?

Hi Periwinkle,
I think it is probably a combination of the two, certainly the wet boots cause a major problem - When your socks get completely wet (and no amount of hydrophobic material will keep you feet dry if everything is wet) your skin starts to soften (remember sitting in a bathtub for long periods of time and your appendages become all wrinkly) and as it softens the skin layers becomes it become more prone to sliding, developng frinction and allowing blisters and hotspots to form much more rapidly.

Since your boots are well broken in, it could be that your midsole is collapsed or no longer providing any protection to your feet (it could be exacerbated by being wet), and that could cause pain to your instep as you lose the support.

Time to hit REI - Probably!!!!
Good Luck!!

 

[lumberzac]

Yes, wet boots are certainly tougher on your feet. Hiking with wet feet stuffed into wet boots are a sure way to develop blisters and there aint nothin' worse than that.

I'd think about getting some new boots.


bob

I don’t mean to send this thread off on a tangent, but is this statement true for most people? I only ask because when ever I seem to get blisters, which isn’t too often, it’s when I’ve been hiking and my feet stay dry. Can anyone think of a reason for this?

 

[woodstrider]

Wet Boots...

are "harder" on the feet. For me they tend to chafe more especially around the ankles.

But if your feet feel "beat-up" after a hike you may have other boot problems.

Anyway- it sounds like this pair of yours deserves a proper burial.

Happy Trails

 

[Periwinkle]

Well, I guess a dope slap is in order here. I should have thought of the prune analogy that Rick came up with. It's just the whole thing threw me off -- my feet have gotten wet before, but I've never been swimming in my boots.

I did have some trouble with my ankles as well -- it looks like heat rash, but I just figured that was because it WAS hot, and I hadn't completely zippered my rain pants, allowing some water into the top of the boots while I was trying to vent a little.

I did consider all of this, and I decided that using Seema's criteria, yes, new boots might not have been that wet and it was a good excuse to buy new gear. TOO LATE!!!! They've discontinued my boots! UGH! Now I have a real problem. It took me two months to get these boots in my size when they were in production. I'm going to have a heck of a time finding replacements. I knew I should have bought a backup pair immediately! Dang!

I guess I need to check the boots when they finally find their way back home to see if the instep is toast. I'm hoping it's not and that a new pair of inner soles and more ShoeGoo will aleviate the problems. Or if anyone has an inside deal on a decent pair of Lowa Scout WXL's in a size 6, I would be eternally grateful!