Gear: Choosing the Right Pair of Hiking Boots

It sounds weird but hear me out. If your feet are injured, and you need them to heal fast. Water, as hot as you can stand it, cheap black tea in bags lots of them (15-20 per soak in a small metal tub) and lemon juice a lot. Your feet aren't thirsty, the tannic acid will DYE your FEET orange or brownish. WARNING. Ok, I learned this recipe for both softening the dry skin and making your soles of your feet thicker from my martial arts master. Don't think they hurt their feet, try spin kicks on paver stones 3 days before your final exam. 3 days, a few treatments, and from bloody mess to soft, healthy, protected orange feet.

Can you still buy Zip Fit/ZipFit insoles for hiking boots?

bframs, outdoor shops are usually the best place to find experts in fitting these boots. Unfortunately, just because someone works at an REI (or wherever), that's no guarantee that they're going to be one of those experts.

I've found the best thing to do is to go around to the outdoor shops and ask the employees on duty who the "boot guy" (or "boot gal") is and when they'll be in the store. If there's an expert on staff, you can be sure that all the employees know very well who that person is. Once you get a name and a schedule, you can go back to the store when that person is working and be sure to deal with them when you try on boots.

The same trick works with other sorts of gear, too. In my experience, there's almost always at least one "boot guy" and one "pack guy" (they're not always the same person) at any reputable outdoor shop.

When it comes to boots, research and test drives are the keys to success. Read reviews by consumers who have purchased the items of interest. Once you settle on your top 3, go and try them on and walk in them plenty. Take your time while in the store. Any reputable retailer will not mind you doing this considering the high price tags involved in quality boots. Also I HIGHLY recommend before taking your new kicks out for their inaugural hike that you do two things first. 1. Go to a reputable podiatrist and have your feet fitted for prescription insoles. According to all the doctors I have spoken with, ALL humans need some type of adjusted footwear. No 2 feet are alike and it is impossible to make a shoe or boot that will fit every foot as it should. Yes this will add considerable cost to your footwear but your orthotic inserts can be worn in most all of your shoes and with care should last a few years. Your feet and your lower lumbar will thank you for it. I get new custom inserts made about every 2-3 years and my back pain, or lack thereof shows how this important step should not be overlooked. 2. Take your new boots on several small day hikes before attempting a shot at the summit and take your old comfy sneakers along with you in case you need to change due to discomfort, blisters and the like. Breaking in new boots is not something that can be done properly by wearing them to work or a mall walk.
Be safe and have fun.

I highly recommend REI. their shoe/boot people really know their stuff!

In all articles about boots, I see mention of "boot fitters". Where can I find one? They're not in the Yellow Pages. Most outdoor shops that I visit have people that work in that section of the store but aren't what I would consider an expert.