When it comes to hiking gear, there aren’t many things more important than the fit of your boots. Get it right and you set yourself up for years of endless enjoyment of the outdoor world, where the best view is just over the next hill. Get it wrong, however, and you’ll be hobbling back to the car, looking like a novice day-tripper, wondering why you bothered in the first place. With all the technology that goes into a modern hiking shoe, you’d think that you can just pick your usual size and get out onto the trail. Yet so many people still get blisters which ruins the enjoyment completely. So, should hiking shoes be a size bigger? Well, yes and no, and we’re here to tell you why.
Table of Contents
Reasons Why Hiking Boots Should be a Size Bigger
Your Feet Get Bigger Throughout the Course of the Day
It’s a well known fact that your feet get larger throughout the course of the day. When you think about it, it makes sense. As you are upright and walking around during the day, the blood tends to settle in your lower legs and feet. You probably won’t notice it, but by the end of the day your feet are around half a size bigger than when you woke up. That’s just for the average number of steps we take in a day. If you’re planning a long hike lasting into the afternoon and beyond, your feet are going to be considerably bigger still. You will be thankful for that extra wiggle room, and it might just save your skin on the trail – literally.
You Need to Accommodate Your Thick Hiking Socks
You will know from experience that a good pair of hiking socks is essential to keeping your feet comfortable on the trail. They keep your feet warm, protect against hotspots and offer more water absorption before allowing your feet to get wet. These socks are much thicker than your average cotton number. If you have ever tried a regular pair of shoes on whilst wearing hiking socks, you will feel how much tighter the shoe fits straight away. Therefore you will need to go up at least half a size or more in a hiking shoe to get the right fit. Your shoe should be snug without being too tight. You need to be able to wiggle your toes freely.
Your Feet Get Larger When it is Warm
Another reason why upsizing is important. No two persons’ feet are the same, but we do all have at least one thing in common. During warm weather your feet swell in size. You don’t need to be walking in sub-Saharan temperatures to feel the effects on your ankles and feet either. Even in mild temperatures your feet can suffer, especially if you’re working up a sweat out in the hills. You should wear a larger size to take this into account.
Walking Downhill Requires More Room in Your Hiking Boots
You might not look forward to an uphill slog, but you always feel good afterwards. Especially when you take in the spectacular views and tick another mountain off your list. However, just because your hiking partner says “it’s all downhill from here!” doesn’t mean that the hard work is done. In fact, joints and ligaments take more of a pounding on the way down than on the way up. You are tired, your feet are more swollen, and you are more reliant than ever on the fit of your boots. You can easily injure yourself by wearing ill-fitting footwear. This restricts your ability to get out and explore until it heals fully. You should buy a larger shoe to counter this. You can then descend without your toes catching on the inside of the shoe as your foot slips forward, which can become a real issue over longer distances.
Other Important Things to Remember
Fit is Important, Don’t Just Go Up a Size
When you’re considering whether hiking shoes should be a size bigger, you should know that the fit is a more important measure by which to judge. You should try on several different boots to see which ones fit well with your feet. Exact sizing between manufacturers can differ, even if they are both supposedly the same size. Try them on in the shop to get a good feel. Online retailers often offer free returns which gives you the opportunity to try a few different pairs at home. You will still have to break them in once you have settled on the right pair. You can find out how to do this here.
If You Need To Make Your Shoe Smaller, Use an Insole
As mentioned previously, your feet will fluctuate in size depending on the time of day and the temperature. You can wear thicker socks or a second pair when you need to fill out your shoe, but this isn’t always practical. Wearing two pairs of socks can actually increase the chances of you getting blisters as there are more pieces of material to chafe against one another. You certainly won’t be as comfortable either. The best way to make your shoes fit more tightly is to use an insole. The insole slips into the shoe, and your foot rests higher within. Your shoe will now be around half a size smaller and you won’t have to layer up your socks unnecessarily.
Final Thoughts
So, should hiking shoes be a size bigger? Maybe not a full size in all cases, but you do need to build in some extra room to stay comfortable and content on the trail. Without a well fitting pair of boots, you simply cannot enjoy your outdoor expedition. You might get away with it for a few miles but you will quickly start to feel the pain. Even if you do get away without blisters, you will be slower and less comfortable than your fellow hiker. Nobody wants to lag behind miserably and miss out on the social aspect of getting out for a walk. Take the advice above and your next pair of hiking shoes will serve you well for years to come.