My daughter, in ROTC, is having trouble breaking-in her combat boots. She got some pretty nasty blisters her first week, last week was ok, but she's got a big hike coming up on Monday, and she's worried she'll have more problems. She wears them around campus every day, and someone else mentioned getting them soaking wet and then wearing them. What's the best way to get these to be comfortable?

There's so many different kinds of "combat boots" nowadays, what type are they?

The old leather combat boots, yes we soaked them and wore them around wet for an afternoon before letting get dry.

And have her get some moleskin for blisters, etc. Even with broken in boots, it's gonna happen. Dr Scholes makes good stuff and with a small scissor you cut it to fit the hot spot(s).

Get AWESOME hiking socks as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
There's so many different kinds of "combat boots" nowadays, what type are they?

In 1972 we had one kind and that wasn't good. Breaking then in was called Basic.

I hope she can find a good way hurting feet are bad

Yes, moleskin is the specific to prevent blisters. Put it on any place they might develop. Trim the corners of the patches so they are rounded, not square.

Although it might not be possible due to fit, I also avoided blisters by wearing light nylon socks under heavier wool socks. If the boots are a bad fit, though, that may not be sufficient, and then see step 1, above.

This is what she's wearing:

almost sounds like they may be the incorrect size which is a separate issue

but she should pre-treat her 'hotspots'

basically - i knew where I was prone to get blisters on long road marches and would put a patch of moleskin on that spot(s)

blisters are a function of friction and moisture try to minimize those factors to the best you can foot powder can help with the foot sweat

once you have a formed blister - the key is to carefully and meticulously drain it and build a moleskin 'doughnut' around it to take the pressure off that spot

but the best recipe is properly fitting boots - they need to be snug to minimize foot movement in the boot but allow a little bit of play to accommodate the foot swelling and not overly constricting the foot

in a long unit road march - there are rest breaks for hydration and to adjust boots / care for feet / change socks

in timed events like Ranger competitions / EIB / Air Assault timed events - typically you start and don't stop until you are done so that was the main source of major blisters

also - selecting the right socks is a huge personal preference you get issue ones but they may or may not be the ideal ones for an individual - I liked a medium weight mainly wool sock - not too thick - not too thin

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I somewhat doubt that breaking in boots like that will help much.
Perhaps they’re not sized properly—?
In any event, I still recommend the moleskin until things improve.

Added: And proper socks. I suspect that women in particular have little experience with the type of socks that are appropriate for long hikes with such boots. If you ask her what type of socks she’s wearing and she says, “What I normally wear,” that may be something to focus on.

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:
This is what she's wearing:

I wore a pair out in Iraq that looked a lot like those. It was easy to tell the new boots from the old, as the older ones took on a darker appearance. My first pair over there split, mostly from a long hike to a DFAC at one location.

The first step in reduced pain in new boots is a good fitting boot. One that's loose at all will rub an move. It should be snug with a good pair of socks. Some recommend using two socks; I could never get them to work. Invariably one would sink down and bunch up and cause more problems.

A trick that can be used in the boot is to wear nylons under the sock. The not too tight, as they impair circulation, but enough that they don't move; they'll help against chafing.

Taking care of the feet and allowing feet, socks, and boots to dry is important.

Moleskin, of course. There are some wear points on some boots that just chafe and rub anyway; a bit of tape on the inside of the boot can help, and there are some wear pads that can be had at Walmart or Walgreens that will work well, inside the boot, especially to fit it a bit better to the individual.

I have a pair of naval flight deck boots that are great, but have a hot spot at the back of the boot when worn in the cockpit; my heels rest in the boot in just that one spot, and it gets painful. I put some small pads in there, obtained at a drug store, and it nearly eliminated that problem. Right behind the heel.

There are plenty of after market inserts that can go in the boot that can make it comfortable; almost anything is often better than stock. If your daughter has arch issues, you can get orthotics to go in there, and if there isn't time to get them from a doctor you can get simple arch support at Walmart or any pharmacy.

Boots often get uncomfortable along the sides of the foot, often from pulling the laces too tight. Getting the boot to fit snugly is a plus, but too tight can cause pressure in the bones in the foot and cause discomfort or pain when walking, hiking, or running.

Suede boots are harder to treat or soften, and boots that need polish can't be softened much without cracking up the polish areas, but there are suede sprays and treatments that will keep it softer and a bit more supple for a poor man's quick break-in.

Buy her some Wright socks. They are two layer socks. One layer moves with your foot, the other moves with the shoe. They are lifesavers.

Running stores will have them, as will places that sell hiking boots.

Those look like Belleville Gore-Tex boots. I'll second thick socks and mole skin; I'm not sure those boots will benefit from the "wearing-in-wet" approach as much as full leather does. They are on the roomy side, if they're like mine. I wear an 11.5M, and mine have plenty of room to spare.

As an aside, buy her a boot dryer. They go a long way to keeping them from stinking over time. I recommend a Peet free standing for best results. I love mine. It is over 10 years old and still going strong.

http://www.peetdryer.com/store.../Original_Dryer.html

Thanks, everyone. She's reading the responses now.

Wear two pair of socks. One thin set of liners and a thicker outer layer.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
I'm not sure those boots will benefit from the "wearing-in-wet" approach as much as full leather does.

Agreed. I never did the wet deal with these kinds of boots, only the full black lather ones.

It can be some trial and error to get a good fit - assuming the boots aren't too tight to begin with. Several tries with various socks, tightness of laces, padded inserts, etc will help narrow down what 'works' for her.

It's gonna hurt some eventually on long marches, but you want to avoid the hot spots / widespread blisters - when I did a month long stretch of Marine training (lots of marches / runs / combat activities in boots), I figured out certain spots on my feet to pre-emptively place moleskin even before they blistered. It was a godsend.

Also for longer marches, spare socks can help as well.

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:
Wear two pair of socks. One thin set of liners and a thicker outer layer.

This 1000%. Gar un teed.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:
Wear two pair of socks. One thin set of liners and a thicker outer layer.

This 1000%. Gar un teed.

this could be a solution - personally it never worked for me - I could never find the right combination and it was just more fabric to absorb moisture

some other techniques i know of that i never used:

coating / spraying feet with antiperspirant to minimize sweating

some wore the socks inside-out to keep the seams from directly contacting the foot skin

also - are those boots in a woman's size? men's tend to be wider so that would be a problem if her foot is moving around side-to-side too much even though the length is right

basically - there is a bit of trial and error as you find out what works for you

in the Infantry foot-care is a HUGE deal

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If those are the gortex lined boots, I would ditch them unless it was winter time and she's in the field for an extended period of time.

First, make sure the boots are the proper size. Socks are key, every has different opinions on socks. I wear the UnderArmour boot socks, I've been wearing them for the past 10 years with boots.

I broke my boots in by getting them wet and walking around with them until they were dry.

While a lot of guys are fans of the expensive "high speed" boots, I'm a fan of the issue boots as I feel they toughen your feet up more than the fancy boots.

Does she still wear the ACU? If so, I have a couple sets of medium short in trousers and jacket I can send to you. Someone told me ROTC was still wearing the ACU. I have transitioned to the multi-cam style uniform.

As the others have said need to find out if the boots are too small or large. Use 2 socks, first sock = thin wool running/liner sock (ankle socks are fine), second = medium weight hiking socks, these types are usually padded in the heel...also too thick of a sock may initially feel ok but as you're hiking, your foot is going to start shifting = blisters! Also look at replacement insoles. I like merino wool for both socks, YMMV.

For blister prevention, try using knee/elbow bandages: 2 per foot, first - horizontally as "heel cup", second - vertically above your heel to the achilles.

https://www.walgreens.com/stor...=prod4022050-product

Identify the "hot spots" & use Flexible clear tape to cover them:
https://www.walgreens.com/stor...D=prod727932-product

I've used all of the above for quite a few years hiking & climbing with tremendous success!

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
If those are the gortex lined boots, I would ditch them unless it was winter time and she's in the field for an extended period of time.

First, make sure the boots are the proper size. Socks are key, every has different opinions on socks. I wear the UnderArmour boot socks, I've been wearing them for the past 10 years with boots.

I broke my boots in by getting them wet and walking around with them until they were dry.

While a lot of guys are fans of the expensive "high speed" boots, I'm a fan of the issue boots as I feel they toughen your feet up more than the fancy boots.

Does she still wear the ACU? If so, I have a couple sets of medium short in trousers and jacket I can send to you. Someone told me ROTC was still wearing the ACU. I have transitioned to the multi-cam style uniform.

Edmond, that's very generous of you. She said she already has everything from ROTC, but thank you for the offer.

Another member had posted wearing nylons underneath socks. While I have never done this, I have heard it works great. But yes, you want your boots to be fairly tight, but not constrictive.

My feet are nasty, calluses all over. Even to this day I walk over 12 miles daily, wet shoes, wet socks, and my feet still look nasty. Never really had a blister issue.