Wearing rubber boots on hikes is usually criticized, and for good reason. Walking long distances in them is difficult – it is easy to get calluses, and there is a high risk of twisting your leg, especially when moving under a heavy backpack. Most models have slippery soles and heavy boots. Together, this negates their main advantage – complete waterproofness.
More or less firmly in everyday life of tourists, only light boots made of EVA foam entered, but only as warm shoes for a bivouac and shallow fords, and not as the main running pair. However, it is sometimes worth wearing rubber boots on a hike. And if there is a request, then the corresponding shoes appear. There is a whole class of hiking rubber boots that organically complement the modern range of trekking shoes. Although they are rarely officially called “tourist”. Most of these boots are positioned by manufacturers as footwear for walking hunting and fishing, but in fact they are actively used by hikers. Especially in Central and Northern Europe.
We will tell you how to distinguish between rubber boots suitable for hiking under a backpack from ordinary ones. In what conditions they will be more appropriate than trekking boots.
When You Need Rubber Boots On Your Hikes
In tourism, there are a number of situations where a pair of rubber boots is preferable to trekking boots or sneakers. And all these situations can be reduced to two large groups:
- When it’s very damp. Rubber boots are completely waterproof, but trekking shoes, even in combination with membrane gaiters, may not cope with high humidity. In conditions of constant dampness and frequent fords, even heavy trekking boots made of thick leather and with a Gore-Tex membrane will not save you from wet feet. Water can overflow through the boot, and the top of the shoe, which is soaked through, still cools the feet and creates a feeling of unpleasant dampness inside the boot, even if the membrane does not let the water inside.
- When it’s very dirty. Damp dirt is often adjacent to dampness. For example, in swampy areas, as well as on bumpy roads and trails. It sticks to the boots, making them heavier, ruining their appearance and shortening their lifespan. It is problematic to clean trekking boots on a hike, but rubber boots can be easily washed from dirt right in the direction of travel – just dip them into any body of water or puddle or walk on tall wet grass. And for rubber, dirt is not at all terrible, unlike leather and textiles.
Hiking On The Tundra
A feature of the tundra regions is waterlogged soils due to permafrost. Moisture from melted snow and rains simply has nowhere to go, which is why the soil and moss literally become limp and remain very damp for a long time, even if there was a long break in precipitation. The area itself can be replete with a mass of shallow rivers and streams with branches and tributaries, which will need to be ford several times daily.
Changing shoes on each one means losing a lot of time and effort. It is much easier and more comfortable to walk in rubber boots, since there is no need to change your shoes and there is no reason to worry that your shoes will get wet. Even when you have to walk knee-deep without taking off your shoes, boots are preferable, because then they dry much faster than trekking boots. It will be enough to simply drain the water, remove and squeeze out the insole and fabric liner, if any, and put on dry socks. The material itself does not absorb moisture, which means that it does not need to dry.
Forest Hiking In The Off-season
Almost all forests get cold, wet and muddy during the off-season. Especially at Oregon Coast Camping. In addition to rains and fords of rivers, on the route you can expect sour snow – in spring it has not melted yet, and in autumn it falls at night and melts during the day. In such conditions, rubber boots save feet not only from dampness, but also simultaneously from hypothermia.
Combined Hikes
Dampness and abundance of water are a constant companion of combined walking and water trips. And if in the summer you can still get by with crocs and a pair of walking shoes, then in the off-season or in cold regions one pair of rubber boots will still be preferable.
Also, the trip can be combined with other formats of outdoor recreation. For example, fishing or mushroom picking. And here, comfortable rubber boots are also irreplaceable!
The Second Pair Of Shoes
Rubber boots can act as a replacement pair of shoes on extended expeditions. In trekking boots, then the mountain part of the route goes, where they are needed on difficult terrain, a kurumnik, during exits to snowfields and glaciers. And boots are used in valleys in cold, damp weather, during fords or when driving through wetlands. For example, in short, uncomplicated radials and in a bivouac.
How Tourist Rubber Boots Differ From Ordinary Ones
In short, touring rubber boots are a hybrid of rubber boots and trekking boots. From the former, a waterproof and easy-care upper is taken, and from the latter, a stable and grippy sole. But let’s take a look at the differences between ordinary rubber boots and tourist ones on their specific properties.
Stability
The soles of touring rubber boots are stiffer than usual for twisting and bending. Due to this, they provide the necessary stability and support for the ankle. After all, the stiffer sole of the boots is less deformed under the weight of a tourist with a backpack when he moves along the route, and this reduces the risk of turning the foot. To increase the overall rigidity, wooden, metal or plastic elements are even inserted into the outsole of tourist rubber boots. And to compensate for the loss of flexibility, they have a smooth roll in the toe area for a more comfortable step – just like in trekking boots!
Many touring rubber boots have a stiff heel and thinning in the Achilles tendon to improve ankle coverage. This provides additional support for the joints and reduces the risk of the foot rolling along the route.
Tenacity
Tourist rubber boots hold on the terrain much better than ordinary boots due to the aggressive tread, as well as due to the combination of rubber compounds of different densities in the sole.
Comfort
Unlike conventional rubber boots, hiking boots always have a resilient midsole that absorbs shock loads that occur when walking. In addition, all hiking boots have a pronounced drop between the toe and heel and a smooth roll in the forefoot. Together, this makes long-term walking in such boots much more comfortable.
Strength
Touring rubber boots are not inferior, and sometimes even superior in strength, to PVC boots and are much more wear-resistant than lightweight EVA foam models. At the same time, the bottom, toe, and sometimes the folds of tourist rubber boots are reinforced with additional layers of rubber, as is done in trekking boots. This reduces wear on the boots, and the reinforced toe also protects the toes from bumps when a tourist stumbles on a trail against a stone or tree root.
In terms of properties, touring rubber boots are a compromise. In them, it is inconvenient to move along the difficult mountainous terrain with its steep ascents and descents, with barnacles and troughs. Here the advantage is on the side of trekking boots. But on damp flat areas, especially off trails, in tourist rubber boots, you can move quite comfortably and safely even under a weighty backpack, without fear of twisting your foot or filling up large calluses – almost like in comfortable hiking boots. But the legs in them will be maximally protected from dampness.
How To Make Hiking Rubber Boots More Comfortable
The following recommendations are usually given to owners of trekking boots, but they are no less relevant for rubber boots, because these shoes are obviously less accurate on the foot:
- Use insoles with strong arch support. They make the position of the feet in boots more stable. The leg does not slip inside, and the boot itself sits tighter and more comfortable. Also, such insoles additionally reduce the risk of the foot twisting. The ideal option is to make a pair of molded insoles from a master bootfeater, taking into account the specifics of your feet. But in most cases, simply pre-molded models will suffice. They have a tough plastic element that supports the arch of the foot, as well as a cushioning layer under the heel for more comfort on long walks.
- Use high trekking socks. Although high alpine skiing is also suitable. The main thing is that the height of the toe reaches the knee, that is, it is larger than the tops of the boots. The toe should not roll down and gather in folds in the area of the heel, instep and bootleg. Otherwise, you will not save your feet from rubbing and calluses. The second plus of good trekking and ski socks is moisture wicking. Through their fibers, they transport it from the toe to the bootleg. From there, it evaporates better and goes outside. This improves the microclimate inside the non-breathing rubber boot, reducing the risk of calluses and diaper rash on the feet.
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