Kenetrek Break in / Boot advice

[grfox92]

I've had a very difficult time finding good boots that work for me. Best fitting boot I've ever worn is the Solomon Quest, but I'm looking for a boot that is actually waterproof. I hate wet feet, and dont need insulated for winter. So any good waterproof boot will serve all my needs.

I have had Several Crispi, Asolo, Oboz, Zamberlan, and more. I have never had an issue with boots or shoes until I started trying high end boots. Foot box too narrow on one foot or both feet, but I dont wear a wide. Heel slip causing blisters, not enough support, the eyelets pinch the top of my foot when the boot flexes, ect. ect. All the boots I have tried have some type of issue which causes them to not work for me.

I have been trying Kenetrek Mountain Extremes on for years now and finally decided I would bite the bullet and "Buy once Cry once". They felt great in every aspect in the store, around the house, and wearing them to work.

Yesterday I took them to for the first mountain test while shed hunting. At about the one mile mark I noticed when ascending up-hill there was a lot of pressure from the back of my heel just below my Achilles into the back of the boot. By mile 2 the blisters were there. By mile 3 I turned around, limped back to the car, popped the blisters, tried throwing on my Mucks to continue but it was too pain full. The problem only occurs going uphill, which where I live is pretty much 100% of the time.

Has anyone had a similar issue that worked itself out after break in? I could continue to wear them and break them in, in the hopes that the issue goes away. The problem is I can not get stuck with a pair of $500 boots that serve no purpose to me. As of right now I can return the boots. They are in like new condition and I know they will take them back, but If I continue break in and wear in the boots I will be stuck with them.

If they dont work out I am pretty much out of options and going to buy a new pair of Solomons and just deal with wet feet I guess. Any and all advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Gary

 

[JeffRaines]

One of the things you’re overlooking when it comes to these “higher end” boots is that they’re all significantly stiffer than your Salomon’s.

I was once in your position, and while I also have some genetic issues that made stiffer boots harder to wear - here’s what I’ve come to realize:

1. You cannot walk the same way in stiff boots as you can flexible boots/sneakers. Walking the same way, for me, causes heel slip and blisters. You have to slow down and be deliberate with your footfall.

2. A lot of the stiffer boots absolutely have a break in period. It’s best to heed whatever warning the manufacturer offers which is typically 50 miles. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% boot break in, but probably 50/50 the boot breaking in, and your foot(and gait) breaking into the boot.

3. You do not need to “hulk lace” the boots. This was another mistake I made - surely if they’re loose it’s gonna cause blisters - it makes sense logically, but what I eventually noticed is that the Salomon’s and trail runners also have heel slip which never causes blisters… that’s because when you lace your boots down ridiculously tight the only thing you’re doing is causing the boot to really dig into your heel when it wants to slip. Especially during break in, your foot is going to flex before the sole of the boot does, and in turn that causes your heel to rub.

4. Moisture management! I don’t know about you, but my feet are sweat pits. Doesn’t matter how hot or cold, or how “breathable” a boot claims to be. You take all the previous things, then add in moisture and you’ve got blisters. Every time you take a break, you’re gonna need those boots to come off. Bring an extra pair or two of socks with you as well.

5. Fit. I think a lot of issues is less “fit” and more people just don’t know how to wear and walk in stiff boots… but make no mistake, some boots and feet just don’t go together. I had this issue repeatedly with Salewas.

6. Good socks. No, I don’t mean dollar store cotton socks. You need some decent breathable socks. Darn Tough and Smartwool come to mind. Some socks are “shapeless”, those you might consider wearing a liner sock with as well. Some socks like the Darn Tough and Smartwool PHds actually “fit” on your feet and make wearing a liner unnecessary.

7. Inserts. Most of the time, stock inserts are throwaways. Just like with boots, what works for one guy won’t necessarily work for the next. I’ve had the best luck with Superfeet Trailblazers.

With all that said, I’d reapproach those boots with this stuff in mind. Go try out some insoles. Go try out some socks. Take your time breaking them in by walking around the house with them on, going shopping, etc. If you have a treadmill all the better. Once you’ve got 10 miles or so doing that, start hitting the mountain with them but do it a little at a time and pack a set of backups - once you start getting a hotspot take them off and put on your backups.

 

[RuggedYogi]

One of the things you’re overlooking when it comes to these “higher end” boots is that they’re all significantly stiffer than your Salomon’s.

I was once in your position, and while I also have some genetic issues that made stiffer boots harder to wear - here’s what I’ve come to realize:

1. You cannot walk the same way in stiff boots as you can flexible boots/sneakers. Walking the same way, for me, causes heel slip and blisters. You have to slow down and be deliberate with your footfall.

2. A lot of the stiffer boots absolutely have a break in period. It’s best to heed whatever warning the manufacturer offers which is typically 50 miles. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% boot break in, but probably 50/50 the boot breaking in, and your foot(and gait) breaking into the boot.

3. You do not need to “hulk lace” the boots. This was another mistake I made - surely if they’re loose it’s gonna cause blisters - it makes sense logically, but what I eventually noticed is that the Salomon’s and trail runners also have heel slip which never causes blisters… that’s because when you lace your boots down ridiculously tight the only thing you’re doing is causing the boot to really dig into your heel when it wants to slip. Especially during break in, your foot is going to flex before the sole of the boot does, and in turn that causes your heel to rub.

4. Moisture management! I don’t know about you, but my feet are sweat pits. Doesn’t matter how hot or cold, or how “breathable” a boot claims to be. You take all the previous things, then add in moisture and you’ve got blisters. Every time you take a break, you’re gonna need those boots to come off. Bring an extra pair or two of socks with you as well.

5. Fit. I think a lot of issues is less “fit” and more people just don’t know how to wear and walk in stiff boots… but make no mistake, some boots and feet just don’t go together. I had this issue repeatedly with Salewas.

6. Good socks. No, I don’t mean dollar store cotton socks. You need some decent breathable socks. Darn Tough and Smartwool come to mind. Some socks are “shapeless”, those you might consider wearing a liner sock with as well. Some socks like the Darn Tough and Smartwool PHds actually “fit” on your feet and make wearing a liner unnecessary.

7. Inserts. Most of the time, stock inserts are throwaways. Just like with boots, what works for one guy won’t necessarily work for the next. I’ve had the best luck with Superfeet Trailblazers.

With all that said, I’d reapproach those boots with this stuff in mind. Go try out some insoles. Go try out some socks. Take your time breaking them in by walking around the house with them on, going shopping, etc. If you have a treadmill all the better. Once you’ve got 10 miles or so doing that, start hitting the mountain with them but do it a little at a time and pack a set of backups - once you start getting a hotspot take them off and put on your backups.

Interesting stuff. Going to have to experience with some of your suggestions. I definitely “hull lace”.

 

[grfox92]

This is good advice. I was wearing a thin synthetic sock and wondered is a thicker sock would have saved me. I also had the boots laced TIGHT. After I felt the blisters developing, I relaced them looser, but I ear the damage was already done.

One of my favorite winter cardio workouts is walking on the treadmill at its highest incline, good on your joints and really gets you going,

I think I will start doing this with my boots on to break them in and try different lacing techniques. This way I'm not wearing out the boots so they arent returnable but still breaking them in.

 

[JeffRaines]

This is good advice. I was wearing a thin synthetic sock and wondered is a thicker sock would have saved me. I also had the boots laced TIGHT. After I felt the blisters developing, I relaced them looser, but I ear the damage was already done.

One of my favorite winter cardio workouts is walking on the treadmill at its highest incline, good on your joints and really gets you going,

I think I will start doing this with my boots on to break them in and try different lacing techniques. This way I'm not wearing out the boots so they arent returnable but still breaking them in.

I have a pair of Schnees Beartooths that I swore were too loose. Seriously. I had worn them outside already so I decided to keep them, turns out "too loose" was perfect... once they broke in they're like slippers!

 

[NB7]

My mountain extremes did the same to me the first time I hit some hills when they were new, and I thought the same thing at the time, that I just wasted a sh#! ton of money on high end boots. Far stiffer than I was used to. But, I thought I'd keep trying and after a break in period they were good to go. In the meantime, a little leuko tape can be your friend. Good news is even if all else fails and you still can't get them right, you can still fetch a decent price selling them "used/like new" and only have to take a small loss.

 

[grfox92]

My mountain extremes did the same to me the first time I hit some hills when they were new, and I thought the same thing at the time, that I just wasted a sh#! ton of money on high end boots. Far stiffer than I was used to. But, I thought I'd keep trying and after a break in period they were good to go. In the meantime, a little leuko tape can be your friend. Good news is even if all else fails and you still can't get them right, you can still fetch a decent price selling them "used/like new" and only have to take a small loss.

Good to hear. Thats what I was hoping to hear honestly.

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[TxTaurus74]

Have you also tried a sock liner (I think that is what it's called)? I wore my Kenetrek Mountain Extremes for a month to work before hiking in them. I do wear the sock liner under a wool sock and have never had issues.

 

[goathunter.oregon]

After my first hike in my new Mountain Extremes, I thought I was crippled and had made a really expensive mistake. The 7mm nylon midsole makes the boots stiffer than any I'd ever worn. I cut back the mileage and kept at it and they steadily got more comfortable. Now they're great and I never hesitate to wear them.

 

[Husky87]

Usually more of a lurker on this site for quite some time but figured I would chime in because like you I too was apprehensive to pull the trigger on such a high end pair of boots. Especially when reading about getting blisters, or learning to walk a new way. But, I also purchased a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extremes last year and had a similar experience. My feet didn't blister, however, but I did find myself learning how to "hike" again in such a stiff boot.

I also took the precautions of making sure that I have good socks (darn tough) and also learning how to properly lace a boot. The little trick that I normally adhere to is tie my boots down on one knee, with the boot I am tying bending my anke just slightly, probably at a 65 degree angle. This allows me to have just enough give when they are laced, but still tight enough that my heel doesn't slip, but it has accounted for a slight bit of room. It provided me with the best air flow as well, because my feet also sweat profusely.

Only other recommendation I can make is to definitely be more deliberate with your footing. I went from having a very quick pace to being much more slow. This also helps because as I am shed hunting it allows me to take my time combing through an area I would've normally just blown through and now I look like Herman Munster roaming about the woods. And, the only other thing that could have helped was I did start off by treating the boots with the Kenetrek wax. Don't know if that necessarily aids in the break-in process, but I figured it couldn't hurt. I now probably have close to 200 miles on them and they are without a doubt one of the best boots I have had.

Hopefully it offers some insight.

 

[452b264]

A mid weight wool sock with a liner and put some mole skin on your heel before you start hiking and they will break in just fine.

 

[JeffRaines]

but I did find myself learning how to "hike" again in such a stiff boot.

This is something that is never discussed when it comes to high end/stiff boots and it should be.

You cannot lace these things up and cruise down the trails like you can with a lightweight hiker. Broken in or not, your gait is altered. I feel like some guys with say a mountaineering background(or anyone who has used stiff boots) are the guys who can just “lace up and go” because they’re already conditioned to it.

For those of us without that background, it needs to be communicated.

 

[grfox92]

This is something that is never discussed when it comes to high end/stiff boots and it should be.

You cannot lace these things up and cruise down the trails like you can with a lightweight hiker. Broken in or not, your gait is altered. I feel like some guys with say a mountaineering background(or anyone who has used stiff boots) are the guys who can just “lace up and go” because they’re already conditioned to it.

For those of us without that background, it needs to be communicated.

I would love some insight on "how" to walk. Is it something I need to individually feel out? My only problem is going uphill.

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[aaronoto]

I didn’t have any heel slip when breaking in my Kenetrek’s, but there was definitely pressure on the back of the heel. I always wore leukotape on the heel until the boots were broken in though.

 

[kjw]

Had the same issue when I got my hard scrabbles. It took quite awhile to get the boot and my feet broken in. Used lots of their wax and lots of mile. Like others said, socks and insoles can be a game changer. Make sure you take your boots with when looking for insoles. I would also experiment with how you lace your boots. Lots of good YouTube videos on different ways. With serious mtn boots, instead of lacing the top eyelets as we are all accustomed to I started lacing the top 2 or 3 hooks by coming over the top of them. It lets me cinch down more if need and pulls the top of the boot a little more forward. For me it really locks in my ankle. Hope that made sense. As far as water proofing, I have had mine for almost 9 years and still won’t leak.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Personally I think a lot of people underestimate the degree of foot preparation and toughness needed to comfortably hunt for many consecutive days in super-stiff mountain boots.

I knew and hunted with a Yukon sheep guide who obviously understood boots. He flatly refused to wear really stiff boots. He also told me he'd seen (and treated) a large number of client foot problems due to overly stiff boots. Blisters, toe trauma, fasciitis and bruising were a fact for him. His opinion was that stiff boots were a 90/10 proposition....with 10% amounting to the times where the super stiffness really mattered. The rest of the time (according to Rod) the stiffness was a liability in walking moderate terrain. He also understood that probably half his clients were wearing boots which weren't fully broken-in and had feet which were woefully unprepared to endure daily wearing of their boots.

I share this only because I once ruined my feet in the NWT with too-stiff boots. I'd worn them all spring and summer. I thought I was good to go. After 3 days of hard hunting I had several black toes on each foot. I barely made it through and my loss of mobility cost me opportunities. My message is simply this: break-in is one thing, and it involves both boots and feet. Actually being able to replicate the demands of a hunt with things like multiple days of 16 hour active wear, interior moisture accumulation, temp fluctuations, foot swelling, pack carrying and other factors is very difficult. Sometimes you just don't know until you go do it. So do everything possible to become one with your boots. Your feet need the break-in as much as your boots. Keep wearing them hard right up to your hunts, so your foot toughness doesn't regress.

The Kenetreks look like superior boots, as do many other mountain boots. I suspect when they're truly broken in they'll look well-worn and definitely used. Any boot (of that stiffness) which looks relatively new is probably not ready for the mountain.

 

[cookecitybud]

A mid weight wool sock with a liner and put some mole skin on your heel before you start hiking and they will break in just fine.

I had some heel slip on my right boot "Hardscrabblers and Mtn Extremes" causing a blister and from now on I just put on a piece of mole skin or Leukotape before my hunts and will last for 5+ days and no more blisters

 

[bpotter]

I have a pair of mountain extremes and the break in was pretty easy. Flat ground - do some hills and side hills- beak in the ankles on side hills. I could have hunted them after a day walking around town but my feet are pretty tough. Kennetrek are not light duty boots but I find them comfortable.

My feet grew so I need a new pair. Anyone needing a lightly used pair on 11 PM me.

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[R_W]

My kennetrek mountain extremes felt comfortable on my feet out of the box. It probably took 20 miles or more to break the joints of the boot in, but I never had foot pain or blisters. If you are wearing good socks and not tying the boots super tight or leaving them super loose and still getting blisters after one mile, then I would say they might not fit your feet.

 

[pattimusprime22]

I also bought some kenetrek mountain extremes and had the exact same issue as you. Flat ground felt fine, but when going uphill the pressure on my heels led to some serious blisters. After they healed I tried again with leukotape without much luck, maybe staved off the blisters for a short while, but blisters came nonetheless. Started walking the dog on a route that would take me up a hill regularly, but without a heavy pack on the pressure wasn't as bad. My hunts last year I ended up using some inov8's because I didn't want to end up 3 miles in with the blisters holding me back, and I hadn't felt 100% with the kenetreks. Let me know if you end up getting to the magic land of pain free uphills in your's @grfox92 . I'm still trying to get there in mine.