Kenetrek

[easttex]

Has anyone come up with a method of accelerating the break in of Kenetrek boots. They make a nice boot, but 50 miles for a break in is crazy, unless after 50 miles they carry you up the mountain.

 

[outdoor hunter]

Depends on your feet. Mine didn't need any break in time at all

 

[Tim in Wa.]

My first pair needed way more than 50 miles.In fact after about 100 miles I could stand on my toes with a 60 lbs pack and they still wouldn't bend.Second pair needed almost no break in at all
Tim

 

[Maxhunter]

I have two pair and they both were broke in at about 30-40 miles. I wore my to work every day and on the weekends hiked around with a 50lb pack for 6 miles or so. There the best boots I've ever owned and I won't wear anything else.

 

[Solitude]

Conditioner, do it annually and keeps mine in great shape.

 

[ozyclint]

have you tried standing them in a bucket of water up to nearly the cuffs overnight and then walking them dry?

i've had two pairs of meindls and they never needed prolonged break in. my 1st pair are 10 years old and have done heaps of work. they are ready to retire now though and i'm considering some kenetrek's to replace them. i've been wondering if the quality and durabilty are on par with the meindls though? better price and they have a model that might better suit my needs than the old meindls.
will be watching this thread.

 

[Yellowknife]

have you tried standing them in a bucket of water up to nearly the cuffs overnight and then walking them dry?

If your Kenetreks are the insulated version, I wouldn't try that. Once they are saturated, they will take several days to dry under the best of circumstances. Believe me... I have some experience!

My personal experience with the "Mt Extreme" was that I could just put the on and take off. No significant break-in required for me. I'm fairly used to wearing boots though, so my feet are aready broken in and that is often about half the battle. Lots of people buy new boots, take off on long trips, and then blame their crippled feet on the lack of break-in or a poor fitting boot. I often suspect that it has to do with feet that aren't used to the miles, rather than anything the boot did or did not do.


On the other hand that's not always the case.... I'm well on my way to 50 miles on the "Guide" version , and still not quite there. Those suckers have some stiff leather!

Yk

 

[ozyclint]

If your Kenetreks are the insulated version, I wouldn't try that. Once they are saturated, they will take several days to dry under the best of circumstances. Believe me... I have some experience!


Yk

if the insulation gets wet your new boots are leaking. what i meant was putting them into a container then filling the container with water to just below the where the waterproof membrane ends. which is usually just below the cuffs somewhere. in which case if the insulation gets wet the boots are leaking.

 

[Biggs300]

I now have just over 50 miles on mine and I can't say that they are fully broken in, but are very close. Although my Mountain Extremes were comfortable out of the box, I did put just over 35 hiking miles on mine and thought they were ready to go. But, after a backpack elk hunt in CO this past October, I realized they were not quite ready. I know the literature indicates otherwise, but I think they do need a few miles on uneven surfaces (like a good steep mountain side) to complete the process. I will say that mine still look like they just came out of the box and are showing virtually no ware.

 

[Lukem]

My first pair needed way more than 50 miles.In fact after about 100 miles I could stand on my toes with a 60 lbs pack and they still wouldn't bend.Second pair needed almost no break in at all
Tim

Having a stiff sole is a good thing. The soles on mountaineering boots aren't supposed to bend. Makes climbing less fatiguing on the feet.

 

[ozyclint]

lukem- i think you just highlighted a spot of confusion there.

we are talking about the leather uppers breaking in aren't we? like lukem said, the sole is designed NOT to bend. i can't see any leather upper boot taking longer than a weeks use to mold to your foot. if the leather isn't comfortable out of the box, get it wet then walk them dry. the leather will be supple when wet and will mold to your foot as it's working.

 

[easttex]

The most common problem I hear with Kenetreks is heel slippage causing blisters. I have Meindels, Lowas and Asolos none of which required extensive breaking. There is a lot to like about Kenetreks, but something is not quite right if they are the only boot on the market requiring a long breakin. Having said that, I acknowledge that everyone's feet are different.

 

[Lukem]

lukem- i think you just highlighted a spot of confusion there.

we are talking about the leather uppers breaking in aren't we? like lukem said, the sole is designed NOT to bend. i can't see any leather upper boot taking longer than a weeks use to mold to your foot. if the leather isn't comfortable out of the box, get it wet then walk them dry. the leather will be supple when wet and will mold to your foot as it's working.

Yeah, i should've been a little more descriptive there. Stiff soles are a generally good thing in the mountains. I didn't have much trouble breaking the uppers of mine in. Frequent applications of beeswax based boot wax, some rough miles and they were good. Of course I'm not looking at them to wear like Danner Pronghorns. They're stiff, but there's a reason for that. I don't think most people generally know what they're buying when they get a pair of mountaineering boots.

 

[Heather Stomper]

My Kenetreks required NO breakin. I received them on a Thursday and went on a pack-In Kifaru rondy the next day. Now on my 5th season with never a blister or hot spot. Most comfortable boot I have ever worn. I have multiple 20+ mile days with a full pack and no problem. The new insoles will be getting tested this spring!