Breaking in New UA Hunting Boots

I am just a tad over a month away from an elk hunt in North Central Colorado. In preparation for his hunt, I got a new pair of Under Armour boots. The BrowTine Boots with 400 grams of insulation.
When i received these boots I was in the middle of my preparation of getting into shape for the hunt. I had been walking several miles a few times a week to get my cardiovascular in shape. Then the new boots arrived and I knew I had to get the boots broken in and my feet ready for the new boots.

When breaking in new boots the rule of thumb is to start slowly.  You never want to put on a new pair of boots and head off on a five mile hike. It is better to begin wearing them around the house for a few days. A routine I use is to wear them to work for a few weeks. As a trapper, I am always putting on and taking off my boots through out the day. From the UA boots to hip boots to check traps. This gives me a great opportunity to get used to putting them on and off and to get them broken in.

After a few weeks of this, I learned that the boots fit well and there should be no issue with using them for one of my hikes. The first hike was a simple thirty minute jaunt up a mountain near my home to see if I developed any hot spots or any blisters. To my delight the boots were working perfectly. Gradually I began adding miles to the boots and I noticed that they were getting more and more comfortable. As I continue to wear them, I know the boots will work great when it comes time for my hunt in the Rockies.

Before I head out on my hunt, I want a minimum of one hundred miles on these boots to ensure that I have them completely broken in and ready. It is just a good rule of thumb to have at least one hundred miles on your boots before you go on the hunt of a lifetime. The last thing you want is to finally get on your elk hunt that you have planned and saved for and your feet be killing you because you didn't break in your new boots. If you can put one hundred miles on your boots, you should have some confidence that your boots are ready for whatever you throw at them.

Secondly, always, and I mean always take a pair of back-up boots. If something happens to your primary boots, a tear, broken sole, you name it, you do not want to leave your hunt because you didn't bring an extra pair of boots. Typically my back-up pair of boots are the ones the new boots replaced. I know they are broken in and ready for whatever I put them through.

You hunting boots are some of the most critical pieces of gear you have on your hunt. If you can't get to the animals because your feet are hurting, you wasted your hunt.

Take the time to break them in. Take the time to get into shape and spend at least one hundred miles in your new boots before your hunt begins.