You require very outstanding boots if you are upland hunting since it is one of the most rugged and difficult pursuits. The boots should be able to provide you maximum comfort and not be prone to wear and tear at the same time. Upland boots will definitely offer you optimal durability and support.
In addition to that, there are those boots that are water-resistant.The success of your hunt is to some extent, dependent on the quality of your boots. Therefore, you have to take care of them to ensure that they serve you well and for a long time. While hunting, your feet being cold, wet and with the pain of blisters should be the least of your concern. This is the reason why it is of utmost importance to clean and take good care of your boots.
How Do You Clean Leather Upland Boots
When you come back from the hunting experience, do not, under any circumstances, store your boots while they are muddy, wet and caked in dirt. Clean the boots immediately because if you leave them in that condition, they will dry out and become uncomfortably stiff.
Immediately you remove your upland boots, clean them using saddle soap and water to wash away all the mud and dirt that accumulates on the surface and on the soles. To clean up tough spots and stains, you can use an old toothbrush to scrub them off.
To clean them on the inside, use a damp washcloth to wipe off all the dirt and dust. Afterwards, put them outside to air dry but make sure that they are not under direct sunlight. You can purchase a boot dryer if you are not comfortable leaving them outside to air dry. Be careful not to over dry them though because the leather can easily crack!
Tips on How to Take Care of your Upland Boots
Taking good care of your upland boots is essential to making your hunt much easier. Comfortable boots will make your hunting experience fun and interesting since all your focus will be on the hunting game. The following are tips on how to take care of your hunting boots.
1. Get the Right Sized Boots
When making a purchase, make sure that the boots fit you well by trying them on first. To be certain that they fit well, wear a pair of socks that you would usually wear while hunting, wear the boots and walk around in them.
Ill-fitting boots will cause your feet to have blisters, calluses as well as knee and back problems (especially if they are over-sized).Make sure you make a good investment while purchasing a pair of hunting boots but keep in mind, even if you spent a whole fortune on good boots and they are ill-fitting, they will still cause you problems.
2. Treat the exterior of your boots
A pair of good quality upland boots can be quite expensive. To maintain them, you should treat them so that they can last you a good amount of time. There is usually a list of recommendations for treatments that come with the boots from the manufacturer. You can use a solution such as the NaturSealTM which is a formula that is used to treat good quality leather. Some of its elements help in boosting the waterproofing system of the boots.
3. Store Your Boots Away
Make sure that your boots are completely dry before you store them away. Otherwise, if you store your boots inside a container or close room while they are damp, sooner or later there will be mildew formed on them. If you can, store your boots in your home and not in an outside storage.
In Conclusion
Having your feet in comfortable and dry upland boots can heighten your hunting experience on very great levels. It may be the only thing standing between a good hunting experience and a lousy one. Therefore, it is very important to thoroughly and properly clean your boots immediately after every hunting trip.