Boots are the one piece of equipment that really cannot be replaced during a trip. Food you will somehow plan out, a tent you will patch with tape — but if the boots do not fit or are not suited to the terrain, you will not reach the place you planned. In Lapland this carries an additional weight, because in the course of a single day you cross heaths, wet patches of moss, blockfields (kamienne pola, stone fields) and rivers — all in turn.

Question 1: What kind of terrain will you be walking?

A marked tourist trail in lower mountains is something completely different from trackless country or high mountains. On hardened paths a light boot with a soft sole is quite enough, in which one walks pleasantly even the whole day. When, however, under the foot there begin stones, roots, wet mud and steeper slopes, you have to reach for something stiffer, with a deeper tread and a proper upper. Sarek National Park has no trails at all, so the terrain forces a boot with a partly stiff sole, a high upper, a Vibram tread or something of similar character.

Question 2: Low ankle or high?

A low ankle is lighter and more comfortable, works on easy terrain and with a lighter pack. A high one protects against stones, brush and mud and additionally stabilises the ankle joint on uneven ground, giving a certain protection against twisting — on a multi-day trip with a heavier load it speaks strongly for itself. When the pack weighs over ten kilograms, and the foot lands at an angle on a wet, slippery stone, the ankle has additional protection and support which the tendon by itself might not be able to carry. I have seen more than one trek interrupted in exactly this way, and so for longer outings far from civilisation I personally choose a higher upper.

Question 3: Membrane — yes or no?

A membrane, meaning Gore-Tex and its equivalents, is in theory supposed to hold water from the outside and lead vapour from within. In practice it copes well with dew, a short rain or wet grass. When, however, you step into a river above the upper, or walk in a solid downpour for several hours, the boot soaks from the inside and that is the end of its tightness. In Lapland, where rivers are crossed by wading and wet moss or mud is daily routine, I assume from the start that the feet will be wet anyway — what matters more then are quick-drying socks and a dry change in the evening than any magic of the membrane. That said, a membrane does have the plus that it does not let water out of the boot, which at temperatures close to zero is an advantage — in the boot you have water warmed by the foot, and with each step new cold water does not pour in.

Question 4: Does the boot fit your foot?

It sounds banal, and yet that is exactly where most of the problems arise. The foot after a few hours of walking swells, and a boot fitted in the morning will more than once become too tight in the afternoon. So measure boots after a longer walk, ideally in the middle of the day, and necessarily with the trekking socks in which you will be walking in the field. Check that the toes do not strike the front on a steeper descent and that the heel does not slip upward on the climb — both will quickly end in chafing, and over a longer stretch in blisters, which in the field are difficult to get rid of.

Question 5: Is the boot broken in?

New boots on a first multi-day trek usually mean blisters. Each pair is worth breaking in on shorter outings — a dozen or so hours of walking, ideally in varied conditions, gives the leather and the material time to settle. If you are planning a trip, start walking in the new boots at least a few weeks earlier, and not the day before departure.

Good category B boots are not among the cheapest, but it is an expenditure that returns through comfort and safety over many seasons. Among the brands proven in the terrain of Sarek I most often recommend Meindl, Hanwag, Lowa, Scarpa and Salewa — each of them has a slightly different last, so it is worth trying on a few models and choosing the one that fits exactly your foot.

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