Hiking boots should be comfortable from the instant that you set your foot into them. If they pinch or hurt your foot, they’re not the right fit.

You need to make sure that you’re trying on both boots at the same time. Many people only try one boot on and call it good. This isn’t the proper way to try on hiking boots. Most people have one foot that is larger than the other. This is very common and most people don’t realize this. This is what tells you what size of boots to buy.

These step-by-step instructions from Orthotic Shop will help you to determine which size of hiking boots are the best fit for your needs.

Lace your boots up and test them out

After you’ve determined what size of hiking boots you need, you need to put both feet into the boots and lace them up. Stand up before you lace your boots so that your feet will spread properly and put your weight into the boots. If the boots aren’t comfortable before lacing, it’s probably not the right fit. They’ll likely be even more uncomfortable after lacing.

Check wiggle room

Determine if the boots have sufficient length. After lacing up your boots, wriggle your feet around. Sit down and wriggle your toes and feet into the most forward position in the boots that you can. Don’t scrunch toes, don’t bend toes at all. Now, bend your leg forwards at your ankle and don’t raise your heel off of the sole of the boot. Can you fit your index finger into the inside of the boot?

There should be plenty of room for your finger to fit in. Can you move it forward and backward? If there is too much room, the boot will be loose, if there isn’t enough room, the boot will be too tight. Wear thick socks when you try them on. If you can’t fit your index finger in, they’re probably too small, your feet can swell when you’re out hiking and you don’t want them to swell if the boots are already tight. If the boots are too tight for your finger, or so loose that you can put more than one finger into the boot, they’re not the right size. Size up or down as required and repeat this step.

Lace them like you mean it

Once you’ve found the fit that you feel is best, it’s time to make sure that the boots are the right length. Lace up your boots. Now, make sure that the heel of your foot is set back in the heel cup of the boot and continue to tighten the laces properly as you would for a hike. Don’t leave them too loose and don’t overtighten them.

With your boots laced up properly, stand. The boots should feel very different than they did in step one. Your feet should have plenty of support and you should be able to stand comfortably. You should be able to wiggle your toes, move them a bit but it shouldn’t be too sloppy.

Tip: The way that your boots are laced does affect how they fit. Lace them from top to bottom up if there’s more than one single eyelet. You can lace them around the heel and lock the lace as normal, however, start from the top and go down into the back of the boot to prevent heels from lifting. Try a few different ways to lace your boots and see how they fit with the various ways.

Roll onto the balls of your feet

Roll onto the balls of your feet and then back several times. Your heels shouldn’t rise out of the boots or the heel cup. If they do, tighten the laces and try again. You may have to make a few adjustments. Try crouching down and bending forward to ensure that your heels aren’t lifting out of the boots.

Walk around

Walk around the store and get an idea of how the boots feel for walking. Does it move with your foot? Your ball of your foot should sit comfortably at the natural bending point of the boots unless it’s a rigid soled boot. It should be ideal for use. If the sole doesn’t have flex it may work well for crampons. The toes should have room for your toes to move comfortably and your heel shouldn’t lift out of the heel of the boot.

Try on multiple pairs

You may find that you’re very comfortable in these boots now. However, try on more than one pair. You never know when you’ll find a more comfortable pair. Never stop with the first pair you try on. Try on several styles to find the ideal boot for your needs. It may be that you return to this pair, however, make sure that it’s the right pair by trying on a few different styles. You may regret a hasty decision and find that you’re miles from nowhere when you regret it.

Wear them for a few hours and try to break them in

After trying on a few different pairs of boots, you’ll want to make sure that you purchase the pair that you tried on that fit the best, don’t take a new pair out of a new box and buy those. You must try them on and go through all of the steps first. This way, you’ll be sure that in a few hours your boots still feel comfortable. After you get the boots home, make sure that you wear them around for a few hours. Go up and down stairs, across the room and so on. If, for any reason, they’re not still comfortable, return them before you take them hiking. Unworn they will often allow you to exchange them for a size and style that fit better. If you have already taken them hiking, stores aren’t as likely to take them back.