Your hiking shoes should be a half size larger than you normally wear. You must have room for a pair of wool socks. Wool absorbs moisture and keeps your feet comfortable. The shoes should fit snugly around the heel with room for the toes to wiggle.
*Never go hiking in new shoes. Break them in first by wearing them every day for a week or more.
*To keep your shoes soft and partly waterproof, rub them with saddle soap before and after every hike.
*When leather shoes get wet, wipe them out with paper or old socks and dry them out slowly away from direct heat. — The Official Webelos Scout Book 1967 printing
