Learn more about our hiking shoes
More detailed information and tips about our hiking shoes can be found here:
Hydrolysis
Prevent the sole from coming loose with proper care
Prevent the sole from coming loose with proper care
Hydrolysis is a chemical process that is constantly taking place. In BÄR hiking shoes, the sole is connected to the shoe by a midsole. This midsole is made of polyurethane (PU) and provides cushioning, flexibility, and lightness. PU contains plasticizers; hydrolysis refers to these plasticizers evaporating from the sole. As a result, it changes shape and becomes hard. When the shoe is worn, the rolling motion of the foot causes the outsole to break away from the crumbling PU.
“Use it or lose it.”
For shoes that are used frequently and regularly, the hydrolysis process is delayed. After longer breaks from hiking, you should wear the stored shoes in everyday life. The longer a shoe is not worn, the faster hydrolysis sets in. Hydrolysis is storage damage, like car tires becoming brittle. You may encounter problems with your hiking shoes if they have not been used for a long time, even if they were new beforehand.
However, hydrolysis can occur not only in hiking shoes with PU soles that are rarely worn, but also in Sunday shoes worn only on special occasions.
Detect hydrolysis with the pressure test:
It’s not only annoying; hiking in a shoe where hydrolysis has already advanced can also be dangerous. Take a closer look at shoes you haven’t worn for some time. If the midsole is crumbling or has even started to come off, you should not set out on a trip in this condition.
Another tip is the pressure test. To make sure your sole is still soft enough, press a sharp object, such as a key, against the sole with moderate force. The PU sole should give slightly, and the indentation should close immediately; otherwise, it has hardened.
How to store your shoes properly
Proper storage of your hiking boots determines whether the hydrolysis process is prevented or initiated.
BÄR Tips
- Clean and care for your shoes regularly
- Store your shoes in well-ventilated, dry, and relatively cool rooms
- Avoid high temperatures, such as those found in direct sunlight, as they accelerate the progression of hydrolysis. The leather becomes brittle and cracks.
- Your hiking boots should always be dry. Moisture promotes mold growth, and the hiking boots may become deformed.
- Use wooden shoe trees, which are best inserted into the shoes immediately after wearing them. Beechwood absorbs the moisture that develops inside the shoe particularly well. You can find our wooden shoe trees here:
Why PU?
For BÄR shoes’ soles, we use high-quality PU. PU’s special material properties ensure that the sole’s cushioning remains very consistent across the entire surface and over many years, even with intensive use. At the same time, PU is exceptionally shape-stable, meaning it withstands physical stress from rocks, branches, and other obstacles. To round out this combination of material properties, PU is also lightweight and flexible. That is precisely why PU is so popular for mountain and hiking shoes.
