Muck Boots Problems (And How to Fix Them)

It is a general truth that nothing is perfect. No matter how much quality footwear may possess, there will surely still be some lapses. This explains the reason for this article.

Muck boots are widely accepted as one of the best boots out there, but that does not take away the fact that the boots made by the brands have a few issues.

5 popular Muck boot problems (and solutions)

In this post, I will highlight five (5) of the most popular issues you are likely to encounter while using a Muck boot and how to repair, or avoid them.

• Piercings
• Soles tearing
• Cracking Skin
• Smelly Muck Boots
• Break-In

Piercings

If you currently use your Muck boot to work or hunt in the woods and your boot has not been stabbed through by a sharp wood, then you should hold on to it tightly.

The very first pair of Muck boots I used was destroyed when I was out in the woods. A sharp stick went through it and it created a big, ugly hole in my boot.

Muck boots are one of the toughest boots out there, and the quality is undeniable. However, the boots are only tough, they are not bulletproof.

Whether you like it or not, many Muck boots out there, including the one you own, can be easily stabbed through.

How to prevent

Preventing your boot from being stabbed through majorly relies on your own carefulness.

You can argue that if I was more careful or watched my steps, my boot could still be great today. So, if you do not want your boot to be punctured, pay attention to where you put your feet.

Another way you can prevent your boot from being punctured is to buy a puncture-resistant Muck boot.

The Muck Boot Chore Met-Guard Boot comes with a puncture-resistant feature that fortifies your boot from any kind of sharp object.

It is also fitted with metatarsal guards that protect your feet from extreme impacts.

How to repair

Having a wide, gaping hole in your Muck boot is not a death sentence for the boot. It is a fixable problem.

To fix a puncture in your Muck boot, you need to apply Aquaseal Repair Adhesive (you can use another type of adhesive) to the punctured area and allow it to dry for up to 10 hours.

You can use duct tape as a backing depending on how wide the hole is.

Sole tearing

This is the biggest problem of all Muck boots. Almost everyone who has used a muck boot for more than three (3) years can testify to the sole coming off or close to.

I once used a Muck Woody Max boot and after the fourth year, the sole completely tore off the body.

Sole tearing occurs when the adhesive used to attach the sole to the body has expired. This means that regardless of how often or frequently you wear the boots, once the adhesive expires, the sole will tear off.

How to prevent

First, I should mention that you can not stop the adhesive from expiring. It will eventually wear off which will lead to your sole coming off.

What hastens the wearing off of the adhesive is direct sunlight. So, to keep the adhesive for longer and have your soles intact, ensure that you do not expose your boot to too much sunlight.

You are advised to store your boots in well-ventilated environments, not sun-concentrated environments.

How to repair

To affix your sole back to your boot, you should get a good contact cement (the Angelus Shoe Cement is a good option) and apply it on the sole and beneath the midsole.

Let it stay on the surface for a few seconds before you put the midsole and the sole together. Hold the boot tightly and ensure they stay in place.

After a couple of minutes, they will be permanently bonded.

Cracking Skin

Another problem that you are sure to encounter with the Muck boots is the cracking or peeling of the skin.

Ideally, this is a problem you should only face when the boot has been used for a long period of time, but that is not always the case.

There are certain unintentional acts that we do that put our boots in harm’s way and make them start peeling off.

When the skin of your boot starts to crack or peel off, it loses the ability to keep water out.

Muck boots were made to be waterproof, but with compromised rubber skin, water will easily flow into the boot which will not only destroy the boot further, it will also make you really uncomfortable.

How to prevent

Asides from being old and worn out, you can prevent your boot from developing cracks by keeping it away from the sun.

You should not dry your boots out under direct sunlight as the heat from the sun will make the rubber become brittle, and later on, cracks will develop.

Another way you can prevent cracks is by ensuring your boots are stored in an upright position and are not crumpled.

You can use shoe trees or stuff them up with old newspapers to keep the rubber in an upright position and not folded.

Doing all these does not guarantee that the skin will not later crack. When the boot is old and worn out, cracked skin is the first sign.

How to repair

Repairing a cracked Muck boot is not difficult at all. All you need to do is apply the Aquaseal adhesive on the cracked places and a few inches beyond the cracked places (this is done to prevent the crack from widening). Allow the boot to dry.

Smelly Muck Boots

Muck boots are notorious for how they cause the feet to be sweaty. The fact that they come in tall heights does not help matters, as that further reduces the air that will be getting to the feet.

Muck boots, like every other rubber boot, traps moisture and prevent it from escaping the boot. When sweat and other moisture begin to build up inside of your boot, you will start perceiving some awful smell coming from the boot.

Muck boots are only perfect for extremely cold weather conditions. If you wear a Muck boot during the summer months, your feet will sweat more and the odor will build up faster.

How to prevent

What causes your boot to smell is simply the lack of ventilation required to dry up the sweat and moisture present in the boot.

So, to avoid having to deal with awful odors, always store your boot in a well-ventilated area so all the sweat and moisture can escape through the air.

Another way to prevent your boot from smelling is the usage of shoe trees. The Stratton Cedar Boot Tree is an excellent choice to consider as the cedar wood from which it was made has the ability to provide a fresh scent to your boot, thereby eliminating all odors.

How to repair

Eliminating the odors present in your Muck boots can be done using different methods, but my favorite is the baking soda method.

This method just requires four steps:

• Take out the insoles in your boot and let them air dry.
• Fill up a bucket with hot water and mix with baking soda. When you are done mixing, soak your Muck boots in it.
• Let the Muck boots be immersed in the hot water + soda solution for 30 minutes. After that, bring it out and use a brush to scrub every part of the boot
• Finally, after scrubbing to your satisfaction, spread the boot out to dry. Ensure it dries completely before wearing.

Break-In

While this may not be an actual problem because many footwear, including flip flops, need some time to adjust to your feet.

However, for Muck boots, the break-in period can be very uncomfortable. People have suffered from blisters, chaffing, and foot pains while trying to make their Muck boots comfortable.

The break-in period of a Muck boot can vary from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on how often you wear it. The demerit here is that while you are trying to make the shoe comfortable, your feet might suffer a lot.

How to prevent

Unlike other problems mentioned in this list, this one can not be prevented. Muck boots require time before they fit perfectly on your feet and become comfortable. Basically, it is a necessary evil.

While you can not run away from breaking into the boot, you can prevent the boot from hurting your feet.

Wearing thick socks does not only hasten the break-in period, it also provides an extra layer of protection for your feet and ensures you do not feel any pain.

How to repair

It is not a good experience when your feet hurt from wearing your boots. To completely fix that, you need to run a blow dryer over the parts of the boot that you need to stretch.

Do not let the blow dryer be too hot. Run it on a slightly higher-than-mild temperature over the boot till you feel it soften and stretch.

Why you should have Muck Boots in your closet

Keeps your feet clean

Muck Boots give you the courage to venture into the deepest and messiest parts of the jungle or forest by ensuring that your feet stay fresh and clean always.

The Muck Chore Boot is the ideal footwear for any kind of outdoor work. With this boot or any other kind of Muck Boot, your feet will stay dry and clean even when you work in the dirtiest environment.

Toughness

Another reason to have Muck boots in your closet is for their toughness. As you dedicate so much determination and guts to your work, it is essential that you have footwear that complements your hard work.

Muck boots are very tough and durable and have the capacity to handle the various challenges or difficulties present in your environment.

Whether you are a farmer, hunter, or just a regular person, Muck boots are tough enough to handle all the rigors of your work and environment.

Versatility

This is a big strength of the Muck boots and why they are loved by people. Muck boots are not only used for work alone. They are very comfortable and can be worn all day.

This means that even after you are done hunting or working on the farm, you can still wear the boots to run errands and do petty chores in the house.

In addition to that, Muck Boots are beautifully designed so that you could as well style them in a fashionable way.

Your Muck boots can be worn on jeans, overalls, snow pants, and maybe even pajamas. You should really try out your Muck boots in a more stylish way and you will be impressed.

Dependable

You can always count on your Muck boots at any time. Not only are these boots durable, they also do what they are made to do, and they do it perfectly.

Muck Boots are not work boots alone, they can be seen as a work tool too. For every purpose that you wear a Muck boot for, you are assured of nothing lesser than that.

Cost-Effective

To a lot of people, Muck boots are expensive, however, they fail to understand that they are not only paying for the product, but also for the quality.

While the boots may cost you more money, it makes up for that by serving you for long years.

This means that, rather than buy three different boots in 5 years, Muck boots will satisfactorily serve you for 5 years and more.

This not only helps you save money, but it also ensures you do not have to adjust to a new boot every now and then.

Conclusion

Even with all the problems listed above, Muck boots still remain one of the best brands in the boot-making industry.

There are not many brands out there that will give you high-quality waterproof boots that can be worn for various purposes and styled on different outfits.

Muck boots, as a brand, is committed to making boots that attend to the needs of their customers and provide the best protection for their feet.

This commitment means that the brand will relentlessly work on solving all of the problems that are listed above. The making of a puncture-resistant boot is proof of this.

Related:

• How to Wear Muck Boots
• 12 Best Muck Boots for Cold Weather
• Xtratuf vs Muck
• 7 Best Socks for Muck Boots
• Are Muck Boots Good For Snowmobiling?
• Should Muck Boots Fit Tight or Loose?