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Travel & Everyday · Ms. EvelyssHow to Pack Boots in a Suitcase (Ankle, Knee-High and Tall)
Wear your bulkiest boots and pack the rest. Clean and fully dry them, stuff the shafts with socks or rolled soft clothes, and cover the soles with shoe bags. Lay them at the bottom near the wheels, heel to toe, and run tall boots flat along the sides of the case rather than folding them.
“Boots are the heaviest thing in a winter suitcase, so they should also be the most useful. Bring two pairs at most, wear the bigger one, and pack the other full of socks. A boot is a container with a heel.”Her take
Which boots to wear and which to pack
Wear the bulkiest, heaviest pair on travel days: knee-high boots or chunky lug-sole boots take up the most room and weigh the most. Pack the slimmer pair, usually ankle boots or a dressier heeled boot.
For most winter trips, two pairs is enough: one practical pair for walking and weather, and one smarter pair for dinners. Choose both in colors that go with everything else you're bringing.
Prepare boots before packing
Brush or wipe the soles clean so dirt and salt don't end up on your clothes. If they've been worn in wet weather, let them dry completely at room temperature first; boots packed damp can smell and mark.
Condition leather before a trip and give suede a quick brush. It's easier to keep them looking good than to fix them halfway through a trip.
Fill the shafts and toes
Empty boots waste space and lose their shape. Stuff the toes with socks, and fill the shafts with rolled soft items like underwear, tights, belts coiled up or a rolled T-shirt. The boot holds its shape and your small things stay together.
Keep anything that could leak, like toiletries, out of your boots. Leather absorbs liquids and stains.
- Toes: socks or tights.
- Shafts: rolled underwear, T-shirts or sleep shorts.
- Ankle boots: a coiled belt or a pair of gloves.
Protect your clothes and the boots
Put each boot in a shoe bag, a cloth bag or a clean shower cap over the sole. This keeps soles away from clothes and stops heels scratching the other boot.
Plain packing paper or a soft cloth around delicate leather prevents scuffs. Newspaper can transfer ink onto pale leather and suede, so avoid it.
Where to put boots in the suitcase
Place boots at the bottom of the case, by the wheels, so the weight sits low and the suitcase stays upright when it's standing. Lay a pair heel to toe, the heel of one against the toe of the other, which fits them into a smaller rectangle.
Fill the gaps around them with rolled clothes so they don't shift. Fold or roll lighter clothes on top.
How to pack tall and knee-high boots
Don't fold structured leather boots in half; the crease can become permanent and may crack the leather. Lay them flat along the long sides of the suitcase, heel to toe, and pack clothes in the middle between them.
Soft, slouchy suede or knit boots can bend gently at the ankle if they have to, but don't press them flat under heavy items. Fill the shafts with rolled clothes to keep them round. In a carry-on, it's almost always easier to wear tall boots and pack ankle boots.
Questions people ask
Is it OK to fold boots to pack them?
Not structured leather boots; the crease can stay and the leather can crack. Very soft suede or knit boots can bend gently.
Where do boots go in a suitcase?
At the bottom near the wheels, heel to toe, with clothes packed around and on top.
How do I keep boots from getting clothes dirty?
Clean the soles first and put each boot in a shoe bag or cover the soles with a clean shower cap.
How many pairs of boots should I pack for a winter trip?
Usually two: wear the bulkier pair and pack one slimmer or dressier pair.
The takeaway
Wear the bulky pair, clean and dry the rest, fill the shafts, bag the soles, pack heel to toe at the bottom, and never fold tall leather.
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