Boot Issues
October 27, 2016 8:27 AM Subscribe
New cowboy boots -- the right one fits great, the left...just enough to be uncomfortable.
Got new cowboy boots -- and I'm new to cowboy boots in general. They are very nicely made, were somewhat spendy, and trying them on in the store went really well and I like them a lot.
On wearing them for more than an hour or so, I have found that apparently my left foot makes a slight curve outwards -- so at the ankle, the boots rub on the inside edge, and my pinky toe rubs on the outside edge. It's not horrible, but it becomes too annoying after a couple hours and I have to take them off.
Probably the first mistake: they were purchased from a hardcore boot shop not in town here, where there's less boot options, so it's hard to just drive down and talk to the boot shop about it.
But, I don't know much about how new cowboy boots work: if this is something where the boot will eventually conform to my foot, or if there's anything I can do to encourage the left one to fit better, or if this is something I need to take to a boot repair guy to adjust for me?
Got new cowboy boots -- and I'm new to cowboy boots in general. They are very nicely made, were somewhat spendy, and trying them on in the store went really well and I like them a lot.
On wearing them for more than an hour or so, I have found that apparently my left foot makes a slight curve outwards -- so at the ankle, the boots rub on the inside edge, and my pinky toe rubs on the outside edge. It's not horrible, but it becomes too annoying after a couple hours and I have to take them off.
Probably the first mistake: they were purchased from a hardcore boot shop not in town here, where there's less boot options, so it's hard to just drive down and talk to the boot shop about it.
But, I don't know much about how new cowboy boots work: if this is something where the boot will eventually conform to my foot, or if there's anything I can do to encourage the left one to fit better, or if this is something I need to take to a boot repair guy to adjust for me?
Best answer: Boots (and good leather shoes) have a break-in period that's unfamiliar to sneakers and throwaway-shoes wearers. (No offense intended; inexpensive shoes are better than nothing, if that's all you can afford, but good shoes really are an investment!) Anyway, wear the boots a lot, keep cedar shoe trees in them when not wearing, and talk to a local cobbler if they don't get better after a couple of weeks of walking.
posted by spacewrench at 8:52 AM on October 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by spacewrench at 8:52 AM on October 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You can get them stretched or you can do it yourself at home. This is normal for leather shoes they will mold to your feet within reason but they'll rub while doing it.
posted by fshgrl at 8:55 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by fshgrl at 8:55 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: You can buy shoe stretchers on Amazon. I did this and fixed some expensive shoes that were a little too tight.
posted by Mid at 9:07 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by Mid at 9:07 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: I don't think you need to do anything other than ALWAYS wear a small piece of duct tape on those two spots to protect yourself from a blister. In fact! Since the boot will mold to your foot in about a week, please don't try to artificially stretch them because you will ruin that boot!
Source: a tried and true hiking boot procedure. This is how it's done.
posted by jbenben at 9:20 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Source: a tried and true hiking boot procedure. This is how it's done.
posted by jbenben at 9:20 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You can buy stretching spray. Spray inside boot in problem area to avoid staining the leather (though I've never had a problem) put on a sock & wear the shoe for half an hour. Boots will stretch to your foot. You can use with wooden shoe stretches if you'd rather but I'm too cheap. The spray & wooden stretchers is all a cobbler would use.
posted by wwax at 11:09 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by wwax at 11:09 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You can buy stretching spray or get them stretched.
Rather than duct tape, you can put some adhesive moleskin on the offending spots and get some wool to cushion the area. You can get the wool in the foot stuff section of the drugstore. The wool will help a lot.
Wearing new shoes in the rain for a while always seems to help, IME.
posted by jgirl at 11:31 AM on October 27, 2016
Rather than duct tape, you can put some adhesive moleskin on the offending spots and get some wool to cushion the area. You can get the wool in the foot stuff section of the drugstore. The wool will help a lot.
Wearing new shoes in the rain for a while always seems to help, IME.
posted by jgirl at 11:31 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: Also, to be clear, you remove the wool after each wearing. It's like sticking a cotton ball in your shoes.
posted by jgirl at 11:32 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by jgirl at 11:32 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: Stretching spray is pretty much just rubbing alcohol feud. Spray it on the inside of the boot where you want it stretched then put it on while its wet and wear till dry.
posted by fshgrl at 11:47 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by fshgrl at 11:47 AM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: Just re-read my answer - you will only have to wear duct tape or moleskin for about a week, until the boot molds. (Moleskin always fell off during hiking which is why I did not suggest it, YMMV.) The "always" admonishment was towards keeping you from getting a blister, which will form fast even with socks once there is a rubbed spot on your foot or ankle (ask me how I know!)
Yep. Rubbing alcohol would totally work. That's also a trick for patent leather. Google for techniques.
Enjoy your new boots!
posted by jbenben at 12:36 PM on October 27, 2016
Yep. Rubbing alcohol would totally work. That's also a trick for patent leather. Google for techniques.
Enjoy your new boots!
posted by jbenben at 12:36 PM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: Thin socks in the meantime. No kidding. Here you are with your supercool boots and some mope on the internet suggests you wear dress socks? Yep, that's what's happening here, right in this very paragraph.
They'll stretch, in time. Was it me, I'd go to somebody and get them stretched, because if it's not stretched enough you hand it back and say "It's not stretched enough." and it's still their problem. It's not going to cost you much anyways, ten bucks maybe, fifteen tops.
Forty-eight years of boot experience here.....
posted by dancestoblue at 1:15 PM on October 27, 2016
They'll stretch, in time. Was it me, I'd go to somebody and get them stretched, because if it's not stretched enough you hand it back and say "It's not stretched enough." and it's still their problem. It's not going to cost you much anyways, ten bucks maybe, fifteen tops.
Forty-eight years of boot experience here.....
posted by dancestoblue at 1:15 PM on October 27, 2016
Best answer: Are these dress boots or work boots?
I'd think nothing of doing a home stretch job on my work boots, because I'm going to put them through a lot worse. Now a dress boot? That would go to the cobbler who can assess the shoe for color-fastness. BTW, alcohol-based shoe stretch fluid is likely to make the dye run, and if you have any decorative stitching, you don't want to do that.
For work boot, put on your thickest two pairs of socks, hit the offending spot with some steam from the clothing steamer and walk around until it conforms. Repeat the process a few times if needed. You might feel the heat and moisture, but a thick leather boot should allow you to do this without any danger to you.
posted by 26.2 at 3:56 PM on October 27, 2016
I'd think nothing of doing a home stretch job on my work boots, because I'm going to put them through a lot worse. Now a dress boot? That would go to the cobbler who can assess the shoe for color-fastness. BTW, alcohol-based shoe stretch fluid is likely to make the dye run, and if you have any decorative stitching, you don't want to do that.
For work boot, put on your thickest two pairs of socks, hit the offending spot with some steam from the clothing steamer and walk around until it conforms. Repeat the process a few times if needed. You might feel the heat and moisture, but a thick leather boot should allow you to do this without any danger to you.
posted by 26.2 at 3:56 PM on October 27, 2016
Response by poster: Thank you all -- patience, it seems, will be the virtue; I had all Sunday at home, so I put extra padding at the toe, and extra pairs of socks, and wore them until they got too uncomfortable, then took them off for a while, then did it again, and by the end of the day with my normal foot and normal socks, I could tell they were stretching a bit. So, I'll keep it up -- thanks for everyone's suggestions!
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:40 AM on October 31, 2016
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:40 AM on October 31, 2016
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In the meantime, put a patch of moleskin or a bandaid on the chafed parts before wearing your boots. They will need some time to soften up and break in.
posted by mlo at 8:37 AM on October 27, 2016 [1 favorite]