How to Break in Leather Boots

There’s nothing like having a sturdy pair of leather boots in your wardrobe. These shoes are perfect for the fall and winter, and you can dress them up and down for almost every occasion. But before you step out on the town, you need to break them in — or you’ll suffer a few nasty blisters.

Here’s everything you should know about how to break in leather boots.

1. Grab a Thick Pair of Socks

Never underestimate how helpful thick socks can be. While you break in your boots, they’ll be your best friend. Keep them on in the first weeks that you wear your new shoes. This way, you’ll slowly stretch out the leather. It’s also the best way to mold the leather to your feet.

Plus, you want to keep the experience as bearable as possible. Remember that new leather boots are no joke, so you want to prevent any pain. Remove the socks as soon as the shoes feel too tight. Although the boots need to fit correctly, you don’t want them to hurt.

2. Keep Blister Patches Handy

Avoid blisters before they even become a problem. If you keep blister patches in your medicine cabinet, you can prevent boot-related injuries while you break in your shoes. Remember to put the patches on every time you wear the boots for the first couple of weeks.

Remember that blisters can be inevitable, so you’ll want to know treatment methods to ensure your feet stay healthy. While blisters usually heal independently, you still need to bandage them to help the area stay clean. This way, you can avoid an infection.

3. Wear Them Around the House

After you buy your boots, you should wear them around the house. Don’t wear them for the first time on a night out with friends. This way, you can ease into them — and you can sit down whenever you want, so your feet won’t ache all day.

Additionally, your goal shouldn’t be to stretch out your boots quickly. It’s better to break them in at a gradual pace so the leather can adjust. If you walk around town all day with them on, you won’t give the material the necessary time to stretch and shape to your feet.

4. Use a Conditioner or Oil

It’s key to care for your footwear correctly, so they hold up for years to come. There are various ways to maintain leather shoes — but a conditioner or oil will be the best item to help you break them in. Be sure to grab some when you buy your boots since you should have the product on hand when you first put them on.

Then, you’ll apply the product each week while you break in the leather boots. This step will soften the material but won’t cause any damage. After you’ve successfully eased into your new shoes, you can use the product monthly to maintain the leather’s look and feel.

5. Consider a Stretching Tool

Do your leather boots still feel stiff or uncomfortable after several weeks? If so, you may need to break out a stretching tool. This device will mechanically expand the material bit by bit until the boots are perfectly stretched out. Remember to follow the instructions, so you don’t accidentally damage your shoes.

There’s another option you could try, as well. If you don’t trust yourself to use a stretching tool, which is understandable when you’ve never owned leather boots before, you can always contact a shoe cobbler. These experts know precisely how to adjust footwear, so they fit well. Additionally, they might have a few secrets about how to break in leather boots quicker and easier.

6. Pack Some Comfortable Backups

If you wear your boots to work, you don’t want to dread the walk back to your car. There’s not much worse than realizing you can’t navigate down the block without your feet swelling. That’s when you need to cut your losses and pack some backups.

Taking a walk in your new boots will break them in faster. However, don’t push things to where you can’t go another step without being in pain. Keep some trusty, comfortable kicks on standby to save yourself the discomfort.

Remember These Tricks to Break in Leather Boots Easily

While leather boots should be a staple in every man’s closet, they’re also tricky to break in. But don’t let that stop you from adding them to your wardrobe. With a few tips and tricks, you can learn how to break in leather boots easily — and soon, you’ll be rocking them everywhere.