Man I hate breaking in a new pair of boots!!!!

[owejia]

Older I get seems every little bump rubs my feet. Just rubbed a blister on my left heel and that boot was wearing good until this morning. Run the weed eater in the early morning dew, thought that would soften them up and contour to fit my feet. Finally put some mineral oil on the inside to soften the leather. Enough complaining got to go move some hay rolls. Work always seems to interfere with my gun time.

[Winger Ed.]

Sounds like they're trying to break you in.

[Tom W.]

Back in the old days we'd put on a pair of new boots and head to the pond, creek or whatever, and wade until the boots got saturated, then wear them the rest of the day.It worked

Now days there are so many things that are on or in boots that it isn't a good Idea anymore. Not to mention the price of a good pair....

However, SnoProof will help to soften them up a lot, If it is still made.

[Eddie17]

I’ve always thought, it’s your feet that break into a new pair of ��!

[RED BEAR]

I can count the time's i have worn shoes on one hand in the last 20 years. Flip flops exclusively. Shattered my big toe and joint . It healed so that i need a larger shoe on one foot than other and flip flops are just easier. Winter and summer.

[xs11jack]

I have developed nephropathy(loosing feeling in the feet) even though I don't have diabetes. This makes getting the right fit in out door boots. And of course the most expensive boot are the best fit. But you don't know that until you get them home and wear them in a bit. At that point the dealer might not take the boots back. It seems like the boot maker changes the style or shape over time and the next pair might not fit. It gets to be a crap shoot sometimes.
Ole Jack

[richhodg66]

Getting them soaking wet and wearing them until they dry is still the best method. Neatsfoot oil was the best softener I ever tried is they still make it.

[Parson]

richhodg66 is right on. When I was in boot camp most city kids got terrible sore and blistered feet because most never wore boots before. Some DI’s had them soak their boots in a bucket of water over night. Put them on in the morning and go for a hike till everybody's boots were dry and no blisters

[Tom W.]

I know about neuropathy, got it from chemo. Without shoes or at least flip-flops it feels like I'm walking on roadside gravel.

[Walks]

I always wore 2 pair of Cotton socks or one pair of cotton inside one pair of Wool socks.
Bought them that way too. Took two pair of socks to try them on.
For Recruit Training I had 3 dozen pairs of socks. Never had a blister. But then I'd had to break in new hunting boots, new cowboy boots every year from 6yrs old to sixteen yrs old. So maybe my feet had an advantage. And I was used to Hunting/Hiking miles and miles and miles over SoCal terrain since I was a little kid.
I started every August with new boots. Wore them for a few hours every day. So when Dove Season opened the fall hunting season I was ready.

These days I wear shoes Nov - May, sandals June - Sept.

Broken as I am, I can't even lace up my own boots anymore.

[Hannibal]

As mentioned above, apply boot oil 3 or more times over as many days. Wear them for 4-6 hrs the first day and oil them again.

If this technique doesn't work, you've some unusual feet or boots.

[Iowa Fox]

Some of the boots out there these days made from Asian water buffalo hide never will break in. I purchased a pair of boots that were extremely comfy. When they wore out I purchased another pair just like them or so I thought. First pair made in USA second pair I noticed made in China. Second pair never did break in. They would soften up from sweat but then if you walked in wet grass they were hard as a rock when they dried. I tried all kinds of oils & creams. One last rant, the price of even the junk boots and shoes are outrageous.

[richhodg66]

Best boots I ever had were a pair the Army issued me when I was a cadet, the old regular lace ones that had the zig-zag pattern sole and cuts at the ankle to allow a little flew (they shined up real well too). I wore them some, but the first time putting them to a real test was an FTX on the Francis Marion National Forest and involved walking through swamps for a couple of days straight. Needless to say, they broke in to be the most comfortable pair of shoes I ever had and I wore them until they literally fell apart. I was still wearing them for field use long after they looked too bad to wear in garrison, ten years or so. Wish I could get another set like them now.

[lightman]

Yup, hate breaking in a new pair of boots. Used to hate breaking in new jeans too but now I buy the prewashed soft ones.

[robg]

neatsfoot oil works the best,softens them up and protects the leather

[owejia]

The pair replaced were Double H brand made in USA. They were over 10 years old and worn on the farm everday. The sole came unglued on the right boot and had been reglued twice. Never wore them in the mud or water. Just couldn't find my size and bought a pair made in El Savaldor at Rural King. Have a pair of American made Red wing cowboy boots and a pair of lace up insulated hunting boots that were bought in the late 60's or early 70's that I still wear occasionally. The Double H work boots were worn doing all the chores and jobs done on the farm. They were about $100.00 when bought new. When your feet hurt you hurt all over. These were slip on boots because don't care for lace up boots for daily wear. Am using oil on the new boots now and will continue until they soften up. The only time they got wet was in a heavy dew when weed eating early in the morning. Maybe my 72 yr old feet have flattened out, not as tough as once was.

[Sig556r]

Assuming it's the right fitted boots, most probable break-in issue will be friction.
I normally rub the inside usual contact areas (heel, big toe, pinky toe, & anywhere you feel any rubbing) with candle wax.

[OS OK]

Mother in Laws like to chew on things...giv'er your boots...that'll make'em soft.

[popper]

Git a pair of Cat wellingtons, notes say be careful of the neatsfoot oil and mink oil, will soften the stitching which may break.

[Thumbcocker]

Hubbard's boot grease slathered on thick put boots in the car with the windows up on a hot day (on some newspaper) and then wear them. Hubbard's is the best boot grease extant IMO.

[Walks]

Twenty to Twenty-Five years ago I had 3 pair of Cowboy Boots Custom Made by a Master Bootmaker.

They were the only Boots I never had to break in.

[Dusty Bannister]

I have been doing a lot of walking for the job and in the last 15 years my shoe size has gone from 12 to 14 because as we age the arch begins to sag and the foot becomes longer. I had a lot of foot pain until I realized what was happening. When I find tight spots in new boots, I use hot water on a pad to dampen the leather at that point and rub the inside of the boot with the end of a box end wrench. I am able to stretch those tight places until they are better feeling so that does not require standing in a pond or a bucket of water. The job requires that the leather boots be shined, so the oils are not an option for me. There are so many ways to find comfort in foot gear if you take the time to think it through. You do need to start with the correct size though so verify that you are getting enough shoe/boot before you have to put so much effort into the job.

[snowwolfe]

The tip that worked for me is to wear the new boots for an hour or so. Take them off and go back to the old ones. Do this once a day or so for about 10 days and the new boots are broken in, no muss, no fuss, no blisters.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I put new boots in a deep sink, sitting in water and filled with water, next day I pour out the water, wipe out, put on with thick socks, wear, changing socks every hour or two until dry. When dry I use mink oil with Sno-seal melted into stitching/seams. If a shoe/boot falls apart getting wet I don't want it. Usually wear Justin lace-up packers. LL Bean shoes haven't needed break-in. Shoes wear out, when a shoe wear more than a 1/4-1/2 inch at the heel, it will throw the back out and cause back and leg problems. The whole shoe will break down and cause sore feet, legs, and back. New soles and heels might help, but shoes do break down. Shoe clerks sell shoes, they DO NOT understand working, travelling on foot. A roomy toe, lace snug at instep, loose for flex at ankle, just comfortable above ankle usually works the best. Trying to support weak legs with snug shoes only causes problems. Yeah, free-climbers need snug shoes.

[Petrol & Powder]

There's nothing worse than a new pair of boots that need to be broken in and there's nothing better than a pair of well broken in boots until they need to be replaced.

Unfortunately the pain of breaking them in will eventually be replaced with the pain of doing it all over.

[8mmFan]

I flat love wearing boots. I have to wear dress shoes for work, but any other time I can I wear boots. Shorts, jeans, church in the winter, whenever I can I wear boots. I just flat like them. I have broken in more than I care to remember, including boots on the farm as a kid, basic training, hiking boots, hunting boots, and more.

As stated by others here, by far the best method I know is to take a new pair of boots and get them soaking wet. Put on a pair of thin liner socks, and then a pair of regular socks, and then wear those boots all day and the next until dry. Sometimes a couple of times if necessary. Go for a few long walks if you can. If a “hot spot” starts developing, put a band aid or duct tape over that spot BEFORE it turns into a blister and then keep wearing them. Don’t remember a pair of boots I couldn’t break in with this method.

8mmFan

[facetious]

Don't forget insoles that fit your foot. I had that Plantar fascitis B.S. for years. I kept a foam pad by the bed to stand on when I first got up becouse it hurt to stand on the carpet. With good fiting insoles it has been twenty years with out it coming back. You don't have to have custom made ones ether, I have had both but only use off the shelf now. Go in and try them all till you find some that fit.