Breaking in work boots

[caver]

We have to wear steel toed boots at work. Needing wide widths limits my choices even more. Breaking in new boots is like torture for me. Younger guy at work who grew up on a farm suggested filling them with soybeans, adding water and let them sit and swell for a few days. I had never heard of this and another co-worker suggested he was pulling our leg. He held his ground.
It did make me think about putting a plastic bag in them and filling with water. Let them freeze overnight. A variation of his idea. Any other tricks out there?

[Wayne County Hose]

Try having feet that are beyond 4E wide. I haven't heard of any tricks, but, one thing I have found is that a good pair doesn't need breaking in like cheap ones do. I have a pair of Knapp right now, probably the best pair I ever owned. Cost over $100 about 5 years ago. I've needed a new pair for a while now.

[Cat_Driver]

After dealing with boots the killed my feet I found a guy in Canada to make me a custom pair and his first question was do you want them so they break in in months or years?

This is what I did and it did take a long time, BUT I finally have a pair of boots I can wear 18 Hours a day and my feet still feel great.

The basic break-in procedure

* Begin by wearing your boots for short periods of time inside the house. Wear the kinds of socks you're likely to be wearing out on the trail. Lace your boots up tight, and make sure your tongues are lined up and the gusset material is folded flat. The creases you form as you break-in your boots will likely remain for the life of the boot.
* Your new boots will be a little stiff at first, which is fine. But if you notice significant pinching, rubbing or pain right off the bat, you may want to take the boots back and try a different style.
* If after several short indoor sessions your boots seem to fit comfortably, expand your horizons. Wear your new boots to the local store, around town or while working in the yard. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend in your boots and the distances you cover. Make sure your boots feel good at each stage before increasing your distance.

NOTE: Make sure your new boots fit comfortably before you can wear them outside!
* Be vigilant throughout the break-in process for any pain or discomfort. As soon as you notice either, take the boots off. Remember -- small problems can become big ones very quickly. If everything feels good, try adding a little weight on your back as you hike, and/or hiking on more challenging trails.
* If your boots feel good throughout the break-in process, but a single pinch or a hot spot remains, you may be able to correct the problem area by visiting a shoe-repair shop or your local REI store. Most have stretching devices that can help alleviate localized boot-fitting problems.


some other tips off the web:

Wear your normal socks and new boots on until your feet start to hurt. Without taking the boots or socks off, take a rubbing alcohol soaked cotton swab and saturate the outside of the boot where the pressure points are hurting your feet. Really soak the spot to get the leather wet all the way through. You値l feel instant relief as the leather expands. Now continue to wear the boots until the alcohol completely evaporates and your boot will be broken in. The alcohol will not leave any mark on the boot.


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this may sound weird but a boot store told me this many years ago when i was wearing western boots all the time . Most were hard to break in such as lizard and aligator skin boots . They told me to put the boots in a bath tub and really soak them till they were saturated then put plastic bags on your feet and put boots on and wear them till they dryed . This did really work . then another store told me the first time you put boots on they should be confortable and feel like you have wore them for months so i went with latter
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New boots were always a pain at first, then I got a pair of Redwings and got their boot oil. I put that boot oil on twice a day for three days, then I wear them. No problems. The other thing was the insoles in them and other boots, I replace them with Redwing orthotic inserts and its like walking on clouds. Ever since doing that, my feet don't bark anymore.

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try this method i guarantee that you won't get blisters. i learned this from breaking in new cleats playing football.

wearing a good pair of thick socks, take bar soap and rub it on the socks till you can see it build up. do it on all pressure points of your foot (balls, heels, yada yada). the soap will start to foam up slightly inside your boot lubricating your foot from getting any blisters and making your feet smell nice. you won't get a blister i swear it works!

with this method you don't have to put treat you boots in any way. just put them on and go. i've done it with every pair of boots i've owned since 1996 and have neeever gotten a blister or had sore feet at the end of the day.

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

ever try Dunham work boots?
not inexpensive, but 4e not a problem and I've had good luck with making their casual shoes & hiking boots last. (had an ESD steel toed pair of those)
They're made by New Balance and there's a place in St Louis with web site that has great customer service. New Balance Shoes - NB Web Express

[blueriver]

Believe it or not, try it and then belive it ... slip them on in the morning, stand in the creek, pond or any water supply until your feet are soaked ... wear them the rest of the day and BANG they are broke in!!

[caver]

I used to buy the $100+ Wolverine Durashocks but my last pair I never broke in and quit wearing them. The earlier version of those boots broke in quickly and were always comfortable to me. They changed the stitching where the tongue meets the body of the boot and it now creates a pressure point. I even tried the trick of wearing them in a creek and keep them on until they dry out. Didn't help. I'll keep the Knapp in mind for the next pair.
The alcohol trick might be worth a try.

I wish Merrell (owned by Wolverine) would make boots with a steel toe. I just bought my second pair of Merrell hiking boots and they almost seem broke in out of the box.

[caver]

I like the New Balance/Dunham link,,, Thanks. I've had very good luck with New Balance tennis shoes although my latest pair seem a bit stiff.

[ToadHill]

Have you considered the steel toes that slip over the tow of the boot?

[caver]

Originally Posted by ToadHill

Have you considered the steel toes that slip over the tow of the boot?

They have these large looking devices (some guys call them tomato cans) for visitors but this looks better.
Oshatoes

[/pine]

As long as the boots fit correctly to start...wetting/soaking the boots and wearing them until they're dry has always workd for me..change your socks as often as you care to for comfort...

Once the boots are dry I always use a good quality water proofing ( I like 'Bear Grease')...the type that you apply and then use heat to cure...