Short wears, thick socks, patience
Good leather boots are stiff in the first week because the leather has not yet taken the shape of your foot. Rushing that process is what causes blisters. Give it five to seven days of short, planned wears and most pairs settle in beautifully.
Day one: wear them indoors for about 45 minutes with the socks you will actually use. Day two: an hour, including a few flights of stairs. Then take them outside for walks of two to three kilometres, and only after a week attempt a full working day in them.
- Wear thicker socks at first; they cushion the heel and the crease points.
- Put blister plasters or moleskin on the heel before you go out, not after.
- Condition new boots lightly so the leather bends without cracking.
- Loosen the laces over the instep if the top of your foot feels pinched.
- Take the boots off at the first hot spot, do not try to walk it off.
If one spot still pinches after a week, a cobbler can stretch that area, or you can use a shoe stretcher with a little stretching spray. Cramping across the ball of the foot, or any numbness in your toes, means the size or width is wrong – no amount of breaking in will fix that, so come back for an exchange instead. Boots that stay painful after ten days of short wears are simply the wrong boots, and we would rather swap them than have you limp through a winter.
Store boots with shoe trees or rolled newspaper between wears so the leather dries in shape rather than collapsing at the heel. Our wider and softer leather models are listed under men’s boots, and care products are at the shop. Send us a message on WhatsApp at +91 93155 12111 if you want advice on the easiest pair to break in before you order.