Gearhungry logo. Gearhungry logo.
  • Gear
    • Gun Cleaning Kits
    • Pocket & Folding Knives
    • Penlights
    • Slingshots
    • See More
  • Home
    • Essential Oil Diffusers
    • Cold Brew Coffee
    • Tea Makers
    • Hygrometers
    • Meat Cleavers
    • Lunch Boxes
    • See More
  • Tech
    • Shower Speakers
    • Mini Projectors
    • HDMI Cables
    • Smart Doorbells
    • Gadgets
    • Electric Toothbrushes
    • Vertical Mouses
    • CD Players
    • See More
  • Tools
    • Torque Wrenches
    • Tool Chests
    • Torque Screwdrivers
    • Ratchet Screwdrivers
    • Spirit Levels
    • Breaker Bars
    • Tool Bags
    • Cordless Lawn Mowers
    • Locking Pliers
    • Electric Precision Screwdrivers
    • See More
  • Fitness
    • Fitness Gifts
    • Boxing Gloves
    • Gym Equipment for Your Home
    • Curl Bars
    • Barbell Collars
    • Mouthguards
    • Speed Bags for Boxing
    • See More
  • Style
    • Leather Belts
    • Stretch Denim Jeans
    • Trucker Hats
    • Beard Trimmers
    • Men’s Walking Shoes
    • See More
  • Fun & Games
    • Chess Sets
    • Adult Jigsaw Puzzles
    • Graphic Novels for Adults
    • Basketballs
    • Beach Volleyballs
    • Gundam Model Kits
    • LEGO Technic Sets
    • Adult Coloring Books
    • Laser Tag Sets
    • Frisbees
    • See More
  • News
  • Blog
  • More
    • About Us – Learn More About GearHungry
    • Editorial Guidelines: How We Create Reviews and Buyer’s Guides
    • Advertise
    • Brand assets
    • Contact
  • Home
  • Blog

How To Break in New Boots With Ease

By GearHungry Staff
Last Updated June 8, 2018
GearHungry Staff
GearHungry Staff posts are a compilation of work by various members of our editorial team. We update old articles regularly to provide you the most current information. You can learn more about our staff here.
Learn about The Gearhungry's Editorial Process
GearHungry may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn more

Tricks For Breaking In New Boots

Right shoes go a long way in enhancing your looks and this is probably why you’ve spent hours shopping for the right shoes online and in physical stores.

You have put in considerable time and effort while buying a new shoe. You would’ve looked at the style, color, cost and above everything, the comfort feeling, before buying a shoe.

Despite all this effort, the initial few days can be a painful process because breaking into a new pair of shoes and getting used to them could take time. But, don’t throw them away. Just hang in there and try some of the tricks below.

How To Break in New Boots With Ease

Look for the blister spots

Breaking into new shoes can be painful, but a lot of the pain can be avoided if you know where to look for the blisters. Your heels, the top and sides of the shoes are common places where you can get blisters with your new shoes.

If you can’t figure out, well, the easy way is to wear it for an hour or two and you’ll definitely know the sore spots.

If you’re wondering why blisters appear at these places, it’s because this is where the shoes and your feet have a lot of contact. The friction that comes from this contact makes those areas sore and can lead to blisters. One good way to prevent this problem is to hydrate your skin with a moisturizer or maybe even petroleum jelly to avoid this friction. Apply the cream generously on all the sore areas, especially where you think there’s a lot of contact with the shoe.

Other options include wearing a surgical tape on the areas that rub the most with your shoes or to apply antiperspirant, especially in the summer months to reduce sweating. When you cut out the sweating, your blisters can feel less painful.

The best part about this fix is that the things you need are readily available in any store and for cheap!

How To Break in New Boots With Ease

Thick socks

If your blisters persist, it’s time to look at the shoes instead of the feet. In all likelihood, your shoes would be tight or would just fit in, which means, the friction with your feet is more. In such a case, wear thick socks, maybe even two or more pairs, one on top of the other before you wear your shoes. When you do this, your shoes will expand and will give your feet the extra space it needs to avoid this friction.

The good news is, you don’t have to wear such stuffed up socks all the day. Just wear it for an hour or so and walk with it to expand your shoes. Then, you can remove the extra pairs of socks and you’ll feel comfortable for sure!

While doing this, it’s also a good idea to blow-dry your shoes to remove all moisture from it. Do this two to three times for about 20 seconds each, with a one minute break. Again, the hot air will expand the shoes and make it easy for you to wear, while the lack of moisture can reduce the chances of friction.

How To Break in New Boots With Ease

A word of caution here. Never try this option too frequently, as this can spoil the quality of your shoes. Make sure you go no more than 30 seconds at one stretch and use a good shoe moisturizer to bring back the shine.

Freeze your shoes

Yes, you read the heading right and there’s no typo!

Fill a ziploc bag with water, put it inside your shoes and freeze the shoe overnight in your freezer. When the ice expands, it will automatically make your shoe to expand as well. The next morning, take your shoes and leave it outside for about 20 to 30 minutes for it to thaw. After that, you can give a coat of polish if you like and wear them to work. The expanded shoes will be easy on your feet.

This technique would work best with faux leather and fabric shoes, and may not be such a good idea for leather shoes though.

How To Break in New Boots With Ease

Use the good ol’ Potato

Whoever thought the good ol’ potato can help you break into your new shoes? Well, that’s another useful task a potato can do for you!

Peel a large potato, keep it inside your shoes and leave them overnight. The moisture from the potato will work on your shoes’ fibers to make them soft and more pliable. This moisture from the potato will not damage your shoes, and you can even wipe off the extra liquids if any, with a cotton cloth.

Another advantage when you use potatoes is that it removes the odor from your shoes, so it feels fresh and smells like new the next morning.

Water can be a great softener

If none of the above techniques work, then it’s time to dump your new shoes in a bucket of water.  Leave them in the water for a few minutes until they are completely soaked. Remove them and wipe them in a towel to avoid any discoloration. At the same time, make sure you leave some moisture.

How To Break in New Boots With Ease

Walk around in your wet shoes for an hour or two. The water will naturally soften the shoe material, and your shoes will mold better to your feet.

This suggestion works best for leather shoes only. In fact, put a few drops of water in one corner of your leather shoe to ensure there is no discoloration.

Never try this technique in fabric shoes as the material can get soaked with water, thereby altering its shape. Also, discoloration is quite possible with fabric shoes.

Overall, you no longer have to struggle with blisters to fit into your new shoes that you absolutely love. Try any one of the above methods to soften your shoe and to expand it well enough to fit your feet better. This way, there is no more pain and you can proudly show off your new shoes to the world!

Share

Sign up for our newsletter
Related Reads
Style post-thumbnail
Best Chukka Boots in 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: April 4, 2018
Style post-thumbnail
Best Waterproof Boots For Men in 2022
author-image
by Sam Anderson
Last updated: January 20, 2018
Style post-thumbnail
In Stride: The Best Men’s Walking Shoes in 2022
author-image
by Sam Anderson
Last updated: April 12, 2021
Style post-thumbnail
Best Combat Boots In 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: March 26, 2019
Sign Up Now
GET THE VERY BEST OF GEARHUNGRY STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Gearhungry logo
  • Home
  • About Us – Learn More About GearHungry
  • Contact
GearHungry – West Hollywood, California
8605 Santa Monica Blvd
PMB 30337
West Hollywood, California 90069-4109 US
GearHungry – Denver, Colorado
1624 Market St Ste 226
PMB 30337
Denver, Colorado 80202-1559 US
GearHungry ©2025 Privacy policy Affiliate Disclosure
DMCA.com Protection Status