How to make your first cowboy boots comfortable for winter wear

With below freezing temperatures and snow blanketing the ground, winter may leave you scrambling for warmth over style. However, you don’t necessarily need to look like an Eskimo, especially when it comes to selecting your footwear. There’s nothing more fashionable than wearing your winter clothes with sleek-looking cowboy boots! Luckily, the most comfortable boots come in styles for both men and women.

Shopping for and buying your first cowboy boots is easy! Making sure they are winter-ready, however, takes some doing. Unless you want your feet irritated and blistered, you may need to break them in to make sure that they’ll be comfortable enough to wear.

Breaking in your boots is not easy. We are talking about footwear made of leather here, so breaking in may take some time and effort. If you start to think that this would be too much work, then imagine how painful it will be if you end up with red, swollen, and blistered feet. Remember, breaking them in is the true key to a comfortable pair of winter boots.

Start with short walks

If your boots are fresh out of the box, break them in by wearing them around the house. This step will help you break them in gradually while allowing your feet to adjust. It is also advisable to follow the instructions provided when you bought them. If you want to know more about cowboy boots, you can check out this link: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Cowboy-Boots.html

Read on to find out how to break in your boots at home.

Wearing two socks

Try wearing your boots with two pairs of socks. Doubling up on socks applies pressure to the leather and allows it to stretch to give room for your feet. This trick is a great way to adjust or slightly increase the toe boxes’ width and height.

Just be aware that wearing two layers of socks could cram your toes together and give you blisters if you walk around for an extended time. Try wearing two socks in warm weather, so that the material is more pliant.

Steaming the inside of your boots

Steaming is an inexpensive and easy way to stretch your boots and get that custom feeling fit. Some manufacturers do not recommend this though, as it can be harmful to the leather. Try this at your own risk. To perform this method, follow the instructions below:

1. You can use a kettle of boiling water or a steamer and direct the steam to the inside of the boot around the area where you want the leather to stretch for 20 seconds.
2. Get them off the steam and using your fingers, press the affected area. If it still feels firm, then you can steam it for another 15 seconds.
3. Once it’s soft and flexible but not saturated, put them on and walk around.
4. It is best to keep them on until they dry to ensure that they conform to your feet. However, if it becomes uncomfortable, you can take them off once the leather has cooled. Then leave them to finish drying in a warm, dry spot.
5. Once the boots dry, you can use mink oil or any conditioning product that’s best for the type of leather boots you have.

You must keep in mind that using this method may harm the integrity of the leather as well as the vibrancy of the dye treatment. You can check here to get additional information on what ruins boots.

Submerging them in water

Dunking boots in water is a tried and tested method to achieve a good fit. You may think it’s drastic. However, it is effective and recommended by boot wearers. Getting the leather wet loosens the fibers and enables the boots to mold to the curvature of your feet. To perform this method, you must:

1. Fill the tub with lukewarm water.
2. Using your hands to press down on the insoles, fully submerge the boots in water. Make sure that the water does not enter the insides of the boots.
3. Once you feel that the insole is slightly wet, you can pull it out of the water.
4. You can then slip some socks on and put them on. If you feel uncomfortable walking in wet boots, then you can wear plastic bags over your socks.
5. Wear them and walk around them until they are dry. It helps if you do this in the morning or during warmer seasons.
6. Once they dry, use a recommended conditioning product to prevent the leather from cracking.

These are just some of the many methods to break in and get some space in your cowboy boots to make them more comfortable. It is best to try on different brands and find the best one that’s most accommodating to your feet when shopping for your boots. After following these steps, your western boots will be winter ready!