Cowboy boots have a tight fit, with little room for the foot to move laterally. That is because the original boots had to keep a rider’s feet in stirrups for extended periods. It is also why cowboy boots have a narrow toe box – it is easier to slide your feet into the stirrups when mounting a horse.
If you just bought cowboy boots, you may find them more stiff and constricting than usual. It is an easy fix. Read on for some tips on how to bring out the suppleness and flexibility of your new boots.
1. Practice makes perfect.
You don’t have to reserve your new boots for special occasions. Frequent wear will get them shaped to your foot, teach you how to carry yourself in them and help your feet get comfortable. And since you usually don’t see people in cowboy boots, you can be the only person in the room with a pair. It’s one way to stand out.
If you don’t have a no-shoes-on-the-carpet rule, you can wear the boots around the house to get more mileage and help yourself break them in.
2. Use a leather conditioner.
Leather conditioner or lotion softens leather, making it more pliable, so it conforms more readily to the shape of your feet and ankles. It is another way to break in your new cowboy boots.
3. Stretch them manually.
You can buy a tool called a boot stretcher that looks like a human foot. It slides into the boot, and you turn a connected handle to bring the halves of the tool apart. It widens the shoes from the inside out.
4. Start with the right size.
It’s not exactly a breaking in method, but remember that cowboy boots are tight and you may need to go down a size from ordinary. If the shoes are too big and loose, the friction can cause blisters, and no amount of breaking in will help.
5. Whatever you do, don’t do this.
Some sites advise you to wet the boots, either with a spray bottle or by dunking them in a tub of water. You may also read that heating the shoes with a hairdryer will break them in faster. But according to high-end leather boot retailers we examined, either is likely to warp or damage the boots permanently. Stay away from heat and water.
6. Use the right products.
We looked into several types of leather conditioning lotion for this article. There are many available on the market, including creams and more traditional polishes. Neatsfoot oil is a standard leather cleaner that you can get at shoe stores.
Whatever product you use, be sure only to apply a thin layer and wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. Too much conditioner can cause damage to the finish of the boots. Using the conditioner sparingly will extend the life of your new cowboy boots.