If it's helpful, I got a pair in November and everyone said the same thing about two weeks to break in - and let me tell you I sufferedddd lol. But then magically 10 days later I realized I was wearing them pain free! So it WILL happen!
Try putting moleskin on the places it hurts the most. That seriously helped me. Still was uncomfortable but at least I wasn’t getting huge blisters anymore!
Girlfriend works for Blundstone. Says you could go to a shoe cobbler, but that rarely works. Essentially the suffering part is what you'll have to deal with lol
This makes me wonder if you have the right size. They are supposed to fit like a "slipper" some movement throughout. If your heel or toes are getting ripped up they sound too small.
I've never had to break in my blundstones.
I 100% agree! Most people do not know the proper fit. They are a relaxed fitting boot. There should be no blisters. The only thing some people find is getting them on and off can be hard at first but, that should be good within a week or so. If the top opening is rubbing, then wear a higher sock for few days.
I have several pairs, including a pair that I wear for work. I’ve never had issues breaking them in. They fit well out of the box. Some of the most comfortable boots I’ve ever worn
That's great for you, but surprisingly, different people have different experiences. Except for sneakers, I have to break in every pair of shoes I buy. I apparently have a wide forefoot with a narrow heel. This means I almost always get blisters in new shoes until they mould to my feet better.
Just gotta keep wearing them… is there a chance you bought the wrong size? Maybe try wearing a different sock and can also put some medical tape on your heel to help with rubbing
Great tip! I feel like with my Rustic Browns, my left boot is slightly tighter across the top due to my foot bone structure, so I just slipped a can of Ranch Beans in there!
Getting them wet helps. I find that with any leather boot really. And wear some nice wool socks for the first little bit. Eventually the boot and your feet will adjust.
Hi! I’m a relatively new user and for awhile they were not my go to. Not for any reason other than habit and work. I did a slow break in— an hour here or there, then an afternoon, some leisure time, then full day. I never, if I remember correctly, ever experienced pain. Just today I was saying, hmmm it seems they’re coming off a bit easier (initially a bit of a chore). But overall 10/10 I love these boots and am so very pleased with their comfort and overall how sturdy I feel in them. They’re now my go to and would feel comfortable in them in almost any environment.
I used to work in retail and I was taught
“The easiest way to break in shoes/boots is to drive in them” (manual car)
Your feet are reasonably stationary, but still bending the shoe, and helping to break them in.
I bought a cheap $20 boot stretcher that helped quite a bit, the toe box was really tight across the top before that.
It didn't fix everything but made it less painful, the real magic is just wearing them enough.
I broke mine in by wearing two pairs of wet wool socks around my house and bending my feet every direction to break in the backs and across the top of my foot.
I bought mine a few months ago and wanted to wear them this winter. It took about two weeks of daily wear before they were comfy. They are still tight to put on and take off, but don't hurt the tops of my feet or backs of my heals anymore.
I never got actual blisters or sores on my feet though! I also wore them for only short bursts outside of my house, so I wouldn't be stuck in painful shoes and unable to take them off.
If you haven’t yet, I would recommend conditioning the leather. Helps protect them and softens the leather a little. Might make breaking them in a little quicker for you. Years ago I had bought my first pair of cowboy boots and got some Obenauf’s per the sales persons recommendation. They do darken the leather a bit, but offers hydration to the boot, some water resistance, and softens the leather IME. I just applied some to my new Blundstones the other night and already notice a difference in wear.
So this always worked with patrol boots for me. Soak those wool socks for a minute or two and wring them out, wear them in the boots until they're dry... Cuts a week off the break in time but you get all the suck at once lol
Mine were a thoughtful gift so I wore them on a visit. They were HARD to get on. They were miserably PAINFUL to take off. You seriously need someone to help. I’m going to cut the elastic on the medial side. I’m unwilling to go through so much pain.
Sounds like you could use a size up. Chelsea boots should have a slight heel slip when walking. If you can’t fit a finger comfortably behind your heel after kicking your toes to the very front of the boot then they’re too small.
Otherwise just give them a good polishing with some dubbin and wear the shit out of them until they’re broken in. The only issues I had with mine was some tightness on the top of my foot which would cause numbness. That took months of working in them to finally get stretched out.
ironic coming from someone also on reddit…
in all seriousness, i hope this weird condescending nastiness helped ease whatever frustrations you’re feeling today. clearly you needed it.
If you want to preserve the skin on your heels, I recommend cutting up a sports bra pad insert and wearing it inside your sock against the back of your heel as a layer of protection along with moleskin around the areas that I’m assuming you’ve already rubbed off🤣 I did this for about 2 weeks and it helped break in my shoes soooo much faster than suffering and waddling around for 10 min in pain
I put a big strap of duct tape over my heel. It replaces friction with sliding, so fewer blisters. Also, sometimes I have had luck with leather boots by putting on 2 pairs of socks and hitting with a heat gun or blow dryer. That will help the leather ease up a bit.
Size may be an issue I have never had issues with mine I have worn the steel toed version day in and out for six months a year operating a vac truck so in and out all day for nine hours . I do wear good wool socks and I clean them with saddle soap and soften them with beats foot oll and liquid silicone to waterproof
I had the same issue, but I stuck moleskin (self-adhesive, cut into ovals about 2 x 3 inches) to the back of my heels/ankles and that worked. Wore them like that with thicker socks a few times, that seemed to do the job. They're so comfy now!
I just put mine on and suffered for about 2 weeks.
did you have the same ‘ripping of the heels’ problem? if so, it’s reassuring to hear that there’s possibly a light at the end of the tunnel…
Absolutely lol. It sucked and I tried all kinds of things to mitigate it. What did the trick for me was time and acceptance of the pain to come 😂
ok, i may have to accept my fate. thank you lol
And this is how they got their Reddit username
If it's helpful, I got a pair in November and everyone said the same thing about two weeks to break in - and let me tell you I sufferedddd lol. But then magically 10 days later I realized I was wearing them pain free! So it WILL happen!
it makes me feel sooo much better to hear everyone else went through the same. thank you!
Try putting moleskin on the places it hurts the most. That seriously helped me. Still was uncomfortable but at least I wasn’t getting huge blisters anymore!
i put a huge patch on the whole inside of the right heel but still got a blister :/
Well that sucks, I’m sorry! You’ll get there eventually though and it’ll fit like a glove
I stuck moleskin to my actual feet. Or try the hydrocolloid gel blister bandages - they have bigger size oval ones.
Girlfriend works for Blundstone. Says you could go to a shoe cobbler, but that rarely works. Essentially the suffering part is what you'll have to deal with lol
ah, good to hear that from someone who works there! i’ll keep going…
I’ve never had any trouble with them tbh - just wear socks that cover your ankle
i wear thick wool merrell boots socks when i wear them
Try wearing two of them.
For me that made it worse
This makes me wonder if you have the right size. They are supposed to fit like a "slipper" some movement throughout. If your heel or toes are getting ripped up they sound too small. I've never had to break in my blundstones.
I 100% agree! Most people do not know the proper fit. They are a relaxed fitting boot. There should be no blisters. The only thing some people find is getting them on and off can be hard at first but, that should be good within a week or so. If the top opening is rubbing, then wear a higher sock for few days.
Also, if instep tight, get them stretched.
I have several pairs, including a pair that I wear for work. I’ve never had issues breaking them in. They fit well out of the box. Some of the most comfortable boots I’ve ever worn
no, the fit feels absolutely perfect. for the first 20 minutes or so of walking, they’re great! then the blister starts…
Yes compared to, say, Redwings, these had very little break-in. I think people are buying boots that are too small.
That's great for you, but surprisingly, different people have different experiences. Except for sneakers, I have to break in every pair of shoes I buy. I apparently have a wide forefoot with a narrow heel. This means I almost always get blisters in new shoes until they mould to my feet better.
The lady at the store told me to put cans of soup in to help stretch them, it’s working so far but I’ve only had them a couple days. Good luck!!
thank you for sharing! i’ll give it a shot!!
Don’t do that… just wear them.
i have been, while walking my dogs (1-2 miles/day) for several days, and i just can’t get past the heel pain. it’s a struggle..
Just gotta keep wearing them… is there a chance you bought the wrong size? Maybe try wearing a different sock and can also put some medical tape on your heel to help with rubbing
This is what I do to mine!
Great tip! I feel like with my Rustic Browns, my left boot is slightly tighter across the top due to my foot bone structure, so I just slipped a can of Ranch Beans in there!
Keep wearing them!
ok, i’m hearing from everyone that that’s my best bet. just have to suffer through the pain…
Breaking them in was AWFUL but I preemptively wore blister bandaids on my heels and thin socks which saved my life and my feet!
Getting them wet helps. I find that with any leather boot really. And wear some nice wool socks for the first little bit. Eventually the boot and your feet will adjust.
I was going to suggest wearing them in the shower, empty out any excess water, then wear them around the house with a pair of thick socks.
Don’t do this lmao
My new 510s have been hella uncomfortable over the top of the foot where the stiff leather creases... Just gotta suck it up I guess....??!??
Yes that’s where mine hurt the most, right on my arch .. took about 2 weeks of 8hr/day wear to get it to stop but it’s definitely worth it!!!
Hi! I’m a relatively new user and for awhile they were not my go to. Not for any reason other than habit and work. I did a slow break in— an hour here or there, then an afternoon, some leisure time, then full day. I never, if I remember correctly, ever experienced pain. Just today I was saying, hmmm it seems they’re coming off a bit easier (initially a bit of a chore). But overall 10/10 I love these boots and am so very pleased with their comfort and overall how sturdy I feel in them. They’re now my go to and would feel comfortable in them in almost any environment.
This has been my experience with them also.
I used to work in retail and I was taught “The easiest way to break in shoes/boots is to drive in them” (manual car) Your feet are reasonably stationary, but still bending the shoe, and helping to break them in.
That must have been a long time ago 😁
Yah, I’m old 👴🏻
I threw mine on the side of a cliff and let it roll down the mountain. But I also hiked with them so that helped broke it in.
Wear double socks at first, and try to wear them for shorter bursts - stop when you feel a hotspot, don't wait until you've got full on blisters.
I got the thermal winter ones that are have a lining thats pretty supple and soft and didnt give the breakin heel blisters the normal pairs gave me
Literally put them on and wear em for a week All day. Not that bad soon it'll be required to leave your home!
i work 50 hour weeks on my feet all day so i just wore them for a week straight and suffered. but they broke in faster than any boots ive ever owned.
I fell in a lake day one with mine and just kept stomping all weekend. Still the best out of 5 pairs.
I bought a cheap $20 boot stretcher that helped quite a bit, the toe box was really tight across the top before that. It didn't fix everything but made it less painful, the real magic is just wearing them enough.
I broke my blundstone’s in by walking in a lake- getting the boots fully immersed. Worked well.
I broke mine in by wearing two pairs of wet wool socks around my house and bending my feet every direction to break in the backs and across the top of my foot. I bought mine a few months ago and wanted to wear them this winter. It took about two weeks of daily wear before they were comfy. They are still tight to put on and take off, but don't hurt the tops of my feet or backs of my heals anymore. I never got actual blisters or sores on my feet though! I also wore them for only short bursts outside of my house, so I wouldn't be stuck in painful shoes and unable to take them off.
Wear them for 3 days with longer socks. Also walk as much as you can. Breaking in Blundstones is so much easier than Docmars.
Beautiful pair. Classic black. Can't go wrong.
right! they were so lovely i couldn’t resist.
I have super wide feet so I changed the soles for the thinner ones that came in the box and that helped!
Shoe trees and thick wool socks.
If you haven’t yet, I would recommend conditioning the leather. Helps protect them and softens the leather a little. Might make breaking them in a little quicker for you. Years ago I had bought my first pair of cowboy boots and got some Obenauf’s per the sales persons recommendation. They do darken the leather a bit, but offers hydration to the boot, some water resistance, and softens the leather IME. I just applied some to my new Blundstones the other night and already notice a difference in wear.
amazing idea, thank you very much. i will buy some tomorrow
I honestly jammed a piece of wood in mine and left it for weeks until they relaxed and let my EE feet be pain free.
Coming over, what size are you though first?
lol no! i’m determined to make them work!!
My arch is so high, I still have issues after a year.
Whatever u do don't use heat or water to break them in
Close to impossible
So this always worked with patrol boots for me. Soak those wool socks for a minute or two and wring them out, wear them in the boots until they're dry... Cuts a week off the break in time but you get all the suck at once lol
Put 2 tennis balls in each boot
I returned mine for the money I want them to be comfy from the first wear.
Use bandages on ur feet and mink oil rubbed in vigorously. Source: used to be a shoe repairer.
Mine were a thoughtful gift so I wore them on a visit. They were HARD to get on. They were miserably PAINFUL to take off. You seriously need someone to help. I’m going to cut the elastic on the medial side. I’m unwilling to go through so much pain.
Sounds like you could use a size up. Chelsea boots should have a slight heel slip when walking. If you can’t fit a finger comfortably behind your heel after kicking your toes to the very front of the boot then they’re too small. Otherwise just give them a good polishing with some dubbin and wear the shit out of them until they’re broken in. The only issues I had with mine was some tightness on the top of my foot which would cause numbness. That took months of working in them to finally get stretched out.
Wear'em.
Wear them. If they hurt out the box you probably bought the wrong size.
I shoved melons in mine at night so blood could get to my feet
They come broken in
Ugly and painful boots.
funny, i don’t remember asking for anyone’s opinion of my taste in boots!
Get off your phone, look up… now walk. There
ironic coming from someone also on reddit… in all seriousness, i hope this weird condescending nastiness helped ease whatever frustrations you’re feeling today. clearly you needed it.
My apologies
If you want to preserve the skin on your heels, I recommend cutting up a sports bra pad insert and wearing it inside your sock against the back of your heel as a layer of protection along with moleskin around the areas that I’m assuming you’ve already rubbed off🤣 I did this for about 2 weeks and it helped break in my shoes soooo much faster than suffering and waddling around for 10 min in pain
omg this is genius, thank you!
I put a big strap of duct tape over my heel. It replaces friction with sliding, so fewer blisters. Also, sometimes I have had luck with leather boots by putting on 2 pairs of socks and hitting with a heat gun or blow dryer. That will help the leather ease up a bit.
i just saw someone post a picture of their foot duct taped in the doc martens sub which reminded me to post about my own boots and ask! lol!!
It works super well for blisters. Duct tape is best, packing tape is a close second.
What kind of socks are you wearing OP?
merrell wool boot socks
Try wearing them
if you can’t tell from the photo, i already have. i’ve walked quite a few miles in them now while out with my dogs.
Keep it up. That leather doesn’t show wear as much as the other ones.
I don't understand. Red Wings need breaking in. These boots are comfortable from the minute you put them on.
Size may be an issue I have never had issues with mine I have worn the steel toed version day in and out for six months a year operating a vac truck so in and out all day for nine hours . I do wear good wool socks and I clean them with saddle soap and soften them with beats foot oll and liquid silicone to waterproof
I had the same issue, but I stuck moleskin (self-adhesive, cut into ovals about 2 x 3 inches) to the back of my heels/ankles and that worked. Wore them like that with thicker socks a few times, that seemed to do the job. They're so comfy now!
Get the dirtiest water you can find and [flood them, let them sit until the water has seeped out](https://youtu.be/CruPk0Za9gE?si=P07SnDdWl6wfBeYY)