Boot Stretching Experience
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Red indicates where I’m feeling the pinch.
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Do you know your Brannock? heel to ball, heel to toe and width? Typically John Lofgren is half down from Brannock but if you have a higher volume, wider foot, more squared off toes than tapered you might need to go true to size.
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I agree, but in my opinion figure out your Brannock first. Then if a maker has sizing guidance, compare it to that or crowd source it a bit.
Because let’s be real, sometimes these Stockists say go a full size down and for most people that’s just flat out wrong.
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@northsouthdenimguy I totally agree. Some say go a full size down for Wesco boots but a half size down was perfect for me.
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It works for some. I just can’t do it with my feet.
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@oltom they won't stretch on the red areas on the toecap, they will on the red midfoot areas, which will ease the big toe area.
@northsouthdenimguy may well be right, JL Combat boots are already an E width, you may just need to try a size size up. I wear a half size down from Brannock in those and find them one of my most comfortable pairs in the width - my JL engineers for comparison I had to stretch in the areas you're experiencing tightness, albeit only on the left foot.
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Thanks very much for all the helpful feedback. I’m a Brannock 9.5. I think if I had gone down a half size to a 9 the fit would be fine. Unfortunately, I went down a full size to an 8.5. I wish I could blame an online retailer but I tried them on in store. They felt snug but I thought that was part of the deal with these boots, ie. that you need to break them in.
Thanks fellas!
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Follow-up question for the boot stretch vets…..have you had any experience with vertically stretching to increase the volume of the toe box? I find that the top of my big toe nail is rubbing against the bottom of the toe cap in my Wesco Guildsman. Thanks!
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@oltom No, I couldn’t work out a way to do it, none of my stretchers go that far into the toe box - I sold both my pairs of Wescos due to exactly this issue. Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear.
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You could try stuffing a wet rag(s)down in the toe box until the rags dry…may or may not be something you want do depending on the leather.
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Thanks fellas. This boot game is savage.
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I've had minimal luck with the toe box height by sending them back to wesco. They also stretched out the instep of the boot at the same time fyi which I didn't want.
If the toes aren't comfortable to start I do tend to agree they'll never be how you want and should continue looking for a different one.
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Worth trying some thinner socks before giving up on them though, that can make the difference between a pair fitting and not fitting, also worth taking the insoles out as that may give you the room.
Any yes, working out boot fitment is not easy, especially over the internet on boots you have to preorder!
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@pechelman Mine too - I've just accepted that Wesco don't fit me.
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@oltom said in Boot Stretching Experience:
Follow-up question for the boot stretch vets…..have you had any experience with vertically stretching to increase the volume of the toe box? I find that the top of my big toe nail is rubbing against the bottom of the toe cap in my Wesco Guildsman. Thanks!
I'm late to this party, so I hope this is still relevant.
Just like you with the Guildsman (I bought it when it was called The Alex, which is how I usually refer to it), I found the toe box a bit squished. Eventually, it loosened up. It took some time since it's a cap toe, but it got there. Stay with it and keep the boots conditioned.
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I just stretched two pairs of JK’s PNW boots. If you don’t know them, they are pretty heavy duty and have nice thick leather. More of a work boot and maybe thicker leather, so go slow with the process. I don’t think it will help inside the toe cap, but I bought a full size too small as well and they were crushing my feet on the ball of my big toe.
I used our clothes steamer and put the boot right over it, allowing the steam and heat to build up inside. It softens the leather and makes it more pliable, almost floppy. Then I put a couple pairs of socks on, wrapped a plastic bag around my foot to allow them to slide in easier, and jammed my feet in slowly. Then I tied them as tight as I could and wore them for as long as I could in the house. It is painful as hell. I would do a stretch and then have to wear sneakers the rest of the day. I had to do a couple rounds and increase the padding on the ball of my foot each time. I eventually folded a piece of t-shirt and placed it between two layers of sock to create a bulge over the ball of my feet. This was crazy painful after a few minutes, but I wasn’t gonna give up on the boots. I made sure not to add too much padding to the bottom of my foot so as not affect the footbed and focus the stretch upwards.
Even after all this they were still a little tight after long hours. I got a stretcher off Amazon. One of those with the attachments for hammer toes and stuff like that. And I drilled holes to put the attachment bulbs exactly where I needed them. Then I steamed the crap out of the boots and put those in the boot, expanding them slowly so I could monitor for any signs of tearing, which there was none thankfully. Then I tied em super tight and left them like that for a couple days.
I wear the boots all the time and they are awesome now, thin or thick socks.
One warning - I changed the color of my rough outs by steaming the outside. My smooths didn’t change color if I steamed the outside a little, but it’s definitely a possibility with rough out or suede.
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