Work boots are the foundation you rely on to complete your job safely and successfully each day. Depending on your work conditions, they should give you ankle support, strong traction, and protection from things such as falling objects, water, and extreme temperatures. As a result, they are built tough and include features that regular footwear lacks. Still, all this comes to naught if they are uncomfortable. These are some of the dos and don’ts of breaking in your work boots. Use this information to ensure you don’t wind up with foot pain when you purchase your next pair.
Getting new boots is easier than ever. With a great number of options available to you both online and in stores, you can find boots that fit your criteria and look nice as well. Ultimately though, you cannot be sure whether a boot is a good match for you until you try it on. When you visit a store in-person, it’s easy to try things on. But if you buy through the web, it may be more difficult. Make sure the company or supplier you choose allows you to return and exchange boots for different sizes, so you have the leeway to try out the fit. From there, it’s a matter of feeling how tight or loose the boots are and picking the model and size that’s best for you.
After a brief walk with new boots, you might notice some spots of discomfort. Perhaps you feel a pinch in a particular area or a hot spot that rubs your foot the wrong way. Don’t buy the boots thinking these uncomfortable spots will fade over time. If the fit is incorrect in the beginning, you will only feel it more and more as time goes on. Eventually, your feet may be in so much pain that you can’t concentrate at work, and you will be forced to buy another pair prematurely.
Because work boots are built to be tough, they are often not the softest footwear at first. If you have the correct fit, however, they will conform to your feet as you use them. It’s therefore a good idea to walk around your home with brand-new work boots for a few days or weeks before you take them with you to work. This gives you time to break them in a bit and allows you the freedom to take your boots off if they start to hurt. When you finally put them on for your workday, they’ll be less likely to give you problems from being too rigid.
There are some shortcut methods that people use to break in work boots faster. You should steer clear of these, as they can end up doing more damage than good. Examples of these kinds of tips often involve softening up or stretching the leather in boots. Some say you should use a hairdryer to heat up the leather, but this may end up drying and cracking your boots. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some people recommend putting your boots in water to loosen them. In reality, soaking your boots for prolonged periods could just result in deformation.
For work boots and lightweight duty boots that rise to the challenge of labor and harsh environments, call ALTAI™ today.
