Good leather boots and the stretching of the leather

[Bert]

I bought a very simple pair of good leather boots, they are very, very hard for now, and while I sent the sizes, not only the length, to the saleswoman, I think they sent me a pair a size too small.
In the end when I get out of bed in the morning, with the same socks as I took the sizes with, and put the boots on, without pulling on the laces, after two hours of sitting on a stool, my feet really hurt on the spot where the tong is attached to the fore shoe, (where the bone is on top of your feet)

the seller advised me to stretch the boot on that spot, but I think that when I do that I will have problems of too small a boot later when it's summer and after I walked a few miles.
I don't think that the leather will stretch that much, so that it's comfortable in summer and after a few miles?

anyone who knows, please advice me?
Thanks.

 

[homesicksteve]

Keeping Cedar shoe trees in boots when not wearing stops them shrinking...

 

[FerlasDave]

When I was issued with a pair of combat boots, the old black ones not this modern fancy stuff. We were told to submerge them in warm water until completely soaked and supple and then walk around in the wet boots until dry. IIRC I did this twice, and they fitted like slippers after that. I did wear them every day for years though!

 

[HillBill]

When I was issued with a pair of combat boots, the old black ones not this modern fancy stuff. We were told to submerge them in warm water until completely soaked and supple and then walk around in the wet boots until dry. IIRC I did this twice, and they fitted like slippers after that. I did wear them every day for years though!

This.

For the simple 1 layer leather anyway. Not sure i'd try it with more modern style, multi layered stuff.

Good idea to treat them with mink/boot oil regularly too to keep them supple.

 

[FerlasDave]

Yes. I should have mentioned that this might not be the solution for the OP’s boots. But it’s definitely a tried and tested method.

 

[HillBill]

Yes. I should have mentioned that this might not be the solution for the OP’s boots. But it’s definitely a tried and tested method.

Done it more than once. You only get so many hundred mile out of a single pair. Reckon i ran 2 pair out in the Legion... not including the walking and day to day wear.

I was under the impression from the OP's post that they were simple, one layer boots. Might easily be wrong... that's not uncommon lol