People who wear western boots swear by how comfortable they are. Before they become extremely comfortable to wear, though, a pair of western boots must be broken in. If you've recently purchased or received a new pair of western boots, here's how to break them in so that you'll enjoy wearing them day after day.
Walk in the Boots -- A Lot
Walking around in a pair of boots is, by far, the best way to break a western boots in. As you walk, the boots' leather conforms to your foot, stretching where your foot presses against it. The leather also begins to flex right where you need it to with each step you take.
As soon as you get a pair of western boots, begin walking in them. You might not want to use walking as the only method of breaking the boots in, but walking can complement any of the other methods used to break in western boots. Walk for a few minutes at a time, and take your feet out when you aren't walking around. This will let the leather stretch without straining your feet.
Heat Up the Boots with Steam
To quicken the breaking-in process, heat up your boots with steam before you walk around in them. Heating the leather until it's slightly pliable will help it conform to your feet and gate faster, as it will flex more than when it's not warmed up.
When heating up boots, it's important to use steam, rather than dry heat. Dry heat can dry out the leather and cause the boots to degrade quickly.
The easiest way to heat boots up is with a steamer, by steaming them like you would any other type of clothing. If you don't have a steamer, you can place the boots over a pot of boiling water -- just take care to not drop them into the pot. Once the boots are warm to the touch and flexible, wear them and walk around until they cool to room temperature.
Use a Boot Stretcher
A boot stretcher is a tool that goes inside western boots when they're not being worn and gently applies pressure. It slowly stretches the leather, making more room inside the boots.
A boot stretcher won't conform boots to your specific feet, since its a stock tool that's made from a generic shape. It can increase the size of boots, though. This can be useful if you found a great deal or were given a pair of western boots that are a half-size too small.
