# Loafer Break-In



## browning806 (Sep 4, 2007)

I recently purchased some burgundy penny loafers, the sides of which are relatively stiff. The upper lip seems to dig into the side of my ankle right below the ball a little bit causing slight discomfort. One side is better than the other.

Will this get better with time or do I need a softer loafer?

I'm wearing them around the house to break them in faster.


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

Did you buy them online or in a brick-and-mortar store? If the latter, go back and try on different sizes with an experienced sale person...you might be wearing the wrong size. Or, and I've had loafers that were made of stiffer leather, you just wear them around the house and pray they break in quickly.


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## paper clip (May 15, 2006)

In such cases, it's usually grin and bear it. I put on band-aids and heavier socks to ease the pain. Usually it only takes a couple of wearings to soften. I broke in my LLBean dress rustic oxfords this weekend using this strategy while walking around Freeport, and by Sunday, they were good to go!


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## Joe Tradly (Jan 21, 2006)

The conundrum with loafers: Buy too big, and they'll feel great up front and painful in the long run.

Buy the right size, and they'll cut you and blister you and make your life hell, and in the long run, oh baby are they comfortable.

Browning: break em in, man. It's the thing to do.

JB


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

I've been breaking my LL Bean Rustic Penny loafers in a few hours at a time, that is the less painful way for me. The 3/4 length leather insole is still bugging me, it seems to rub across the ball of my foot w/ every step. 

Brian


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## GWhite (Aug 25, 2007)

Joe Tradly said:


> The conundrum with loafers: Buy too big, and they'll feel great up front and painful in the long run.
> 
> Buy the right size, and they'll cut you and blister you and make your life hell, and in the long run, oh baby are they comfortable.
> 
> ...


Wise words. My AE Waldens were hell at first, but much better now.


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## gar1013 (Sep 24, 2007)

People complaining about breaking in a pair of shoes sound like they have never had the (dis)pleasure of breaking in a pair of Dr. Marten's boots. Nothing is quite as bad as that.

I still have my first pair of Docs I bought back in HS. Although I used to wear them constantly in HS and college, and find them to be a sentimental favorite, I'll probably never buy another pair due to how painful the break-in process is.

For me, I ended up with feet COVERED in blisters during the break in period. I was litterally limping and hobbling everywhere I went. I had friends that tried playing basketball in them, or tried running over them in a car -- nothing works. During this period, I actually had different blisters grow in size, till they eventually join together, sort of like the driving of the golden spike, but on my feet! 

So in short, it's good to break in shoes easily and gradually...and no matter how much the pain, don't forget that someone out there is breaking in a pair of boots that is in unimagineable pain.


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

I've often heard that if a knowledgable salesperson did their job and fitted your shoes properly, you should not have blisters, etc. Personally, I think it's a load of guano. I would say easily 60 percent of the shoes I own needed some breaking in to get comfortable. As an earlier poster said, loafers are the worst (except for a pair of Tommy Bahama loafers I own...wore like bedroom slippers from the start...strange).


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## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

gar1013 said:


> People complaining about breaking in a pair of shoes sound like they have never had the (dis)pleasure of breaking in a pair of Dr. Marten's boots.


Serves you right. Gruesome things. :devil:

EGF


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## well-kept (May 6, 2006)

The shoes which have served longest and best have all felt right at first wearing. For some of them I can still recall that initial pleasure, then the words "I'll take 'em". In line with the OP's question... a pair of Sebago lined loafers - the US-made version of the Cayman, I believe - felt perfect the moment I slid my foot into them, in the 80s. I wore those loafers with great pleasure for many years until they literally fell to pieces and my repairman threw up his hands. 

Anything that feels too tight - let alone provoking blisters - either stays in the store or, once taken home, spends years in the closet.


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## browning806 (Sep 4, 2007)

I bought some square bandaids to wear under my socks and the padding helps.

I'm gathering that the consensus is that they will break in over time and not be uncomfortable/blistering?

I'm going to grin and bear it because these shoes look good!


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## gar1013 (Sep 24, 2007)

browning806 said:


> I bought some square bandaids to wear under my socks and the padding helps.
> 
> I'm gathering that the consensus is that they will break in over time and not be uncomfortable/blistering?
> 
> I'm going to grin and bear it because these shoes look good!


Other practical blister solutions involve wearing 2 pairs of socks (probably best to make them very thin socks), and you can by an anti-blister stick at any sporting goods store... it looks sort of like a small deodorant stick (or just coat your feed with a fine layer of vaseline)


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## Speas (Mar 11, 2004)

Load the shoes up with shoe cream/lotion. Should make them form to your foot more quickly. I once had a pair of boots that fit a bit too tightly until I wore them for a long walk in the rain. Damp leather stretches more easily.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

gar1013 said:


> I still have my first pair of Docs I bought back in HS. Although I used to wear them constantly in HS and college, and find them to be a sentimental favorite, I'll probably never buy another pair due to how painful the break-in process is.
> 
> So in short, it's good to break in shoes easily and gradually...and no matter how much the pain, don't forget that someone out there is breaking in a pair of boots that is in unimagineable pain.


Several lifetimes ago, when breaking in a new pair of combat boots, I would totally soak them in water for a few hours and then put them on and wear them until they were dry. During the drying process the leather would stretch or shrink, as necessary to mould perfectly with my feet. A day of, at times, extreme discomfort resulted in field boots that were as comfortable as "house shoes," though admittedly a bit heavier! I suspect this would work with Doc Martens. If ya gotta do the pain and suffering, get it over with quickly...it's better that way.


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## gar1013 (Sep 24, 2007)

eagle2250 said:


> Several lifetimes ago, when breaking in a new pair of combat boots, I would totally soak them in water for a few hours and then put them on and wear them until they were dry. During the drying process the leather would stretch or shrink, as necessary to mould perfectly with my feet. A day of, at times, extreme discomfort resulted in field boots that were as comfortable as "house shoes," though admittedly a bit heavier! I suspect this would work with Doc Martens. If ya gotta do the pain and suffering, get it over with quickly...it's better that way.


Part of the big problem with DM's are the insoles... don't know that said method would work (or not), but if I have over $100 to drop on an extra pair of shoes, they're going to be Quoddys. :icon_smile:


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## Nordicnomad (Jul 11, 2006)

With heavy boots getting them wet (sometimes by pouring hot water inside and letting them sit for several minutes), then wearing them is a common tactic to speed the breaking-in process, but is not good for the life of the boot. The moisture applied inside tends to rust nails and screws (not really a problem with most loafers!) I wear heavy Whites boots to fight fire in and have found that the best answer is to just break them in slowly (it is best to buy boots long before fire season starts). Sometimes I will apply a 50/50 mixture of water and rubbing alcohol to problem spots to ease the leather. With in a couple of months they are reasonably well broken in, though it takes over a year to get a pair of smokejumpers really comfortable. 

With my loafers I wear a light pair of socks and wear them around the house and on short errands, no problem if they fit well to begin with.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

I am always wary of shoes that cause pain or blisters. I've found that the more expensive the shoe, the less likely this is to happen. My European made loafers never, ever cause any discomfort or injuries.

DocD


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## bd79cc (Dec 20, 2006)

Doctor Damage said:


> I am always wary of shoes that cause pain or blisters. I've found that the more expensive the shoe, the less likely this is to happen. My European made loafers never, ever cause any discomfort or injuries.
> 
> DocD


Yes. By taking care to get fitted properly for a given brand and style of shoe, I've avoided pain and blisters.

The "expensive shoe = well-fitting shoe" notion has worked for me, too. Apparently, Weejuns are as cheap as I can get.

Trying to avoid shoes at odds with my foot shape has helped. But passing up a beautiful, exquisitely-made shoe that doesn't fit quite right is hard to do!


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

bd79cc said:


> Yes. By taking care to get fitted properly for a given brand and style of shoe, I've avoided pain and blisters.
> 
> The "expensive shoe = well-fitting shoe" notion has worked for me, too. Apparently, Weejuns are as cheap as I can get.
> 
> Trying to avoid shoes at odds with my foot shape has helped. But passing up a beautiful, exquisitely-made shoe that doesn't fit quite right is hard to do!


Normally shoes like boat shoes are a killer for me, but my Sebago's were perfect from the box and have never bothered my feet. So last fit is extremely important. Also, I have learned what types of shoes will stretch and which won't. I have a pair of nice Church's loafers made in Italy: originally they were tight over the instep on one foot, but now they are so loose I can't really wear them for walking and they've been relegated to padding around in the office in winter (when I wear boots outside). So some shoes must be bought tight when new, but it's a fine line to walk unless you have lots of experience.

DocD


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## GWhite (Aug 25, 2007)

Normally when I break in a new pair of shoes, I insert shoe trees immediately after wearing, as usual. Does it speed up the process to hold off on using shoe trees after each wearing, while the shoe is conforming to your foot?


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## browning806 (Sep 4, 2007)

Update:

They are breaking in quite nicely. I'm almost to the point to where I could wear thin socks out for a day or night.

My plan is to get shoes and wear them for years until they are down right comfortable!

My next pair of loafers I will spend a little more on, but I'm on a grad student budget for now.


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## wolfhound986 (Jun 30, 2007)

In general loafers do take some time to break in, they should be a bit snug in the beginning. Snug, but not totally uncomfortable. Eventually over time they will conform to your foot and stretch out a bit over time.

Usually wearing them for a few hours at a time in the beginning will work. I would wear thin socks at first just because with them being new and snug, thick socks would be even more uncomfortable, though one's experience many vary.


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