Work boots are meant to fit perfectly without any pressure on your feet. Yet, horror stories about leather work boots fit too tight and cause extreme pain. Thus, workers get concerned when they buy smaller work boots or find that it feels too tight on their feet.
You might want to stretch your work boots slightly to get the perfect fit at those moments. But do leather work boots stretch?
Yes, leather work boots will stretch slightly to mold according to the shape of your feet. Also, the minimal stretchiness of the leather work boots means when they break in properly, these boots will feel comfier on your feet. Thus, you should choose the right work boots without too much loose feel. Also, even if you mistakenly choose a smaller pair, the chances are that it will stretch a bit over time to give you a good fitting.
Nonetheless, if you want to stretch your boot artificially and immediately, you may heat it with a boot or hairdryer, apply mink oil, use a shoe stretcher or use ice bags inside the leather work boots.
Do Leather Work Boots Stretch?
Yes, leather work boots will stretch. Since leather is a naturally flexible and stretchy material, anything manufactured using leather will stretch over time. However, you shouldn’t expect leather work boots to stretch too much.
So, do leather work boots stretch in length? Also, you might want to ask, “Do leather shoes stretch in reality?
As footwear experts suggest, and I found in my long career in the footwear industry, leather work boots will stretch slightly in length and width.
- Leather work boots might stretch up to ‘half size’ of their actual length. It means if your work boot is initially 7″, after the break-in period and over time, it can extend up to 7.5″.
- On the contrary, leather work boots might stretch up to “one full size’ in its width. For instance, if your work boot is originally marked as “D,” you will find the boot stretching somewhere to “E.” Here, according to American work boot sizing standard, “D” refers to regular feet while “E” stands for wide feet.
As you see, work boots stretch. But how much exactly the work boot will stretch? It depends on different things, and we will discuss it in the next part.
How Much Will Leather Work Boots Stretch?
Although leather work boots will stretch “half a size” and “one full size” in length and width, not all work boots will stretch the same. Some leather boots will stretch more than other models.
The stretchiness of the leather work boot will depend on the following facts:
- Type and quality of the leather
- Age of the leather used in the work boots
- The treatment process of the leather
If you use full-grain leather work boots, they will stretch more than genuine leather. Also, it will depend on the treatment process of the leather. Since when you buy leather work boots without knowing the leather treatment process, it shouldn’t bother you.
Finally, newer leather will stretch less because it will take time to set perfectly. Also, newer leather feels hard and is less flexible. On the contrary, older leather will lose a bit of its hardness and will become more flexible. Thus, your leather work boots will stretch more as the day passes.
Nonetheless, you should never expect the leather work boot to stretch to fit your feet if it initially feels extremely tight. For instance, if you have a feet width of “EE” and buy a pair of “D” width for the work boot, it will never stretch to fit your feet. At best, a pair of work boots with a “D” width will stretch to “E.” Similarly, an 8″ work boot will never stretch to 9″ or 9.5″. Therefore, you must choose the right fit for the boots even with the stretchiness in your mind.
Will leather work boots stretch naturally?
Yes, leather work boots will stretch naturally when you wear them regularly. Leather is famous for its natural flexibility and pliability. Furthermore, like human skins, the leather used in the work boot is also a hide (skin). Thus, it naturally stretches.
You will see that even a tight pair of work boots will feel comfier on your feet once it breaks in. Usually, the break-in of leather work boots refers to their stretchiness. When the leather stretches slightly to offer comfort and better fitting, we call it a break-in property of work boots.
What’s more, due to the natural stretchiness of the work boot, it feels smoother and softer when you work them for a long period. That’s why leather work boots feel most comfortable after a few months of wearing them.
When you wear leather work boots in your workplace and walk and stand for hours, it puts pressure on the leather. This pressure gradually stretches the work boot since leather is highly pliable and flexible. Also, leather boots might expand slightly if you work in massive heat. That’s why workers in tropical and hotter regions will face more stretch in their work boots than those in cold regions.
And here’s a suggestion for you.
As leather stretches quite naturally over time, when you buy work boots, you must try to pick the true size of the leather work boots. The truer the work boot size will be, the better its fit will be on your feet. When we talk about the true size of work boots, it includes both the width and length of the boot. So, always check the length and width of the leather work boot when you buy a new pair.
Can I Stretch Leather Work Boots?
If your work boots feel tight, you might want to stretch them for a better and comfier fitting. The good news is, yes, you can stretch leather work boots. You can stretch the length and width of the leather work boots just as you do to break in the boots properly.
We have described the reasons you might want to stretch or expand your work boot length and width in the following points.
- Your leather work boot doesn’t fit properly since they aren’t true to size
- You have wider feet and haven’t found the right fit for your work boot. At that moment, you can choose a boot that fits tightly, and then you may stretch it.
- As you grow up, your feet might become longer and taller. At this moment, stretching your work boot will be a good deal.
- Finally, the boot doesn’t have a snug fit and feels uncomfortable. So, you can stretch and break in the leather work boots to get a snug-fitting.
Now that you know it’s possible to stretch work boots, you might ask, “How to stretch leather boots at home?”
The following section will help you the way to stretch leather work boots at home. It isn’t as complex as many workers think.
How To Stretch Leather Work Boots
Since you have come to this part of the article, we understand that you want to stretch your work boots. So, without any further delay, we will discuss the top ways to stretch the width and length of your leather work boots for a snug fit.
Apply leather conditioner:
If you have steel-toe work boots and want them to stretch, the best idea is to apply leather conditioner on the work boot. Apply the leather conditioner generously over the upper part of the work boot and put it aside overnight.
The conditioner will soften the leather as you keep the work boot overnight. However, you might need to repeat applying the conditioner for multiple nights to properly soften and flex the boots. Also, clean off the excess oil from the work boot to keep it in good condition.
Use mink oil:
Mink oil is used widely to break in work boots promptly. You can also use it to stretch your work boots. Like the leather conditioner, you need to apply the mink oil on the boot and put it overnight. After that, you may wash off the excess mink oil from the boot and see if it has expanded enough to offer you a snug fit.
The mink oil will soften the leather and make it comfier for your feet. You can also apply mink oil occasionally on the leather work boot to maintain its flex for a better fit.
Use a boot stretcher:
When you want to stretch your work boots almost immediately, the best practice is to use the boot stretcher. The boot stretcher is designed to break in work boots immediately. You need to insert the mechanical part of the boot stretcher inside the boot. Now, pull its long handle or stick with as much force as possible.
This way, you can stretch the leather work boots almost immediately. Also, with the boot stretcher, you might flex the boots more than they would flex naturally.
Use water zip lock bags to stretch the toe and heel of the work boot:
Workers mainly buy steel toe or composite toe work boots. Nonetheless, they think that they can’t stretch the toe box of their work boots. But, this is a wrong conception. Yes, you can stretch the toe and heel area of the leather work boots.
So, how to stretch leather boots toe box properly?
The answer is water zip locks in freezing conditions. Firstly, choose two bags with zip locks. After that, fill the bags with water and insert them inside the work boots. Ensure that the boots reach the toe box of your work bot properly.
Finally, keep the boots with the water-filled bags inside the freezer overnight. As the water inside the bags freezes and expands, it will pressure the toe box. This way, you may even stretch the steel toe box of your work boot. Remember that you don’t need to stretch the work boots 1 or 2″ inches.
A few millimeters of stretching are enough to ensure the best snug and comfiest fit.
Apply stretching spray:
Although expensive, the best way to stretch leather work boots is to apply stretching spray. It will help you widen the leather work boots just as you want. When you apply the stretching spray to the leather, it will soften the fabric.
Consequently, you may apply pressure on the softened leather to stretch it. It is a good practice to widen the steel toe work boots if it is causing discomfort to your feet. Also, applying stretching spray helps keep the work boots in good condition for an extended period.
Will Leather Work Boot Over-Stretch?
Yes, it is possible to over-stretch and may even tear apart the leather work boots. When you stretch the work boots purposefully, you may easily over-stretch them. Using a work boot stretcher or spray can easily expand it too much to deform the boot forever.
Moreover, if you put your work boots in boiling water for too long, it too will deform the work boots. You need to understand that the elasticity of the leather isn’t infinite. When you stretch it too much or too many times, it will lose its elasticity. As a result, it will fail to get back to its original shape and leave your work boots deformed.
Will leather work boots shrink?
Just like it is possible to stretch your work boots, you may also shrink them if it feels loose. To shrink the leather work boots, soak them in regular water overnight and let them dry in the open air. It will help you shrink the leather work boots to make them tighter.
You may apply this technique to shrink work boots when it gets too old and lose a bit of their stretchiness and flexibility. It will help the boot get back to its original shape, and you will enjoy the added comfort and tightness.
Conclusion
So, do leather work boots stretch? Yes, leather work boots stretch both naturally and in artificial ways. You can expand its length to half a size and width to one full size using mink oil, boot stretcher, and stretching spray. If your work boots feel too tight, you may apply these techniques to stretch the boot slightly around the toe box. Also, you may use heat using a hairdryer or warm water.
