They are mega popular, the cool dr. Martens shoes. Only they have a problem, breaking them in can be quite painful and difficult. I asked for tips on how best to break in your dr. Martens and received a massive response. And guess what, after a week i had walked in my dr. Martens with no problems. I share with you all the tips to make the running in process as pleasant as possible.
Tips for dr. Martens running in
I’ve been with dr. Martens for a few weeks now and had to get used to them at first. They were incredibly tight (especially at the top of my feet) and hurt. It took me about a week to really walk them off properly and now i walk on them all day with no problems. And it is indeed true, after that they walk like clouds.
So in the beginning i had to get used to the edge that is on the inside of the shoes by the tongue (it presses into your foot), the stiffer soles and after a while my sore heels. But luckily everything is over now and i love walking on my dr. Martens. Although you keep feeling that edge on top of your foot but it doesn’t hurt anymore.
1. Choose the right model to start with
It’s best to start with the right model of dr. Martens. There are many types of dr. Martens with different soles and materials. It is most recommended to start with the pascal model in the regular (vegan) leather version. I myself made the ‘mistake’ of starting with the patent leather pascals and they are a lot stiffer than the normal leather. So if you are a beginner when it comes to dr. Martens, then it’s best to buy the pascal in the normal (vegan) leather variant.
2. Buy the right size
Dr. Martens are a normal size. I always wear a size 40 and dr. Martens are also a size 40. So buy the right size, even if they do pinch a bit. Dr. Martens should not pinch at the heel or the toes, then you should look for another size. The well known place where dr. Martens pinch is on top of the foot, but trust me, you will walk this off.
3. Walk them in at home
If you just got your dr. Martens new, don’t put them on right away when you go shopping. No, put them on at home for short periods of time first. At first they will be quite snug and tight. The short periods at home will ensure that she does not get too much pain but they will start to walk better and better. When you still have no pain keep them on a little longer. If you can walk a long time on your dr. Martens indoors, try it out and see how it goes when you walk a longer time.
4. Tighten the laces a little bit tighter
When you first start wearing dr. Martens, don’t tighten the laces. Let your feet get used to the shoes first. When you don’t experience any pain or discomfort, pull the laces ever so slightly tighter. At some point you can pull them as tight as you like.
5. Wear thick socks
During the run-in, i wore very thick terrycloth socks. That way i didn’t feel that sharp edge (from the shoe to the tongue on top of your foot) as much. Also, on the heels, you don’t feel the friction (and eventually blisters if you go on too long) as well when you have thick socks on. Have you walked them off well? Then you can of course put your normal socks back on. I even wear them now without any problems with just tights.
6. Remove the sole from your shoes
Dr. Martens have soles in their shoes that you can remove. Especially in the beginning when the shoes are still very tight it can help to remove the sole. When the shoes have settled you can put the sole back in. In the beginning they will of course be a little tighter, but not as tight as in the beginning. And again you walk this out.
7. Paste blister plasters
I have heard so many stories about blisters and broken feet. So take a walk around on your dr. Martens and feel where the shoes pinch. Put blister plasters on these spots which will hopefully prevent blisters. And if you get the chance to take your shoes off when they start to hurt, do so.
8. Wet newspapers or tennis ball
This is a tip i heard a lot. Put wet newspapers or a wet tennis ball in the shoes overnight. Because the shoes pinch especially on top, the (vegan) leather will stretch because of the wet newspapers or tennis ball. I didn’t have to use this trick because the above tips worked well. But if it really doesn’t work, you can always try this.
8. Let them stretch at the cobbler
If all else fails, this may be your last chance, to have your dr. Martens stretched at the shoemaker. The cobbler can stretch shoes and that often makes a big difference. Not very cheap, but it often works.