Doc Marten break in?!?!

[Sporin]

I've wanted a pair of Doc boots for a while. Tried them on in the store a few times but cheaped out at the $100 price tag. I buy a lot of clothes and shoes on ebay so I figured I'd wait and get a good deal on a used pair. I'd save some money and let someone else break them in.

Found some that are actually "newer" then I wanted and still require a lot of breaking in. The toes are scuffed but the leather itself is still pretty stiff. Fit is good as I knew my size from the in-store tryouts, but the area over my forefoot it an issue and I suspect I'll be needing band-aids for my heels soon.

Any tips for break in?

 

[OZCAL]

haven't worn them in years, but I don't remember going through that. Of course I never laced mine up.

Maybe put them on, soak them in water, walk around with them wet to stretch them out? Used to do that with old fashioned leather upper/vasque sole hiking boots, but those were really stiff. Get's rid of the shiny shoe syndrome too.

Good luck.

 

[tcb]

Maybe put them on, soak them in water, walk around with them wet to stretch them out? Used to do that with old fashioned leather upper/vasque sole hiking boots, but those were really stiff. Get's rid of the shiny shoe syndrome too.

Never owned a pair of those goth boots, but the above method worked very well on new combat boots back in the day. Or you could just man up and wear them...

 

[honk]

The 'soak them and then wear them until dry' is tried and true - it'll work with any all leather boot. DON'T try to hurry the drying by putting them in an oven!

Failig that I like to work them by hand; twisting and bending the soles like I'm trying to break them and knead the uppers until all of the leather is soft and pliable. They feel like mocassins when done.

 

[brett76]

grin and bear it

after it over though they will last you years

not goth boots are ass kicking boots

 

[Cruisin'Carolina]

Docs are so soft the break in for me on the two pair I had was next to nothing.

I'd be more concerned about getting some that have molded to someone else's feet than the price...

NEVER go cheap on shoes or you'll regret it, IMO.

 

[steverb]

i still have my 18 hole docs from 18 years ago and there still in good shape. i just stomp around in them for a week they'll be fine.

 

[macneill]

Haven't worn Docs since college, but I remember they took a while to break in.

You should start by wearing them to a Misfits show. That should do it.

 

[Sporin]

Mine are 7-hole, certainly not "goth."

I think I'll do the soak and wear on them tonight. Once broken n I think they'll be exactly what I'm looking for, a comfy, lightweight boot that I can where with jeans or chinos to work.

 

[hodag]

I own 7 pairs of DMs. Each one has its own characteristics for break-in. The 7 eye greasys like you have gave me the least trouble, I just wore them to work for a couple of days. The stiffest ones were my Doc wingtips. Luckily I dont have to get dressed up that often because they are still breaking in.

Docs go with just about anything, I even wore my 12 eye oxbloods with my surgery scrubs once when I forgot my NewBalances.

Spend the money and get a new pair. Someone elses broken in pair are not going to be the same for you. I know theyre pricey, but I have several pairs that are over 10 years old, and I am hard on shoes.

Hodag

PS. A Cro-Mags show will also go a long way toward break in.

 

[OZCAL]

these might be harder to break in...

 

[Cube Dweller]

Haven't worn Docs since college, but I remember they took a while to break in.

You should start by wearing them to a Misfits show. That should do it.

Not as effective since Danzig left.

None of the 3 pairs I've owned needed breaking in. Mine were all hechoed in England, I haven't bought a pair since production moved to Asia. Perhaps they changed the form?

 

[White Shark]

I own 7 pairs of DMs. Each one has its own characteristics for break-in. The 7 eye greasys like you have gave me the least trouble, I just wore them to work for a couple of days. The stiffest ones were my Doc wingtips. Luckily I dont have to get dressed up that often because they are still breaking in.

Docs go with just about anything, I even wore my 12 eye oxbloods with my surgery scrubs once when I forgot my NewBalances.

Spend the money and get a new pair. Someone elses broken in pair are not going to be the same for you. I know theyre pricey, but I have several pairs that are over 10 years old, and I am hard on shoes.

Hodag

PS. A Cro-Mags show will also go a long way toward break in.

These days, an AFI show would do the trick.


..

 

[Sporin]

Day 2: Feeling better. The hardest part is getting used to something over the ankle as I haven't worn this sort of boot ever. Bit of heel chafe but no blisters. Toe box and top fo forefoot feeling MUCH better then yesterday.

 

[euclid]

Go to your local hardware store and ask for neatsfoot oil. Soak them with it, and wear them. I'm on my 3rd pair of brown docs since 1990. Great boots.

 

[RavenTai]

I wore steel toe DM shoes at work, most comfortable steel toes shoes I have found, they required no break in, but my feet were already heavily calloused from other steel toe shoes/boots.

 

[Jman]

Got rid of a pair I bought in 1990 just this year. The quality of their fit has diminished since they move operations to China. I was not impressed with the new ones, considering the price stayed high.

Yup, get them wet and walk around in them all day until dry. Also gotta second the comment about not going cheap on footwear.

 

[Hot_Eighty_Chick]

I've wanted a pair of Doc boots for a while. Tried them on in the store a few times but cheaped out at the $100 price tag. I buy a lot of clothes and shoes on ebay so I figured I'd wait and get a good deal on a used pair. I'd save some money and let someone else break them in.

Found some that are actually "newer" then I wanted and still require a lot of breaking in. The toes are scuffed but the leather itself is still pretty stiff. Fit is good as I knew my size from the in-store tryouts, but the area over my forefoot it an issue and I suspect I'll be needing band-aids for my heels soon.

Any tips for break in?

I always used leather softner on mine and broke them in the old fashioned way

 

[euclid]

....and broke them in the old fashioned way

In a mosh pit?

 

[Hot_Eighty_Chick]

In a mosh pit?

Hellllz yeah