Breaking in boat shoes

rob.p · Jun 7, 2009

I just bought a pair of Sebagos in a 10.5. They hurt the hell out of my feet; I wore them last night and my left foot is blistererd beyond belief. The fit seems ok, a little snug, but probably fine for shoes worn without socks. How long will it take for the leather to soften up? Should I wear them with socks a few times just to break them in? How do you guys go about breaking in new boat shoes?

Working Stiff · Jun 7, 2009

Get them wet. In salt water. This will mold them to your feet, and also give you the desired salt stains.

Spark · Jun 7, 2009

They should fit/feel like slippers -- are they too small?

I've been wearing them (Sperrys) since I was a kid and never had a problem, but know friends who had a ritual of soaking them right out of the box and wearing them till they dried

dfagdfsh · Jun 7, 2009

be less of a ***** (suck it up)

sii1981 · Jun 7, 2009

a few blisters wont kill you. suffer a bit for looking good, unless they are so tight you walk funny and people laugh at you, then just stand around in them.

Don Carlos · Jun 7, 2009

New boat shoes always cut up the backs of my feet. I've just learned to live with the blisters for a few weeks until the shoes soften up and mold to my feet. If you really want to avoid blistering, wear band-aids on the backs of your feet, right around the spot where blisters would ordinarily form (or have been forming). It'll prevent further irritation while you wait for the shoes to break in.

I've never tried soaking the shoes right out of the box, but you never know. Could be worth a shot.

BABuckeye · Jun 7, 2009

Dude, they're boat shoes, so break them in as they were meant to be broken in...on a boat. Go out on the next 20+ knots day, sheet in for a close haul, steer from leward side (best view for rounding windward mark anyway), bear off but don't ease the sheets, let her heel so some water washes over the leward toerail. If you don;t have a boat, crew on someone else's boat and hike the rail on a moderate day. Your feet will get splashed and doused enough to break them in. Either way, let your shoes dry while your drinking at the dock.

dk123 · Jun 7, 2009

Originally Posted by rob.p

I just bought a pair of Sebagos in a 10.5. They hurt the hell out of my feet; I wore them last night and my left foot is blistererd beyond belief. The fit seems ok, a little snug, but probably fine for shoes worn without socks. How long will it take for the leather to soften up? Should I wear them with socks a few times just to break them in? How do you guys go about breaking in new boat shoes?

Where are they blistering? You could try covering either that part of the shoe, or your foot, with a bit of moleskin padding that you can get at the drug store. There was an exposed stitch near my big toe on a new pair of Sperrys that I got recently that was irritating the skin, and I put a bit of moleskin to cover the stitch. It worked pretty well.

rjmaiorano · Jun 7, 2009

I got thrown into a pool recently with a brand new pair on.. A day of drying them in the sun and they are now well worn and perfect.

JayJay · Jun 7, 2009

I sized up .5 to make sure they would fit like slippers from the start. They have been wet a few times (from rain) and are now terrific to wear.

OxWing · Jun 7, 2009

Advice from my college soccer coach that works great (dealing w/ blisters) -- VASELINE! Anytime you feel shoes start to rub a little bit, take them off, put lots of vaseline on your sock (foot if going sockless) and inside the shoe, then put the shoes back on and continue.

This has helped me break in several pairs of new shoes without trouble. When I go out wearing new shoes, I always take a little tube of vaseline with me. It also comes in handy if you need to, well, break in something... else.

SkinnyGoomba · Jun 8, 2009

listen I dont want to know about what you do with Vaseline.

TylerDurden · Jul 1, 2010

Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard

New boat shoes always cut up the backs of my feet. I've just learned to live with the blisters for a few weeks until the shoes soften up and mold to my feet. If you really want to avoid blistering, wear band-aids on the backs of your feet, right around the spot where blisters would ordinarily form (or have been forming). It'll prevent further irritation while you wait for the shoes to break in.

I've never tried soaking the shoes right out of the box, but you never know. Could be worth a shot.

Just bought my first pair of boat shoes, The back of my foot is getting cut by them.... Good to know that its just part of the break in process.

razl · Jul 1, 2010

Originally Posted by OxWing

Advice from my college soccer coach that works great (dealing w/ blisters) -- VASELINE! Anytime you feel shoes start to rub a little bit, take them off, put lots of vaseline on your sock (foot if going sockless) and inside the shoe, then put the shoes back on and continue.

This has helped me break in several pairs of new shoes without trouble. When I go out wearing new shoes, I always take a little tube of vaseline with me. It also comes in handy if you need to, well, break in something... else.

Similarly, I've seen a lot of "anti-chafe" type stuff in sporting stores - usually in a container like an antiperspirant. I suspect it would be a lot less messy in the shoe than vaseline.

braised · Jul 1, 2010

If you don't have access to a boat you can do the next best thing which is to stand, fully dressed in a shower with the taps going full cold, if you want to emulate owning the boat start tearing up 5 pound notes when you're in the shower.

For the shoes, put moleskin or bandaids on your heel, a soak of lexol on the back of shoes, hose down the shoe when they're on your feet to get them good and wet and take a walk. Repete for a day or two and you're on the way.

Remember - your feet have to break in the shoe and the shoe has to break in your feet.

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