Tip of the month: Do I need to break in my shoes?
You should NOT need to break in your shoes.
Customers often express the expectation that when purchasing a new pair of shoes, there will be a "breaking in" period before the shoes will feel comfortable. These customers are often surprised to hear us advise against that approach, as more often than not, if a shoe isn't completely comfortable when trying it on, it won't be completely comfortable later, either.
It’s easy to see why many of us think shoes need to be “softened up” or stretched in order to be comfortable. A quick internet search informs us that a shoe generally takes 3 to 4 weeks to “break in.” Really? Wow. A well-known comfort shoe company lists numerous ways to master the “inevitable break in period” that “even the most comfortable shoes can require.” These include applying heat from a blow dryer while you wear your shoes and rubbing the leather with a potato.
We think we have a better idea. And we believe it's why our customers have kept us in business for 80 years! We carry shoes made for comfortable walking, standing and running - right out of the box. When we hear "I think I just need to break these in" our response is normally "let's try something else that fits better!" The great news is that you can have instant comfort in shoes that are attractive, too. Shoes have come a long way in the past 20 years!
An important part of the equation is getting a proper fit and we're here to help with that, too. Our fit experts have over 150 years of experience making feet happy. We'll measure both of your feet and match them with shoes that will feel good for your foot type and serve you well during your activities. Visit us soon to see how much better you can feel in the right shoes!
Customers often express the expectation that when purchasing a new pair of shoes, there will be a "breaking in" period before the shoes will feel comfortable. These customers are often surprised to hear us advise against that approach, as more often than not, if a shoe isn't completely comfortable when trying it on, it won't be completely comfortable later, either.
It’s easy to see why many of us think shoes need to be “softened up” or stretched in order to be comfortable. A quick internet search informs us that a shoe generally takes 3 to 4 weeks to “break in.” Really? Wow. A well-known comfort shoe company lists numerous ways to master the “inevitable break in period” that “even the most comfortable shoes can require.” These include applying heat from a blow dryer while you wear your shoes and rubbing the leather with a potato.
We think we have a better idea. And we believe it's why our customers have kept us in business for 80 years! We carry shoes made for comfortable walking, standing and running - right out of the box. When we hear "I think I just need to break these in" our response is normally "let's try something else that fits better!" The great news is that you can have instant comfort in shoes that are attractive, too. Shoes have come a long way in the past 20 years!
An important part of the equation is getting a proper fit and we're here to help with that, too. Our fit experts have over 150 years of experience making feet happy. We'll measure both of your feet and match them with shoes that will feel good for your foot type and serve you well during your activities. Visit us soon to see how much better you can feel in the right shoes!