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Investing in your safety and comfort in your workplace is the smartest choice you can make. When it comes to your safety necessities as an industrial worker, steel toe boots are worth the money.
Steel toe boots are long-lasting shoes that have a preservative steel reinforcement in the toe area, which helps protect your feet from compression and heavy falling objects. These safety boots prevent a wide range of injuries and damages, not just injuries from heavy falling objects. Steel toe boots also prevent injuries due to slips and falls, burns, cuts, and punctures.
How Should Steel Toe Boots Fit?
One of the most important aspects to consider when wanting to buy a pair of steel toe boots is getting the right fit. If you get a pair that is too small, your feet will feel cramped, and that can lead to serious problems after a while. On the other hand, if you end up getting a pair that fits too big, there will be a lot of room for movement, and your feet will get hot spots and blisters.
However, you should keep in mind that the heel and the toe cap make the boot thicker than your normal work boots; therefore, it would be a smart choice if you go at least half a size up to make up for that difference.
How to Break in Steel Toe Boots
It is very important to adjust your steel toe boots to your level of comfort when you first buy them. Breaking in steel toe boots will help the boot to take the size and shape of your feet, resulting in your feet feeling more comfortable while you work long hours.
There are several ways for you to adjust your steel toe boots. Some of them may take more time and effort, while the others are very fast and easy to perform. Below we have listed some of the techniques you can use to break in your steel toe boots.
Apply leather conditioner or oil
Applying leather conditioner or oil to your new pair of boots will make the fiber soften and therefore will help to change the shape of the boot. After applying the leather conditioner or oil, make sure to wear your boots for a period of time. This way, when the fiber is softened and when you wear your boots, they will get used to your shape and size, resulting in fitting better in your feet.
Use water bags & freeze
One of the easiest ways to break in your steel toe boots is by taking water bags, putting them in the area where your boot needs the most stretching, and then putting them in the freezer for a couple of hours. When the water freezes, it will stretch and make more room in that particular area of your boot. In the end, take a hairdryer and blow hot air into your boots. This way, the boots will get to stay in the desired size, shape, and position.
Use a steel boot stretcher
The fastest way to break in your boots is by using the necessary tool, a steel boot stretcher. Start by spraying your boots inside and out with a stretcher spray since it will help in the stretching process. Afterward, insert the shoe stretcher inside your boots. Stretch it to the maximum limit and leave it in that position for a couple of hours. Finally, try on the boot and see if it fits. If the boots haven’t reached the level of comfort you are requiring, repeat the process from the first step as many times as needed until you are satisfied with the size of your boots.
Wear thick sock layers
Wearing thick socks underneath your steel toe boots is a must, especially when you’re breaking them in. However, in most scenarios, just a pair of thick socks is not enough to create more room in your boots. That’s why you might need to wear multiple layers so you can create more space and break in your steel toe boots easier.
Wear the steel toe boots around the house
It is not a great idea to wear your steel toe boots to work right away without adjusting them and making them fit better. It is a no-brainer that the more you wear your steel toe boots, the more they’ll get stretched out. Therefore, it is a great solution to wear them around the house first for as long as you can in order to stretch them out and make them fit better.
How to Make Steel Toe Boots More Comfortable
It is now obvious that having a pair of steel toe boots is a good idea and that they come with many advantages. But are toe steel boots comfortable? These boots can be quite uncomfortable when you first buy them since they are made out of very strong material. However, there are many tips on how to stop steel toe boots from hurting your feet.
Use tongue pads
Adding tongue pads to your boots will add that extra comfort when you wear them. Padding helps a lot when the edge of the toe area and the sidewalls feel either sharp or compressed.
Invest in high-quality insoles
Most steel toe boots’ insoles don’t last long. However, most work boots have removable insoles, which can be replaced with new supportive and more comfortable insoles. Not only do high-quality insoles provide support and comfort, but they also protect your legs and joints and keep you safe even in the toughest conditions in a construction area.
Modify the shoe’s laces
Most of the time, when you’re feeling tenderness or pain while wearing your steel toe shoes, it is very likely that your shoe laces are very tight. When this happens, try modifying your shoe laces by adjusting and loosening them to your level of comfort.
Use Vaseline on your feet
Vaseline can help make your steel toe boots feel more comfortable. You can start by applying a thick coating of it on your toes and feet in general. This way, the slick layer can help to prevent contant and rubbing of your feets in your boots. Moreover, applying a good amount of Vaseline or petroleum jelly on the parts of the feet that hurt the most or that have developed bruises or cuts will work magic.
Wear thick socks
When you want to feel more comfortable in your pair of steel toe boots, wearing socks is crucial. A pair of thick and breathable socks, preferably made of wool or a wool blend, would make the process a lot easier. Besides being breathable, wool socks are more cushiony and durable than cotton socks or any other materials.
Moreover, you can even buy special steel toe socks that have additional cushioning in the area of your toes. These types of socks prevent tenderness around the toe cap and make your steel toe boots a lot more comfortable to stay in.
Finally, if thicker socks or even the special socks that you’re using don’t work, you can bandage your foot where you’re experiencing pain or discomfort to cushion the toe area even more.
Steel toe boots are a great idea for people who work in the construction field. They prevent injuries from falling objects, punctures, and other obstacles that may occur in the workplace. However, they may sometimes make you feel uncomfortable when wearing them for the first time. By using the tips and tricks provided above, you will now know how to break in steel toe boots and how to make steel toe boots more comfortable so you can go on with your work without being concerned about blisters, hot spots, or injuries to your feet.
