Specially made for working industries, a pair of steel toe boots are great for ensuring maximum protection, and they keep your feet always safe from getting in contact with harmful objects.
But unfortunately, it’s not the best option if comfort is your concern! In this case, if you know how to make steel toe boots more comfortable, it’ll be possible to get both safety and comfort while working.
Hands down, wearing a pair of thick socks is a plus point. These include extra cushion layers on toes, relieving pain or discomfort in the best way possible!
Besides that, you can make your shoes more comfortable by having tongue pads, insoles, or bandages. Please don’t make a mistake by choosing an inappropriate size because it might cause more discomfort when you work for hours at a stretch!
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Why Does It Hurt?
Let’s face it! Steel boots provide optimal safety by reducing the possibility of accidents and injuries. But sometimes, it appears to be way too uncomfortable to wear, and these are some of the common reasons why the pair of footwear hurt the top of our feet:
- If you have wider feet and the boot doesn’t fit you.
- Continuous rubbing with the steel wall can cause discomfort and eventually leads to feet hurting.
- Wearing a heavy pair of boots for a whole day can be a good reason for the pain.
- Without proper arch support, the boots can cause extreme pain.
7 Essential Tips to Make the Boots More Comfortable
We hope you have figured out the probable reason for the pain, right? Well, now you’re just a single step away from finding out how to get rid of the pain by making your pair of steel boots comfortable. Let’s get started!
Wearing Socks
Wearing a breathable pair of thick socks can be comfortable. It cushions your feet very well. But, instead of looking for cotton socks, try to stay with the wool and similar types.
In addition, you’ll find special socks for steel toe boots in the market quite easily. These are special because of the extra cushion layer on the toes, which relieves the pain of your toes and makes you feel comfortable. Also, they are durable and breathable.
Getting Tongue Pads
If the edge of your boots or the toe area sides is compressed or feels sharp, then wearing an extra pad will give you instant comfort and relief from pain. Purchase adhesive pads and cut them into pieces, and then insert them on the edges of the toe caps; that’s it!
As you can see, it’s pretty simple and less time-consuming. This is the fastest way to fix the issue and also prevents you from further investments. So, wear a tongue pad, and your toes won’t feel pain anymore.
Purchasing Comfortable Insoles
Insoles play a major part for you to get comfortable boots. They become flat after using repeatedly and fail to cover the whole area of the footwear. Due to this reason, you have to encounter extremely unpleasant and uneven feelings when you wear the boots for a long period of time.
Therefore, it becomes necessary to change and invest in good quality soles. In order to do that, you can go for the soles that are designed to support steel toe boots.
Also, pick the ones that have every part evenly constructed. Look for the arch and see if it fits correctly or not.
Purchase insoles that can be removable. Because wearing insoles for a long time can be tiring.
So, you can easily take them off by choosing this type to relax your feet and insert them later on.
Wearing the Boots a Few Times (Break-In)
Breaking in your boots eliminates all of your discomfort and pains. So, if you can wear the shoes several times before going to work, they become more flexible and comfortable. Start by wearing it for a couple of minutes or so on a daily basis.
But, if you don’t have time for this, then these are some methods that may help you to practice breaking in the boots, and your feet can get familiar with the shoes quickly:
- Freeze the Boots
Yep, freezing your boots for the whole night can do a pretty good job of breaking in. So, to perform this method, you need a Ziploc bag to keep it in the boots. But at first, you have to fill the bag with cold water and then seal it.
After that, put the bag inside the boots and then finally put it in the freezer. Leave it for the entire night. The idea is to freeze the water inside the shoes for the whole night to expand the area of the boots, causing them to stretch a lot more.
So, the next day, after removing it from the freezer, wait for the ice to be melted, and then finally remove it from the boots. Now, you’re ready to go!
- Using a Broomstick
The next method requires using a broomstick or a mop stick to aid in stretching. You have to point the broomstick on the spot where the shoes pinch your feet. Then, firmly bend the boot over the broomstick.
The leather material should be stretched into the affected zone. But, if you can’t determine if the stretching is successful or not, check out the outer parts of the boots to find out if they’re discolored or not.
Please don’t overdo it with the bending, as there’s a good chance you will end up tearing your boot!
Heat treatment
Here, you can easily stretch your boots using hot water treatment. Sink the boots on a bucket of warm water and soak for about half an hour or so. If the boots start saturating, remove the excess water straight away. Then, walk around for fifty minutes or more wearing the boots.
Before wearing the shoes, be sure to put on a good pair of socks so that the stretching can be done appropriately. Sometimes, it takes a whole day only if you can do it in the right way, as mentioned.
And the results are satisfying as there are no doubts about the ability of hot water to stretch/expand something. Although it’s a quick process, you can do it gradually for a minimum of seven days to get the maximum benefit.
Note: Make sure your boots are waterproof, though. Or else, you might damage them permanently.
- Oiling the Boots
For this method, you’ll need mink oil or leather conditioner. Both of them are suitable to coat the outer layer of the boots.
This process is very easy and straightforward. Just apply the oil or conditioner on the affected area where you feel pinching and leave it to dry for the whole night.
Your task is done. And guess what? You’ll notice the oil has made your steel boots soft enough to eliminate the causes of discomfort.
Cleaning the Boots Regularly
Daily maintenance of your boots ensures a comfortable step. For long-lasting performance, there’s no alternative to taking proper care of your boots. Clean it on a regular basis and apply conditioner on the leather to make it more shiny and elegant.
If you work in a salty area, the salt can corrode your boots at times. Vinegar and water might come in handy to get rid of that.
Besides, the stuck-on muds underneath your footwear can make them a little heavier, and eventually, it causes discomfort as well. So always try to keep them clean.
Getting a Perfect Size
Size matters the most while purchasing boots. If the shoes don’t fit you, then you won’t get that much comfort while working.
Here is a tip for you – when it comes to choosing steel toe boots, always try to purchase the ones that are a bit broader than your feet.
In case you have loose-fitting, you can always adjust it with a good pair of socks and insoles. Plus, you’re getting more space and comfort.
Note: Purchasing broader boots isn’t efficient for everyone, especially if you don’t have the right socks and insoles. So it’s always best to get the perfect-sized boots.
Applying a Bandage
Using a bandage around your feet is an excellent way to instantly get rid of the pain.
As you know, all the bandages cannot reduce your discomfort. In this case, it’s better to have something that comes with healing ability. And needless to say, a good-quality bandage contains chemicals, releasing pains and sores within no time.
Wrapping Up!
It’s almost impossible to skip wearing steel toe boots if you’re involved in construction sites. So, it becomes necessary to know how to make steel toe boots more comfortable.
Always make sure to have the perfect size if you want to stay in your comfort zone while working. But if the steel boots still offer discomfort, wear socks, insoles, and use the bandage with healing ability.