Please help me with my new Doc Martens!

[MrsWhites]

Bought a new pair of Doc Marten Chelsea boots, they were going to be my new wear with everything boots but my god they are like torture devices!

It literally takes about 2 minutes of huffing and puffing, pulling at the tab at the back and at the leather at the front to wiggle my foot into them and then they hurt so bad! Does anyone have any tips to break them in?

The panty liner trick sounds great, will add them to my shopping list!

rainatnight
I love those!

@MrsWhites I have those with the fur lining. I bought the breaking in socks too but any thick sock will do, a shoe horn and a lot of effort. Now they go on fine although one is still tighter on the top of my foot and will ache if I wear for a long time but I assume I have a higher arched left foot maybe?
Think it's just perseverance. Good luck. They look fab.

@dudsville

This won't help you necessarily but I think Solovair is a better shoe of the same ilk. Comfortable from out of the box.

I couldn't agree more! I have two pairs, both I could wear without pain from day one - and I have feet that get blisters just being in proximity to new shoes.

I've tried to get on with DMs several times and several different styles, but they are just not designed to be worn on human feet. No footwear should require you to go through such a laborious ordeal to make it wearable.

I have these in patent OP and literally feel your pain, they cut my feet at the last attempt to break in and I haven't been able to face them since.

But am slightly more inspired today. Psnty liners, thick socks are at the ready

Tbh, since they are no longer made in the uk, their quality is touch and go. They vary from style to style and definitely don’t have the lasting power they used to. I had one pair for 27 years. They were stolen at a party. (BASTARDS! Hope you enjoy the stink!) They certainly don’t justify the price anymore. Sigh.... (yes, I still have some, as I haven’t found any alternatives...)

I wear really thick walking socks with mine, seems to work.

I've never had DMs, I was considering some but this thread has put me off! I've recently bought boots from moshulu and they are lovely!

Glad to see I'm not the only one to have used sanpro for this purpose. 30 years ago I used big thick towels stuck to the boot itself.

I have patent white ones. I wish I had some good advice but it took me six years to break them in . Every winter I’d wear them once, remember the pain and think that’s enough for this year. They are the most comfortable shoes I own now though so it was worth it in the end!

I've a lovely pair of purple sparkly DM's lying in the back of the wardrobe I got 2 years ago I've worn them twice and the pain was awful! I must pull them out and try again

Do stick with it. I've owned DMs for 30 years since I bought my first pair at 16. They are my footwear of choice. I currently have two pairs in the same style but different colours that don't look like typical DMs for work; 8 and 14 hole black ones; 8 hole cherry reds and 14 hole black patents. My children wear them too.

I've never had an issue with breaking them in but I know any do. Stick with them. They're worth it!

Although, I do agree that the quality isn't what it once was...

Try using a supermarket plastic carrier bag to get them on. I do with a particular pair of boots and they just slide on.

As a teen, I wore in a pair of DM boots until comfortable. Then I didn't wear them over the summer. Come autumn, I had to start the process over again. I swear I wore my feet in, not the boots, and my feet reset over the summer.

@ilovepixie I was looking for those purple sparkly docs everywhere- finally found a pair and omg- the agony- right across the top of my foot. There's a seam there that seems designed to slice my foot in two. No avoiding it whatsoever. They had to go back😢

@RainingBatsAndFrogs Thank you! Me too, my first pair- got them from a Doc outlet down to £99. The lady working there said the fur lined are incredibly popular as so comfortable!

[quote Onynx]@ilovepixie I was looking for those purple sparkly docs everywhere- finally found a pair and omg- the agony- right across the top of my foot. There's a seam there that seems designed to slice my foot in two. No avoiding it whatsoever. They had to go back😢[/quote]
Oh no don't say that! I was hoping I could wear them in!

@pixie hopefully you will have better luck than me. They are absolutely beautiful docs. I think they've changed the structure of them because I definitely didn't have the same issues with my old pair...

Apologies meant to tag @ilovepixie 🙈

They sound too small. Mine were not like this.

@Mildmanneredmum how do you get them on using a carrier bag please?

I know they're notorious for this but I've never had issues with mine other than the odd blister I get with any new shoes or boots. I wouldn't bother if it required sleeping on them for a week/soaking them overnight in a bath/catapulting them out of a top floor window onto solid concrete!

When my shoes hurt, my auntie took them and pummelled them, squidging and massaging the leather and bending it around until it was softer. You could try doing that. I did it to DS's hiking boots when they really rubbed him and he said it was instant relief.

I bought the Flora ones a few weeks ago and was expecting to have to break them in gradually but they were instantly comfortable and they’re really easy to put on, even though I have a high instep and sometimes struggle with boots. I think, as someone has said above, that it must be down to the style. Sorry, I know that this isn’t much help to you OP!

Thirding this. Solovair comfy straight from the box, made in England, FANTASTIC customer service if anything is wrong.... You won't look back!