How to stretch leather sandals

[Pineapplemonkey]

I bought a pair of Seasalt leather sandals in the sale a while ago (see pic). They are however a bit too tight and I was hoping to take them on holiday next week. It's mostly on the top of my feet that is the issue, I think I have fairly high arches which doesn't help.

I assume as they are leather they are stretchable- any ideas how to do this?

It's a bit too cold for me to wear them for stretching purposes which would be the obvious solution!

Wooden shoe trees (I think they're called that)?

Thick pair of socks and wear them around the house.

You can dampen inside with a 50/50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and water where you want it to stretch, then wear with thick socks around the house. (This can stain delicate materials so use your judgment.)
There are stretchers for home use but I've never had great results, has only really worked when done by a cobbler.

It may be that the arrangement of straps (where one strap is threaded through another) is putting pressure on the top of your foot, in which case it might help to attach a strip of moleskin to smooth it out so you don't have leather edges pressing into your skin if that makes sense. You can also use a hot spoon or nail file (taking care around any stitching) to smooth edges and/or a bit of vaseline.

Pull them down on top of a broom handle. That's what we used to do in Dolcis. It was our 'stretching machine' 😉

Get the hairdryer on them then put then on with thick socks and walk round the house. I read that the I was trying to get some loafers to stop rubbing me, and worked almost immediately

I have used potatoes in the past to stretch shoes. Not tried them in sandals.

Fill a freezer bag with water, tie it and stuff it into the sandals, then put the sandal with the bag inside into the freezer. As the water freezes it’ll expand and harden, thus stretching the sandal. This is my grandmother’s method!

Leather stretcher spray. I use it for every pair of shoes I buy as I have different width feet and one is always slightly too tight.

Thicket pair of socks or a couple of pairs of thin ones, shoe. stretch spray sprayed over the top of the socks, ram. feet in sandals and pad about for a few hours until the socks are dry, repeat if necessary.

I do this too

I never knew shoe stretch spray was a thing, I need to get me me some!

Have just hairdryered the sandals and am sat at my desk with thick socks and the sandals on 🤣

Thanks everyone for the ideas

@Pineapplemonkey , if you've got surgical spirit, use that instead.

The enzyme spray or the plastic bag full of water, jammed into the scandals and frozen are both good options.

Pavers sell Leather Stretch Spray if you live near one of those.

How do you use these potatoes of which you speak?