true queer pain
#yes they do#but the trick is to wear them while you're just sitting around the house#because even that will help stretch out the leather#then every thirty minutes get up and pace#(ive broken in three pairs of docs this way)#repeat until your feet start to hurt and then take them off for the rest of the day#also: make sure to work in your toebox crease by just standing on your tiptoes for a few seconds to a minute#i find that stretching out the toebox specifically hrlps the most wrt pain#and then when you finally feel comfortable enough to go outside with your docs on#cover your heel with blister bandages because that's the next crease you're going to need to work into the leathear and it only comes#after walking a lot#also: at one point you will think that your docs are broken-in enough to go on a really long walk#this is the devil speaking#it is too soon#and another thing: conditioning the leather with wax will make the leather softer and help stretch them out as well#so drop some money on the wonder basalm (or a similar leather conditioner) and condition your boots every couple of days
@cordsycords bringing some priceless advice here
are we in a toxic relationship with doc martens
The trick is to buy from Solovair not Doc Martin.
Those stories you hear and the old Doc Martins you see that will last stupidly long? Yeah that was before Doc Martin cut costs, moved production away from skilled makers and dropped the quality of the materials substantially.
However: the people who made the old Doc Martins looked around and said 'we have the skills and the factories are still here...why not?' and make boots and shoes of the same quality they always did.
This reminds me of when I was in the military.
We got ordered to shower with our boots when we frist got them and then wear them for the rest of the evening. Since, then the leather would stretch out more quickly and then dry to fit your fot better. It was especially important since during basic training, all you do it run around all day long. Of course, you need to use the right kind of wax on the shoes before and after the shower, but if its real quality...they can handle more than a quick shower.
It worked like a charm!
