Should Cowboy Boots Slip at the Heel or Fit Tight?

My neighbor is convinced his new cowboy boots are too big because his heel slips up and down when he walks. Our friend’s daughter sold him the boots and assured him they fit him properly, who’s right?

When boots are new, your heel should slip up about 1/2 inch, but once the cowboy boots are stretched out, your heel shouldn’t move more than 1/8 of an inch. Boots that don’t allow any movement of your heel are too tight and will be uncomfortable.

Cowboy boots slip at the heel, which is in no way a sign that the boots don’t fit properly. After a few days, when boots are worn, and the outsole is flexed, the heel slippage shouldn’t happen anymore, and you’ll get a proper snug fit!

How Do You Know If The Cowboy Boots Fit?

Cowboy boots can feel very comfortable if the boots fit correctly. Certain factors like heel styles, leather, and toe can affect how the boot fits.

Another important factor is that many brands of cowboy boots are handmade. This means you might feel a subtle difference in size between different cowboy boot brands. Different manufacturers choose different lasts to make the boot on.

Hence, two different manufacturers producing the same size boots may fit differently. The thickness of the socks can also affect the fitting. It is always advisable to try out each pair to make sure the boots fit right.

A long time ago, a profoundly wise horseman told me, “You know your cowboy boots fit when your feet are comfortable with your boots on; it’s that simple.” But how do you choose a comfortable pair of boots?

(Click on the link for our lists of the most comfortable cowboy boots.)

Here are a few tips that can help you to get a comfortable pair of cowboy boots.

The Ball & Toe of the Boot

The widest part of the boot is called the ball. The ball of the foot should adequately fit over the ball of the boot. For a comfortable fit, it is essential to ensure that the boot’s ball is closest to the end of the steel shank or in line with the foot.

Internally, cowboy boots have a hard shank between the insole and the outsole that holds the foot from the heel to the ball of the boot.

If your boots are too short, the ball of your foot will sit ahead of the shank and jam your toes, which will likely lead to poor arch support. How your foot fits at the ball is an essential factor to consider because this holds your feet while walking or running.

Also, you’ll require adequate toe space. Wearing boots for a long time will relax the leather instep, which will allow your toes to settle forward.

The Instep of The Boot

The instep of the cowboy boot is responsible for securely holding the boot to your foot. Trying on boots for the first time is neither easy nor too difficult. The boot shouldn’t be too snug or too loose, and your instep should fit perfectly.

After some time, the boots break in and leather stretches, which will loosen up the boot. So don’t buy cowboy boots that are a little loose as, later on, you’ll have boots that are too loose after they break in.

Take the instep between the forefinger and thumb and pass your thumb over the leather. For a perfect instep fit, the thumb should glide across the leather with only a slight wave. The fit is too loose if the leather bunches. Whereas, it is too tight if the leather doesn’t move under the thumb.

Insteps can be adjusted by fixing a narrow width to secure a loose instep and a fuller width to loosen a tight instep.

Heels

In cowboy boots, heels of an inch or half an inch are mandatory. I know this may sound strange, but let’s not forget that the boot is new. A new cowboy boot has a quite stiff sole. The sole will loosen up once you break in the boot, making the slippage go away.

If the heel doesn’t slip when you walk, the cowboy boot is too tight for you. Your toes will get squished, causing blisters and sores. The heel will slip when the boots are too wide on the instep or heel, newly purchased cowboy boots, or the boot’s tip is long for the foot.

An insole might be used to get a proper fit. To get an idea of the heel slippage, you should walk on a soft surface like a carpet.

Do Cowboy Boots Stretch Out?

Cowboy boots will stretch out if you wear them on for a while. After a few days, the leather will expand and stretch out. However, if you want to stretch them out immediately, here are some tips that can help you.

• Wear 2-3 extra socks and keep the boots on for the whole day. It’ll force the leather to stretch-out and give you extra padding, which prevents the leather from rubbing you.
• Apply steam to the interior of the boots for a couple of minutes to make it soft. This process must be done carefully as the steam can impact the dye of the leather. You should stop steaming as soon as you feel the interior getting softer.
• Place the boots in water with your hands in the boots. The insole should get a little wet, and water shouldn’t go inside the boots as it is challenging to dry out the interior. Water softens the leather and is an easy way to stretch out any type of leather shoes.
• Place a water bag inside the boot. Keep the boots in the freezer for a minimum of 8 hours. As the water starts freezing, it will expand the leather.
• Use a boot stretching kit. The kit consists of a wedge-shaped device and a spray. Boot stretchers are specially designed tools to stretch your boots effectively.

Do You Size up for Cowboy Boots?

If you have wide feet, don’t struggle to fit into a boot that is too narrow. It would be best if you did not size up in regular boot sizes because even if the width of your foot fits larger boots, the cowboy boot will be too long and cause chafing and blisters.

However, if your feet fall between two sizes, buy a ½ size larger. To have a perfect fit, you can fix cushioned insoles or wear 2-3 thick boot socks.

The width for women’s cowboy boots is denoted by ‘A’ for Narrow, ‘B’ for Medium, and ‘C’ for Wide. In contrast, the width for men’s cowboy boots is ‘B’ for Narrow, ‘D’ for Medium and ‘EE’ for Wide.

The size and length of the boot will change as our feet tend to grow wide with weight and age. So, if you have a cowboy boot that you bought ten years ago, it might not fit properly today.

Conclusion

Cowboy boots aren’t merely a fashion statement. They’re designed to protect your feet in rough conditions and can be worn in place of shoes for many purposes. Because some boots are made of stiff and thick leather, you might find them very uncomfortable when new, but they will soon break in and become comfortable.

With a tradition of 200 years, cowboy shoes are durable and comfortable. New designs with different patterns are now available to make boots look more appealing and attractive. It is a classy addition to your wardrobe collection and will never go out of style.

Cowboy boots are popular for a reason; they look good, are practical, versatile, and comfortable. Just follow some basic rules when choosing boots, and you’ll quickly become a boot lover too.

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