OUCH! Breaking in new shoes - Best Way?
 

After reading so many rave reviews about Clarks, I bought two pairs of Clark sandals for our trip today. We leave in four days. I have been walking around in them trying to break them it, but THEY HURT! Any suggestions on how to speed up the process?

If they hurt when you buy them they'll always hurt. If they are too tight. You'll need shoe stretchers. I advised on another thread to tape the bottoms of new shes to protect from dirt and wear them all day. Íf they hurt, return them the next day.
I hope they work out for you. Have a wonderful time and bring a pair of old comfy shoes to be sure you have an emergency pair to wear.

Poor calamari!! despite that everyone praises Clark sandals, i cannot wear them.They are hard and very uncofortable..This is the reason that I always buy SAS shoes...My feet are in heaven when i wear them..

Anyway.. this si my way of stretching tights shoes or sandals..Wear the sandals inside the house with a pair of white cotton socks..Just wear them for a couples of hours..repeat this process often if you need more stretch..This method always works for me..

Have a great trip to my Beloved Italy Calamari..
Ciao and Buon Viaggio,
AnnaMaria

I agree, you shouldn't buy shoes that hurt when you first wear them -- they don't fit and won't ever be comfortable. I have tried on Clarks and don't like them at all, even though others do -- on me, they hurt and so I wouldn't buy them. All of the shoes I have that are comfortable for walking a lot have been comfortable from the day I bought them and didn't really need any breaking in at all. I think any shoe can get slightly softer or worn in upon wearing them a long time (but sometimes that makes them less sturdy, not really more comfortable), but shoes that fit shouldn't need breaking in. I have learned over time and won't buy any shoes that are uncomfortable when I try them on.

If you can't return them, immediately take them to a shoemaker or shoe store and have them stretched in the areas where they hurt your feet. That will help a lot. They can put the shoes in a stretching machine, but it works better if they stretch them for several days.

And, yes, if you wear socks with them, you will be much more comfortable (and less likely to get blisters)- not "cool," but comfortable. Wear slacks with socks that match the shoes, and it will be less noticeable, if that matters to you.

Moleskin or duct tape on the sore spots will help, too. My sons are all former Boy Scouts and big time hikers. This is what they do when their boots aren't sufficiently broken in.

I like SAS very much, too- never have to break them in. You can always splurge and go get a pair of SAS sandals or walkers. The suede ones with velcro are especially comfortable. I have actually gone mountain climbing in them- with my hiking sons!

Unless the white sock (German tourist look) suggestion works, looks like I am out about $150. They felt great in the store. One pair I even wore out of the store but once I got home I had to take them off. I may still be able to return the other pair. I wore them for about 15 minutes in the kitchen but I don't think I'll be able to take it. I broke my own personal shoe law - No sandals with between the toe floss. Looks like the Brighton's (made in Italy, bought in So. Cal) I wore all over Tuscany last year will be going with me again this year. Thanks all for your suggestions.

Another vote for SAS walking shoes. I didn't need to break mine in...they fit perfectly from the beginning.

I also wear Ecco sandals which are equally comfortable, although Ecco walking shoes aren't as good for my feet as the SAS.

Just because a shoe fits lots of people, it doesn't mean it's for you. Try to take the Clarks back to the store and try some other brands.

Please do not take those shoes on vacation with you!

Adrienne - I am going to Nordstom in the morning to see if they carry SAS. Thanks for the tip. Last year I took a pair of Cole Hahn sandals and almost threw them into the Arno they hurt so much. I am on a power search. Thanks.

Calamari, Nordstrom at N. County Fair have Joseph Seibel, Bjorn and Munro, all of which are very comfy. I never find Clark's comfortable either. Good luck and have a safe and fun trip.

Barbara - Do you live in North County? N. County Fair is about 30 min from my house but I will head over tomorrow. I was going to go to UTC, but NCF is better. Thanks

I agree, if they hurt now then they probably always will. I swear by NAOT shoes. Had trouble with Mephisto and Birkenstocks but the NAOTS felt as if they had been made for my foot. I wore them on a European tour for about 16 hours a day.

Calamari - try a small, independent shoe store where the salesperson actually measures your feet and makes sure the shoe fits. The shoes I bought at my local store were only about $5 more than if I had bought them at Nordstrom but I had personalized attention that I thought was worth the $5.

I also bought a packaged orthotic (yikes - am I that old???) for extra cushion. Of course, this won't work for a sandal but is great in a walking shoe.

Calamari, it sounds like you bought the same Clark's sandals that I did. I wore mine a little each day for about a month before our trip to Italy. However, mine were already quite comfortable when I tried them on in the store.

I agree that you might just be out of luck, which is even more of a bummer since you paid so much for them. I only paid $80 for mine. Maybe you could keep trying to wear them off and on each day before the trip?

Do department stores carry SAS shoes?

Calamari, don't bring those sandals with you! There's nothing you can do in four days that will break them in. I've also bought good sandals that have felt heavenly in the shoe store, only to have my feet tortured when actually wearning them for more than a few hours. The good news is that the sandals eventually do stretch out and become comfortable (big emphasis on the "eventually"). However, you might find yourself going through a package or two of Dr. Scholl's Moleskin first! Not a good idea on a trip.

Look for another pair of sandals, as everyone suggested, or better yet, bring an older, broken-in pair. Shine them up well with shoe polish and no one will be the wiser!

And have a good visit to beautiful Italy!

Okay, this may sound dumb. but a long, long time ago when playing college sports, I remember we sprayed on some
stuff to harden the skin on your feet and ankles. Think it was called Tough Skin.

I will not mention the disgusting practical jokes we played with the stuff called Atomic Balm.

But I think dear Calamari is much to refined to resort to such drastic and messy measures!

Calamari, yes, I live in N. County in Rancho Penasquitos.

Adrienne, when I buy shoes at Nordstrom, I get exactly that kind of personal attention, which is why I buy so many pairs of shoes there! Nordstrom built their whole business on shoes, they were a shoe store first.

I remember from my mountain climbing days that you should put the shoes (boots) on, stand in water until the shoes are saturated and then walk them dry.

Haha Calamari!! When i suggested wear them with socks I did not means to wear them outsite the house..it was for inside the house only..:):)

I never Wear socks with my Sandals...

For the SAS shoes look in the internet for the stores nears you...
I live in Texas and we have many stores in my city..
But believe me, for travel they are the best!!
I have ruins my feet in my younger days with trendy, pointed toed shoes..I know what it is to wear uncomfortable shoes..

"Calamari - try a small, independent shoe store where the salesperson actually measures your feet and makes sure the shoe fits."

Having spent 15 years in the shoe business and having sold thousands of Clark's, you obviously bought the wrong size.

You can offer to measure women's feet all day, but they insist on sticking their size 8s into 7 or 7 1/2s. That is why women are a Podiatrist's dream. Bunions, sore feet, etc.

Clark's as well as SAS are both great shoes. I've sold tons of both. It's up to the adult wearer to make sure they fit. Children's shoes are the saleman's resonsibility, but adults???????? Give me a break.

Curious

I think SAS is an independent shoe store, and you probably won't find them at department stores. Check the yellow pages.

When I served for a year in the army mandatorily in Germany, they used to advise to pee in the boots in the evening before wearing them for the first time in the morning...
I found that too yucky and never tried it and I assume that sandals won't hold it as well as boots, but you might want to try it... ;-)

hsv,
Boy, you learn something new every day!

HSV's advise can be used for sandals if you have a night potty.

...and a full bladder.

Calamari -

Rick's post will work very well for leather shoes. It is also an old Boy Scout trick, but you have to get them wet, soaked to the core, and then walk them dry.

hsv - Breaker boys, young boys who worked at the coal breakers sorting coal from slate by hand, used to pee on the cuts of their hands to speed up the healing process. So you could have stretched your shoes, healed your blisters, and saved a trip to the WC all at once.

William

I've never had to break-in my Rockport Pro-Walkers (always solid black). People don't believe me when I tell them they're the ONLY shoes I take to Europe. If I took another pair, it would be like cheating.

Calamari: I bought a pair of Geox Respira walking shoes a couple of weeks ago at Nordstrom's Rack in Mission Valley. The most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. We were hiking in the jungles of Puerto Vallarta last week and not a blister.

Artstuff is right about wetting the shoes. My aunt who was born in Italy always did that but no way was I going to soak my expemnsive shoes so I bought a pair of stretchers.

Barbara - I went to Nordstroms once to buy shoes. First I had to find a sales person to help me. And she helped me very little. She looked so disinterested in selling shoes and couldn't answer any of my questions and wasn't willing to ask any other salespeople. I haven't gone back.

Treesa - I cannot believe they sell Giox shoes at the Nordie outlet in Mission Valley. I wish I had time to get down there. Sounds like there are a few of us from S.D. hanging around here.

Jocelyn...Hi! How was the move?

Adrienne, Wow, I guess there's a poor sales assistant everywhere, even Nordie's! Sorry you got stuck.

Hi Barbara,

The move to Tulsa went VERY smoothly, even with the trips to Vegas and Italy in between! Thanks for asking. I hope your daughter's doing well.

To keep on subject, I swore I'd wear my Naot sandals every day until they fell apart...four years later and still going strong!

Aawww Poor Calamari, that stinks!! I have tried on some Clarks recently and found the leather very stiff and hard.
I bought Munroes..black soft like butta leather and have worn them every day (well, almost)...
I just read in Real Simple magazine that you should get them wet, slightly, and then wear them..they will soften and conform to your feet.
Buy lots of moleskins!!
good luck ))F))

My new Clarks sandals (leather Sunbeat) arrived yesterday and were perfectly comfortable--I've worn them for 2 days now without a problem, but I bought a wide width to be on the safe side.

I also love my 4 pair of SAS walking shoes; here in California they're available at Gottschalks, among other places. Now I'll have to check out the SAS sandals.

I posted this on the sandle thread also...but Munro's are my shoes of choice. I have taken them to Europe several times and NEVER had a problem with my feet. They are very comfy even on the cobblestone areas.

If you have not found a shoe yet, then hurry to the store today and at least try some on and see if they work for you.

Oh...if you buy them be warned that they last forever! They truly do keep their shape and hold up for years.

Thanks for all the tips. One pair of the Clarks are working out fine. Did a trek through San Diego Zoo yesterday with 50 first graders and they were fine. The other pair worn only around the house went back to the store without a hitch. I am set on utilitarian type shoes and now am free to buy less practical ones in Firenze. Hope to catch the Cole Hahn sale near Pza. Della Republica.

Calamari,

Have a great time and tell David hello for me. ;)

SAS shoes come in many styles. Which one are you fans recommending?

My SAS favorites are the suede walkers and the suede sandals with velcro. They are so comfortable that I hardly know I have shoes on.