Doc Martens

hotpotatoes

just bought a pair of Docs but they 've completely cut the backs (not the balls) of my heels to shreads. Does anyone have any tips for breaking them in?Ive been told to rub vaseline and damp soap in the leather to soften it up...

Nightwish

It happened with all of my Docs too. I wore an extra pair of socks to help counter that. As soon as you break into them properly (could take a while depending on how often you wear them) this stops.

Scraggs

owwwy......

wear two pairs, that helps by reducing the friction which i think causes the problem.

hotpotatoes

i think they'll be really tight though wearing 2 pairs of socs cos im a five and a half but i bought the size 5 because most shops dont do half sizes and the 6 were just too big...and i thought that if i wore 2 pairs of socs it would increase the pressure on the backs of my heals...I have heard though you can buy these kind of heel stoppers in shoe shops that will stop your foot from rubbing off the back of the shoe...

hotpotatoes

And where can one find nice Docs/ nice knee boots in dublin? i bought mine, which are black original docs, knee length, in China Blue (overpriced) in temple bar, but that shop along with with Schuh are the only places i could find them...

Le Rack

The one at the top of GRafton street that I can't remember the name of... It's kinda a yellow colour and is really dark inside...

Liquorice

Korky's? Although maybe not, I've never seen Docs in there.. A word of advice, never lend your docs to anyone, I lent a pair of mine to someone and her feet were in bits because they sculpt themselves to your feet and your feet alone.

As for stopping blisters during the breaking in process, buy those special blister bandages, even if you have no blisters yet. They're padded so your heels won't get destroyed and it won't make fitting into your boots a squash like two pairs of socks will.

Le Rack

Korky's yeah... nearly certain I seen them in there... Those PArty Feet things are really good alright...
Does it only happen with the big docs cuz I used to live in docs and had no problems, I even had white ones for my communion!

hotpotatoes

i was actually thinking of lending them to my friends and get them to break them in for me, but on second thoughts maybe i wont....

i was going to get my boots stretched but even if i had enough room to wear 40 pairs of socks i think id have the same problem...
i think ill go for the blister bandages option!

that shop you're thinking of isnt zerep is it?

the first and only time that ive worn these shoes is with ankle socks...cant believe i was so naive...i was wearing them around the house for ages with tights, and they were fine..oh well you live and hopefully learn!

hotpotatoes

i think some docs are okay, like the ankle ones, i think some of those dont have really hard leather at the back of the heel like my knee ones do...

Le Rack

Right so... I was gonna get docs one day knee highs, in China Blue! but opted for "whore boots" instead, they've a four inch heel but are the comfiest things ever! Got em in Stephens Green, and I love em!

hotpotatoes

http://media.venda.com/cloggs/ebiz/cloggs/invt/832/docs_1b60blk_l_01.jpg

these are my wonderful amazing docs... They've got a zip on the side of them so you can cheat...

hotpotatoes

Like the docs i just posted up? China blue is great for boots, but it is more expensive than anywhere around..those docs boots i got were around 40 quid cheaper in schuh but didnt have the zip up the side...

Where abouts in Stephens Green did you buy your boots?ive been on the look out for whore boots forever but i havent seen anything nice except in River Island but they're gone now....i hate pointy toes boots with a vengence and thats all thats in....they're uncomfortable and they make your feet look bigger...

FX Meister

A good way to stop blisters is to put some tape on your heal which stops the friction. I've used this when wearing rigid plastic boots mountaineering and I'm doing it at the moment to break in a new pair of work boots.

hotpotatoes

is that masking tape your talking about?

FX Meister

No, I've used electrical insulating tape as it's slicker than masking tape would be. I've used duck tape before as well.

Le Rack

My whore boots were in the show shop, down past Golden Discs, they were €90 and when I was us last week they still had em, they're plain black leather, with a lace bit up the side, they have a nicely normal roundy toe. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the shop but it's like a man's name I think...

super_furry

You have to earn the right to wear Docs, breaking them in is where you start paying.

Le Rack

even if you've been wearing them since you were a kid and never had a problem with them, until you got the big old high top ones?

Capt'n Midnight

There are a couple of options to soften the leather.

Urine.
Saddle Soap
Special leather stuff made from Honey

or wear them indoors for an hour a day at first, this keeps them clean if you decide to return them, and brakes them in gradually.

see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Event_Horizon

hotpotatoes

i think ill try using the tape, sounds like a good plan, i might pass on the urine option....

i have to check that shop out, how much were they by the way?

Le Rack

€90, beware of the heel coming off, one of mine did, mind you I did wear them on a pub crawl for eight hours... Not the whole heel though just the little step bit at the bottom, just bring it to a cobblers and they'll sort them out

hotpotatoes

90 quid is quite reasonable, the ones i was looking at were like 140 or 160 i think..

pub crawls + high shoes, doesnt sound too comfortable....

FX Meister

super_furry wrote:

You have to earn the right to wear Docs, breaking them in is where you start paying.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

spiderlegs

The best way to get your Docs to stop hurting is just simply to break them in...when I used to wear mine and they used to literally cut the ankles off me...I have scars on my ankles from Docs (I've had a good few pairs) really though I find myself wearing my docs with pride and it's becasue I know that I've broken them in and they're mine. They perfectly mould to my feet at this stage.
They're gonna hurt and they're a bitch to break in but that's the whole thing with docs.....they're gonna hurt...It's what ya go through to wear them.