My Doc Martens are tight on top of foot- that’s perhaps the onliest complaint about this classic footwear brand.
But you shouldn’t overlook the issue as a new pair of Docs could hurt your feet badly.
So, is there a way to make these shoes comfortable?
Well, they will surely be a bit softer after the break-in period. And if you remove the inner liner from inside the shoes, this will leave some extra space for the top of your feet.
Moreover, stretching the shoe materials with a hairdresser is the fastest way to mold them to your feet.
However, there are some other proven ways as well. And here we go about what to do to your favorite footwear if you feel Doc Martens tight on top of foot.
How to Make Doc Martens Comfortable
It’s true that Dr. Martens’ leather is too rigid until it gets softened. Naturally, these shoes are painful to wear at the beginning.
So, how to make Doc Martens comfortable to wear?
Well, there are some tricks to lessen all those blisters on your heels and toes even in the early stages.
If you feel Dr. Martens tight across the top of foot, excluding the extra inner line that comes with the shoes.
Removing the liner allows some extra room inside the shoes. So, the top of your foot won’t rub against the shoes.
Softening the leather is another great idea if somebody feels Doc Martens too tight on top of foot.
Because it’s the leather of the boots that need to mold to your feet.
In this regard, you can apply shoe balms, mink oil, and coconut oil to your Docs. Wonder balsam from the same brand is specifically made to meet such occasions when you need to stretch the leather boots instantly.
And of course, wearing thick socks is a year-old way of avoiding acute foot aches due to a new pair of shoes.
Nevertheless, we swear by the next trick to make your favorite Docs comfier than ever. Even if it’s your very first long trip wearing them, no worries. This hack will keep all the blood and blisters away.
Just take a sanitary pad, unpeel it, and stick it on the inner heel of the boots. The thick and cushioned layer the pad creates will eliminate the chance of hurting your ankle.
And you will feel infinitely comfortable with that padded cushion inside the shoe’s heel.
How amazing is that!
Similarly, adding a padded insole sometimes comes to your rescue. This prevents hurting your instep by providing an extra cushion. Also, it helps reduce extreme foot pain caused by the stiffness of the shoes.
How to Soften Doc Marten Leather
If you expect instant results, applying Wonder Balsam works great to soften Doc’s leather. It’s an exclusive shoe balm from Dr. Martens that contains coconut oil, lanolin, and beeswax.
All the ingredients are mixed in a balanced portion so that they don’t affect the shiny leather.
Not only does it make the leather softer, but it also hydrates them to make it more durable.
Besides, you can also follow some DIY hacks such as applying coconut oil to the leather.
But please don’t apply olive oil, vaseline, etc. if you want to protect the long-lasting sparkle of the leather.
Above all, stretching, hydrating, and softening the Doc’s leather is a basic hack if you ask, why do my Doc Martens hurt the top of my foot?
How Do You Break In Doc Martens Top of Foot?
Well, we all know the facts. As a first-time wearer, it’s only natural that you would say, Doc Martens hurt the top of my foot.
Wait, that’s not the end of your Docs era. They will eventually break in. But could you put up with those bruises till then?
Probably not. So, try accelerating the break-in process by following the steps below.
- Whoever said those words, “no pain no gain”– said it true. So, wear your new Docs frequently. It may take 4-6 weeks to break in for them based on the frequency of your use.
But hey, don’t wear them every day. You will end up having blisters on your heels and toes. Rather you can try wearing them twice or thrice a week.
Eventually, the leather boots will adapt to your exclusive foot feature.
- You can wear as thick socks as possible to stretch the shoe materials faster. On one hand, they will protect your feet from severe injuries.
On the other hand, the shoes will be widened over the course of time.
So, just pile on the socks as much as you want. If you want your Docs to be pliable enough in the shortest possible time frame, create a layer of socks.
Gradually, you need to cut down the pair of socks as the shoes will be molded to your feet little by little.
However, don’t leave the shoelaces untied. You have to tighten them only for the footwear to be extended to the fullest.
- Usually, Docs come with an extra liner. If the shoes are too tight, you should remove the inside liner.
But don’t throw it away. You are gonna put it back once the shoes fit snugly. After all, you don’t want to wear loose-fitting footwear, right?
- If Docs are that unforgiving at the early stage, probably you are thinking- how tight should Doc Martens be? Should you go one size up?
Oh, hell no! You will feel that the fitting is unsecured after the break-in period. Rather, we strongly suggest going one size down because that’s the only way they will offer you a snug fitting.
If it’s too tight, it will expand faster. As simple as that.
- Ever tried bending those chunky boots? If not, then do it. It’s a life-changing hack for sure.
Generally, bending the back of Docs works great to alleviate the uneasiness of a new pair.
Moreover, you should fold the heels back and forth every now and then.
Trust me, this works not only for Docs but for other stiff footwear too.
Folding the heels to different heights, indeed, makes the shoes more flexible.
- You can also apply stretching spray to stretch the shoe materials faster. Don’t spray them so much that your shoes are fully wet.
Instead, spray a little bit all over the shoes and keep the shoe stretcher inside for 24 hours. Once they are completely dried, you can see the difference.
- Lastly, all rigid shoes in the world need a basic treatment to be malleable. Docs are no exception. Resultantly, using a leather softener is a wise way of managing that stocky footwear.
How to Break In Doc Martens with a Hairdryer?
Looking for a super handy tool to stretch your leather Docs? A hairdryer is the easiest solution here.
You can heat the shoes while wearing a pair of chunky socks. This will result in expanding the shoes pretty quickly.
However, don’t warm them up too high. Heat the shoes lightly to avoid creasing and cracking of the leather.
And it’s important to note that you should keep the hairdryer at least 6-7 inches away from the leather surface.
Plus, don’t heat them for more than 30 seconds at a time.
However, this warm-up hack works better when you wear thick socks under the boots. Once the leather is warmed up by medium to high heat, you can press down it to make it flare.
Most importantly, you should apply a leather conditioner at the end of this process. And you can repeat the method several times as long as you are not satisfied with the fitting.
How Do You Break In Doc Martens Overnight?
Although it’s not that wise to rush into breaking Dr. Marten’s shoes in, sometimes it cannot be helped.
Suppose, you got your parcel of a new pair of Docs delayed. But you need to wear them the next morning. Now, what should you do?
Of course, you should try your best to break in the shoes overnight.
In order to widen Docs overnight, you can put zip-lock bags full of water into the shoes. Then wrap them in plastic bags and let the shoes stay in the freezer all night long.
As water will turn into ice, it will naturally expand. And that expansion would affect the shoes and make them stretched.
Things to remember, you should fill up the zipper bag to one-third only. And make sure to wrap the shoes in plastic bags before placing them into the freezer.
Otherwise, they will be frosty the next morning. Once you get the ice out of the shoes, let them adjust to room temperature.
Although you will see very little result in this way, still it’s better than doing nothing to make the shoes comfortable.
But if you have time, follow the traditional way of expanding shoes patiently.
Can You Use Coconut Oil to Soften Doc Martens?
Suppose, you got a new pair of Docs and found one Doc Marten tighter than the other.
Shouldn’t you fix it quickly? Saying that you can try an unfailing DIY method to soften the leather of the tighter shoe.
You can use coconut oil to soften Doc Martens and it works great as a leather softener. Aside from making the leather softer, it also leaves a thin waterproof layer on the shoes.
Even Wonder Balsam, a crowd-favorite leather conditioner contains coconut oil as well. As a natural oil, it darkens the color of your leather boots.
Nevertheless, you need to be very careful while applying coconut oil as a leather conditioner. Using too much of it leads to over-softening the leather.
Resultantly, the shoes become weaker. Also, the shoes could get sticky once the oil is dried.
How Do I Avoid Rips in My Tights while Wearing Doc Martens?
To avoid rips in your tights, you should always wear thick socks on top of the tights and tuck them into the Docs. This will prevent the tights from being ripped when you are in your Docs.
Are Your Dr. Martens Painful?
People who experience the piercing foot pain from Docs for the first time, often ask, are Doc Martens really this painful? Or, should Doc Martens hurt the top of my foot?
The answer is, yes, they are extremely painful in the beginning. Spare enough break-in period to these British boots and you will see the magic. They will be the most comfortable shoes ever.
Initially, they will hurt the top of your foot. But you should be alright once they get conformed to your feet.
But if you pick the wrong size initially, nothing’s gonna help.
So, how to tell if Doc Martens are too small? When you wear them for the first time, they should feel snug but not suffocate you. There should be some room for your toes to wiggle inside.
Now if you ask, should my toes touch the end of my Doc Martens?
Of course not. If it happens, the shoes are smaller than your actual size. So, you should size up.
There should be at least a quarter inch of gap between the toes and shoe ends. Otherwise, those shoes will forever be painful even after you break them in.
Final Words
Despite being uncomfortable at the beginning, Docs has taken the social media world by storm in terms of fashion and style.
But the truth is even if you are a Hollywood celebrity, you will feel Doc Martens tight on top of foot until they break in properly.
So, wait till then if you can. Otherwise, follow the methods above to hasten the process.
But one thing is for sure. Once these gigantic shoes conform to your foot fitting, they will be the comfiest shoes in your closet.
And if taken care of duly, Docs will last more than a decade.
Most importantly, always size down if you wear half-size shoes as Docs come in whole sizes only. After all, they are going to adapt to your foot feature after a while.
