How to Stretch your skate shoes

[Ripped Laces]

Just finished up this article about stretching your skate shoes based on buying shoes online or just from instinctively buying shoes a half size smaller because you want them that much. We've all been there. Anyway, I used a freezing and microwave method.





Full article:
http://rippedlaces.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-stretch-your-skate-shoes.html

My question is: Are there any other ways of stretching your shoes?

If you guys happen to know, feel free to share.

Thanks.

[Jive Turkey]

The ice bag trick is a good idea and will come in handy here in Japan where it's impossible to find shoes in my size.

When I was younger we used to buy regular kicks (adidas pumas nikes) that were good for skating, a half size too small so we could rock the fat tongue and open laces without our shoes flying off.
To stretch them we used to just jam a shit load of newpaper down the toe, let them sit, and repeat that until they were comfortable. Takes time but it works.

Thankfully I'm grown and don't do regular shit like that anymore.

[trannies and mannies]

Word, never tried the freezer trick but I always microwave a new pair of shoes.

[finknoos]

i use the microwave for most shoes except from leather.

However my girlfriend needed to break in some doc martins recently and my boss who was in the pakistani army said that a trick they used was to get some chick pees in a plastic bag, fill the bag with water and jam the bag in your shoes. The water makes the chick pees expand and stretch the shoe nicely

[via]

I opened this thread with the plan to say "Use the microwave.".

But it was already covered, so... I stand behind that, and carry on.

[Lance]

Shoe stretchers work amazingly, don't know where you can buy them these days, my grandma had one and ive had it been using it since i was 15.  Also ive used the oven as opposed to the microwave trick. 

If it's a half size difference with an insole usually you can just take the new insole out and put an older more broke in one in and that'll work like a charm.

[starwars]

You've been misinformed if you think that putting the shoes in the microwave like that will stretch them out, even with wheels stretching from heel to toe. The microwave, or oven for that matter, will shrink the shoes. Maybe not in length if you've got something poking at the toe, but everything else about the shoe will shrink about a half size.

[Firebert]

You've been misinformed if you think that putting the shoes in the microwave like that will stretch them out, even with wheels stretching from heel to toe. The microwave, or oven for that matter, will shrink the shoes. Maybe not in length if you've got something poking at the toe, but everything else about the shoe will shrink about a half size.

only if you let them cool off

[Ripped Laces]

i use the microwave for most shoes except from leather.

However my girlfriend needed to break in some doc martins recently and my boss who was in the pakistani army said that a trick they used was to get some chick pees in a plastic bag, fill the bag with water and jam the bag in your shoes. The water makes the chick pees expand and stretch the shoe nicely

That's a pretty wild trick. I didn't know adding chickpeas could make a significant difference.

[pica]

best purchase ever.

[Jackburton]

I feel your pain.  I hate when a shoe breaks in and then its way too big.  I have tried buying a half size down and that really doesn't work for me.  It was like some part of the shoe does not stretch and only the parts that really did not matter ended up stretching.  Also, my foot has been getting fatter, and I went up a half size in my non skate or shill shoes.  Luckily the Janoskis work perfectly for me. Before they used to get a little overstretched after a few months.  They would be a little tight for a few days, and then I would get a great deal of time with the perfect fit.  Now with fatter feet they stretch out in an hour or two of skating and never really reach a point where they are over stretched.  I think a lot of it comes from the design and the materials used or its just the perfect shape for my feet.  What I am getting at is I think the best solution is find a pair of shoes and stick with those and get a system going so you are not alway obsessing over shoe size, as I used to.  Also, the Janoskis may be expensive, but with a little shoe goo I think they are worth it, because they will out last two or three other types of shoe in my experience.  So again find a shoe that works, stick with it, save up if you have to to get a shoe that won't break down, and buy some shoe goo to enhance your investment.  Although I guess this thread was about stretching out shoes, so...  in short I have never really been able to do it successfully, and really be 100% satisfied with the final product.  Shoes break in through actual use, and it is very hard to speed up the process.  Again, that is only my experience.

[Deekay]

thanks for this, im gonna try the freezer thing... I always just microwave my shoes for like a minute and a half, bend them like crazy then put them on. completely takes away the break in process.

[Eschaton]

Expand Quote

i use the microwave for most shoes except from leather.

However my girlfriend needed to break in some doc martins recently and my boss who was in the pakistani army said that a trick they used was to get some chick pees in a plastic bag, fill the bag with water and jam the bag in your shoes. The water makes the chick pees expand and stretch the shoe nicely

[close]

That's a pretty wild trick. I didn't know adding chickpeas could make a significant difference.

It'd probably work with any dry bean. Beans double in size when you soak them.

[JamesNtheGntPch]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

i use the microwave for most shoes except from leather.

However my girlfriend needed to break in some doc martins recently and my boss who was in the pakistani army said that a trick they used was to get some chick pees in a plastic bag, fill the bag with water and jam the bag in your shoes. The water makes the chick pees expand and stretch the shoe nicely

[close]

That's a pretty wild trick. I didn't know adding chickpeas could make a significant difference.

[close]

It'd probably work with any dry bean. Beans double in size when you soak them.

once you're done you can make hummus.  sounds like a win win.

[Ripped Laces]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

i use the microwave for most shoes except from leather.

However my girlfriend needed to break in some doc martins recently and my boss who was in the pakistani army said that a trick they used was to get some chick pees in a plastic bag, fill the bag with water and jam the bag in your shoes. The water makes the chick pees expand and stretch the shoe nicely

[close]

That's a pretty wild trick. I didn't know adding chickpeas could make a significant difference.

[close]

It'd probably work with any dry bean. Beans double in size when you soak them.

[close]

once you're done you can make hummus.  sounds like a win win.

I'm not even going to lie, I thought "could you still use the chickpeas afterwards...?" 

[Donkey Lips]

RL - We got the same microwave! We're practically bros! Thanks for the article too.

[Ripped Laces]

RL - We got the same microwave! We're practically bros! Thanks for the article too.

Donkey Lips, I'm so hyped to hear that my microwave brotha!

By the way, the other night my girlfriend was drinking and was on SLAP with me when she noticed a post you wrote.
She turned to me and said "Do you think that's the real Donkey Lips???"

I fucking died. Thank you for reading it DL.

[Strike A Pose]

Warning: This man has a box of BOCA burgers in his freezer!

[pile]

Just finished up this article about stretching your skate shoes based on buying shoes online or just from instinctively buying shoes a half size smaller because you want them that much. We've all been there. Anyway, I used a freezing and microwave method.





Full article:
http://rippedlaces.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-stretch-your-skate-shoes.html

My question is: Are there any other ways of stretching your shoes?

If you guys happen to know, feel free to share.

Thanks.

i usually just put them on my feet and try things like walking or skateboarding, seems weird, but it usually works.

[trannies and mannies]

Warning: This man has a box of BOCA burgers in his freezer!

hahahaha

[Ripped Laces]

Expand Quote

Warning: This man has a box of BOCA burgers in his freezer!

[close]

hahahaha

I've fixed my ways! hahaha 

[essal]

You can use water.

Simply put on a fat pair of socks (I prefer wool so that I don't seriously fuck up my feet), then soak the shoe in water and walk/wear them dry.

Or just wear them on a night out, all of the spilled beer will have the same effect.