Boot Toe Shapes, Exotic Leathers, How To
No Blister Zone: Easy Ways to Break in Flat Toe Cowboy Boots
We all know breaking in a pair of cowboy boots can be a tortuous endeavor. (Read More Below Products)
Your feet can end up swollen and full of blisters after just one hour of wear on the first day. And things probably won’t get much better the second day. The truth is, breaking in cowboy boots is hard work in most cases. Although attractive, those flat toe cowboy boots are always tight. But, if cowboy boots weren’t tight in the toes and around the calf, they wouldn’t be cowboy boots.
Why Flat Toe Cowboy Boots are Flat
Flat toe cowboy boots are flat for a reason. They conform to certain brand dimensions. Plus, flat toe boots were originally for horseback riding, not for walking. Walking was not as important as riding a horse in the golden days of boot wearing. Even though that scenario is different now, bootmakers like to stick to the way they do things.
Here are four ways to break in a pair of long toe or flat toe boots without putting your feet through the pain:
Boot Stretch Spray
There is a boot stretch spray on the market. It will give your feet more room across the top and sides. A boot stretch spray can help make the shafts more comfortable in a short amount of time. Be sure to get the right spray for your type of leather, though.
Boot Stretchers
A boot stretcher is another great tool for giving your feet more room in flat toe cowboy boots. Boot stretchers have an impact on boot leather. But, some men will not get the fit they expect if a boot stretcher. The best part is, you can use a boot stretcher at home. That is the motivation for most guys to try it.
Heat and Steam
The heat and steam method is another old remedy for tight boots. This method can be a home remedy. Heating boots over a pot of boiling water, then wearing them until they are not hot is an easy way to break in boots. But do note that there is a risk of leather damage. Some men like to use a hair dryer or they soak the boots in hot water, but those remedies can cause damage.
Professional Help
The fourth and best way to avoid boot damage and feet blisters is to go to a professional to break in a pair of flat toe cowboy boots. A boot cobbler has the experience, tools and ability to identify exactly where the boots are too tight. Stretching specific areas of the boots keeps the integrity of the boots intact. It also keeps your feet safe and comfortable.
If you love to stay warm by wearing mens boots and/or western footwear styles, but they aren’t comfortable, consider stretching them. But remember, leather cowboy boots are an investment you will wear for years. For best results, make sure you have a professional stretch them for you.
Black Boots, Boot Toe Shapes
The Best Fit for Your Feet: Why Cowboy Boot Toe Shapes Matter
Cowboy boot making is an ancient art. (Read More Below)
Genghis Khan wore a pair of red boots with wooden heels when he put the Mongol tribes together to conquer most of Asia, Europe and the Middle East. In 1815, the first Duke of Wellington took apart Napoleon’s army at Waterloo in a pair of calf length boots with a low heel. Men still wear boots today, and not just to conquer an army. They wear them for work, for play, for travel and for walking. If you have never been able to find a pair of boots that are comfortable, read on to learn why cowboy boot toe shapes matter.
What About the Wellington?
The Wellington boot has withstood the test of time thanks to its four-piece construction, which is still the construction method that boot manufacturers use to make modern cowboy boots. Wellington boots were popular during the Civil War. After the war, most soldiers to took their Wellington boots home with them. Those Civil War boots are the forefathers of modern-day cowboy boots.
Cowboy Boot Toe Shapes: What is a Last?
Just like any other type of footwear, cowboy boots need a form to shape their toe and heel height. The “last” is a form that creates the toe spring, tread, throat opening, flare and girth measurements so a person’s foot will fit into the boot. Lasts incorporate more than 30 different measurements, so each boot will adhere to size specifications and the other vital parts of a well-constructed cowboy boot. Cowboy boot toe shapes come from the last, and so does the heel height.
Anatomy of a Boot
- Skeleton: The last is the invisible skeleton of a cowboy boot.
- Skin: Leather is the skin of the boot, and the lining is the membrane.
- Stabilizer: The heel is the stabilizer that helps the boot maintain traction when walking.
- Personality: The toe is the boot’s personality, and there are several boot personalities or toe shapes available.
What About Heel Heights?
There are several heel heights to consider. They include, but are not limited to the following:
- The “Y” or “J” toe is the name boot manufacturers give to pointed toe cowboy boots.
- The round, Roper, square, broad, and broad square toe are also available in cowboy boots.
- There is a “J” snip toe, a snip toe, and an “S” and “R” toe.
The broad selection of the cowboy boot toe shapes requires choosing heel heights and heel shapes, too. That’s why it is important to do a little research on them. For example, the “Y” or “J” toe shape usually comes with a cowboy or western heel. Those heels usually have a 1 3/8 inch heel height, but the heel can be as high as 1 7/8 inches. There is a 2 3/8 inch heel height, and it is usually on the “J” toe construction.
Roper, high fashion, Stockman and undershot heels are also heel choices. You should pick a heel to enhance the personality and fit of your cowboy boot. No matter what type of boot you choose, be sure to check the various mens cowboy boots toe shapes, as well as heels. You will be able to find a boot you can wear all day in comfort.
Black Boots, Boot Toe Shapes, How To
Snip Toe Cowboy Boots: Wearing Western Footwear in Comfort
Comfort can be an elusive companion, especially when snip toe cowboy boots are part of your daily wardrobe. (Read More Below)
Your feet have important dimensions for you to consider when boot shopping, other than just the foot size you may use to buy a pair of shoes. Those other dimensions are key variables, and all shoe manufacturers have standard dimensions. They also make cowboy boots adhere to those dimensions. If you think you cannot wear snip toe cowboy boots, think again. Here is some information to help you find a pair you’ll never want to take off.
Snip Toe Cowboy Boots and Beyond: Footwear Making Standards
Even though most feet have a dimension or two that are not in sync, manufacturers follow the rules of volume boot making, and they use their own standards. Those standards may be good for keeping production costs and productivity in line, but they fail to provide a lot of men with the level of comfort they want in a pair of boots.
A good example is snip toe cowboy boots. The manufacturing dimensions of snip toe boots do not conform to the dimensions of most feet. But that doesn’t stop some men from buying these fashion statements. Men who wear snip toe, long toe, pointed toe, and square toe boots learn a few tricks to make them more comfortable.
How to Wear Snip Toe Cowboy Boots Every Day in Comfort
Some men must wear boots every day, and to do that, they should follow these rules:
- Pick a toe shape and boot shaft that fits. The first rule is picking a toe shape that fits, and a boot shaft that doesn’t scratch or irritate the calf. Finding a cowboy boot that exactly fits your foot is a challenge, but finding a boot that fits in the heel, and is loose at the top, but a little tight in the toes is a good start.
- Break your boots in slowly. Once the fit feels almost right, the breaking in process begins. Breaking boots in requires a pair of good quality, clean socks and a little time. Boots should be on the feet for an hour a two a day for about seven days before they are ready to wear all day.
Some Final Boot Tips
Besides the boots, try buying:
- A gel-filled insole. The insole and the sock lining are important boot elements, and they make up the second rule in getting boots to fit comfortably. All boots have some sort of insole, and most of them are removable. Replacing the factory insole with a gel-filled insole will make a big difference in the comfort of a boot.
- More than one pair of boots. This is the most important rule for men who wear snip toe cowboy boots or other toe shapes every day. The rule is to have more than one pair of boots. Men who have two or three pairs of cowboy boots can wear them for different occasions, and with different clothing. Wear one pair for one or two days and then switch to another pair for one or two days. That routine will help your feet adjust quicker to the dimensions of the boots without causing foot issues or blisters.
Mens cowboy boots are a fashion statement, but they can be uncomfortable if you don’t take the time to break them in first. It only takes a bit a time and effort to make sure your boots feel and look great, too.
Boot Toe Shapes, Exotic Leathers
6X Toe Boots for Men: Top Tips for Wearing Western Footwear
In the cowboy boot world, toe shape is king. (Read More Below)
The toe shape of a cowboy boot tells a story, and that story is always changing. The classic J toe boot gets the most attention, but some men want to shake things up with 6X toe boots. Most men need help finding the right toe shape. Brands like Ariat, Justin, Roper, and Lucchese have their own names for different toe shapes and heel heights. This makes it even more confusing. If you need a little help, read on to learn about wearing Western footwear.
What are 6X Toe Boots for Men?
Even most men like the J toe cowboy boot, 6X toe boots are popular because they come in exotic leathers or fine calfskin. Kidskin is also a popular boot shaft leather. But, most 6X boots use python, crocodile and ostrich vamps with fancy computer stitching on the shafts. The popular boot colors range from tan and brown to the bright colors. Choosing the right cushion leather insole, outsole, heel, welting and linings is also an important part of serious boot buying.
Other Factors to Consider
Picking a toe shape is the first decision boot buyers make. However, there are other things to consider when buying mens cowboy boots. Picking the right heel height, and the right type of leather is also important. Most cowboy boot brands use quality leathers like imported calfskin or other animal skins. Denim is another popular material. Denim trim can give a boot the casual feeling some men look for in a boot.
Two-tone leather and multi-colored leather are also important choices. Cowboy boots can’t be too tame in terms of upper color, fancy stitching, trims and piping. The price is also a factor, but most men know you get what you pay for when it comes to cowboy boots.
Even though there are many other elements to consider when boot shopping, toe shape is still a major decision. Men with wide feet may need a round toe boot instead of a snip toe boot. The broad square toe boot is popular among men with extra wide feet. Square toe boots can be long pointed toe boots that square off at the tip, or they can be a wider square toe.
The Tony Lama boot line, as well as other brands, have more than 11 different toe shapes in their product catalogs, and that does not include 6x toe boots. Most brands also have six different heel heights and several outsole welt choices, so making a boot decision isn’t easy, but it is fun detailing and finding your own cowboy boot style.
Black Boots, Boot Toe Shapes
Find Your Best Fit: Shopping for Mens Long Toe Cowboy Boots
Shopping for mens cowboy boots can be confusing and frustrating because the cowboy boot is not just one boot. (Read More Below)
Cowboy boots come in an assortment of toe shapes, leathers and heel heights. Not all cowboy boots fit the same way. Boot brands have different treads, throat openings, toe springs and girth measurements. All of those measurements impact fit. One boot men find particularly challenging to shop for are long toe cowboy boots. If you love this look, but have no idea how to shop for them, here are some tips to help.
Are Long Toe Cowboy Boots for You?
Some men have a hard time wearing the standard cowboy toe shape. The pointed-toe boot is a bit restrictive in terms of toe comfort. There are variations of the pointed-toe boots that give your toes more room, so it is important to try on different toe shapes. There is a pointed-toe boot to fit most men, but it may take you some time to find the right one.
Long toe cowboy boots are the boots that most men like to wear these days. The winkle-picker look is a fashion statement, and the long toe boots fit right in with that style. The long toe boot may fit tightly for men who have a high instep or a wide foot. For example, if a man’s foot size is 12 E, the long toe boot may feel tight at first, but some men with that size can break them in without any discomfort. Most boots have a breaking in factor, and that should be part of your decision process.
What About Wide Feet?
The round toe cowboy boot is a better choice for men with a wider foot. The round toe shape gives the toes more room, so the breaking in time is not as long. The Roper boot is a good example of a round toe boot. Roper boots are casual and comfortable, and they are great for long walks.
The popular square toe cowboy boot is the fashion king of the Western boot industry. Square toe cowboy boots come in several square toe shapes, so finding a good fit can be an issue. A narrow, square toe can feel tight, but a broad square toe fit is comfortable for most men. The thing to remember about toe shapes is that not all foot shapes fit into the narrow toe shapes of some boots.
A good example is the flat toe cowboy boot. Men with a high instep or men with high arches may not like the fit of the flat toe or long toe cowboy boots. Cowboy boots are like wine. Some boots fit better than others because of brand specifications and manufacturing procedures. It’s important to research and slip your foot into several boot brands and toe shapes before making your final buying decision.
Boot Toe Shapes, Brown Boots, Exotic Leathers
Mens Leather Footwear: Ariat Round Toe Cowboy Boots and Beyond
There is something mysterious about mens cowboy boots. (Read More Below)
Custom boot makers who design them and Hollywood legends who wear them has something to do with that mystery. Shopping for a pair of cowboy boots can be frustrating. There are so many brands to consider and so many prices to confuse shoppers. One of those are Ariat round toe cowboy boots. If you have never heard of them, here is some helpful information for you.
Ariat Round Toe Cowboy Boots: Why Custom Construction Matters
Most men consider cowboy boots as an investment. They will pay big bucks to wear a classic or a not-so-classic cowboy boot. Custom-made cowboy boots are the Rolls Royce’s of the boot industry. Prices continue to increase because people think handmade boot making is a dying art. However, many small custom bootmakers are popping up all over Texas. So, it’s safe to say custom boots are off the endangered list.
Men who want a decent pair of cowboy boots may not want to spend thousands of dollars to own a pair. The best way to buy a pair of boots is to get online. Visit several boot brands, including Ariat round toe western boots. Tony Lama, Ariat, Lucchese, Frye, Georgia Boot, and Durango have a great selection of toe shapes, heel heights, leathers and other style features. Some men may like the look of Ariat round toe cowboy boots, while other men like the square toe Frye boot. Even though the external look of boots is important, there are other things to consider when shopping for footwear like Ariat round toe cowboy boots.
Boot Shopping: Why Size Matters
Size does matter when boot shopping. Cowboy boots don’t fit the same way that shoes fit. A well-made boot will fit tightly to your foot. That’s why the breaking in process is so important. Toe shapes determine how tight a boot will be in the toe area. The Ariat round toe boot gives the toes enough room to be toes, but a Tony Lama Long toe boot may not be as generous to the toes.
Heel height is another important feature to consider. A Georgia boot uses the standard 1 3/8” heel height on most styles, but shorter men may want the 2 3/8” heel for added height.
Ariat round toe cowboy boots are not the first choice for men who only want exotic J toe boots. But for men who want a comfortable option, Ariat has an excellent selection of cowboy boots. In fact, comfort is a key ingredient in the branded boot business. All the boot brands are adding comfort features, which is giving new cowboy boot buyers a chance to wear a mysterious piece of American history without some of the foot pain.
Black Boots, Boot Toe Shapes
Western Wear: Why Classics Like J Toe Cowboy Boots Still Rule
The good news is, you don’t have to own a horse to wear cowboy boots.(Continue Reading Below)
The bad news is, cowboy boots can be tricky to pull off if you’re not living in Texas, New Mexico or California. Wearing cowboy boots can be tricky because men need the confidence to strut around in those bold styles. They include J toe cowboy boots, as well as those ostrich and crocodile leather boots.
Classic J Toe Cowboy Boots are Conversation Makers
Cowboy boots aren’t for guys who don’t like to be conversation generators. Cowboy boots are conversation items. No matter who is wearing them, they always make a statement without ever saying a word.
The key to wearing J toe cowboy boots or long toe cowboy boots is confidence. The ironic thing is, J toe cowboy boots have confidence built into their DNA. If you trace the history of cowboy boots, you’ll find a group of hardworking, dedicated and confident men blazing new paths in unknown territories. You’ll find records of men doing extraordinary things, like risking life and limb just to survive in their boots. Hence; we have the old saying, “They died with their boots on.”
What to Wear with Western Boots
Cowboy boots give men instant style. It doesn’t take a lot to put an outfit together that completes the cowboy boot style. The reason is the versatility of Western boots. Western boots have different toe shapes, heels and shaft designs. The shaft designs tell a story about the man wearing them. The story is on display through the man’s choice of clothing, too.
The quintessential cowboy boot look today is a pair of jeans, and a T-shirt or Oxford cloth dress shirt. Some men carry their style a step further. In fact, they wear tan cowboy boots with a three-piece beige linen suit. Or they try a pair of black alligator boots with a black suit, colorful vest and string tie. That look evokes visions of James Garner as Bret Maverick. And no man was cooler, or more subtly macho than Bret Maverick.
So, J toe cowboy boots never go out of style. Men like to put on a pair of slick boots to do everything, from feeding the chickens to visiting the White House. Footwear comes and goes in a never-ending cycle in the fashion industry, but mens cowboy boots are not part of that cycle. In closing, they stand on their own, and they help men stand with confidence, too.
Boot Toe Shapes, Brown Boots
All About D Toe Cowboy Boots and Other Mens Boot Styles
If you are in the market for a pair of cowboy boots, a little research on Western boots should precede your shopping adventure. (Continue Article Below)
Let’s face it – the cowboy boot category is big, and it seems to get bigger every year. There are work cowboy boots, dress boots and needle nose boots for the city slickers, just to name a few. Here are some tips to help make you an authority on D toe cowboy boots and other men’s boot styles.
Heel Heights and Toe Shapes
There is also a plethora of heel heights, toe shapes, shaft cuts and designs. Cowboy boots were inspired by Gene Autry, The Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy and other lawmen and outlaws on television. But getting cowboy boots to fit better than socks on a rooster takes a little knowledge and research.
Even when a man knows his size, finding D toe cowboy boots that fit can seem like a challenge. D toe boots have a narrow square toe with an extended welt around the outsole. It doesn’t take a genius to know a narrow square toe doesn’t mesh with five toes, but the boot manufacturers have figure things out. Men should not give up on D toe boots. Most boot brands realize men want to wear their boots to parties. Some men even want to wear them all day long. For this reason, bootmakers adjust the last measurements, so those five toes are not overlapping each other.
D Toe Cowboy Boots and Foot Width
Finding the brands that fit a man with an “E” or an “EE” width of a foot takes a little patience. The best advice for men with a wide foot is to find a toe shape and boot pattern cut for wide feet. There are a lot of boot brands that offer wide width boots. The other trick to getting boots to fit is the break in process of boot wearing.
Breaking in a new pair of boots the old fashion way can be painful, but it works. The old fashion way is to wear your boots for an hour a day for seven days. You can also go to a professional and have them adjust your boots in the right areas. Usually, the sides will loosen up, and the heel will slide around, and there is a little wiggle room for the toes once the break in process is over.
Getting a proper fit is not an exact science. There are variables to address, especially if D toe cowboy boots or any variety of mens cowboy boots are on the top of your shopping list. No one knows how a boot will fit until their foot slides down into the boot, but that’s part of the fun of buying a pair of cowboy boots. You get to try on different boots while thinking about what you get to wear with them.
