About to do the Bathtub Method... a few questions first?

[Steph]

I was completely shocked when I learned about the bathtub method but after LOTS of searching and reading I think I’m going to do it. I just have a few questions.

My new Tredstep Donatellos are really tight around my calves - to the point where it’s hard to zip them up all the way. Then it feels so constricted I can’t bear to be in them because it feels like a constant calf cramp. The foot area is a little tall.

1. Will the ENTIRE boot shrink to fit me perfectly, or is it just the ankle? The foot part in my boot is a little tall, but the calves are my biggest problem. Ankles don’t bother me too much. One of them pinches in a little but I’m not too worried about that.

EDIT: By the foot area “being tall,” I meant that basically if I pick my foot up while wearing the boots, the parts of my foot that aren’t my toes don’t touch the bottom of the boots. So my heel and the middle of my foot lift off. And I’m not sure if that’s how they’re supposed to fit.

2. How long do they take to dry? I don’t have an entire day because I’m in college and I’m busy every single day. I read that “tall boots are for riding, not walking” so I don’t want to walk in them too much. However before I read that, I walked to class a couple times in them and while I was sitting I did little foot circles and toe up/downs. Did I ruin them? I’m going on a 4-5 hour drive tomorrow. If I wet them before the trip and sit in the car (I won’t be driving) with my toes up as if I’m riding until they dry, will that work? Cause that way my calves will be flexed and they will form to fit my calf in that position, and hopefully have the crease in the right spot too. I didn’t know about the perfect one-fold crease until today. Hopefully I didn’t mess that up with the foot circles I was making.

3. Also can someone show me a picture of how the “perfect crease” looks? I’ve only ever seen really creased boots!

Thanks everyone in advance!

[STA]

MAKE SURE there is no glue used when making the boots. I have only used the method when I had custom boots without zippers. The glue might soften.

When I used this method to make the boots go on and off easier, I soaked them for about an hour in warm water then rode for several hours. The boots dried on my legs.

Depending on how tight they are - have you tried alcohol on the inside then riding. The alcohol helps stretch the leather. Also, maybe having a gusset put into the saddle side of the boot might help.

Good Luck

[hunterrider23]

Zip them up and jump into some warm water. Can only help, I’ve never had it hurt. Wear them until they’re mostly dry. I wore mine 2-3 hours and also slept in them once. But these were Sergio’s not tredsteps. I didn’t need it for my parlantis. All boots will drop differently, there isn’t one golden crease.

[Steph]

I’m trying to get them on now and I can’t even zip them up lol. I got them about halfway up and my calves are crying. Is it normal for the ankle to rub up and down when I step? I can’t tell if the foot part has too much vertical room or if it’s supposed to be like that.

Edit: Finally got them zipped up. Am I getting the entire boot wet? I don’t know how to tell if they used glue or not. Do I just look for bits of glue? I know they used glue to glue down the strip of leather near the top of the boot. That’s actually starting to unstick and I don’t know why. I just got these

[hunterrider23]

Der dau makes some boot stretcher or you can have them put on a stretcher at a tack store or cobbler

[alto]

You might want to contact the manufacturer before going this route - some boots hold up much better to misadventure than others … Boot X never quite recovered from the lake adventure & hastened onto their demise

[beeblebrox]

Wow I would not wear them in water with zippers, IN the old days we did not have zippers and it sucked… Used the water back then but it is NOT GREAT for the leather.

Secondly if they have glue I would not get them in the water.

Thirdly if you insist on wearing them in a tub wear them until they are completely dry because wet boots without legs or stays in them will shrink, that is not brain science right there! Might mean you have to change breaches as your breaches will be wet too… I say avoid the water and buy a pair your size, these days there are so many sizes they should be snug but NOT be “unbearable” as you mentioned in your post!

Lastly think about going to a shoe or tack store and stretch them properly. A lot of leather never recovers from being soaked

[norcalammie]

I hate boots that were very tight in the calf and almost impossible to zip up. The manufacturer told me to use warm water on the calf while the boot was off. The put the boots on and zip up. Wear until dry. Seemed to work but I did have to do it twice as they were very very tight.
Not sure about the foot bed part. I would think that there may be too much room in the foot bed if the boot does not stay with your foot when you walk. Can you get your foot all the way down when you zip them up or is your foot not quite to the bottom of the boot? Might be the problem.

[iEquitate]

Walking is completely fine for your boots, and is a great way to break them in if you’re worried about the bathtub method.

[Steph]

[QUOTE=beeblebrox;7197236]
I say avoid the water and buy a pair your size, these days there are so many sizes they should be snug but NOT be “unbearable” as you mentioned in your post!

Lastly think about going to a shoe or tack store and stretch them properly. A lot of leather never recovers from being soaked[/QUOTE]

I had these fitted at a tack shop, they’re well known for being good at fitting boots. They told me that they should be hard to zip because when they stretch out they’ll fit perfectly. They said (and I quote) “You’re not supposed to feel your toes.”

Norcalammie: I was able to zip them up stepping down into my heels, but for some reason it’s hard right now. I managed to zip them all the way up and it was so painful I had to unzip them within 5 minutes. Ugh I can’t even return these now since they’re “worn.”

[comingback]

One recommendation I have is to put them on in the morning. My legs tend to swell a little by days end making a boot that fit perfectly in the morning nearly impossible to zip at five o’clock.

I had a pair of Ariats that I pretty much soaked in Der Dau boot stretch (which I’ve heard is mostly alcohol) and wore till dry. Worked like a charm.

My next pair of boots were very tight. In the morning I soaked the calf in warm water and zipped them on over thick socks (I couldn’t yet zip over breeches) and wore till dry. I wore them with pants to work and no one really noticed. I repeated again, this time over breeches with thin socks. Fit perfectly now:)

Bottom line, do it in the morning, use boot stretch/alcohol if you are afraid of the bathtub method, and either way wear till dry.

Regarding the fit of the foot…do they fit length-wise? They almost sound too big.

[goodlife]

I’m not sure I would try out this method, frankly. Boots like the Tredsteps are made to be more “ready to wear” than boots of days past - the leather is already super soft and I find that they really don’t stretch as much as the old skool ones did. If your boots have an elastic panel at the back (I can’t remember if Tredstep does) and you’re stretching that to its limits, all you’re going to end up with is a busted elastic/zipper and boots that are still too tight. That’s going to stretch far before the leather will. You may just need to adjust your size.

[Steph]

[QUOTE=comingback;7197293]
One recommendation I have is to put them on in the morning. My legs tend to swell a little by days end making a boot that fit perfectly in the morning nearly impossible to zip at five o’clock.

I had a pair of Ariats that I pretty much soaked in Der Dau boot stretch (which I’ve heard is mostly alcohol) and wore till dry. Worked like a charm.

My next pair of boots were very tight. In the morning I soaked the calf in warm water and zipped them on over thick socks (I couldn’t yet zip over breeches) and wore till dry. I wore them with pants to work and no one really noticed. I repeated again, this time over breeches with thin socks. Fit perfectly now:)

Bottom line, do it in the morning, use boot stretch/alcohol if you are afraid of the bathtub method, and either way wear till dry.

Regarding the fit of the foot…do they fit length-wise? They almost sound too big.[/QUOTE]

That actually did cross my mind! There was one morning, I couldn’t even make it to breakfast because it hurt too much to walk (but I did get them zipped up) and I think the leather was tight because it was chilly out. I have walked to class in them before in the middle of the day and they were fine.

If I have my foot all the way back against the heel of the boot, I have about an inch from my big toe to the front of the boot (but that’s the outside, I don’t know how to account for boot thickness. There would obviously be less than an inch of room on the inside). The foot feels like it could be a tad smaller or tighter, but Tredstep doesn’t make Donatellos in a smaller size than what I got. And I think based on my budget, they were my best option :.

[alto]

Der Dau boot stretch

there are alternate branded versions of this available too - there is even a home version posted here somewhere.

It’s also better/cheaper to have a cobbler add to the gusset than break your boots - you should be able to involve the shop in assisting you: speak with the manager/owner re salesperson was wrong about how tight the boots should fit - you should never lose sensation or feel that pounding/throbbing (except momentarily) :no:

[Steph]

[QUOTE=goodlife;7197305]
I’m not sure I would try out this method, frankly. Boots like the Tredsteps are made to be more “ready to wear” than boots of days past - the leather is already super soft and I find that they really don’t stretch as much as the old skool ones did. If your boots have an elastic panel at the back (I can’t remember if Tredstep does) and you’re stretching that to its limits, all you’re going to end up with is a busted elastic/zipper and boots that are still too tight. That’s going to stretch far before the leather will. You may just need to adjust your size.[/QUOTE]

It does have a stretch panel that spans the length of the calf. I was told it would fit perfectly after it broke in :(.

[QUOTE=alto;7197311]there are alternate branded versions of this available too - there is even a home version posted here somewhere.

It’s also better/cheaper to have a cobbler add to the gusset than break your boots - you should be able to involve the shop in assisting you: speak with the manager/owner re salesperson was wrong about how tight the boots should fit - you should never lose sensation or feel that pounding/throbbing (except momentarily) :no:[/QUOTE]

What do I do if the manager takes the salesperson’s side and won’t let me return them? I don’t have the money to buy a new pair. Ugh this is really stressing me out.

[k112]

I never understood the bathtub method. Wouldn’t they just shrink after they dry completely? I throw leather half chaps into my washing machine with no soap and then let them air dry to shrink them, not stretch them.

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=k;7197465]
I never understood the bathtub method. Wouldn’t they just shrink after they dry completely? I throw leather half chaps into my washing machine with no soap and then let them air dry to shrink them, not stretch them.[/QUOTE]

Th water method really isn’t about stretching boots, IMO. It’s about getting them to drop and maybe relax a little bit. I used this method with my custom fully lined Dehners and it broke them in almost immediately. I did not have to use it with my old modl Ariat Crowne Pros. They were broken in the second I put them on.

[Small_Change]

[QUOTE=k;7197465]
I never understood the bathtub method. Wouldn’t they just shrink after they dry completely? I throw leather half chaps into my washing machine with no soap and then let them air dry to shrink them, not stretch them.[/QUOTE]

Unlike your half chaps, you let the boot dry with a leg in it, so that the boot conforms perfectly.

[Canaqua]

That heel slipping is because your heel is narrow compared to the heel counter of the boot…pretty common in women, who have narrower heels than men. You can either put pads at the front of the boot, under the ball of your foot, to push your foot back and up into the heel of the boot or try to find some kind of padding for the heel counter to narrow it. Maybe both!

I have very high arches, so there’s never such a thing as a boot foot that is “too tall” in the foot, but I do sometimes get heel slipping.

[Lucassb]

I have broken in many nice boots using the bathtub method; the idea is that wetting the leather (with WARM, not hot water) allows the leather to both stretch a bit and form to your calf as it dries. The water will not do anything for the extra height in the footbed, however. For that, you might want to get a pair of inserts, or possibly lifters if the heel/ankle rubbing issue remains a problem. Most drugstores sell moleskin with an adhesive backing that can be cut to the desired size/shape if you want to pad the ankle a bit.

I have found the best way to do it has been to dunk the boots in a bathtub of warm water, holding them by the foot. I don’t usually even get the foot portion wet, actually. I then wear them - usually over my thinnest pair of breeches - until they dry. Ideally you ride in them during the drying process, but walking around works too. I’ve never had it take more than a couple of hours, but it’s important to wear them until they are completely dry.