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How To Stretch Tactical Boots? | 10 Pro Tips Everyone Should Know

Do you know what is the most annoying and painful thing in this world?

It’s not when your fingers are smashed in the door but when you receive much-awaited boots and find them tight.

Such uncertainties are very common. But you don’t have to worry anymore. When have filtered out the most convenient and easily doable methods to stretch your tactical boots.

There is no need of returning back the nice pair of your tactical boots if they are pinching at the wrong places after you wear them for a few hours.

Life is too short to wear uncomfortable and tight tactical boots. Please have a look at the most feasible and easy methods to stretch your tactical boots.

How to stretch tactical boots?

If you scroll through the internet pages, there are uncountable relevant and irrelevant ideas regarding stretching tactical boots.

Here we have filtered out the finest and most useful techniques of stretching your tactical boots.

1. Wear your tactical boots several times with thick socks

Here is the most natural and convenient one. Wear your new fancy pair of tactical boots as many times as you can within the first week.

New tactical boots are often very tight due to their heavy-duty construction. Making them fit your feet, heel, and calf wear them every day for an hour or two and walk around your house.

Make sure to wear thick socks. Likewise, it will be even better if you wear two pairs of socks. This will expedite the natural stretching and you won’t feel any irritation or discomfort.

PROS

  • The natural way of stretching your tactical boots
  • Require no equipment or any object
  • Extremely easy to implement

CON

  • This process is time-taking

2. Use tactical boot stretcher

Another easy and result-oriented way of stretching your tactical boots and getting the desired result is the use of a tactical boot stretcher.

After acquiring a perfect tactical boot stretcher, put it inside your tactical boots. Focus on the spots that pinched most and need to be expanded.

Rotate the handle or adjust it according to your needs.

Leave the stretcher inside the tactical boots for six to eight hours.

After the desired time, remove it and wear your tactical boots. If you still feel the need to stretch your tactical boots, repeat the process again.

Make sure you don’t over-stretch your boots.

A tactical boot stretcher will release the pressure exerted by the new boots and make them smooth and expanded.

PROS

  • Quickly releases the pressure of new boots
  • Easy to use
  • Provide quick results

CON

  • Stretchers do not come with boots, you have to buy them separately

3. Use boot stretch spray

There are several boot-stretcher sprays available at various places.

Make sure to buy for yourself when you get a new pair of tactical boots.

Apply the spray gently at the tight spots and leave it for a minute.

After applying spray properly, walk in your tactical boots.

Please don’t forget to read the instructions related to the use of the spray. Some sprays are applied inside the tactical boots while others are used on outside fabric.

You can also use the boot stretcher with spray for quick and effective results.

PROS

  • Quick method
  • Easy to use
  • Soften leather properly

CON

  • Regular use might affect the original color of tactical boots

4. Newspaper and socks method

Another very convenient and easy way to stretch your tactical boots is by stuffing your boots with newspaper or sock balls.

If you do not have the intention of getting a boot stretcher for yourself, this is going to be the best.

Crumple the old newspapers and make them a little wet.

Put them inside the tactical boots as much as you can and leave them.

Put these crumbled newspapers in boots at night and remove them in the morning.

You might need to repeat this several times before getting the desired level of stretching.

The same procedure goes for the socks.

Make several sock balls and stuff them inside the boots to their maximum capacity. Leave the socks for a night. Repeat it if you feel the need for more stretching.

PROS

  • Cheap methods and do not cause any damage
  • Give better results
  • Easy to apply

CON

  • Take a little longer than other methods

5. Use a hairdryer

Here is another easy one, you can easily stretch your tactical boots at home with a hairdryer.

As it is fact that heat softens the leather and helps in its expansion.

Most tactical boots are leather-made; thus, using the heat of a hairdryer will be very useful in stretching them.

You can apply heat from a hairdryer in two methods.

First, you can use the heat of the dryer to make your boots dry from inside and outside, when leather absorbs the heat, you wear your boots with thick socks and walk until they cool down.

In the second method, you wear the boots first and then apply the heat of the dryer from outside at the spots which are tight.

Simultaneously, keep moving your feet inside the boots so the boots get stretched when the heat is applied from outside. After applying heat, start walking, until the boots cool down.

If your tactical boots have a zipper, it will be easier for you to apply heat from the dryer inside the boots.

PROS

  • You can do it at home
  • Cost nothing
  • Easy to apply

CON

  • You have to take permission of your wife before you use her dryer

6. Put water bags inside the boots and put them in the freezer

Stretch Your Boots With Ice!

Tactical boots in the freezer? Yeah inside the freezer.

Don’t freak out, here is the science. When water is frozen, it expands to a substantial extent. Latterly, this expansion causes the stretching of your tactical boots.

Get intact Ziploc bags, fill one-third of them with water. Zip it tightly. Make sure your bags won’t cause any water leakage.

Insert these water bags inside the tactical boots. Ensure every corner is filled properly with water bags.

Focus on special spots that are more pinchy. Use more than one or two bags if needed.

After rightly placing the bags, put your tactical boots in the freezer and leave them until the water is frozen inside the bags.

Once water is frozen properly, get your boots out of the freezer and let the water thaw.

Wear your tactical boots, if they still feel slightly tight, repeat the process.

PROS

  • Very effective and easy
  • Can be easily done at home
  • No equipment is required

CON

  • Little risk of water leakage

7. Use any household lotion

Here is another cheap one for stretching your tactical boots.

To stretch your tactical boots to some extent you can use any household moisturizer or lotion.

Apply it on the spots you want to stretch out or the areas that are very tight.

After proper application, wear your boots and walk.

Usage of any moisturizer or lotion softens the texture of leather and makes them stretchable.

PROS

  • A cheap and convenient method
  • Give quick results
  • Easy to apply

CON

  • You must clean your boots when dry

8. Use steam to stretch your tactical boots

Steaming the boots is also another useful method to stretch your tactical boots.

This method is frequently used by many cobblers. However, we can also do it at home.

Many cobblers do this method combined with using the boot stretcher and boot stretch spray.

Steam softens the leather and enhances its flexibility. You can use the home kettle, a nebulizer, or any other steamer to steam your tactical boots from inside and outside.

When you observe that your tactical boots are heated enough and you can wear them with socks, stop steaming the boots. Make sure your tactical boots are not too hot to wear.

After you are finished with steaming, put them on and start walking. Steamed leather is easy to get adjusted and stretched.

Moreover, if you use a boots stretcher on the steamed boots, you will get quick results.

PROS

  • Steam cause no harm to leather
  • Softens the leather quickly
  • Easy to implement

CON

  • There is also nylon in tactical boots, make sure you do not overheat with steam

9. Use leather conditioners

The use of leather conditioners is also another easy way of stretching tactical boots.

Liquid of the leather conditioners deeply penetrate into the leather of boots and make them very soft and stretchable.

While applying the leather conditioner, read the instructions properly mentioned on the conditioner.

Apply the leather conditioner on the outside of tactical boots and leave it for a minute. Let the oil of the conditioner soak for a bit.

After a very brief period, wear your tactical boots and walk so that your boots get stretched and fit your foot size.

You can apply the conditioner with a clean dry cloth.

Remember one thing, applying leather conditioner from the inside of boots might not give desirable results as the texture of the inside leather is a bit different from the outside.

Apart from stretching your tactical boots, you can use a leather conditioner on any type of leather stuff like a belt, car seat-cover, sofa, and more to make them rejuvenated.

PROS

  • Make leather texture brighter
  • Easy to apply
  • Enhance leather durability

CON

  • You have to make an extra expenditure on conditioner

10. Find tactical boots professional / cobbler

Here is the last resort. We hope you don’t need it.

If you don’t want to return your favorite pair of new tactical boots and are unable to stretch them properly, it is better to visit a tactical boots repair professional.

We are sure you don’t want to mess with your tactical boots. It is always safe to find a decent cobbler.

PROS

  • Someone will surely get your problem solved
  • You will be saved from making a possible mess
  • You will get your boots stretched quickly

CON

  • Time and money consuming

Are tactical boots stretchable?

Yes, tactical boots are stretchable and can be stretched properly and effectively if you follow any of the mentioned methods.

Tactical boots are mainly made of leather and leather can be stretched to a substantial extent if proper methods are applied.

However, if you have tactical boots with steel toes, then this might demand a little more effort to stretch your tactical boots.

Make sure you follow proper instructions before applying any method of stretching your tactical boots.

Besides, the tactical boots are also stretchable during use (as they are mostly constructed from high-grade leather).

This elasticity of tactical boots can make the wearer more comfortable for doing heavy duties or performing different activities.

Conclusion

We know well that tactical boots are not for fun. The majority of people who wear tactical boots are often busy with several laborious works and duties. Returning a good pair of tactical boots can be a very time-consuming task for them.

Above mentioned easy methods of stretching tactical boots are for such great people.

We thoroughly believe that comfort is very essential for the people wearing tactical boots.

Your involvement in different activities like construction, hunting, patrolling, chasing an offender can never be easy if something uncomfortable and tight is stuck in your feet.

Have a try at these prolific ways of stretching your tactical boots. Our thoroughly researched methods are very practical and effective at the same time.

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