A great pair of rubber rain boots will keep your feet dry, safe, and comfortable. But sadly, since rubber is a natural material, it can wear out with age, meaning your favorite rain boots are eventually gonna need to be replaced. Moisture, heat, and daily use can affect the integrity of the rubber, causing your rain boots to harden.
Fortunately, because good rain boots are made of natural rubber, you can save them by stretching the material, improving their fit, and restoring their elasticity, all of which can help expand their lifespan. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can save your favorite rain boots with a few stretching methods.
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How Can You Stretch Rain Boots?
Before we dive into how to stretch rain boots, it’s essential to understand how they’re made. Rubber boots are molded and shaped under high pressure and temperatures, becoming stronger as they cool down. Thus, if you apply the right amount of heat, you can stretch your rain boots more than you might expect.
New rain boots can take some time to break in. Initially, they might be inflexible, but they’ll conform and mold to your feet soon enough. If your new rubber boots don’t break in with time, then you can try some of these methods to stretch them. To learn about rain boot colors that go with everything, click this link.
Heating Your Rain Boots
You can also stretch your rain boots using heat, as heat will make the rubber expand. For this method, you only need a pair of thick socks and a hairdryer, then undertake the following process:
- Wear a pair of thick socks and then put on your rain boots.
- Turn the hairdryer on and set it to high heat. Then, hold it six to eight inches away from the surface of the boots. Move the hair dryer constantly over the rain boots to heat and loosen the material.
- Focus the heat on the particular areas you want to stretch, such as the heel or toe box.
- After heating the boots for about twenty-five minutes, take a walk in them for another twenty-five minutes.
- Repeat the procedure as needed till you find you’re boots have stretched out the amount you’d like
Stretching Rain Boots Using A Boot Stretcher
On the market today, there are a variety of stretching tools that enable you to target specific areas of your boots.
Usually, boot stretchers focus on the shaft and toe area without widening the entire boot. To stretch your rain boots using a boot stretcher, follow these steps:
- Insert the closed boot stretcher into your boot.
- Then, rotate the handle of the tool clockwise to open it until it is pressing tightly against the sides of the boot.
- Turn the boot stretcher two to three additional times to stretch out the material of your shoes, but be careful not to turn the boot stretcher more than five times, as you may stretch your boots too much.
- Leave the boot stretcher in overnight or for at least eight hours, and ensure the shoes are on a flat surface so that they stretch evenly.
- Next, remove the boot stretcher and put on the boots to see how they fit.
- Repeat the process as necessary to get the desired changes.
Take The Rain Boots To A Professional Cobbler
If you don’t trust yourself to stretch your boots or don’t have the time, you can always take them to a cobbler.
Cobblers have the proper devices, tools, and experience to help you stretch both old and new rain boots, and they can often stretch the shaft and calf areas as well. On top of that a professional cobbler can advise you on whether it’s possible for your rain boots to be stretched or if it’s better just to purchase a new pair.
Can I Stretch My Rain Boots Too Much?
After a certain point, further stretching will only weaken rubber boots, so unfortunately, yes, you can stretch your boots too much.
The average rubber boot can only handle about 0.5 to 0.75 inches of stretching before it begins to weaken. However, the number of times you can stretch your rain boots largely depends on how often you do it and how much you stretch them each time.
If you stretch your boots minimally and only when needed, then you won’t experience any additional wear and tear other than what’s typical with aging rain boots.
Stretching Your Rain Boots
Rain boots are an essential wardrobe item for anyone who frequently finds themselves in wet and rainy weather. But sometimes you might find that your favorite pair of boots doesn’t fit exactly how you’d like. Fortunately, you can stretch your rain boots at home without the help of a professional and with no technical tools needed, since natural rubber has an elastic quality to it.
