Shrinking my cowboy boots

So the Ariat cowboy boots that I got in April have been the only thing I've worn since then. If I'm not barefoot, I'm wearing them.

I haven't been taking care of them either, I know I should be cleaning them now and then, but I haven't done a thing.

Last week, I was stupid and in a hurry and only put my feet halfway in so I was kinda walking along without lifting my feet. I only did this for a few minutes but I think it was enough to stretch them to the point they aren't comfortable to wear because they're so loose around the ankles (and in general) now.

Looking up "how to shrink cowboy boots" basically tells me to soak them in water and then dry them next to a stove/high heat source. I guess I could run the oven with the door open and sit them on the door, but any other recommendations? A dude on IRC recommended throwing them in the dryer?

Can anyone verify that this is the best way to do that or else tell me how?

After I do this I will apply whatever cleaning/care product I need from now on. :p

Thanks!

I thought all you had to do was wear them on a hot day and they'd shrink around your ankles and feet.

I'm in Michigan and it's almost October. I won't have a chance to test that theory for quite some time. :p

A heat gun maybe? But that would take manual effort. I'm envisioning a Rube Goldberg device involving a space heater and record player, but perhaps that would also be needlessly complex. A dryer on delicate would probably be the easiest way I can think of, though they may get roughed up a bit with a ll the tumbling.

Soaking them in water and letting them dry while on your feet is supposed to be the best way to get a good fit out of them. That being said it's uncomfortable as hell, and never worked all that well for me either.

The whole "get them soaked then dry them fast" thing will generally work, but my recommendation would be to skip the do it yourself plan.

Especially if you spent the money on a higher end pair of Ariats, just protect your investment and take them into a shoe repair shop and have them professionally refurbished. You'll probably end up paying $30 or less, and in addition to the shrinking being done right they'll treat the leather and help counteract the abuse of being worn months with no care.

Blow dryer.

And if you don't have boot trees already, get them. You'll be glad you did.

Thanks for the info gents! I'll stop by the western store on the way home from work and see what they offer. There's also an actual shoe repair shop I'll check out as well.

How do you like your Ariats? I can't get a pair to fit. I have wide feet that only seem to fit in Noconas and Justins.

I don't know about cowboy boots, but I have a pair of leather boots that I got wet and let them dry on my feet, that worked great. I also have a buddy that was wearing leather boots when we rode through 2 days of rain on bikes. He passed out with them still on his feet after an eventful night in Nashville. Says now they're the best fitting boots he's ever worn.

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

... And have a trouble filling them, as well as probably experiencing issues owing to a disproportionate buckle-to-ranch dimension ratio?

I am actually very surprised.

I live in Alberta, which is cowboy county in Canada and it drives me nuts. I was on the train at a stop by a large sports center when a rodeo got let out.

I was the only person on the train not wearing a cowboy hat and singing country songs. It was awkward.

Paleocon wrote:

How do you like your Ariats? I can't get a pair to fit. I have wide feet that only seem to fit in Noconas and Justins.

Until this happened they were freaking perfect. :p I could forget they were on and wear them all day and my feet wouldn't hurt.

Kind of odd thing is, my dad bought these for me as my birthday present. I've never tried on another pair of cowboy boots.

I stopped at one shoe repair place on the way home but he said he couldn't do anything. He said he'd heard about shrinking them with water but he didn't outright recommend it. Not sure why he was so wishy-washy about it.

There's one other place I'll check out tomorrow, but either way I bought a brush and some polish.

The professional shop sounds like the best bet. Get the dish from them as far as upkeep of the boots goes.

For my fire boots I've always used Obenaufs heavy duty leather preservative. Keeps the leather from drying out and cracking.

For my road patrol boots I just take care to keep them clean and polished. So far they've lasted me about 4 years now, which ain't bad for the use they've gotten. I've stuck with Lincoln dye and polish to accomplish this. Always doing a thorough cleaning with a rag and rubbing alcohol before dyeing is highly adviced.

Just remember that mud is the worst enemy of leather. Don't let your boots sit in a closet with mud caked on them, it will dry and crack your leather faster than anything.

Paleo,

I've got a very wide foot, and normally wear a EE. The last set of boots I got was from Anderson Bean and they fit very well.
I can heartily recommend them and Rios of Mercedes for an awesome set of handcrafted boots

http://www.andersonbeanboots.com/

http://www.riosofmercedesboots.com/

Rat Boy wrote:

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:

... And have a trouble filling them, as well as probably experiencing issues owing to a disproportionate buckle-to-ranch dimension ratio? :P

That's the question. How many who have cowboy boots have actually been on or near a horse with them and how many are, as the man once said, all hat and no cattle?

Teneman wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:

... And have a trouble filling them, as well as probably experiencing issues owing to a disproportionate buckle-to-ranch dimension ratio? :P

That's the question. How many who have cowboy boots have actually been on or near a horse with them and how many are, as the man once said, all hat and no cattle?

I own neither and have ridden on horses far more than everyone I know. Especially long pack trail excursions.

Talk about being sore...

Teneman wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:

... And have a trouble filling them, as well as probably experiencing issues owing to a disproportionate buckle-to-ranch dimension ratio? :P

That's the question. How many who have cowboy boots have actually been on or near a horse with them and how many are, as the man once said, all hat and no cattle?

Well, DruidPeak, for one, does ride a lot. He's a ranger with the National Parks Service, if I remember his position right.

koshnika wrote:

Paleo,

I've got a very wide foot, and normally wear a EE. The last set of boots I got was from Anderson Bean and they fit very well.
I can heartily recommend them and Rios of Mercedes for an awesome set of handcrafted boots

http://www.andersonbeanboots.com/

http://www.riosofmercedesboots.com/

Wow. Those Rios look nice. Those Chocolate Mad Dogs look particularly nice. They look a bit rich for my blood though.

I have combat boots, though I confess to having never been in combat.

Rat Boy wrote:

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

I've got cowboy boots AND ropers. I was looking at getting a horse a while back, but then the economic realities of owning one hit me in the face

Boots - Check
Horse riding experience - Check
Ranch ownership - Check
Belt buckle larger than Cuba - No.

I have some work boots that I usually wear. My 'cowboy' boots are from Rogers in Cabo San Lucas.

Trachalio wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

I've got cowboy boots AND ropers. I was looking at getting a horse a while back, but then the economic realities of owning one hit me in the face :P

Yeah, that's a hell of a reality check isn't it? Not to mention the last time I bought a horse I ended up getting married as well, talk about a heck of a 'hidden cost'!

bighoppa wrote:

Boots - Check
Horse riding experience - Check
Ranch ownership - Check
Belt buckle larger than Cuba - No.

I have some work boots that I usually wear. My 'cowboy' boots are from Rogers in Cabo San Lucas.

You need a huge diamond studded belt buckle in the shape of a D&G logo.

Teneman wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:

... And have a trouble filling them, as well as probably experiencing issues owing to a disproportionate buckle-to-ranch dimension ratio? :P

That's the question. How many who have cowboy boots have actually been on or near a horse with them and how many are, as the man once said, all hat and no cattle?

You know, with all the horse and cattle ranches in and around town, I can't say that I have.

I wear these Ariat boots all the time. I used to ride dressage and got used to wearing paddock boots.

Wet your boots and let them dry in a sunny window. That should do it. Then, put some preservative on them.

Well, DruidPeak, for one, does ride a lot. He's a ranger with the National Parks Service, if I remember his position right.

which is funny because I don't own any cowboy boots. I wear a packer style of boot, which is essentially a lace up style cowboy boot. I prefer them for the amount of walking I do when I am on horseback patrol of the boundary. I recommend Whites or Nicks.

Temperatures are going to drop here soon and I'll start wearing my Pac boots. Mine are Schnees.

Teneman wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

And am I the only one surprised this many Goodjers like myself own cowboy boots?

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:

... And have a trouble filling them, as well as probably experiencing issues owing to a disproportionate buckle-to-ranch dimension ratio? :P

That's the question. How many who have cowboy boots have actually been on or near a horse with them and how many are, as the man once said, all hat and no cattle?

Got the boots, got the horses (and other livestock), got the farm. :p

Druidpeak, thanks for that info. Regarding the Obenauf's LP, my boots are already cracking in one or two places from use and it's not bad, I don't care about looks as these are work boots, but is it going to be a problem applying that stuff or do I just follow the directions like normal?

Just get your boots well cleaned off before applying. I use my bare hands to apply it, and tend to be very liberal with it. I'll let them sit in the sun afterward or put them on a Pete boot dryer.

Kier wrote:

I am actually very surprised.

I live in Alberta, which is cowboy county in Canada and it drives me nuts. I was on the train at a stop by a large sports center when a rodeo got let out.

I was the only person on the train not wearing a cowboy hat and singing country songs. It was awkward.

It could be worse.

I was in Kansas City visiting my brother and we decided to go out for steaks. Best steaks I ever had. Anyway, on the way back, I had to stop at the restroom and just as I was washing my hands, some guy who worked in a feed lot came in with THAT STUFF all over his boots. When I say THAT STUFF, I'm not talking about manure. It is the mystery stuff that they have in feed lots that smells worse than anything you could possibly imagine just short of a closed elevator filled knee deep with rotting octopus. It was the worst smell I have ever experienced.

Let's just say I rented that $35 T-bone.