RAF training boots

I got issued with my training boots 23/3 and have been wearing them religously ever since.

The heel section is very stubborn and everytime i run even just for a few minutes i end up with blisters on both heels.

Any ideas how to soften this part of the boot up? The rest of the boot seems to be moulding quite nicely...

Reply 1

leachy2011

I currently work in the RAF and I found it took quite a while to 'soften them up' around about a month but other than they should be fine. I found that wearing them nearly always (unless you can't) helps soften them.
Hope this helps?

Reply 2

dbmag9

My mum used to put rubbing alcohol on leather shoes to allow them to stretch a bit. No idea how effective it is, or if it ruins the leather or whatever. Can you not just wear hiking socks (the anti-blister ones) until the boots have softened through use?

Reply 3

JustWonderingWhy

Zinc oxide tape on your feet and keep wearing them. Walk in them at first if running is blistering your feet.

Reply 4

Booyah

Whenever I went hiking using a really thin but tight pair of socks underneath a really thick OG/black pair usually prevents me getting blisters...

Reply 5

Drewski

The only methods that, in my experience, really work seem to be the ones you always get told not to do...

Persevere, keep going. Lots and lots of polish.

Reply 6

wly

Don't worry Gents, You will not be doing any prolonged running immediately in your boots at Halton. Plus you'll be wearing them and polishing them every day so will have ample time to adapt to your feet.

Reply 7

ProStacker

Just polish them and wear them with thick enough socks. DO NOT RUN IN THEM. Just walk. Lots. You are probably not used to proper boots on your feet anyway - but you will get used to it.

Reply 8

armyboy

If you keep getting blisters maybe they are the wrong size. Even if you try new boots on they are so stiff it is tricky to tell if you have exactly the right size until you have worn them a few times. I just got a new pair of boots from stores - exactly the same size as my old ones which fitted perfectly but they aren't fitting too well even after a few wears.

Reply 9

Architecture-er

Yeah, I suggest a thin but tight pair of socks, with a thick pair of socks over the outside. The thick socks give you that extra padding over uneven terrain and to stop your feet rubbing inside, whilst the thin socks keep your feet dry and provide a nice slippy layer to stop the socks rubbing on them in turn.

And just walk. Everywhere :biggrin:

You'll be getting blisters partly because your feet are jolting and rubbing inside your boots when you run, so taking it slower or wearing bulky socks to tighten everything up will help.

Reply 10

JMET

I've been through Halton fairly recently (in the last couple of years) and take advice from Nancy Sinatra. Those boots are made for walking. Through Halton you will do some boot walks, but you will not be running for any real length of time in them.

I wouldn't wear two pairs of socks with boots. They don't stop blisters, they are just something else to rub and blister your feet. A good solution is Zinc Oxide tape over the area that gets blistered. NOT, for the love of god, on any pre formed blisters. This provides a surface for the boot to rub against without actually rubbing the skin of your foot.

Reply 11

daggerbolt

Thanks for all the replies.

I think they might actually be slightly too big for me as there is movement near heel.

Size 9s were pinching my heel at prtc and within 1 min of walking I had major blisters so i opted for size up.

Are you allowed to pad them out with insoles to decrease movement?

Reply 12

ProStacker

I've never heard of footwear 'pinching your heel' - surely they would pinch your toes as the heel just pushes against your heel bone? As for getting blisters - blisters are only caused through movement, so they were moving against your foot.

Sorbothane insoles are very good and quite high volume. They might be worth investigating.

Reply 13

stayce88

I have always used sorbathane insoles, cant fault them, when they wear down I just buy a new pair, full strike I think it's called the type I use

Reply 14

Drewski

I'll add my voice to the sorbothane insoles. I got a pair of the Full Strike gel types. 3 years on they're still perfect - they don't pad out like the foam types. These are the ones