Summer is unofficially underway.  

Besides busting out your camp collar shirts for relaxed summer vibes, you might consider changing up your footwear for the warmer weather.

Summer shoes put a premium on breathability so your feet stay cool and don’t get smelly during the hot days. They’re also typically more casual than fall and winter shoes and just look chill and relaxed.

When most men think of a summer shoe that’s breathable and relaxed, they usually think of sandals first. But there are other summer shoe options besides sandals! Footwear options that thankfully keep your toes hidden — because no one wants to see a dude’s toes.

Below, we’ll dig into these options (and when sandals are appropriate), offering a guide to the essential summer shoes every man should consider adding to his wardrobe.

Espadrilles

Espadrilles are lightweight, breathable shoes with canvas or cotton uppers and distinctive woven rope soles, traditionally crafted from jute.

They combine comfort, relaxed style, and excellent airflow, making them perfect for beach outings, leisurely strolls, or relaxed gatherings during warm weather. Since they’re lightweight, they’re great for vacation packing.

The two cons of espadrilles are that they absorb water easily and wear down quickly on pavement.

They pair nicely with linen chinos, shorts, and Guayabera shirts.

Canvas Sneakers

Canvas sneakers combine breathable fabric and casual comfort that’s just right for summer. Iconic slip-on styles like those from Vans and SeaVees, first favored by California surfers in the 1960s, deliver effortless, laid-back vibes. Lace-up classics, including Converse Chuck Taylors, offer timeless versatility.

Wear them with shorts or chinos for an easygoing outfit at backyard cookouts or city strolls.

While canvas is breathable, canvas sneakers can still get smelly. Make sure to read our guide on how to go sockless in the summer without stinking up your shoes. Your best bet is to wear a no-show sock with canvas sneakers to avoid the smell issue.

Boat Shoes

Invented by Paul Sperry in 1935, boat shoes feature siped soles for grip on wet decks. They’re typically associated with East Coast preppy dudes, but can be pulled off by guys from coast to coast.

Boat shoes seem to cycle in and out of fashion. They were popular when I was in high school back in the 90s (I wore them), and then they became uncool. But boat shoes are back in style.

Boat shoes up the class level just a notch above sneakers, so that they look best with an outfit that rises a bit above the ordinary t-shirt + jeans/shorts combo — think a polo shirt, button-down, short-sleeve henley, or guayabera on top, and nicer jeans, khakis, or shorts on the bottom. You can even wear them with a blazer — if you dress down the rest of the elements in your get-up.

See our full guide to boat shoes.

Boat shoes are typically worn without socks. Make sure to let them air out after each wearing.

Huaraches & Woven-Leather Shoes

Huaraches blend airy woven leather comfort with versatile style. Originating in Mexico, they offer excellent breathability and a custom fit, as they mold to your feet as you wear them regularly. No need to wear socks with them. They offer the breathability of a sandal while covering your toes.

Slightly dressier than typical sandals or sneakers, huaraches pair well with things like chinos and Oxford button-downs. You could even wear them with a lightweight summer suit.  

Mohinders City Slipper

My personal summer favorite is the Mohinders City Slipper. It’s basically a huarache slide. Handcrafted from water buffalo leather, they’re breathable, stylishly minimalist, and only get better with age. Whenever I wear them, I get compliments and questions about where I got them.

Mohinders aren’t great if you’re walking long distances. I’ve done that before and just ended up with blisters. Save them for cookouts or sipping drinks on the beach.

They pair well with khaki shorts, linen pants, and camp shirts.

Summer-Weight Loafers

Summer-weight loafers, particularly unlined leather or suede loafers and driving moccasins, provide an effortlessly refined option for warm weather. They seamlessly bridge casual and dressy outfits, easily pairing with everything from tailored shorts and polos to linen suits. They’re a nice addition to your summer smart casual wardrobe.

Keep them fresh with regular suede brushing, waterproof spray, and cedar shoe trees to manage moisture and maintain shape.

Sandals: Limited Use

One of Walker Lamond’s rules of life is “Men should not wear sandals. Ever.” My 14-year-old son spontaneously came to the same conclusion without any coaching from me. Why? Because dudes’ feet are just ugly.

Walker makes one exception for sandals: Sandals are allowed if you’re using them as gear for a specific water-based situation, like going to the pool or rafting. For all other situations, stick with one of the above summertime shoes.

Quick Decision Guide

• Near or in water? ➜ Sandal
• Smart-casual dinner? ➜ Unlined loafers or Huaraches
• Wet deck or rainy boardwalk? ➜ Boat shoes
• City exploration? ➜ Canvas sneakers
• Beach town evenings? ➜ Espadrilles or Mohinders

A solid summer shoe rotation — one breathable closed-toe, one dressy loafer, and one water-ready sandal — covers nearly every warm-weather occasion and will keep you feeling chill and looking sharp all season long.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Once you have your shirt and tie put together, you need to match your shoes to your suit. To do this, know that there are three main colors of dress shoe — black, brown, and burgundy/oxblood — to go with five main colors of suit — light gray, dark gray/charcoal, navy blue, brown, and black. You can’t wear any shoe with any suit, so use the above illustration to help you make the appropriate selection. The only suits that go with every color shoe, and therefore are the most versatile, are navy blue and light gray. The least versatile suit — black — should really only be paired with black shoes. 

When you have multiple options of shoe color, how do you know what to go with? Keep the following in mind to determine what color shoe to wear to any given event (and use the dress shoe hierarchy to then determine the right style): 

• Burgundy/oxblood — more casual, stylish, creative; less formal 
• Brown — versatile; not casual but not formal; middle of the road and safe 
• Black — formal, getting down to business 

Remember too: your belt should always be the same color as your shoes. 

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

In the list of priorities on how to dress well, your shoe laces should be near the bottom. Take care of the style fundamentals first. But once you’ve got those down and would like to add a bit more panache to your outfit, you can start thinking about the smaller details of style, like adding a dimple to your tie, and, as you’ll find illustrated above, lacing your dress shoes in what sartorialists consider the proper fashion.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Whether it’s an upcoming wedding, graduation, or simply another day at the office, a pair of shiny shoes can set you apart as a man who cares about the details.

Not only does shining your shoes add panache to your appearance, it is a necessary part of properly caring for and maintaining a nice pair of leather shoes or boots. The polish itself helps moisturize and waterproof the leather, lengthening the lifespan of your shoes.

All you need to get going is a soft cloth, a can of shoe polish, and a good shoe brush.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

Shoe shopping may not top many men’s lists of favorite activities, but from time to time, it has to be done. And it’s a process that should be done with a bit of care. Beyond the style considerations that may be foremost in your mind, your shoes will have a disproportionate influence on your overall comfort level. Ill-fitting shoes can make standing and walking a literal pain, and cause significant health issues for not only your feet, but your ankles, knees, back, and more.

So whether you’re buying casual athletic sneakers or formal dress shoes, you want the pair you choose to fit as perfectly as possible. Following the guidelines outlined above will get you much of the way there; following these additional tips will bring your new kicks on home:

7. Make sure they feel good right out the box. While new shoes will conform to your feet with regular wear, especially if they’re made from leather, the degree their size and shape will change over time isn’t significant. So don’t count on this breaking-in process turning an uncomfortable, ill-fitting shoe into a comfortable, well-fitting one; your shoes should feel good and fit well from the get-go.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in May 2019.

Chukka boots represent one of the simplest styles of men’s footwear, and have been a sartorial staple for decades.

Despite their status as a classic menswear “basic,” however, guys still often have a few unanswered questions about them — questions that may keep them from getting, and rocking, a pair themselves.

So today we’ll answer some of those FAQ’s, so you can get more comfortable and confident with the chukka.

1. How do you pronounce “chukka”?

It’s “chuck-uh” (rhymes with “yucca”) rather than “choo-kuh.”

The name is believed to have arisen from British polo players living in colonial India; a “chukka” or “chukker” is a period in the game of polo. It’s unclear, though, whether the boot was named for its similarity to boots worn by players during the game, or to the footwear favored by them off the field.

2. What makes a chukka boot, a chukka boot?

Pictured: Astorflex Greenflex Desert Boot

Chukka boots come in a wide variety of colors and materials and may have little twists in style, but to be a true chukka, the distinctive features outlined above must be in evidence.

In addition to those fundamentals, chukkas most typically and traditionally sport thin laces and are made with either unlined leather calfskin or suede.

3. Are “chukka boots” and “desert boots” the same thing?

Yes and no. While “desert boots” and “chukka boots” are sometimes used interchangeably, desert boots are a specific type of chukka boot, so that all desert boots are chukkas, but not all chukkas are desert boots.

The desert boot variation of the chukka arose during World War II. British soldiers fighting in the Western Desert Campaign in Egypt and Libya found that their military-issued boots didn’t do an adequate job offering traction in the sand, nor of keeping that sand from migrating inside of them. They admired the footwear of traders in the Old Bazaar in Cairo, which was in turn influenced by the footwear of South African soldiers. British officers had cobblers make chukka boots for them based on that design, which married the traditional chukka upper that tied up close to the ankle (the better to keep out sand), with a crepe rubber sole (the better to walk upon it). These “desert boots” were popularized after the war as civilian footwear by the Clarks company.

Pictured on left: Clark’s Original Desert Boot; on right: Ace Marks Chukka Boot Lorenzo.

Today the desert boot can be distinguished from a “standard” chukka by its thick rubber sole — it is also most often made of suede, and its most classic color is, not so surprisingly, sand. While dark chukka boots with a thin, hard leather sole are more formal, desert boots are more comfortable to wear, and sit on the more casual side of the chukka spectrum.

4. What can I wear with chukkas?

Nearly everything in your closet.

While all types of chukkas reside more on the casual end of the footwear spectrum, these versatile boots can readily be dressed both up and down.

On the most casual level, they look fine with jeans and a t-shirt — at least a nicer, solid/striped tee rather than the graphic variety.

Chukkas are most at home at the next notch up: smart casual. They pair great with dark denim/chinos + a button-down, polo, or sweater. Stylish yet comfortable, swapping sneakers for chukkas is an easy way to elevate all your casual looks.

They remain suitable as you rise a little higher to business casual, and can be worn with khakis and a sport coat or blazer.

Now, as to whether you can rise another formality level still and wear them with a suit, we’ll address that in its own question below.

For McQueen, no matter the outfit or occasion, it was all chukkas, all the time.

But first a few general style tips:

• Contrast the color of your chukkas and pants; so darker-colored boots with lighter pants/lighter-colored boots with darker pants. Avoid having the color of your boots and pants match too closely; e.g., sand-colored chukkas + sand-colored khakis.
• Consider rolling your pants up a bit to show off the distinctive styling of the upper part of the boot; with it covered, the boot just looks like a generic leather shoe.
• Choose pants that break a little higher and have a narrower leg; a little rounded toe sticking out of a baggy, wide leg pant looks weird.

Click here for more specific recommendations on how to style a pair of chukkas with 3 different get-ups.

5. Can you wear chukkas with a suit?

Yes, with a few caveats.

First, chukkas are more appropriate when paired with a suit for after-hours social occasions rather than professional ones. The combination will look out of place in more traditional banking and legal offices.

Second, if you do wear chukkas with a suit, it should be those with leather soles and calfskin uppers, rather than suede desert boots with rubber soles. With the bottom of your suit pants covering the tops of your chukkas, the toes of such boots won’t look too different from those of another leather dress shoe.

Finally, while it can be done, because of the casual nature of chukkas, they’re definitely not ideal for pairing with the formality of a suit; a dressier shoe will invariably look better.

6. Can you wear chukkas in the summer?

Given the fact that they’re called desert boots and grew out of the hot climes of Africa and India, you’d think the answer to this one would be obvious — yes!

The hesitation about wearing chukkas in the summer of course comes from the idea that you shouldn’t wear boots during the hotter months. And indeed, you shouldn’t wear high-cut, heavy duty boots in the heat (unless they’re for function). But with their ankle height, and typically unlined, thinner fabric, chukkas are an exception to the rule. In fact, they’re one of the best of the limited options available for classy, closed-toed, but laid-back summertime shoes for men.

You can technically go sockless with chukkas, but they tie up so close to your ankles, that dropping socks isn’t going to make your feet much cooler — just sweatier and stinkier.

If you can wear them in the summer, can you wear them with shorts? Not recommended. It makes you look like you’re going on an African safari, and can only be pulled off if that’s what you’re actually doing. If it’s hot enough you need to don shorts, it’s time to go sockless in an even lower cut of leather footwear like the boat shoe. Or better still, the “City Slipper.”

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

In the colder months, a man’s got plenty of footwear options: sneakers for casual occasions, dress boots for classier events, leather moccasins for hanging around the house. 

Summertime footwear is trickier. Optimally, you want something that’s cool (that you can ideally wear without socks), comfortable, and decent-looking. But the options that hit this combo are few and far between.

A lot of dudes opt for sandals or flip-flops as their go-to summertime footwear. They’re easy to slip on, and they’re supremely breathable. While I sported sandals regularly during my high school days, as I’ve gotten older, they’ve lost their appeal. Except for going to the beach or wearing Chacos while rafting, I don’t think sandals look that good or seem very dignified in most situations. That’s just my personal taste; I don’t feel my centaur feet make a great impression.

For many years, the boat shoe was my own go-to summer shoe. They’re closed-toe, slip on quickly, and because they’re kind of dressy looking, extremely versatile. I could wear boat shoes while I schlepped around the house in my gym shorts and t-shirt or pair them with khakis and a polo to go out for a date night dinner.

But the problem I had with boat shoes is that they’re not very breathable. My feet would get awfully hot and sweaty while wearing them during the hot and humid Oklahoma summers. And then the shoes would get kind of stinky.

So at the start of the season, I was on the lookout for a new summertime shoe. My criteria were: 1) it had to be slip-on, 2) it had to be breathable without exposing toes, and 3) it had to have some class. Basically, I didn’t want to wear Crocs. 

Thankfully, I’ve found a shoe that fits all those criteria: the City Slipper from Mohinders.  

The Backstory of the City Slipper

Mohinders was founded by a fella named Michael Paratore. When Michael was on a trip in Mumbai, India, he came across a pair of handwoven leather slip-ons. He liked the shoes so much that he decided to track down the craftsmen who designed them and start a company to sell them to the masses. 

He and Indian craftsmen from the city of Athani, India, modified the design of the original slip-on to make them a bit more stylish, durable, and comfortable. The City Slipper was born.

Instead of taking this design and then manufacturing the City Slipper in a big factory, Mohinders works with families of 3rd-and 4th-generation shoemakers and leather tanners in Athani. They’re made with an eye towards both quality and minimal environmental impact; the sole is crafted from natural crepe rubber and the upper from full-grain water buffalo leather tanned with natural ingredients.

Why the City Slipper Is the Perfect Summertime Shoe

I first came across the City Slipper when Huckberry started featuring the shoe in their store a year or so ago (that there is an affiliate link, but this isn’t a sponsored post, and my endorsement is unsolicited and genuine). I was immediately drawn to the City Slipper when I saw it. It was right on with what I was looking for in my summertime footwear: it slips on, and the weave design makes the shoe breathable without exposing my gross man toes to the world. Plus, they looked like something Ernest Hemingway would wear around his house in Key West while writing, petting his dozen cats, and plotting his next great adventure.

I didn’t pull the trigger on buying the City Slipper then because I still had some wear left in my boat shoes. After I wore my boat shoes into the ground last summer, I was ready to purchase the City Slipper this summer. 

After a couple of months of field testing, I can’t recommend them enough.

Unique, easy to put on, comfortable, breathable, with a touch of that relaxed, Papa Hemingway coolness to them.

I pretty much wear my City Slippers all the time. At home, around the pool, for get-togethers with friends. I usually wear shorts with them, but I wore them with a pair of jeans the other day, and it looked sharp. I’ve gotten compliments on them from lots of people, and they’ve asked where they can get a pair. 

Like leather moccasins, City Slippers get more comfortable as you break them in, and they conform to your feet. The leather on mine has developed a handsome patina already. 

The one downside to the City Slipper is the high price tag: $145. But you’re supporting artisans in rural India with the purchase of your shoe. You’re also buying a product that will last longer than a pair of flip-flops from Old Navy. You can even get them re-soled. Despite wearing my City Slippers every day for two months, so far they’ve held up nicely, and I imagine I’ll be enjoying them for a while to come. Exactly how long they do last, and thus what their ultimate “price per wear” turns out to be is something I’ll have to gauge down the road, but for now, I’m certainly enjoying doing the road test.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

There are more sweat glands in your two feet than anywhere else on your body. And when bacteria breaks down that sweat, it can stink. (That’s right — it’s not the bacteria itself that stinks.) 

Because of all the sweat from your feet, which inevitably soaks into your shoes, stinky footwear is a rather common occurrence. While in some cases it’s a minor annoyance that really only impacts yourself, in others it’s a truly embarrassing matter — people can smell it if they’re simply sitting next to you on the subway, and if you take your shoes off around folks, the stink can bowl them over!

The amount you sweat and the pungency of your body odor is partially genetic, and if you’re on the more stinky end of things, you’ll just unfortunately have to do more to fight it (and prevent it). 

Below you’ll find how to do just that. We start with a handful of tips focused on prevention, and then move into a number of mostly natural options you can try before you’re forced to throw your permanently putrid footwear in an incinerator.

Prevention (Foot + Shoe Care) 

The first part of eliminating stinky shoes is preventing the problem before it can ever take root in the first place. Utilize the below tips to keep your feet and shoes stink-free. 

1. Maintain a foot care routine. Stinky shoes start with stinky feet. Wash your feet every day, and no, letting the suds from washing your torso drip down to your feet doesn’t count; actually wash your dogs deliberately with a washcloth and soap. If your feet are really a problem, wash them even on days you might not shower. Also exfoliate with a pumice stone; the bottoms of your feet, especially at the heels, are obviously epicenters of the kind of calloused crevasses in which bacteria like to hide. Give your feet some antibacterial lotion after showering too.  

Simply washing your feet each day can in many cases eliminate foot smell, and the stinky shoes that follow, altogether. 

2. Treat athlete’s foot/fungus. Your feet stank may be caused not by bacteria, but by fungus. Athlete’s foot (a fungal infection) and toenail fungus are two manifestations of such, and while they’re not the same thing, they often appear together. While it’s not in the purview of this particular piece to go into treatments for these infections, there are a number of things you can do to curb these foot troubles, from over-the-counter powders/creams, to prescription treatments, and DIY remedies. Treating these toe and toenail problems will go a long way towards decreasing foot and shoe odor. 

3. Rotate the shoes you wear. This is a tip you’ll often see when it comes to taking care of shoes and extending their lifespan, and it’s equally applicable for the sake of eliminating odor. Again, your feet sweat. A lot. When you wear the same shoes 8+ hours per day, for multiple days in a row, that footwear never has a chance to completely dry or air out. So you just keep adding moisture, and adding moisture, and adding moisture. Instead, give shoes a full day or two to air out and breathe a little. Didn’t know you needed an excuse to buy new shoes, did you?  

4. Maintain a shoe care routine. In addition to rotating your shoes, be sure to clean them properly when you do wear them. After a long day, give them a quick sweep with an antibacterial wipe (or use the homemade spray mentioned below) as soon as you kick ‘em off, thereby beating bacteria before it takes hold. Wash the insoles on the regular (more on that below too). Give dirty shoes a wipe with a damp paper towel; dirt and grime can stink when broken down, just as sweat can. Using cedar shoe trees ensures effective air circulation, and absorbs some moisture as well. The bottom line: taking care of your shoes is a great way to keep them from stinking. 

5. Wear sweat-sucking socks. There are a lot of socks out there these days that have sweat-wicking properties. Invest in them. No need to stick with the lame cotton whities that you get in bulk at Walmart. Whether it’s a low-cut performance sock or a heavy duty wool option, the socks you wear can make a big difference. 

It should go without saying that going sockless in shoes is a recipe for stank. Sometimes though, like with boat shoes, you’re going to wear them sans socks. In those cases, just be especially sure that you’re washing your feet each day, that you’re giving your shoes an antibacterial wipe down at the end of the day (though not with leather, as the alcohol can dry out the material; instead use the homemade spray below), and that your shoes get ample airing between wears. 

Extermination 

Okay, now that we know some things about prevention, let’s look at some tips for getting rid of the smell once it’s already infiltrated your shoes. Depending on the level of stink, it’s possible that a single option will do the trick, or you may need to utilize many of them. 

1. Throw (some of) your shoes in the washer. Fabric and canvas shoes can usually be cleaned in a clothes washer. Either look at the tag or Google your particular brand/shoe. A gentle cycle with cool water is often what’s recommended. Drying in the dryer creates an annoying racket, and can damage the shoes, or the drum, so stuff them with balled up wads of newspaper (which you replace as they become saturated) and/or just leave them in the sun to dry, which also eliminates bacteria . . . 

2. Take advantage of UV power! The sun’s UV rays naturally kill bacteria. (That’s why sunlight can purify water.) You don’t want to leave leather/suede shoes in direct, hot sunlight for extended periods of time, but they can handle it for an afternoon. And other materials are fine for whatever you want to do. Unlace, lift up the tongue as much as you can, and leave them be. It may not exterminate stink fully, but it’ll definitely eliminate some of it, and it’s obviously totally natural and free.   

3. Use baking soda (or kitty litter). While you can buy a specially formulated powder (see below), there are a couple things you might already have in your home that could do the trick just as well. The classic is baking soda, which is universally known to absorb and neutralize odors. You can just toss powder directly into your shoe, but then you have to clean it out (if you don’t, it will clump into gritty sludge the next time you sweat in your shoes). The better option is to put some in a sock; the porousness allows the soda to still work and doesn’t make nearly as much of a mess. Kitty litter does the same thing if you happen to have some in the house. Just be careful employing these methods with leather/suede, as it can dry out those materials if used too much. 

4. Use homemade spray. As with powder, there are dozens of foot and shoe sprays you can buy, but this homemade version is wayyy cheaper and far more natural. It’s especially useful for leather/suede shoes that can’t be thrown in the washer. 

The recipe: 

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 5 drops of tea tree oil

Mix it all up in a small spray bottle and you’re set. Spray it inside your shoes when they’ve become offensive. Also use it as a preventative action once you’ve taken your shoes off after a long day.  

5. Put in dryer sheets overnight. Fabric softener sheets not only smell nice, but they also neutralize odors. That little sheet is actually a chemical-laden stink-stopping bomb. While they’re not actually good for your clothing or dryers, they can work wonders in a stinky shoe. (In a dryer, the chemicals in the sheet are melting and spreading throughout the clothing; in a shoe, you don’t have to worry about that.) Ball one or two up and stick them in each shoe overnight. 

6. Wash the insoles. Some insoles are machine-washable. Check the manufacturer website. Others need handwashing in either a soapy bucket or a water/vinegar mix. If you’re not sure or can’t find the info, go with the latter method. As alluded to above, washing them every 2-4 weeks can also be part of your ongoing maintenance routine. 

7. For minor problems, try essential oils and/or citrus peels. If the smell of your shoes is more of a minor annoyance than a truly embarrassing problem, you can go with this easy route. You have some essential oils left over from that DIY beard oil, right? Put about 5 drops of tea tree, lemon, or lavender oil (those are my favorites at least) right into the shoe. It’ll help quite a bit with the smell — though it won’t kill all the bacteria. Citrus peels, which contain a lot of natural essential oils, can do the same thing. Stick a peel or two in the shoes overnight and see what happens.

8. Consider commercial powders/sprays/products. There are a bajillion products out there designed to kill foot/shoe stank. Most are kind of spendy, and tend to include all the same moisture-absorbing/antibacterial ingredients and also essential oils/fragrances to make them smell nice. These are sort of a one-stop shop if that’s how you want to go. But, you can save a lot of money and use less harsh chemicals with the other methods above. 

For a chem-free but turnkey solution, we’ve found success with these StankStix — they absorb moisture and eliminate odors, and you just have to slide them into your shoes and let them sit.

Related Articles

• How to Care for Leather
• A Man’s Guide to Cleaning and Caring for Suede
• Preventing Swamp Crotch

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

A good pair of leather boots is an essential part of every man’s wardrobe, particularly in the fall and winter. Say you got a nice shiny pair of Red Wing boots for Christmas or your birthday, or you just wanted to splurge with your end-of-year bonus. You’re excited to lace ‘em up and wear your boots to work or out on a date, but they’re stiff and a little hard to put on, and when you walk around, they feel a little uncomfortable after a while.

That’s just part of the reality of owning a pair of boots made from leather: it’s a hard, tough material (which is why it’s so dang durable!). Leather boots thus need to be broken in before they’re comfortable for regular and prolonged use.

How do you do that though? The tried and true method is to just wear them and deal with the discomfort — sometimes including blisters — until the leather becomes softer and more comfortable. We live in the internet age though. Aren’t there any hacks or tricks to breaking them in a little quicker and without as much discomfort?

The short answer: nope. There are a few things you can do to ease the discomfort, but in general, any hacks or quick tips you see out there pose too much of a risk to the leather to be worth trying. When you’re spending $200 or more on your shoes (which is about as cheap as you can get a high-quality pair of boots), you don’t want them wrecked before you’ve gotten a chance to enjoy them for a few decades.

Below you’ll find out why some of the tricks you see online shouldn’t be utilized, as well as a few tips for easing the discomfort of the breaking-in process.

Dispelling Some Internet Tricks

In doing some initial internet research, I was presented with almost exactly what I expected to find: a few apparently quick and painless hacks that would instantly break in a pair of leather boots.

Most of what I found revolved around subjecting the leather to extremes in terms of water and heat. Leather is obviously an incredibly resistant material, so while prolonged exposure to these elements isn’t good for it, an initial blast to soften things up won’t hurt. Right? That’s how the thinking goes at least.

Thankfully, I didn’t trust the internet, and called up a local Red Wing shoe store to get the dope on these shortcuts rather than trying them out firsthand and possibly ruining a nice pair of boots.

Water Exposure

I saw tips out there ranging from submerging the boots in a tub full of water, to wearing wet socks in an attempt to get the leather to mold more to your feet.

The logic of this line of reasoning isn’t all that crazy. Water immersion does make leather more pliable, and in fact many leather projects rely on the material being soaked for the sake of molding it into some shape (like a knife sheath). Leather boots have a blue collar heritage, that typically isn’t just a matter of aesthetics: you generally should be able to wear them in wet and messy conditions, and have them hold up just fine. Thus manufacturers themselves sometimes used to in fact recommend breaking in their boots with the water exposure method.

It’s hard to find any that do anymore, though. The problem is that water immersion can actually shrink your boots, doing the opposite of what you intended.

Plus, while not a guarantee, it’s sure a possibility that the water could warp or otherwise damage not only the leather, but the soles as well, especially in more modern-style boots that have a cushioned insole vs. just a hard leather one. While your boots should be fine when worn out on a rainy day, that’s not quite the same as giving them a prolonged soaking in a bucket of water.

Bottom line: Avoid this route.

Direct Heat Exposure

The other primary line of thinking I saw in terms of break-in hacks was heat exposure. Again, from a purely logical perspective, this idea isn’t too bad. Heat also makes leather more pliable, so putting a hair dryer on them or putting them next to a fire should help, right?

It can, but the risks to your leather aren’t worth it. Prolonged or extreme heat exposure will dry the leather and make it crack. It can also warp the material and change the leather’s color. While you’ll find plenty of sources out there that say a hair dryer on low heat is okay, the vast majority of manufacturers recommend avoiding exposure to any direct heat source like that.

The primary problem with heat is that you just don’t know how your particular leather boot will react to it, or at what point the heat becomes too much and starts causing damage (which isn’t always apparent; fibers can start to dry and crack before it’s visible to the eye).

Avoid this route too.

Tips for Breaking In Your Boots the Right Way

Keep in mind at the outset that every brand of leather boot wears and breaks in differently. My Chippewa boots are still getting broken in a few years later, but my Nisolo Andres — my new favorites — wore just about perfectly right out the box. Some discomfort at first is expected (especially if you try to wear them all day), but definitely not pain.

1. First, ensure the right size. Sometimes you’ll see folks advocating buying boots a half-size or even full size too small so that when they break in, they’ll be perfect. In some cases this can be accurate (like with Chippewas), but not all. I advocate for always buying your leather boots from the manufacturer directly, either online or in retail. Going to a big box store and asking about how their boots are sized isn’t going to work very well. The manufacturer, on the other hand, will have the most accurate sizing information and be able to guide you. It all depends on how the leathers they use have been made and treated.

In general, it’s okay if the boot seems a little narrow — leather can expand out to the sides fairly easily. On the other hand, you don’t ever want to buy a boot that’s too short. The toe box and heel are the thickest, most rigid parts of the shoe and aren’t going to move much.

2. Use a leather conditioner/oil. Right when you get your boots, apply some leather conditioner (I like Chamberlain’s Leather Milk) or mink oil. These will help soften the leather, and won’t cause the damage that heat or water will. Apply weekly until the shoes are broken in, and then monthly or so after that as part of your leather care routine.

3. Ease into it. Wear them around the house, in thick socks, for 1-2 weeks. While it’s true that simply wearing your shoes is the best way to break them in, it doesn’t have to be such a painful process. Before wearing them all day at work or heading out on the town as a method of brute force adaption, wear them around the house with a pair of thick socks. You want it to feel tight and even a touch uncomfortable (in terms of tightness, not pain). Wear two pairs if needed.

There are a few benefits to employing this method.

First, when you wear your boots around the house you tend to be up and down a lot, giving your feet a rest between use rather than standing or walking around at a constant clip for an extended period of time.

Second, when you wear a thick pair or two of socks, you end up stretching the leather just a bit. Producing this kind of gradual pressure is preferred, as that’s healthiest for the material. At the same time, you’re generating some heat from the friction and warmth of the heavy socks, which will help mold the leather — again, very gradually, which is ideal.

Finally, by first wearing your boots with the padding of thick socks, you reduce the number of blisters and hot spots you’ll get. If you do still get some, give the areas of irritation extra protection with a band-aid.

4. Use a shoe/boot stretcher. If after 80-100 hours of wear your boots aren’t comfortable for an 8-hour day, you may need to take one final step, moving beyond breaking in your boots with your own fleshy feet, to re-shaping things a bit with external stretchers.

A couple years ago, I bought my wife some Red Wing boots for Christmas. They were definitely the right size, and mostly comfortable, but after about a half day of wear, they’d start to feel a little tight and a little blistery just at the widest part of her feet. A small thing, really, but something that would perhaps keep her from wearing them as much as she wanted.

I looked into taking them to the Red Wing store to see what they could do, but I dug into some boot forums (yes, they exist!) and found that shoe stretchers — the kind you can just buy on Amazon — have generally rave reviews when it comes to small adjustments that are needed with your leather boots.

Shoe stretchers look basically like shoe trees, but instead of being solid, they have a mechanism that expands the tree while inside the shoe so that it gently and gradually stretches the material.

I bought a pair of stretchers for those Red Wings, and after just a few days they were perfectly adjusted (and have stayed that way). My wife went from being a little sore in them after a half day or so, to comfortably walking all around San Francisco on a vacation over the course of 3 very full days. I was pretty amazed actually.

There isn’t much to using them: simply insert into the shoe, twist the knob that widens the toe sections — just enough to feel some resistance and hear the leather creaking just a bit, and let it go to work. You don’t want to stretch them out too much all at once. Again, set it so there’s some resistance, and then give it a little more over successive nights until it’s just right. As an extra precaution, moisturize the boot while doing this with either conditioner or oil. It will both soften the leather for stretching and proactively protect against any cracking.

Some things in life just aren’t hackable. Breaking in your leather boots is one of those things. Once you’ve done it though, they’ll be set for everyday use and decades of wear.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.