Shoe stretching??

Okay so I just got some Scarpa Boosters in the mail today and I dropped down half a size from the Sportiva Nagos I had previously because they were a little too loose. In trying them on, I found that my right foot fits almost perfectly, a little tight but thats good, but my left is really really uncomfortable. So Im guessing Im a huge weirdo and my left foot is a little larger than my right....is there anything I can do to that left shoe to stretch it just a bit?

Ive heard putting them in the oven for a few and then trying them on will stretch them, and even washing them will do the trick....anyone out there have personal experience with this or am I pretty much SOL?

I've heard of wearing them in the shower with hot water and then keeping them on until they dry. I think this was for leather shoes. I'm not really sure if it would work on synthetic.

Mike

If you haven't used them outdoors or in a rock gym you can probably send them back for another, slightly larger sized pair........

If you've worn them you are SOL BUT, you can get them stretched at either Neptune's or Rock and Resole. Putting them into the oven will only stink up your house and ruin the rubber and increase the chances of a delamination later on. Putting them in a bucket of hot water and then putting your feet in them to stretch them might work but only if they are leather and not synthetic. Synthetic might stretch better if applied with an ointment designed for synthetic. Talk to Chuck Bird over at Neptune's.

Whatever you do, do not use heat! Leather will definitely shrink. I use leather work gloves alot, but once I spend several hours doing "hot work" they shrink up by as much as 40%.

I agree with Jack, DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE OVEN. I've heard most people have slightly different sized feet, one is usually longer, one is usually wider. Some unfortunate people have more dramatic differences. The boosters are leather I believe. As such they should stretch a bit. I would try the hot water and wearing them treatment first, that way they will stretch to your foot shape rather than some other shape. If that fails consider going to Neptune's or Rock and Resole. Alternatively, if there is just one spot that really bothers you, say your pinky toe knuckle, you can take a razor blade and make a small cut in the rubber over that spot. Don't hit the leather. One last note, shoe stretching is not an exact science, so take baby steps, you don't want it to get stretched way out. Well there is my essay on the subject. Good luck.

I have been breaking in a pair of 5.10 Dragons. I would add that you should really take your time. Using water or heat, etc. just breaks down the shoe and lessens its lifespan. Wear them around the house for a while. I also recommend bending and twisting them before putting them on. I have a larger right foot so I understand your situation.

Try wearing them!!!

Not much help in Colorado, but when i used to live on the coast I had some good results with having my shoes on in the ocean. Perhaps the cold water/ salt helped lossen them up some. But, if you do get them wet, make sure they stay on your feet till totally dry.

I thought by now climbing shoe stretching would have evolved.I had a similar issue with a pair of Sportiva's that were just to tight. I needed to wear them on a long climb so I completely saturated the inside of my shoes with rubbing alcohol and then wore them.I had great success with this process.The alcohol softened the glue and rubber without compromising the integrity of the shoe.No guaranty expressed or implied! Good Luck!

acopa does split sizes as well. someone here once told me to put a tennis ball in the toe box to stretch it out. worked well.

For what it's worth, I just stretched an expensive but unbearably tight pair of New Balance trail-running shoes by wearing two ridiculously thick pairs of socks and then blow drying the toes close and hot for 2 minutes apiece. After that, I walked in them for half an hour. It appears so far to have worked wonderfully. I would estimate that I added a half size to the shoes.

You should climb a long route in the heat. Your feet will swell and sweat. The moisture will make them pliable and the swelling will give the pressure you need to stretch them.

I've had amazing luck by climbing in soaking wet shoes. Wearing wet shoes around the house doest do much for me.

Warm conditions seem to work better than cold.

I have been suffering from my feet pain last one week and for that reason I have recently used this method, but I did not get the the same action that you have got, thats mean is not the method is not good. It may be I have not done it perfectly.

So the condition of my tennis shoe is very bad, immediately I have to buy a shoe stretcher and I have got it reading website, you can check at https://www.bestshoesstretchers.com/how-to-stretch-tennis-shoes.

Really appreciate sharing my thoughts wit you.

Wear them in the bath, and put a thick pair of socks on with them if they're super tight. Then stuff the socks into the tight shoe and let them sit and dry. This will stretch them out as well

Do they need to stretch in width or in length? If the latter you're kinda out of luck since the rubber doesn't take a lasting stretch And if you're doing something like going way down in size from your street shoes, prepare for foot and toe problems in 20 years. After 40+ years of abuse from climbing shoes and ski boots I find down-turned climbing shoes impossible to wear without searing pain.