Stretching synthetic shoes?

I just ordered a new pair of evolv Pontas II, and i guess i ordered a half size too small. The main problem is my wide feet in a small toe box (apparently that's an evolv thing). They're fully synthetic (leather footbed). Does anyone have any experience stretching these or other synthetic shoes? Water method perhaps? I'd hate for it not to work and then not be able to return them

Isn't the entire point of synthetic uppers is that they don't stretch?

Synthetic Evolvs do not stretch. The water method will not work. Send them back if they are too small.

options: send em back and eat the shipping cost, sell em on mtn project, or stretch em.

I understand as I've been there too.

I have a pair I'm considering trying the tennis ball trick with, since I wore them too much to return. Different shoe but still a synthetic upper. Anyway I read on here somewhere that you can shove a tennis ball down as far as possible into the toe box and leave it overnight or longer. It's the best idea I've heard lately but I haven't tried it yet.

RadDawg wrote:options: send em back and eat the shipping cost, sell em on mtn project, or stretch em. I understand as I've been there too. I have a pair I'm considering trying the tennis ball trick with, since I wore them too much to return. Different shoe but still a synthetic upper. Anyway I read on here somewhere that you can shove a tennis ball down as far as possible into the toe box and leave it overnight or longer. It's the best idea I've heard lately but I haven't tried it yet.

Again, synthetics do not stretch. Some folks might claim that they do, but what happens is that trying to stretch them pulls the uppers away from their attachment point, whether that be stitching or glue, shortening the life of the shoe. If the problem is that they are too short, no amount of stretching is ever going to stretch the rubber sole.