Wear Your Climbing Shoes in the Shower to Stretch Them?

I just read this article, https://gearpatrol.com/2016/05/12/break-climbing-shoes-without-pain/, that claims a good way to break in new climbing shoes is to wear them in the shower, so they get wet and mold to your feet.... interesting

Seems weird but has anyone tried this? I feel like it would ruin leather shoes.

I'm in need of a new pair of TC Pros soon and am curious if this would help with their awful break in period.

I haven't done it with new shoes, but I wash my shoes at least once during their life.  I size my shoes in my street shoe size and washing them not only gets rid of the funk, but if they've loosened up at all the fit is perfect after. The shoes have never gotten looser, in fact it's quite the opposite. When you wear them while they dry the shoe conforms to your foot perfectly. They get a bit softer though, so maybe it would work. If I were to try this with a new pair of shoes I'd buy them from REI so I could take em back it if didn't work out. 

Also why the shower? Why not just put them under hot water in the sink. Fill them with water and let them soak for a bit. 

Seems like it would work. Am curious how easy or hard it would be to over-shoot and wind up too loose.

As a “sort of” alternative, my gym has a manual shoe stretcher. It is just a ~3 foot tall rod on a round flat base. At the top, there is about a 1 foot horizontal rod about 1 inch in diameter and smoothly rounded on the end. Goes inside shoe and one pulls on shoe against body on other side of the thing. Anyway, that is how I do it.

Seems to help with isolated spots, even along he rand.

I did this with my Moccs. It works pretty well and definitely doesn't ruin leather. Wearing wet shoes long enough for it to make a difference isn't too enjoyable, but then again, breaking in small shoes the old fashioned way isn't exactly enjoyable either.

ToDoubleD Whitney wrote:

Also why the shower? Why not just put them under hot water in the sink. Fill them with water and let them soak for a bit. 

Bec then the shoe is not conforming/stretching to the shape of your foot when you are wearing them in the shower. This method works well with TC Pros and shoes with leather uppers.never tried with syn shoes.

I've done it successfully with Muiras and Mythos.  The important part is wearing them for a few hours afterwards so they dry and shape while still on your foot I think (I've read somewhere its best to even try to climb a little while the leather is still drying).  Biggest advantage is that it makes brand new shoes feel like you've worn them a dozen times after you do this.

Don't know about the shower, but I have used a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water and worn them around the house until they dry, which worked pretty well. The mixture stretches and still drys rather quickly. Leather uppers only.

OrganicChemistry wrote:

Bec then the shoe is not conforming/stretching to the shape of your foot when you are wearing them in the shower. This method works well with TC Pros and shoes with leather uppers.never tried with syn shoes.

I'm meant why wear them in the shower when they'll get a better soaking off your feet in the sink. Then wear them to dry and conform. 

I've done it before. Not sure how well it worked (shoes were synthetic), but be careful of the rubber skid marks you can leave on your tub and around the house

I do this and it works great!

ToDoubleD Whitney wrote:

I'm meant why wear them in the shower when they'll get a better soaking off your feet in the sink. Then wear them to dry and conform. 

Due to wanting the initial stretching with the hot water to be with your foot as the form. I've usually just sit on the side soaking and standing in hot water for about 20 mins or until you feel the shoes get more comfortable. Then walk around the house until they somewhat dry and presto ... Comfy shoes 

I have done this with Hiangles. Like others have said make sure you keep them on for a couple hours so they don’t shrink back up when they dry. The leather dye will most likely bleed and turn your feet whatever color the shoes are.

My dog barfed in my climbing shoes once.  They still fit the same after.  Don't worry crag babies, he wasn't anywhere near a crag.

Can climbing shoes get wet?
Yeah, there's usually no problem but take care of leather.
Oh, and they love DWS!
https://www.therockulus.com/can-rock-climbing-shoes-get-wet/

Have worn them in a warm bath tub and then walked around the house in them until my toes couldn't take it any more. Did the same thing with my fire boots (White's) and worked well. Seemed to be more helpful with the slip on climbing shoes vs the laced shoes. 

just do like I did and climb in your TC's until it rains on you at Looking Glass and they mold when you become desperate to stick to the granite

I will never understand buying shoes way too small then stretching them to fit comfortably. Either keep them as tight and aggressive as possible, or just buy them a little small, and let them stretch naturally.

David D wrote: I will never understand buying shoes way too small then stretching them to fit comfortably. Either keep them as tight and aggressive as possible, or just buy them a little small, and let them stretch naturally.

Can I give this two "likes"? Buy your shoes to fit. Shoes that are too tight sound...painful!

David D wrote: I will never understand buying shoes way too small then stretching them to fit comfortably. Either keep them as tight and aggressive as possible, or just buy them a little small, and let them stretch naturally.

You have obviously been blessed with two feet of the same size.

Briggs, just to be clear I meant mold to my feet not nasty bacterial mold. ​they’re comfy

Idk ask the internet gods.