WESCO
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You should have them stretched. I have 1/2 size larger right foot and occasionally have to take this route. Leather will stretch, but make it easier on you. You should go for a quality shop and have them stretched. If you are in brand new boots and they feel tag more tight than they should - feel uncomfortable, you are likely about 10 miles away from heaven. If they are way too tight, so that they hurt everywhere, you have too small of a pair.
I this case it sounds like stretching and immediate use will be enough.
I found that mine have more toe room with the leather insole instead of the standard foam insole. You might also try wearing them without any insole for a while. I think a cobbler can do a toe stretch if it doesn't get better.
Thanks dude. I just tried to elucidate the problem more clearly in my original post. The length seems fine. Toes wiggle, Hegels don't slip. But width on the left boot especially is an issue.
I'll test the insole solution.
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@Giles , @superfuzz @W1N thanks for taking the time to offer advice, I appreciate it. All my quality boots so far (one pair of Vibergs and some Wesco JH Classics) have been previously owned, and my only other pair of engineers are mid market quality and don't even resemble the MP toe. So I'm pretty much a (neurotic) noob in this area.
@W1N:
If you are in brand new boots and they feel tag more tight than they should - feel uncomfortable, you are likely about 10 miles away from heaven. If they are way too tight, so that they hurt everywhere, you have to small pair.
I'd say it's closer to the former rather than the latter, so that offers hope. The two days I've worn them I've walked about 6km in them and had them on for about 8 hrs at a time. They are uncomfortable and constricting rather than straight up painful. I need to do some research as far as a decent cobbler in Norway is concerned so stretching isn't an option just now. I'll remove the insoles and give them a load more wear.
I should mention that the boots themselves are wonderful. The whole benchmade aspect is obvious from the feel of the leather, the way the mid soles and heels have been worked, even the smell of glue and leather that is still on them. I'm really pleased with my choices as far as the natural double mid's and longer straps are concerned. I've previously opined that the oil tanned lacks character, I chose it because the conditions here made it the sensible choice, but I can already tell from the first creases appearing on the shaft that these will develop beautifully. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they cope with the impending Norwegian winter.
I'm already planning my next pair of Wesco's with the upcoming, IH collab, shorty Morrisons an option. I also fancy something with the slate grey rough out, either some Boss on the MP toe or one of the workboot configurations.
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About a year I go I got me a pair of Reed Wings 8" boots size 12. I have same brand engineer boots previously so I even didn't think there would be any issues with size. Boy, how wrong were I. These boots were killing my feet pretty much everywhere you could think of. The leather was hard as hell. Especially my right foot was downright in fire. Blisters in both heels and all that crap. Had them stretched a bit and bit of man up, and these boots have been working their way up in my books. No pain anymore and they are starting to sit in nicely.
I option is to soften the leather with beeswax or similar. I will also give good protection to the leather against rain and dirt.
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Such a sweet pair of boots. It'll take time but they will break in!
Thanks for the kind words. I do love then and I am going to beat them into submission. Report on a day without insoles tomorrow
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Are they breaking in ok?
Followed sound advice (thank you [emoji4]) and took the insole out. Works a treat. I was surprised at the amount of difference it made tbh. A few more days wear without and I'll put them back in again. The biggest surprise is how the double mids are already softening and forming to my feet. I was expecting them to be the biggest challenge.
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These are my new Wesco boots for use in uniform. The standard Navy issue boots are garbage and my feet are miserable everyday. The regulations state that boots need to be 9", smooth leather, steel toe, with speed laces. There's also some other guidance that says which boots are authorized, but it doesn't say that they're the ONLY boots authorized, so I'm willing to fight for it. Well, here they are. Wesco Jobmasters, Packer upper, steel toes, 430 sole, all black stitching, no Wesco stamp. I'm not crazy about the steel toes and how they make the boots look, but they satisfy the requirement, and I can always have the boots rebuilt at a later date without the steel toes.
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