How to Stretch Cowboy Boots? 10 Simple Ways Explained!

By Sophie Williams
Updated: November 28, 2023
Featured image of How to Stretch Cowboy Boots

Whether you are going for a long walk or saddling up for a horseback ride, the search for the perfect pair of cowboy boots is never-ending. It always comes down to two key factors: superior arch support and undeniable comfort.

Since they are made with leather, cowboy boots hold the promise of durability. But there’s a twist: you need to stretch, otherwise it hurts you the most. A little stretching is often necessary to ensure they remain faithful companions without causing you grief.

Below, we’ve highlighted 10 ways to soften the leather of cowboy boots by stretching with lotion, socks, or a stretcher to feel comfortable and fulfill your needs.

So put on your boots and get ready to explore these tried-and-true methods for giving your feet the freedom they deserve.

Why Stretch Cowboy Boots?

Why Stretch Cowboy Boots

Boots are mostly made of leather, which shrinks over time. So stretching is required for comfort and fit. But that is not the only reason you should stretch cowboy boots; there’s more-

  • Cowboy boots, particularly those made of high-quality leather, can feel tight and stiff at first. By stretching them, you can soften the leather and shape it to fit your feet more comfortably.
  • If your cowboy boots pinch, squeeze, or cause discomfort in certain areas of your feet, stretching can help. It can add space where it is needed, reducing pressure points on your feet. 
  • Vintage or second hand cowboy boots may have been broken in by previous owners, molding to a different foot shape. Stretching can reshape the boots for your feet.
  • When boots are too tight, the constant friction against the skin can lead to blisters and chafing. Stretching can lessen this friction and lower your risk of getting itchy, uncomfortable sores.
  • If you wear orthotic insoles or have specific foot conditions that necessitate special inserts, stretching your cowboy boots can help create enough space to comfortably accommodate these inserts.

Now that you know why you should stretch your cowboy boots, let’s move on to our most anticipated topic!

How to Stretch Out Cowboy Boots – 10 Easy Methods

How To Stretch Out Cowboy Boots

Stretching cowboy boots is not an easy task, and if you do it at home, you must follow the 10 ways listed below –

Way-1: Stretch by using numerous times

Wearing many times of boots to stretch your boots makes them cozier later. That’s the easiest way you can follow.

There can be a mismatch with the size of cowboy boots after purchasing. You need to stretch them to feel comfortable while walking. Wearing boots for a long period of time yields a better result than other methods of stretching cowboy boots.

You can wear them to a friend’s outing or hike. The cowboy boots will be uncomfortable at first, but they will shrink after a while. You can experiment with them at your leisure. You should spread out the space between the boots so that you can easily wear them for an outing with your friends or relatives. You can try to fix it for a few hours before you put it on.

After that, you will get relief from the pain from the tightness of the boots and walk easily. This way of trying is simple and effective which you can go through without any hesitation and also wear at night. 

Way-2: Stretch cowboy boots by Streaming

Cowboy boots’ leather lasts longer after steaming. So, using steam to stretch cowboy boots can be the perfect idea. Steam helps to soften the leather of the boots. After softening, the leather of the boots is spread and the space of the boots is prolonged. You need to steam inside the boots.

This way is efficient for completing this task. The fruitfulness of this way is the elaboration of the leather of the boots. But you need to keep in mind the extent of the heat. Excessive heat impacts the color of the cowboy boots. It is the color of the boots. You can heat the boots for 20 seconds to see the softness of the boots.

After examining the softness, you need to switch off the steam. This way of steaming boots is affordable so you can try it in the house at less cost. It enlarges the size of cowboy boots. But the opposite side of this way is to fear drying the leather. Sometimes it burns the leather and impacts badly on the quality. So, you need to use this method carefully.

Pro Tips: Don’t oversteam; otherwise, the boot inner will get too wet to wear and make your feet feel uncomfortable.

Way-3: Submerge boots in water

Immersing boots in the water aggravates the length. You can immerse boots in the water for stretching and wear them easily. This homemade tactic is more effective for completing the task.

  • First, take a bowl and fill it with water.
  • Then put your boots within the limit, and after some time, take them back. There is a chance of damage to the boots.

The task needs to be done carefully. Use a spray of water and spritz it on the cowboy boots. After applying water, the leather of the boots will be soft, which expands the space. This way is lighter than other ways. You will get a smooth result and soft boots. Do not use this method on your expensive boots; it can sometimes damage them. Immerse boots without worrying about water getting inside cowboy boots, which might cause you a great loss of money as well as feet.

The drawback of this method is that it hinders wearing boots at any time and takes a long time to dry. Make your walking uncomfortable at times. You must match the quality of the boots with your decision to use this method.

Way-4: Conduct with stretcher

There is a boot stretcher for stretching cowboy boots. Use a stretcher to fix the size of the boots. The Cowboy boot stretchers are available in the market. But this is more costly than another way of fixing boots. The stretcher has worked better than other methods a few times. It helps to size the boots to fix them. Boot stretchers are available with several quality cowboy boots.

They are different in quality and cost. Think about the quality while using it. Follow the steps of using the stretcher-

  • First, take the stretcher and your boots.
  • Set the stretcher into your boots and put it on for some time. It will expand the space of the cowboy boots. The shape of the boots will be fixed according to the size of the stretcher. 
  • Stop the process once you feel that the boots have stretched enough.

 If your cowboy boots have a narrower wearing space, you can also use this method there. You need not stretch the whole boot in this process.

Way-5: Stretch with a Spray

Stretch with a spray

For spreading cowboy boots, there is bootspray. Use bootspray for stretching and smoothing the leather of the boots.

Take boots to spray from the market that is qualified and efficient for your boots. This method is effective in its first work. 

  • Put on your cowboy boots and apply the bootspray to them. 
  • Apply the spray in a circular motion to the upper part of the leather of the boots. 
  • After applying it, you will see that the leather is spreading. 
  • Shape your boots by applying spray to the portion where you want them to be. 


The boot sprays are varied in their brands. You have to choose them according to the leather quality of the cowboy boots. Using bootspray, you can settle your boots and feel at ease while walking. 

Way-6: Stretch with Lotion

Stretch with lotion

The use of lotion brings ease to the cowboy boots by spreading their space. It also adds shininess to the boots. 

To soften your boots’ leather and stretch it, using lotion is the easiest way to do the task. By using it, the leather of your boots will be soft and expand the space of the boots. You can easily fix the size of your cowboy boots by applying this method.

  • Take lotion and your boots first. 
  • Apply the lotion to your boot’s leather part and rub slowly. This will wet your boots in a few portions.
  • Continue the process for some time, and you can see that the leather of the boots is becoming mushy. You will also see the comprehension of your cowboy boots.

This slowly softens the leather and stretches the boots. You can apply this process anywhere in the house in the easiest way possible. After stretching the boots, you can use them daily. The process textures the materials of the boots to help them fit your feet. 

Way-7: Stretch with a Hairdryer

Stretch with a hairdryer

The use of a hairdryer expands the leather of the cowboy boots. It also softens the boots, and you can also use lotion along with this process.

To remove the sticky nature of cowboy boots and make them comfortable for walking, use the hairdryer to stretch them. The cowboy boots are fashionable for wearing while working or on an outing with friends or relatives. Try a hair dryer, which is available and the easiest way to fix the size.

The warmth of cowboy boots easily fits your feet, which can be done by using the hairdryer. Heat the boots using the hairdryer and see the texture of the boots.

You must be careful while operating it, as it is risky to burn your hand and the leather of the cowboy boots. After applying hair dryer heat to your boots, the boots will be stretched. You will feel attenuated wearing it and realize the expediency of using cowboy boots.

Way-8: Use of Leather Conditioners

Use of leather conditioners

Using leather conditioner makes the cowboy boots stretchable and eligible for use. It fixes the size of the boots. This remedy is better than using water to settle the size. Leather absorbs conditioners more easily than water. Using conditioners, you don’t need to dry it many times. It also saves you time. 

There are several brands of conditioners available on the market. 

  • Select the conditioner brand according to their quality with your cowboy boots. 
  • Apply the conditioners to the leather of your boots and rub them slowly. 

You can observe the result, and the leather will be soft. This softness of the leather of the boots makes them longer and fixes their size. Then you can wear them anytime while they are eligible for use. You have to keep in mind the amount of conditioner you use in your boots. Use the required portion of conditioner and apply it to the cowboy boots. 

Though cowboy boots are made with leather, you can find some more informative methods on how to stretch leather boots.

Way-9: Use of Ice and Warm Water

Use of ice and warm water


The use of ice and a warm water bag inside the boots softens the leather. Use ice and a warm water bag to expand the space in the cowboy boots.

You can use a warm water bag and an ice bag to stretch the cowboy boots. Use an ice bag to stretch your boots, but this will not impact the size of the boots.

  • Take pieces of ice into a zip-lock bag.
  • Keep the ice bag in the boots in that part where you want to make the stretch. 
  • Apply in the area, and this will stretch your boots, but this remedy will not completely change the size of the boots. 
  • For stretching the calf of the boots, put the newspaper into the boots and keep them overnight. This will also help to stretch your boots.

A warm water bag also softens the leather of the boots. When you apply warm water to stretch, try to put a zip-up warm water bag into your boots and keep them on a few times. As it damages the quality, you need to be careful about the duration of its usage. You need to use a warm water bag for the portion you want to stretch.

Pro Tips: Whatever boot stretching methods you use, make sure to clean your cowboy boots after you’re stretching.

Way-10: Use of Socks

Use of socks

The use of socks makes the cowboy boots more spacious. This is the easiest way to spread the space on the inner side of the boots. It stretches the cowboy boots more efficiently. Wearing it for the first time, you will feel uncomfortable and even painful to walk. Use socks while wearing cowboy boots. You will be free from the pain of the tightness of the boots.

This method is easier and will provide relief from the pain. For the first time, wear cowboy boots with a pair of socks and walk home at night. This way of practicing will stretch the length of the boots.

After using a pair of boots several times, your cowboy boots will automatically expand, and you can easily wear them without socks. Applying this method, you can fix the size of your cowboy boots and wear them easily in your program or activities.

If you are looking for a video guide to stretching cowboy boots, we recommend this video on YouTube.

How do you stretch cowboy boots?

Cowboy boots fetch ease in walking for completing daily activities. The boots need to be stretched enough to feel pleasure in wearing them. There are so many remedies to stretch cowboy boots, which are discussed in the upper part, you can use them in your comfort. By ensuring the quality of the boots, you can fix the size of the boots and walk with relaxation.

Final Words

When walking to complete daily tasks, cowboy boots are very convenient. To feel comfortable wearing the boots, they must be stretched out sufficiently. Otherwise, you’ll get hurt. Cowboy boots can be stretched using a variety of techniques, some of which are covered in the upper section. Make sure to determine the quality of the boots. You can fix the size of the boots and walk with relaxation.

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Sophie Williams

Sophie Williams

Sophie Williams is popularly known as a dynamic and creative footwear specialist, and she sharpened her skills and developed a strong foundation at College for Creative Studies, especially in design principles, boot and shoe materials, and boot construction techniques.

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