Making your football boots more comfortable and making them hurt less is easier than it may sound. Like any other type of shoe, football boots can rub, hurt and generally be uncomfortable when you first wear them. This is as normal as a goal being banged in at the Etihad by Haaland in his Nike Phantom GX football boots. It’s common, so don’t fret. We’re here for you to make that pain disappear.
So, here are our top 5 quick tips on how to make your football boots more comfortable and stop them from hurting!
How to Make Your Football Boots More Comfortable
- If in Doubt, Buy a Size Bigger
- Soak in Warm Water
- Double Up on Socks
- Cotton Wool
- Add Insoles
5 – If in Doubt, Buy a Size Bigger
One way to stop boots feeling uncomfortable from the outset is to buy a size bigger. This isn’t ideal, as football boots that are too big for your feet are not suggested. They could cause you to slip and will hinder your shooting and control of the ball.
However, if you’re not sure when buying and/or have slightly abnormally shaped feet, buy an extra size up. Most boots come in half sizes as well, so buying just half a size bigger shouldn’t be too detrimental to how they fit your feet.
Also, it’s easier to alter the fit of boots that are too big than to alter the fit of boots that are too small. You can add stuff to fill the gaps in the boot, but it’s more difficult to alleviate the tightness of a boot.
Looking for a comfy football boot? Check out our best football boots of 2024!
4 – Soak in Warm Water
Just a Nike Phantom GX enjoying a soak in the bath after a long day playing football
Emphasis on ‘warm’ here. Soak your football boots in warm water while you’re wearing them to help them fit more comfortably. Often, boots have a ‘wearing-in period’ where for the first couple of times that you wear them, they will be so moulded in their original shape that they will rub and hurt your feet. This is very common and nothing to worry about. In short, it’s unlikely that your feet will fit the exact shape of the boots as they were made. Luckily, most boots are made of material that are solid enough to fit your feet but not too solid that they aren’t malleable to mould around your shape.
So, what you can do is fill a bath full of warm-to-hot water. Using very hot water can damage them, so don’t go having the ultra-intense hot baths that you might be used to. Yeah, you know the ones where you add a couple of candles, a bath bomb in there and play gentle music in the background to ease your exponentially growing depression…just us? But use hottish water. Soak for 30 mins or so and the boots should have enough time to mould more around your feet.
If there is no improvement by your next game, give it one more try. Then, by your next match, they should start to fit more comfortably. If not, you might have to reconsider the size or style of boot (or you just have weirdly shaped ogre feet and have to suck it up buttercup).
3 – Double Up on Socks
Another option for you to do to make your football boots more comfortable is to wear two pairs of socks. This might not sound great, but in reality, it’s actually a very viable option and it won’t hinder your movement or restrict the flow of blood to your foot significantly.
This is a good chance for you to wear grippy socks that work by keeping your foot and boot securely locked into position, minimalising slippage. You can then wear your regular football socks on top to give that extra bit of protection.
This method works especially well if your boots on on the larger side, as it closes some of the gaps that will exist. If, however, they’re small and fit tightly around your foot, it’s not recommended to use this method. While the added padding may cushion your foot from rubbing areas, it will constrict your foot too much and likely make things even more uncomfortable.
2 – Cotton Wool
What is cotton wool? Does anyone even use it anymore? Is Bitcoin still worth investing in? All very good, valid questions, but cotton wool is actually a good quick fix to football-boot-comfortability problems.
If your boots are rubbing your feet in a particular area, a small bunch of cotton wool could do the trick in helping to ease the pain. It gives your foot the cushion it needs to lessen the impact of the rubbing area. What’s more, cotton wool is cheap and easily accessible.
Obviously, it’s not ideal to keep cotton wool in your kit bag and to require to add it to your boots every time you play, but it’s a quick and easy fix to any fitting issues. What’s more, after wearing your boots a few times, they should begin to mould around your foot and eventually, the cotton wool won’t be needed.
1 – Add Insoles
We recommend the PRO 11 WELLBEING Hydro-Tech insoles for extra support and comfort
Adding insoles is a really good way to make your football boots more comfortable. While boots do (and should) mould around your foot after a few wears, insoles is a quicker and more efficient solution. We recommend the PRO 11 WELLBEING Hydro-Tech insoles for extra support and comfort.
They are even more malleable, which means they will mould around your foot a lot quicker and more effectively. This will add ultimate comfort to your boots, as you can buy tailored insoles that securely fit around your foot. Once moulded to your foot, they will also been imprinted on by your football boots. All three, your foot, your boots and the insole, will combine as one and work together to give you the ultimate, secure fit.
Making Your Football Boots More Comfortable FAQs
How do I stop my new football boots from hurting?
To stop your football boots from hurting, you can do a number of things, such as add cotton wool, mould them to your feet by bathing with them in warm water and adding an extra pair of socks.
Why do my football boots hurt my feet?
Keep those tootsies happy
There could be several reasons why your football boots hurt your feet, ranging from your feet themselves, to the shape or size of the boots. Firstly, check if you have the right size. A little rubbing and a some pain in the foot is very normal when buying football boots, but if the issue persists you should take action. It could be the boots are too small or too big, allowing your feet to slip. It could also be that you have the incorrect stud type for the surface you’re playing on. To see which boots fit which surface, check out our Ultimate Beginners’ Guide to Buying Football Boots.
How do you break in football boots fast?
Bathing in warm water with your football boots can break them in quickly. Alternatively, you can try to minimalise the impact of tight boots by adding cotton wool where they rub.
How do you make uncomfy boots comfortable?
Ideally, football boots will be comfortable after the first few wears, but if they’re still uncomfy, there are some things that can be done. Bathing in warm water, with your boots still on, can help mould them better to your foot.
How can I make my boots less painful?
From the cheapest football boots to the most expensive models, there is always a chance that they will rub your feet. Cotton wool is a great way to make football boots less painful. By adding cotton wool to the areas that are rubbing, it forms a cushioned layer between boot and foot that should ease any pain.
Is Vaseline good for football boots?
You new BFF
Vaseline can be good for football boots if applied to the outside of them. It acts as an extra protective layer, meaning scratches and wear and tear will be less common. This will help your football boots last longer. In terms of vaseline making football boots more comfortable, we wouldn’t recommend adding it to the inside of the boots and no evidence suggest this could help the way they fit.
Should football boots feel tight at first?
Yes, it’s completely normal if football boots feel tight at first. It’s rare that a foot will precisely fit to a boot, and vice-versa, so if they feel tight at first don’t worry. After a few wears, they should start to fit better. Check out our guide on whether or not football boots should be tight.
