Hey, are you one of them who wants to master their walk-in cowboy boots just like a cowboy?
If yes, then this article is only for you!
Here I have unveiled all the tips and tricks of how you can adjust your gait of walking in your cowboy boots like you are born wearing it!
So if you want that wild look, posture, and the confidence that real cowboys have while walking in cowboy boots, then don’t skip any part.
Let’s dig into the writing.
How To Walk In Cowboy Boots?
At the moment, the sole purpose of wearing cowboy boots is not only for riding horses, but their sophisticated and elegant design made the boots a part of fashion among people.
Unlike regular boots, cowboy boots have high shafts, raised heels, narrower insoles, and toe boxes; if it is your first time wearing cowboy boots, then you will undoubtedly face difficulties while walking with them.
As a result, your gait of walking will be incorrect; your feet will feel discomfort, and most importantly, the cowboy attitude will be missing from your personality.
However, if you work in your walking posture by following some simple techniques, I bet you won’t take much time to walk in cowboy boots like a pro.
So let’s see what the things that will help you walk comfortably in cowboy boots are:
Choose the correct size
Do you know that ill-fitted cowboy boots are solely responsible for your gawky walking in those boots?
The tendency of buying an ill pair of cowboy boots increases when you buy them online too, without proper research about sizes.
Your cowboy boots should neither be too tight nor too loose. Instead, they should fit your feet snugly.
Suppose you buy a pair of cowboy boots that are larger than your feet; you will repeatedly notice that you will experience heel slippage, and the chances of falling over your face increase to a great extent.
Similarly, when your boots are too tight for your feet, you will see that your toes are all squeezed in the toe box. And as I said earlier, cowboy boots already have narrower toes, so when you wear small-sized boots along with narrow toes, your feet will be in unbearable pain.
Also, follow our guide on how to Waterproof Cowboy Boots.
So how to get a proper fit of cowboy boots?
A good thumb rule while looking for an accurate fit is, the instep should fit snugly at the start, and the heels should be a bit loose. If you are buying your cowboy boots from the shop, rest the ball of your feet onto the heel of your boot and check if you can stand comfortably or not.
If you are purchasing your cowboy boots online, firstly check the manufacturer’s guide and do in-depth research about the brand’s sizing.
Don’t buy cowboy boots according to your regular shoes, as cowboy boots and shoes have a different fitting manual.
Apply pressure on the heel of the boots
While walking in cowboy boots, you should exert pressure on the heel of the boots instead of on the toes. When you shift all your weight to the toes, you will ultimately fall due to overbalance.
You may feel uncomfortable applying pressure on the heel at first, but trust me, it is worth it as this method reduces the chance of slipping.
You should check, the ball of your feet rest on the widest part of the boots.
Just follow these two rules; you will see the chances of stumbling decrease.
Also, check out our epic guide on how to Restore Cowboy Boots.
Break in the boots
When your cowboy boots are new, you will see that the boots are very stiff and hard to wear because the boots don’t break in yet. The break-in of your boots happens naturally as you wear them more often.
Wear your boots frequently. Regular wear reduces the rigidness of the boots and molds them to the shape of your feet.
You can also accelerate the break-in process by using shoe stretching spray or a boot stretcher. These products are mainly designed to stretch cowboy boots.
Walk from heel to toe
If you are used to wearing flat shoes, you might face difficulties wearing cowboy boots at first. Cowboy boots come with heels in them, and you should have balance and stability while walking in heeled boots; otherwise, you might end up in a fall.
To shun this problem, when you wear cowboy boots, make sure that your heel reaches the ground before your toe does.
The main reason for your awkward walk is that your whole feet hit the ground simultaneously.
So, when wearing the boots, stand up and focus your weight on the boot’s heel/balls of your feet. After you’ve centered your weight, walk from heel to toe, continuing to do so as you push ahead for the following step.
Just follow this technique, you will notice your posture will become more straight.
How To Walk Quietly In Cowboy Boots?
Cowboy boots releases an eminent sound, the sound of confidence. This sound is fruitful to ears only when they are soft, but sometimes this sound becomes too loud and feels annoying to hear while walking.
The squeaking sounds happen from the inside of the boots due to the friction between the bottom of your boots and the insole. The echo of this annoying clinking increases when your boot’s insole becomes too moist.
Let’s discuss what measures you should take to walk silently in cowboy boots:
- Use new heel caps: If the sound comes from the heel of your cowboy boots, then changing them with new heel caps can be helpful. The rubber heel caps and the stacked leather heels of the cowboy boots are responsible for click cluck sounds. To reduce this sound, you can buy rubber heel caps and paste them on the heel of the boots with glue. You can also remove the old heel caps that make a weird sound and replace them with new heel caps. But for this, you need to have a professional shoe repair kit. If you are not confident enough, you can take your boots to professionals to replace the heel caps.
- Resole the boots: Sometimes, the half sole of your boots also produces a squeaky sound. You can resole the boots with a softer and less noisy rubber sole. Or you can take the boots to cobblers; they will fix it for you.
- Use shoe grip rubber adhesive sole: Shoe grip rubber adhesive sole works excellent to walk in your cowboy boots quietly. This adhesive sole is made from rubber, preventing slipping and keeping your boots walking smoothly on a flat surface.
- Use gaffer tape: If you can’t access any shoe grip rubber adhesive sole or heel caps, then you can use duct tape to reduce the sound from your boots. This is an easy yet effective method to vanish the noise; just attach the duct tape to the sole of your boots. However, the annoying part is that you have to change the tape all the time.
- Change your walking style: You need to adjust your walking gait to walk silently in cowboy boots. You should walk from toe to heel instead of from heel to toe.
- Choose the right size of boots: A correct size of boots will save you from a lot of trouble, including the annoying sound. You will notice if your boots are way too big, they will make a weird noise when you walk. The solution to this is, always choose the right size of boots that fits snugly to your feet.
Also, follow our guide on how to Fix Heel Slippage In Cowboy Boots: Simplest Solution
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cowboy boots suitable for walking?
The primary purpose of making cowboy boots was for riding horses. Cowboy boots are not the proper footwear for walking or hiking. The long shafts, tall heels, and lack of grip can cause difficulties when walking on slippery or rocky surfaces.
How long does it take to break in a pair of cowboy boots?
The break-in time depends on how frequently you used your cowboy boots for one week. If you wear your boots for 5-6 days a week or use any tools to speed up the break-in process, then your boots will break in within one week. But if you wear the boots for 2-3 days, then it might take up to 3 weeks to break in.
Conclusion
Walking in cowboy boots can be challenging for you if you don’t know the proper way of walking in them.
The fundamental rule to walk comfortably in your cowboy boots is to choose the right size, know where to apply pressure when you stroll, know which heel size to pick, and lastly, know the tricks to stop the clanking sound from the boots.
Just know all these tips and tricks and walk in your cowboy boots in style.
Do let us know in the comment section how this article was helpful to you.
