Walking confidently in your cowboy boots with a wild look, and all of a sudden, your foot pops out of the boots. Sounds too embarrassing, right?
Did you face this situation with your cowboy boots? Do you know how to fix this?
No worries! With my first-hand experience and thorough research, I have included all the tips and tricks in this writing that will fix your heel slippage in cowboy boots in the blink of an eye.
Do read till the end and vanish the heel slippage in your cowboy boots in minutes.
How To Fix Heel Slippage In Cowboy Boots Easily?
No matter how expensive or branded your cowboy boots are, once, twice, or more than that but I bet you surely experienced heel slippage in your cowboy boots.
It is not that cowboy boots stand in the slippery footwear category, but your heel slips out of the boots for various reasons. But does that mean you will stop wearing your cowboy boots?
No way!
It’s time to say bye-bye to heel slippage by simply knowing some easy yet effective techniques.
Follow our guide to know Are Boot Trees Necessary For Cowboy Boots.
Let’s see what the measures you should take to fix heel slippage in cowboy boots are:
Choose the correct size
The first and foremost thing responsible for heel slippage is choosing the incorrect size of cowboy boots. When your foot size doesn’t match your boot size, don’t you think your feet will pop out of the boots?
There is a common habit among most people, they choose a bit larger size shoes/boots than their feet size, and the logic behind it is they think they can wear the shoes/boots for a long time.
But for god sake, don’t do this while buying your cowboy boots because your boot will stretch over time. And doing this will surely end you up with slack and ill-fitted cowboy boots.
Since cowboy boots don’t come with laces, it is mandatory to choose the right fit. Neither too loose nor too tight, your boots should have a snug fit.
A good thumb rule to choose your cowboy boots’ right fit is to ensure your instep fits snugly and there is enough room so that your toes can move freely.
Once you choose well-fitted boots, you will see the slippage will disappear like magic.
Use heel grips/heel pads
If the heel of your cowboy boots doesn’t fit your heel, you can use heel grips, heel pads, or heel cushions to avoid this problem. Also, it solves the heel slippage issue.
These products act as a cushioning element between your heel and the heel of your cowboy boots. Additionally, if you suffer from heel pain, these cushioned products provide ample heel support, reduces heel pain. With the heel pad or grips, your feet remain very relaxed and comfortable.
Definitely give them a try if you want to relieve your heel pain along with fixing heel slippage. I can assure you; you will not regret it.
Wear socks
The cheapest and most successful method of fixing heel slippage is none other than your smelly socks!
Wear the thickest socks and put on your boots. If you don’t have thick socks, you can wear two pairs of thin socks but not more than that.
As I said earlier, heel slippage mostly happens in loose cowboy boots. What socks do is increase the contact area with the boot heel. So there is less room for your heel to slip out.
Check out our separate post: Are Cowboy Boots Bad For Your Feet.
Use non-slip insoles
Sometimes insoles can be the reason for your heel slippage. The solution to this is to replace your insoles with non-slip insoles.
These insoles are specially designed with anti-slip material, which makes sure your heel stays in its place.
There are various types of non-slip insoles available in the market; make sure to choose a sturdy and long-lasting insole.
Use hair spray
A quick hack to say goodbye to heel slippage is to spray hairspray to the heels of your cowboy boots.
Spray an adequate amount of hair spray in your boots; the stickiness of the spray will make your socks stick to the inside of the boots and stop the boot from moving.
This is a quick and temporary solution, so don’t expect hair spray to fix your heel slippage permanently.
Use boot dryer
Do you know that sweaty feet can give rise to heel slippage? Yes, you heard me right!
When your feet sweat, the moisture reduces the friction between your feet and the insole. So it is essential to keep the boot insole dry within.
A boot dryer can be a helpful tool to dry your cowboy boots but don’t use a boot dryer too often as this can damage the leather lining. If you don’t have a boot dryer, you can dry the boots out in the sunlight for 5-6 hours but not more than that.
You may also like to read: Can You Wear Cowboy Boots With A Suit
How To Make Cowboy Boots Less Slippery?
Do you know that traditional cowboy boots insoles are extremely slippery and smooth?
So if you own a pair of traditional cowboy boots and thinking why they are so slippery, unlike regular boots, then let me tell you, the slippery soles make the boots slide into the saddle stirrup easily.
But wait! Don’t think that all cowboy boots are slippery.
At the moment, people wear cowboy boots for various jobs other than riding horses. Cowboy boots with leather soles tend to slip a lot, so keep reading if you want to make the leather sole less slippery.
Keep in mind, the techniques I have discussed will not permanently make your boots non-slippery. However, your boots will provide maximum traction. And somehow, these tricks can hamper the quality of your boots, so do at your own risk.
Here are the methods to make cowboy boots less slippery:
Use sandpaper
Leather sole cowboy boots have a smooth surface; you can lose their slick exterior by using sandpaper on them.
Scrub the sole of the boots with sandpaper until you don’t feel the surface is smooth anymore.
Once the sole is not slick anymore, you will notice it provides maximum traction while you walk.
Use protective soles
If you don’t want to hamper the boot’s quality, you can use protective soles instead to make your cowboy boots less slippery.
Buy any good-quality protective soles, cut, and glue them against the sole. Protective soles’ plus point is that they protect your leather soles without damaging them and render ultimate grip.
Check out our separate post: Why Are Cowboy Boots So Expensive
Use traction spray
If you don’t have enough time to scrub the soles with sandpaper or use a protective sole, you can use a traction spray. It’s quick and easy-peasy to use.
Spray the surface of the leather sole with traction spray and get a moderate kind of grip for your leather sole cowboy boots.
If you are going for a long walk wearing your cowboy boots, I would say the traction spray will not be helpful; instead, try other methods whose effect is long-lasting.
What Causes Heel Slippage?
Heel slippage in your cowboy boots happens for a couple of reasons. Sometimes, wearing the perfect size boots also causes slippage.
So let’s see what causes heel slippage in cowboy boots:
- First, wearing wrong-sized boots leads to heel slippage.
- Your walking style can slip your heel out of the boots. So when you walk into your middle foot, heel slippage happens; always walk on your heels, i.e., your heels should touch the ground first.
- You will face heel slippage when your boots are too wide on the instep or instep that doesn’t fit snugly.
- Heel slippage occurs mainly in newly purchased boots, as they didn’t break in yet. When the boots are new, they remain very stiff; the more you wear them, the less rigid they get and mold to the shape of your feet.
Also read, Are Cowboy Boots Comfortable
How Much Heel Slippage Is Normal?
One-eighth of an inch to one-half of an inch of heel slippage is normal in your cowboy boots. For newly purchased boots, this much slippage is absolutely fine.
But if you don’t face any slippage, that means you have bought small size boots, and this can cause blisters on your feet. You should feel, the boot and feet are moving together, not like they are going in different directions.
Once your boots are new, you will experience a slight slippage, but this will be alright once the boot break-in.
Follow our guide on how to Wear A Boot Knife With Cowboy Boot
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cowboy boots supposed to slip in the heel?
Yes, a new pair of western cowboy boots slip in the heel. This slip in the heel should be around ¼ to ½ inches but not more than that; if it exceeds this value, you have to understand you have got large size boots than your feet.
Does heel slippage go away?
Once the boot breaks in, the slip disappears. Also, when the surface of the sole becomes rough, heel slippage reduces to a great extent.
Is it better for heels to be tight or loose?
The heels of your cowboy boots should neither be too tight nor too loose, it should have the correct fit. The fit that you think is comfortable.
How can I make my heels tighter?
You can invest in padded heel grip, padded toe cushion, or you can wear a thick pair of socks with your cowboy boots. These products eat up the extra space making your boots a bit tighter.
Conclusion
As I said earlier, heel slippage in cowboy boots is very common, but that doesn’t mean your boots are wearable anymore.
You can quickly fix the slippage by following some easy tricks. But always make sure you buy the correct size boots that fit your feet comfortably; only then you can enjoy your cowboy boots.
Let us know in the comment section if this article was helpful to you in fixing heel slippage.
