“They are nice boots, but they're a bit uncomfortable. They were too big when I first put them on, so I used the provided insert. Now they are a bit too snug and sometimes my foot falls asleep when I'm sitting for a long time while wearing the boots. My feet also start to hurt after being on my feet for more than 20 minutes. I don't think it's a problem with the boots necessarily, I think they just need to break in some more.”
“This is my second pair, and I'm just as happy with them as I've been with my long-time favorites. I've worn these almost daily in the three months since I bought them in December, and they have been perfect for *all* the weather I've experienced--which has included rain, sleet, snow, and ice, and great temperature fluctuations! I even wore them a few times while clearing the driveway in very cold temps (though I wore actual snow boots when the snow accumuation was significant.) I've also worn them for "easy" hikes and long walks, but will wear more supportive boots for hardcore hiking.
I know that some people find that these boots rub; where they rub is different for everyone, probably tied to fit and how your foot and ankle are shaped. I didn't know how that would turn out for me, because my first pair of Blundstone 550s were previouly owned by a friend and already broken-in. This time, I found out pretty quickly that the stiff leather around the ankles called for special attention. Otherwise, they fit exactly like my old boots. Nowhere did they rub or bind or pinch, but the stiffness of the leather at the top of the ankle was notable.
So, I conditioned the leather around the front and back where the tabs attach, wore very thick woolen socks and used hydrocolloid blister bandages where the boot would rub my skin as a preventative measure. Using this method and wearing the boots around my house daily, I gradually increased the time I wore them and was able to start wearing my boots normally, outside of the house, after about 2 weeks (to protect my ankles I still wore the blister bandages.) Overall, I'd say the boots were completely broken-in and as comfortable and my old pair in about a month. For me, the process was worth it; I had the time and I already knew that once broken-in, these would the most ubiquitous footwear I own.”
