You just can’t beat a pair of Doc Martens boots. Stylish, raw, and rugged, hype surrounding the German-founded British footwear and clothing brand is only going up. While you’ve probably seen plenty of people rocking them on Instagram and TikTok, how do they fit and how comfortable are they?
Originally invented by German army doctor Klaus Martens during World War 2, he suffered an ankle injury and modified his own army boots to compensate. Dr Martens became a success following the war, despite using mainly scrap rubber and other materials scavenged throughout the ruins of German cities.
Following the war, and with the shoes success domestically, Martens and his friend Herbert Funck decided to sell the boots internationally. The patent for sale in the UK was purchased by the R. Griggs Group, who amended the design and produced them in a series of colours during the 1950s.
The name was also anglicised to “Dr Martens.” Before long, the company became immensely popular. The 1460 being one of the bestsellers amongst young people – particularly those within the skinhead subculture.
If you’re looking to pick up a pair of DMs, you need to make sure that you grab the right size. In general, across their entire range Dr Martens fit true to size (TTS). If you prefer a snugger fit, you can slip on a pair of thicker socks.
Unfortunately, Doc Martens do not make half sizes for any of their shoes. This can obviously make it more difficult for some people to find the right pair, however there are other methods to make them fit better – such as wearing thicker socks.
Despite perhaps looking quite uncomfortable in their design, DM actually have a reputation for being comfortable and supportive.
When they were initially invented by Martens as a replacement for his army boots, he replaced the leather with a more supple variety. He also used cushioned rubber in the soles to make them softer to walk on. This proved incredibly popular amongst housewives, who favoured the shoes to other variants, and found them to be more supportive when spending hours on their feet.
Generally, new Doc Martens can be slightly uncomfortable for new wearers – especially those who have no previous experience with wearing the boots for any length of time. However, this is because they need to be broken in – that is, worn frequently, twisted, bent, and curved with the natural movements of the feet to loosen up the leather and make them more suited to long term use.
Once they have been broken in, they are renowned for being one of the most comfortable lace-up boots on the market, providing support and cushioning where you most need it, and avoiding things like rubbing and discomfort.
Many people can be dissuaded from purchasing Doc Martens – especially if they try them on in the store and find them to be uncomfortable.However, if you are prepared to break them in properly, then they will prove to be a resilient and comfortable boot in the long run.
The first way you can help to loosen your DMs and break them in is to wear socks. However, regular socks might not cut it – especially not when compared to thicker socks that can help stretch out the interior leather and give you more maneuverability.
There are also some methods you can use whilst not even wearing the boots. One method is to stuff the boots with as many pairs of socks as possible – stretching them out – and then tying them as you would during wear.
More common amongst cowboy boot wearers, boot stretchers can also work wonders on Doc Martens boots, and can help loosen the leather just enough to make them the best boots you’ve ever worn.
This might sound ridiculous, but back in the day, many skinheads used hammers to soften the leather on the Dr Martens, and it’s actually one of the best ways to work the material, soften it out, and make the boots more comfortable.
However, this should only be done lightly, and on leather that is hard and tough. Softer leather boots might get damaged after a lot of hammering, and likewise, hammering too hard could cause irreparable damage.
Wonder Balsam is an oil sold by Doc Martens, which can be applied to the exterior of the shoes, allowed to soak in, and then reapplied as needed. The balsam, as its name suggests, works wonders, helping to condition, treat, and soften the leather with each application.
There are no two ways about it, the best way to break Doc Martens in is to wear them frequently. These boots are meant to take a bit of a beating, and are not designed to sit in your wardrobe waiting for a fancy occasion. Put them on, lace them up, and wear them out in all weathers to see them mold to your feet and achieve whole new levels of comfort.
And there we have it, everything you need to know about Doc Martens boots, and whether or not they are actually comfortable to wear. If you are looking for the perfect footwear to complete your look, check out some of Captain Creps’ new releases and give DMs a try. You won’t regret it!
