[spartcom5]

Hey guys, so I have had my Allen Edmonds Higgins mill boots for some time and have worn them around 5 times. After each time I put my shoe trees into them. However, I noticed that the heel seems to be a tad loose now as in my heel moves side to side somewhat with the shoe on where as in the beginning it was tight. Could it have been the shoe trees? My boots are sz8.5 and I am using size small A&E shoe trees. I push the front part of the tree all the way forward and then compress the spring to fill in the heel and they seem to fit... Any advice is great, I may go back to the A&E store and inquire about this issue because it is quite uncomfortable to have my heel swishing around....

 

[SG_67]

The use of properly fitted shoe trees should not effect this.

 

[eagle2250]

I suspect your shoes have just broken in. CxL leather stretches a bit as you wear the shoes.

 

[MNJ83]

I use trees on both my Alden “Indy” boots in CXL and “Kudu” CxL leathers. Have not had any problems

 

[Fading Fast]

Hmm, I use shoe trees with all my boots and haven't had that issue, but then I'm an 11.5 and the tree doesn't push as much as it would in a 8.5. That said, the springs in those shouldn't be enough to really stretch a shoe out - I bet what Eagle says above is the answer.

What you could try as a very inexpensive - but what has been effective for me when the heel has been lose - fix is buying a "tongue pad" (online or any shoe-repair place has them). They stick by adhesive under the shoes' tongue and ever-so-slightly shift your foot back in the shoe so that you get a less-loose fit in the heal area.

Another option is to use a piece of moleskin (with adhesive on one side) to line the inside-of-the-shoe heal area which will, obviously, make the fit ever-so-slightly tighter.

In shoes, it is amazing how these very simple (and seemingly small) adjustments can solve what seem like big issues. Good luck - hope this helps.

 

[RogerP]

Your boots are just breaking in: uppers are stretching slightly, and footbeds are settling / compressing slightly leading to slightly more overall interior volume.