Can you stretch your Salties without ruining them? Tips on making your Salt-Water Sandals even more comfortable

Friday 24 November 2023

Some of the most frequently asked questions we get here at SWHQ are, ‘Can I stretch my leather sandals?’, ‘Will my leather sandals stretch?’, 'Can I break in my Salt-Water Sandals?' and ‘How do I stretch out leather Salt-Water sandals?/Will my leather sandals stretch?’ Understandably, you don’t want to risk ruining your lovely new Salties, but if when you get them, they feel a bit stiff or a little tight over the toes, there are a couple of things you can safely do….

How to Stretch Leather Sandals / How do I make my sandals bigger / How to stretch slides / How to loosen leather sandals?

If your Salties are feeling a bit tight, we recommend that you gently pull the leather straps in opposite directions. This will help to loosen them up.

Another way to stretch leather sandals is to put them on and soak your feet in water for about five minutes. Keep them on for the next couple of hours and let them air dry as you go about your day. This will help to soften the leather and accelerates the process of moulding the sandals to your feet. You don’t need to worry, our water sandals are coated with a waterproof sealant and the buckles are rust proof. You can use this method with both Salt-Water and Sun-San kids styles.

Can you shrink Salt-Water sandals?

There is no way to shrink your Salt-Water Sandals. If you have brought a pair that is a bit big then please return them for a smaller size. Our leather can 'stretch' but it cannot shrink!

If your leather sandals and slides feel a bit stiff when they first go on you can also bend them. Simply flex the sole together to make a C shape. Do this a few times and the rubber will start to soften up. Please note though, we only recommend doing this for Salt-Water styles with the thinner vulcanised sole. We don’t recommend this for any of the Sun-San kids styles.