Leather Sperry shoes run big and it is advisable to go down half a size in order to account for stretching over time.
On the other hand, if your boat shoe is constructed with synthetic material like canvas or nylon, they will not stretch at all, so they are true to size.
Therefore, you do not need to size up or down.
The width may change during wear (depending on how much break-in occurs), but length should stay consistent throughout.
What to do when Sperry runs big?
Table of Contents
When Sperrys run big, the shoes will feel more floppy in the heel, so you may not actually realize that they are a little too big until you take a few steps or walk down some stairs.
At that point, if the heel is extremely loose and floppy, it will feel like that area of your foot has been lifted up out of the shoe.
When it comes to why Sperrys actually run bigger, there are a number of reasons that this is the case.
- First off, they are designed with a boat shoe, slip-on style in mind. As such, you can expect them to have a little more room under the feet than what you may like for some other types of shoes.
- Further, Sperrys are designed to be worn without socks that obviously give you a little more wiggle room in the shoe as well.
- Finally, it should also be noted that they do typically run about half of a size bigger than other types of shoes.
This is so that they will fit properly for those who oftentimes wear them without socks.
If you still find them to be too large on your feet, there are still some ways that you can get them to fit properly.
Try socks
To begin with, you may want to try out some different types of socks. One type that tends to work well for this is a crew sock, as it will help bring the shoes closer to your foot, which will then allow them to fit better.
You can stuff the toe box of your Sperry shoes
Stuffing the toe-box of your Sperry boat shoe would also do the trick. If this works well for you, then stick with it. Stuff the toe region of your shoe with materials like cotton or something related.
This fills in the space that might be in your toe region. So, your toes would not touch the top of your Sperrys. This would make your feet cover the entire shoe.
Try shoe inserts
Alternatively, if you find that you do not like the feel of wearing socks with the Sperrys, you can also try putting on a thin pair of shoe inserts as well.
This will help make your foot fit more snugly in the shoe, which is what you want to begin with. Another tip that you can utilize involves getting some new insoles for your Sperrys.
These are designed to give you a little extra padding and traction around the shoe while you wear them and make it easier for your feet to fit well inside of the shoes.
There are even some that are designed specifically for people who will be wearing their Sperrys without socks, but if you do not like that feel then they can still work great with a thin pair of socks as well.
Once you can follow all these, you would achieve the best fit.
What to do when Sperry run small
This can be caused by many factors. For example, if your Sperrys shoe is new, it is expected for it to get very tight at inception.
This happens to me every time I wear a new shoe. I have added over 60 shoes to my collection and I can tell that they get tight and a little bit uncomfortable every time I try them on for the first time.
This is the reason why I decided to research the ways to make shoes run small and then I stumbled on this amazing boat shoe. Sperrys boat shoe is easy to make big if they run small.
However, the first thing I must say is that you should ensure that you order for a size that fits well with your feet.
This is very important. This is very necessary. Once you can achieve the best fit, then you would not need to go through discomfort when wearing your Sperrys boat shoe.
Let us talk about the different things you can do when your Sperrys run small:
If your Sperry boat shoe is new and runs tight, then you need to break it in
Most times, this can take weeks or several days. To achieve this, ensure you wear your Sperry boat shoe consistently and for long hours, with time, it would break-in.
The material would expand and create more room for your feet after wearing it for a long time.
Therefore, this is only going to be achievable if you are feeling a bit uncomfortable in your feet and toes because your Sperry boat shoe is new and compact.
Remove insole
If your Sperrys boat shoe is tight, another method to work this out is to remove the insole.
The insole takes a bit of space in your shoe. Therefore, removing the insoles would create more room for your feet and toes. If your Sperrys run small, then give more space by removing the insole.
This might have a bit of implication because you might feel a little bit uncomfortable, however, with time, your feet would get used to it.
Therefore, this is another method to make your Sperry boat shoe big.
Freeze your Sperry shoe with water
This is the best way to stretch out tight shoes in a pinch! Fill up one-third of your sandwich size Ziploc bag with water, and seal tightly.
After squeezing it make sure there are no leaks by testing them on your clothes (I got some drops on my shirt after I tested mine).
Place inside shoe molding down towards toe area where they often feel especially cramped.
Put shoes into the freezer until water has frozen solid for about an hour depending on how big you want desired effect or less time if preferred not as stretched but still more comfortable.
Repeat this process multiple times throughout the day until satisfied with results or run errands so that feet have plenty of time to thaw before starting again later when ready.
Leverage shoe stretcher
A shoe stretcher is a great way to get the most comfortable wear out of your favorite shoes.
A simple tool like this can help you avoid ruining those adorable new heels with extreme heat and water, which are both risky methods for stretching footwear in general.
There are many empowering and easy ways to stretch out a shoe. One that I came across is the FootFitter Premium Professional 2-Way Shoe Stretcher, which can be used on both men’s and women’s shoes with adjustable size options for each style it accommodates.
This particular stretcher has little nubs in the toe area if your shoe begins scraping one spot too much after stretching, too!
How long does it take Sperrys to break in?
An average time would be about a month but usually takes about two weeks, depending on how frequently you wear your Sperry shoe.
You would first have to stretch your shoes out so they are not too tight on your feet and make sure you wear them for a while in order for them to become broken in.
After they are broken in, you will be able to wear them as much as you want.
Your feet will also need time to break into the shoe by going through a process called ‘breaking-in’, which happens when all of the leather is molded around your foot.
After a few days of wearing the shoes, the shoe will mold around your feet and thus create a personal fit.
The way to break in these boat shoes is by simply wearing them as often as you can so that they are molded to fit your feet perfectly.
Wearing them constantly, or at least a few times a day will help them to break in quickly.
They are great shoes, but you will still need time to get used to them and for them to be molded around your feet, just like any other shoe.
How to break in your Sperry
Break-in is not hard but should be done slowly and carefully.
My suggestion; do not try to break in your Sperry in one night but over two or three days.
Many people have been asking us how long it takes to break the boat shoe in. I have answered this in the previous section.
However, this also depends on what kind of activity you will be doing and your personal breaking-in schedule, but I have created an easy guide to make it simple and quick:
I recommend wearing a pair of thin cotton socks during the break-in process
The goal here is to wear them for two to three hours each time; so that they get a chance to mold and stretch around your foot.
Start out easy the first day
Have something light planned like walking or running errands, etc. The key is to not have them on for too long in one sitting, but to become comfortable wearing them while doing simple tasks.
On Day 2, you should be ready to wear them a little longer
Work out at the gym, go for a run or walk with your dog.
On Day 3 you could add more time
Like maybe do some gardening work around the house and yard.
By Day 4 or so, you should have them pretty well broken in!
If you start to see signs of wear, then go back to wearing them only every few days until they are ready again; simply repeat this process.
The boat shoe will shape to your foot over time and after many wears (at least 20). The more often you wear these shoes while doing different activities throughout the week; the quicker they will break in.
Wear your Sperrys in the water. Slip them on and wear them to go house boating, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and surfing or just jump around in the boat while you are cleaning it out! (Do this every time you get off the water if you can).
Water acts as a great conditioning treatment for all leather products – including shoes, belts, boots, etc…
Set aside one day a week and wear your Sperrys as much as you can, even to work!
Remember that with time, your Sperrys will stretch differently than when they were new and it is important to break them in slowly so they will maintain their shape over the long haul.
Wear them everywhere, whether it’s around town or on vacation – remember the more use they get the better (this also means do not put them away and forget about them).
It is important to note due to the nature of leather, it will wear differently depending on where you live- in locations with a lot of rain, snow, or mud, your Sperrys will weather more than someone who lives in dry and arid regions.
Should Sperrys be tight or loose?
Sperrys should be tight when you buy them. The reason for this is that your shoe would stretch out a bit after consistently wearing it for a long time.
Therefore, it is better to wear a tight Sperrys boat shoe so that it achieves perfect fit when it breaks in.
A loose Sperry boat shoe would make your feet and toes wobble after it breaks in fully.
Therefore, it is better to order a size down if you are buying a synthetic material that expands.
