The easiest way to break in your cleats is to wear them as much as possible outside of gameday.
You want the cleat to fit snugly but you also want to be able to wear the cleats pain-free. Wearing them while you do chores or walk around the yard molds them and helps them take the shape of your foot to give your feet some breathing room.
Key Takeaways
You can wear your cleats as much as possible, or flex them, stuff them, and soak them – all of these tricks will help break your cleats in without causing blisters or sores on your feet.
How Can I Break My Cleats In?
Here’s how to break your football cleats in less than 30 minutes.
If you are yet able to break your cleats, we still have four more tips for you to try again.
Tip #1: Wear Them Off The Field (Just Not On Asphalt!)

You want your cleats to feel good on your feet while you’re in the game, so breaking them in during your time off the gridiron is essential.
If practice is over, keep the cleats on and walk around more. Walk around with them in your yard, or at the park, or anywhere where there’s grass.
Just make sure to avoid asphalt or blacktop cement as these will wear your spike down and your cleats will lose all their traction.
Walking in them is your best bet. Running in your cleats while they are too tight can cause blisters and sores, which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid in the first place.
Tip #2: Bend Them Around

Flexing your cleats will loosen up the interior and exterior.
It’ll give your foot a little more space and your toes some wiggle room.
All you have to do is grab both ends, the toe, and the heel, and bend your cleats in all different directions.
Tip #3: Stuff or stretching Them

Stuffing your cleats with wrapping paper or newspaper will help stretch out the interior of the boot.
It’s good to do this after you’ve had the cleats on, as this will help your cleats keep the shape your foot has made in them.
Tip #4: Soak Them
Soaking your cleats will help soften them and will therefore make them easier to break in.
All you have to do is fill up a large bucket of hot water and submerge your feet, with cleats on, into the bucket.
The water shouldn’t be so hot that it burns your feet, of course, and should not be so high that it reaches above the laces.
While submerged, wiggle your toes around and try to expand your feet to help with stretching. Do this for 10 minutes and then take your feet out.
Stuff them with newspaper or wrapping paper to help dry the cleats out and keep them in the shape your foot stretched them into.
If you are interested to buy a new pair of cleats, then check out our latest pick of best football cleats.