the Cost of Cobblers and Shoe Repair for Casual Men's Shoes

The price covered stretching out hot spots (tight places) in the upper of a pair of newly-bought hiking boots.

The service was done at a local outdoor equipment store. They offered a variety of services including repair of various gear from bikes to tents and climbing equipment. Prices vary depending on what needs being done. They also had a climbing wall on which they were willing to give sport climbing lessons or let you test out climbing gear.

I have somewhat oddly-shaped feet. Narrow at the heel and very wide at the ball of my foot. When I went shopping for new hiking boots (the old ones having been destroyed beyond repair), I realized I probably wouldn't be able to find boots that fit properly. When I'd tried on all the boots that could reasonably be called "lightweight hikers," I resolved to either having a pair of boots made for me. The guy at the store said they could, for a small fee, modify a pair to suit (by stretching them) if they were close in fit. So I went back to the three least uncomfortable pairs of boots and, figured out which I liked best, and had them fit. Total time to make the changes in the shoes was about an hour and involved a lot of taking of and putting on and tying up the pair of shoes.

Shoes don't "break in" the way you probably think they do. What happens, mostly, is your feet get used to the problem areas of the shoes. This is especially the case with heavy leather shoes like hiking boots and some expensive dress shoes. Best is when you find a pair that fits you perfectly the first time. Almost as good is finding a close fit and subtly stretching out the boots in the problem areas.